Me 4. While i'm waiting....
Winter in Poland
Winter in Poland can be quite harsh at times, but even then, the citizens find ways to enjoy themselves. In celebration of the newly founded Parliament of Poland, a winter festival was created that year, lasting from January 7, when the parliament was founded, to January 14. During the festival, artists from around the country gathered around the capital, eager to earn the title of Poland’s best ice sculptor. Winning sculptures included life-sized statue of the entire line of Polish monarchs since the time of Boleslaw Wojeceh, and an impressive 3 metre tall replica of the imperial palace.
For some of the older population, the winter festival was a time when they too could try to earn a prize by enjoying their hobby. Official ice fishing grounds were created near the lakelands in northern Poland, and prizes were given to those with the most catches and/or the largest catches.
Then again, there are also some who enjoy action and excitement, and this can be found in the form of winter kayaking. During the winter, wide rivers become much narrower, causing the current to become more rapid as well, providing more than enough excitement and thrill. At the same time, one can appreciate the beautiful winter scenery in Poland. A kayaking race was set up during the festival, and it was a great success (especially since there were no casualties reported).
Last but not least, skiing, the one winter attraction that almost all poles participate in was wildly popular. From steep downhill skiing to cross-country skiing, almost every able-bodied Pole tried skiing at least once during the festival, and many were adept at it. In lieu of the festival, an international competition was first held. Ambassadors from nearby nations were invited to a race with Poland’s own monarch (Sweden won), and it set a precedent for the following years. It wasn’t completely unreasonable that these ambassadors were replaced the following year with more physically fit men.
EDIT: Das, can you give us several more hrs tomorrow? i have to sleep now (it's 3 am), and i'm not sure i can wake up before your deadline... i'm gonna try though...
