We learnt about Arkady Fiedler Museum in Puszczykowo thanks to the kindness and recommendation of an employee of the museum in Kórnik Castle.

Most of us know that Arkady Fiedler was a leading voyager and writer. We read the book "Squadron 303" at school and due to other Polish travellers, we can encounter many unusual tales from his expeditions. We had no idea about the enormity of his numerous journeys and research trips. During the 90 years of his life he made 30 expeditions, and as we found out in the museum, he used to scrupulously prepare for them, having at his disposal not the ubiquitous and omniscient Internet, but maps, atlases and books about the lands he was going to.

His works add up to 32 books translated into 23 languages and over 10 millions editions. His books captivate us with their simplicity and equally with their picturesque nature, and they bring people from different parts of the world together. They show how sensitive to the beauty of the world was their author. Those who have read them do not need to be reminded of books like "Canada fragrant with resin", or "The fish sing in Ukajala". Those who haven't read his books, I recommend them as a window on the world of tolerance and respect for different cultures and customs.

The museum was established in 1974 by Arkady Fiedler and his sons Marek and Arkady Radosław in the old family home near Poznań. Thanks to Feliks Skrzypczak, the house has regained its old glow, and the exhibition was put together under the watchful eye of Zygmunt Konarski. In the course of time, younger generations of the family have become involved in the activity of the museum. Due to this, the value of museum, not only in the material sense, is steadily rising.

January 1st is the shortest day of the Year because the morning starts around noon. That is, unless we spent New Year's Eve taking care of our liver and head, and after drinking a New-Year toast went directly to bed. For the majority of us it is a lazy, sleepy day aimed more at taking a nap or reading a book under a blanket than at any physical activity.

It is worse if at 7:30 in the house two little, well-rested human beings are running around. We have to get up, wake ourselves up with a bucket of black coffee and prepare an honest breakfast. Later on we put some cartoons on the TV and lethargically pretend that we do not exist. Unfortunately, the amount of unused energy in the body of a young person is usually inversely proportional to the tolerance level of "tired" parents.

My children were able to remain inactive only until after dinner time. As skating and swimming could not be taken into account for obvious reasons, we decided to take a walk. As a matter of fact I decided, because the man of the house adamantly refused to go anywhere.

I reminded myself that since the autumn it has been possible to see the King's Garden of Light in Wilanów Park, so we went for a frosty evening walk to Wilanów.

It was beautiful. Thousands of colorful lights create a mysterious garden where you feel like you are in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In the courtyard you can take a picture in the royal golden carriage and try to listen to the light drops falling from a huge light fountain.

When we ask kids today where meat and eggs come from, they will answer - from the shop. It is good that at least they do not think that milk comes from a violet cow. Lucky are those people who have families living in the countryside and can show their children a cow at pasture, a pig in a pigsty and a chicken pecking for grain. Unfortunately, such villages are seldom found.

Therefore, we should appreciate places where time has stopped and in which you may see the past in a realistic environment. One such place is Wielkopolski Ethnographical Park (colloquially called heritage park) in Dziekanowice. The majority of the buildings placed there are original. They were relocated from many villages around Poland, where they were taken apart, secured and built once again in the new place. Thanks to this, a new village has been set up where you can find everything you need to live. There are buildings constructed in many different architectural styles, including outbuildings, a church, a presbytery, a smithy and even an inn.

It is amazing how well cared for the place is, and the attention to detail is stunning. Interiors are decorated with folk paintings, furniture creaking from old age and kitchen equipment that looks like somebody just finished cooking.  To make the village even more realistic, behind the houses there are fields, a bee-garden, cabbage beds and orchards. Walking thorough the park, I sometimes had the impression that Kargul and Pawlak might emerge at any moment from one of the houses and start knocking pots off fences and cutting up the sleeves of shirts drying in the wind.

There are places which tell us about their history on their own. To this group belong castles ruins, palaces, military fortresses and heritage parks. If the people who care for them are also engaged and full of passion, these places become even more enjoyable for tourists.

When we went thorough the brick-built gate into the Boyen fortress, we were welcomed by a guard with a very serious facial expression and a small squadron of Prussian soldiers. All these minor details made the Boyen fortress look more realistic and very attractive for children.

The Boyen fortress in Giżycko was built between 1843 and 1855 as a strategic construction to control the pass between Niegocin and Kisajno lakes. The Fortress is an example of Prussian Fort building knowledge from the mid XIX century and is one of the best remaining relics of defence architecture from the XIX century in Poland. It is difficult to believe that this huge fortress, which occupies around 10 hectares, was built so fast. The attention to detail and aesthetics of many elements is remarkable, even though this is a military fortress. The biggest surprise for me was seeing one of the best remaining openwork buildings, which in its prime served as a pigeon loft for almost 700 carrier pigeons.

I have already written about the necessity of filling up holidays with interesting things for children to do. We should appreciate the places which entertain and educate us equally. Today's entry is about the Miniature Park of Polish Lighthouses in Niechorze. In 45 minutes you can "visit" the whole Polish coast.