Since Kraśnik and its surroundings are home to brickyards where eco-friendly, hand-made brick is produced, this important location, which fits perfectly with the ecological project, couldn’t be overlooked. Therefore on Wednesday morning the group visited the brickworks in Słodków III thanks to the hospitality of the Piętal family, who have been cultivating family traditions for three generations producing this high-quality product for both domestic and international market. The fact that in the age of automation bricks here are formed exclusively by hand and from purely natural material is unique on a national and global scale. Because the composition of the brick has remained unchanged since ancient times, it can be used not only for construction and decoration but also for the restoration of historic monuments. Using bricks from the region of Kraśnik, many historic sites have been restored, not only in Poland but also abroad. What is worth mentioning is the fact that the current owners of the Słodków Brickworks – the Piętal brothers Piotr and Michał are graduates of the hosting school – ZS nr 1 w Kraśniku.
The next destination on that day was the royal city of Sandomierz, where, during a guided tour, the group learned about the history and significance of this beautiful city, as well as the beauty of the surrounding natural landscape, such as the stunning Queen Jadwiga’s Ravine and the Pepper Mountains – the oldest mountains in Poland which owe their name to brownish-gray rocks that crumble into fine, loose grains that look like ground black pepper. This nature reserve is a true mecca for botanists and nature lovers as home to Poland’s largest (and one of Europe’s largest) natural clusters of wild roses. In Sandomierz the project participants were also intrigued by the unique striped flint stone mined in the Sandomierz area, commonly known as the “stone of optimism.”
On the way home the group stopped by in Annopol where they attended a ‘pierogi feats’ . They could treat themselves to the dish that is so loved by the Polish. The participants could taste different kinds with both savoury and sweet stuffing. The windy weather ruined the initial plans to have them on a picnic by the Vistula river so we had to follow plan B and have them in “Nadwiślanka” restaurant.
