
A TRIP ROUTE
IT IS WORTH KNOWING
The Employees' Holiday Fund (FWP) was a specialized institution operating in Poland since 1949. Its mission was to provide recreation opportunities for employees of state-owned and socialized enterprises and institutions. It supervised recreation centers located in attractive locations throughout the country. FWP offered various forms of vacation: 14-day vacations for families with children, 7-day sightseeing cruises on the Vistula River, 21-day therapeutic vacations in 16 health resorts across the country, 24-day sanatorium stays, and many others. Everything was centrally managed. Trips were based on referrals distributed by FWP's provincial referral offices and FWP agencies operating in large workplaces. Referrals for the summer season and to the most attractive locations were distributed among employees by works councils. In 1967, FWP had approximately 52,800 places at its disposal. holiday destinations in 116 towns in Poland, which hosted 583,000 holidaymakers. Over time, the importance of FWP gradually declined, as companies expanded their own recreation facilities and individual forms of recreation developed.1960s 1970s and 1980s
As a child, I spent most of my summers on the Baltic Sea, and my winter breaks in the mountains, usually in Zakopane. We went almost every year, usually through the Employee Holiday Fund or on our own. In the late 1970s, when the opportunity arose, we spent our holidays in Bulgaria.
I don't remember much from my earliest trips, but I've always been drawn to the water. I also skied, a skill I lost as I grew up. I have few photos from that period, some have been lost or destroyed, and I can't pinpoint others to a specific time or place. We didn't have a camera on every trip. Back then, taking photos wasn't as easy or as popular as it is today. However, I have a special fondness for these few photographs, as they remind me of happy moments in my childhood.Baltic Sea
During my summer vacation, I visited many towns along the entire Baltic coast. These were purely recreational holidays, with sightseeing limited to the attractions of each location and its immediate surroundings. From my parents' accounts, I know that my first trip was to Pobierowo, and then we vacationed in Ustka, Niechorze, Mielno, Kołobrzeg, Świnoujście, Międzyzdroje, Krynica Morska, Hel, Jastrzębia Góra and Gdańsk.
Carpathian Mountains
I mainly went to Zakopane in the winter, although I also had a spring trip. My parents would sunbathe on Gubałówka, and I would try my hand at skiing. There are even quite a few nice photos from that time. We also visited other resorts in the Beskid Mountains, but only in the summer. I remember spending holidays with my parents at Lake Rożnów, as well as trips to Muszyna and Zawoja.
Krakow and surroundings
Walks around Krakow and trips to the surrounding area were quite regular. During trips outside the city, we visited attractive towns and natural wonders, or simply wandered around admiring the surrounding nature. My parents were avid mushroom pickers, so we often visited the surrounding forests. However, they rarely recorded these trips on film, so few photos of these places have survived.
Bulgaria - Varna
My parents booked our first vacation to Bulgaria as a package tour, and then we started traveling on our own, about 4-5 times in total. The 24-hour train ride from Krakow to Varna was pure torture, but we were rewarded with sandy beaches, warm sea, and plenty of sunshine. At that time, vibrant Varna seemed out of this world to me. I remember my infatuation with Schweppes drinks and juicy, sweet watermelons.
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