Polish people celebrate All Saints Day on November 1st. It's a very important holiday.
While we were in Poland we went to the cemetery three times. Few days before All Saints Day we went to clean the graves in the Powązki cemetery (which is the oldest cemetery in Warsaw). Here are some photos of our family graves:
Before cleaning
After cleaning
My great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother's grave
Most of the alleys in the cemetery looked like this:
On All Saints Day we went to the Powązki cemetery at night. It was even more beautiful than during the day. There loads of people. All the graves had candles and lots of flowers on them. There was the nice candle smell in the air. It was quite cold, but not as cold as in previous years.
Look how nice it is now!
Graves of famous people, like this singer, had l o a d s of lights!
And more!!!!!!!
On November 2nd is All Souls Day. On that day one should also go visit more graves. We went to another cemetery, Powązki Military Cemetery. Many polititians, soldiers and famous people are buried there. I was most interested in seeing the graves of young people who died during Warsaw Uprising in 1944. I found the grave of the author of one of my favourite books "Kamienie na Szaniec", Aleksander Kamiński. There were also graves of those who were portrayed in that book, Alek, Zośka, Rudy and other Warsaw Uprising heros.
Graves of those who lost their lives in World War II.
The grave of the author of the book.
The graves of Zośka, Alek and Rudy.
Polish cemeteries are so different to the Taiwanese ones and people visit them more often than in Taiwan. What do you think about Powązki cemetery?
A week ago we came to Poland. Before coming here we stayed a few days in Hong Kong. On the day we were flying out of Hong Kong we went on a yacht cruise - it was so nice and warm.
The boat we were on.
Relaxing on a yacht
The next day we landed in cold, but sunny Europe - Zurich and later Warsaw.
So far in Warsaw we went to the Old Town.
We also went shopping. My Mom got me some shirts and books. One is about the history of Poland.
Yesterday we went to the Warsaw Rising Museum. It's a museum about Warsaw Uprising which took place during World War II (Aug.1,1944 - Oct.4,1944). The whole Warsaw was destroyed and many, many people were killed.
Last Sunday was quite special. We usually don't go anywhere (except for church) on Sundays, but this time was different.
Zozo left home very early to go to Foguang Shan 佛光山, the largest Buddist monastry in Taiwan. And the rest of us stayed in Xindian 新店. We went to places, that I didn't even know existed.
We first went to the Xindian History Museum. There were many artifacts and photos about the history of this city. The most interesting thing were the old money - banknotes and coins.
In the museum I asked Mom if there are any aborigines living in Xindian. Mom was surprised I did not know and she took me to the settlement by the river where aborigines live.
(photo by Mom)
(photo by Mom)
(photo by Mom)
After that we went to the airforce cemetery. There were many graves of pilots who died in action, in training or were shot down by Chinese. The oldest graves were from the 1940th and the newest from just a fey years ago. We were the only visitors at the cemetery, Taiwanese people don't like going to cemeteries. I think it was very interesting .
(photo by Mom)
It was a very interesting Sunday.
All the photos are by me (unless other specified).
Last Saturday was Play for Change Day (around the world people play music and the money from the tickets goes to buy instruments for poor kids around the world that have talent but can't afford to buy instruments or have music teachers).
The OJ Band a.k.a. Orange Juice Band (me on keyboard and my best friend Owen on the electric guitar) went to Red Room for a Stage Time and Juice gig for kids.
The OJ Band played 不能說的秘密 by 周杰倫 & Whistle by Flo Rida. I also played two pieces on sax Take the A Train by Duke Ellington & The Girl from Ipanema by Antônio Carlos Jobim.
I was sooo busy this summer, that I haven't spent much time at home.
After the aviation camp I went for two more camps and also for filming of one TV program.
At the end of July I had another GRRRREAT camp - Camp Taiwan. It was an adventure camp and 3 of my friends, Owen, John and Ben, went with me. We spent most time outdoors doing all kinds of crazy things. You can see me in this "Happy" video at 1:26 !!!
After Camp Taiwan I spent some time at home and later went for a 3 day soccer camp. I also had great time there. Beside kicking the ball we also went hiking and visited a zoo and glass factory, where I made a really cool glass.
This summer we also made good use of the swimming pool on our mountain. Whenever I was at home and not at a camp I went swimming with my sisters and my parents.
Unfortunately the pool will be closing on September 14 so we have only two weeks left to enjoy it.
There are two swimming pools: one is a small one for kiddos and the other one is a 1.5m to 2.5m deep pool (I go only to the bigger pool). Me and my Big Sis like jumping in to the 2.5m place so I am only in that pool area.
You can watch a video of Zosia and my Dad in the pool (she filmed it with GoPro). Too bad I wasn't there that time.
