Geography:

Poland anchors the center of the European continent, with an area of 312,683 square km -- including about 500 km of coastline along the Baltic Sea to the north.

Seven countries border Poland -- to the west, the Polish/German border runs along the Oder and Neisse rivers. To the north, Poland is bordered by Russia; to the east by Lithuania, Belarus and the Ukraine; and in the south by the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Sudeten and Carpathian Mountains. In general, Poland is a flat country with an average height above sea level of 568 ft. Poland's climate is greatly influenced by oceanic air currents from the west, cold polar air from Scandinavia and Russia, as well as warmer, sub-tropical air from the south.

Nearly 95 percent of the region's population is employed in agriculture. Horse-drawn carts and cattle grazing on the side of the road blend seemlessly with the motorized traffic and cafe crowd. Poland's topography played a major role in its history, as its flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain provided no resistance to military advances and made these borders difficult to defend.

Over the centuries, Polish kings and magnates erected numerous defensive castles and stately palaces. Turbulent history has reduced many of them into piles of rubble. Some of them, however, have been spared and today - carefully restored - enchant us with their beauty. At present, some of these buildings house government offices, colleges, etc. Others serve as museums.

A surprising offering of the Siedlce countryside is the Polish spa, available in many areas, which treats a variety of physical conditions such as Rheumatism, circulatory and respiratory disorders, and digestive tract and metabolic diseases with non-medical treatments. The curative properties of Polish spas have been known for a long time. People traveled to the waters for health as well as for social reasons. One of the oldest spas in Poland is Cieplice Zdroj - its records date back to the year 1281.

Culture

The style and personality of the Polish people have been shaped over a thousand years, resulting in an amalgamation of many heritages. Poland's national culture was born of Latin and Byzantine influences, and influenced by various European occupations throughout the country's history.

Highly artistic people, the Poles have adapted and "borrowed" freely from many cultures, contributing to the versatile character of Polish art. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Polish people's focus on cultural development even took the place of political and economic activity.

Polish heritage is rich with music and dance. Whether listening to the quick joyous tunes of a polka, or the classical sounds of Chopin or Lutoslawski, Polish music is undeniably beautiful. Siedlce, Poland is the home of the Chodowiacy folk dance group, internationally famous for its Slovak, Russian and Polish repertoire.

Vibrant folk culture adds to the attraction of the region with traditional, richly decorated Kurpie wooden houses and folk crafts such as weaving, embroidery, coloured-paper cutting and Easter-egg painting. Women still wear traditional costumes on church holidays and during folklore events.

Customs, manners, and traditional costumes reflect both eastern and western influences -- including rich eastern ornamental styles and Islamic influences. One of the most original and authentic branch of Polish folk art is paper cut-outs. Folk cut-outs are the most genuine example of Polish art; unique in Europe. The cut-outs were used to decorate the interiors of village huts especially for Christmas and Easter seasons. Wafer cut-outs (made with flour and water) were very popular in Polish homes at Christmas. This art is displayed in exhibitions, and illuminates the immense skills of village women who had never taken any professional training in art. These artisans learned their skills from their mothers and grandmothers.

"Maps courtesy of www.theodora.com/maps used with permission"