Observations from the train

There is so much less graffiti in Poland -- on buildings, on train cars, along the train tracks -- than there is in Italy. Maybe 10% of the coverage you'll see in Italy.

Poland is covered in these straight narrow birch trees which have bright white bark with black or charcoal markings. And in the fall the leaves become so yellow as to look like flowers.

There are so many good sized recently built houses of obvious quality throughout the countryside. Concrete blocks are used for exterior construction and even interior walls. Usually stuccoed. The Roofs are sharply pitched and the overhang (???) are much deeper than in the US, maybe 30-32 inches, but not deep enough to provide shelter for, say, a doorway or a porch. And all the houses have wrought iron balconies and tall fences around the entire property.

Apples, apples everywhere.

Poland is also covered in beautiful blue spruce trees.