After we discovered that we would be moving to Germany, we were offered many interesting tips and tidbits about what life is like overseas for military families. Something we heard more than once was “You will love the Polish pottery.” Polish pottery? What is that? I had never heard of it, or to my knowledge, seen it. After we arrived I heard people, women mainly, talking about Polish pottery. I had to see this stuff! Was is made with gold? Crammed with cash?

A few weeks later I went to my first bazaar (another military installation tradition) and finally got a chance to see Polish pottery. My first impression was that it was nice, but nothing special. It’s heavy, white or cream colored and always painted in cobalt blue designs, usually with accents of green, sometimes with brown or yellow. Many patterns are dotted with big circles while some patterns are more delicate. I purchased a bowl and was surprised to find that not only can I use it to serve, but could also bake in it. I wanted to buy more, and I was told that the only way to do it was to go to Poland – Boleslawiec, to be exact. There are bus tours hauling people to Boleslawiec (pronounced bol-ES-slav-ik) every almost weekend to shop. On March 23, I was on my way!

I not only wanted to shop, but to see Poland. I grew up during the Cold War years, and the impression I had was of a country much like the former Soviet Union – cold, damp, gray, poor. Had it had a chance to improve in the 10 years since the fall of communism?

Our bus left at 10pm for an 8 hour drive. Boleslawiec is an hour east of Dresden, Germany on the autobahn. We arrived at the Polish border at 5:45am. After our guide presented the passports and 12 marks for the Poland Border Tax (approx. 6 dollars)to the border guard, we sat. And sat. And sat. For two hours, we sat. We also watched other tour buses being allowed to pass. Finally our driver inquired within as to the cause of the delay, and was told we owned more money. Yikes – was this a shake down? No, our guide had been $2 short. I wondered how long they would have let us sit there...

The difference between Germany and Poland was immediately apparent. The housing was as I had imagined – grey, cement-block buildings, with bad roofs and unkempt yards. As we arrived in Boleslawiec there was no change, only more dilapidated buildings crowded together. There were no people about, although is was only 8:30 am. The countryside was green, but little else was in bloom.

As our bus turned the corner, we saw a familiar sight – the Golden Arches. Yes, a McDonalds in Boleslawiec. We were starved, and willing to postpone shopping for an Egg McMuffin, only to be told that they didn’t serve breakfast. If we were hungry it would have to be a Big Mac – at 8am? A Big Mac it was, and while the Polish currency is the zloty, they accepted the deutsche mark and the dollar. I had a Big Mac, fries, small drink and an apple pie for less than $2. What impressed me was the friendliness of the McDonalds crew. None of them could speak English, nor could we speak Polish, but they were extremely helpful and seemed to enjoy the interaction with us. It was fun.

Our next stop was shopping! There are pottery outlets, as well as pottery shops. They cater to the tourist, and both advertise heavily with signs on the autobahn. The outlets supposedly offer the best price, but I didn’t see a very big difference. It’s hard to miss any place that sells pottery – there is usually a big sign with a piece of pottery painted on it, and the word “Ceramik”. If you see one, stop.

The pottery is made in Boleslawiec, and each piece is stamped by the factory. On each piece should also be important information, and this is the grade of the pottery, or category. The best is “Gat I”, category 1. This is the most durable pottery – you can use it to bake, serve and also put it in the dishwasher. It's almost unbreakable (I should know, I dropped a piece in the shop...). The next is Gat II, and while durable it doesn’t hold up to higher temperatures as the Gat I. Use it to serve, and hand wash. The next two, Gat III and IV, are usually reserved for show pieces and items such as candy jars and napkin holders. However, they make all pieces in all categories so you have to be careful when choosing your piece. I bought a dish that I thought I could use to bake, but when I got home I found it to be a Gat III. I can use it to serve cold dishes and it’s lovely, but next time I’ll be more careful. The categories are clearly marked – just know what you’re looking for.

Another difference that I did see between a shop and outlet was that most outlets take cash only – zloties. The problem with buying zloties is that they can only be exchanged within Poland, so if you have any left when you leave the country you’re stuck with them. The shops take credit cards (they give the best exchange rate), dollars and marks.

The main reason that most tourists travel into Poland to buy this pottery is the outrageously cheap prices. The bowl I purchased at the bazaar cost $12. The same one would cost less that $2 in Poland. A large soup tureen was 42 zloties, and the dollar/zloty exchange was better than 4 to 1. I paid $10.

While pottery may be the main draw, there are other fantastic buys:

-- Quality wicker items are practically given away – baskets (galore!), hampers, trunks, patio furniture, etc., are everywhere. My friend purchased a wicker bench seat, with a beautiful high back and storage compartment, for $20.

-- Polish crystal. While not on par with Austrian or Swedish crystal, the Polish lead crystal is lovely and priced low. I bought a wine decanter, 6 cordials and 6 wine glasses for less than $18.

-- handmade wood boxes. These make great gifts and are beautifully handcarved. They range in sizes from a couple inches square to bread box size. In fact, along with wood boxes are nesting dolls, chess sets and crosses.

-- hand blown Christmas ornaments. Y’know the ones they sell at the fancy department stores? For $50 - $150? I got a few of them for $4 each. Heh, heh....

We shopped all afternoon, then went to the flea market. What an experience. These people wanted our money, and were willing to stand for hours to wheel and deal. Sweaters, more crystal, even more wicker. Antiques, cold war military paraphernalia, candy, clothing. We were able to get some good deals, but these flea markets aren’t for the timid shopper, nor for those who like to flash their money. Pickpockets abound at places like this, so care must be taken.

At 6:00 we were ready to call it a day. After a visit to our McDonald friends – the same people were still on shift – we boarded our bus and headed home. The bus trip was an “express” – no overnight stop. We brought blankets and pillows and each of us had two seats, but there was little sleep that night. Could it have been the visions of pottery dancing in my head?

My impression of Poland was mixed – the people couldn’t have been friendlier. However, the economy is very depressed -- more than once we had children offering to carry our bags to the bus for a coin. I hope these kind and warm people will be able to attain the same quality of life as western European nations.

For more information on Polish pottery, visit this website: www.polishstoneware.com. To see some pictures of Polish pottery, visit eBay.



Recommended: Yes

Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime