JFK, then Oslo, on to Warsaw (with overnight at the very modern Caritas Center (for pilgrims, et al), and ending on the 21st of Apr. with a 7-hr train ride to the south-eastern Polish city of Przemysl.
Today our first walking day, we intended to walk the 15 km (9 mi) from Medyka to Przemysl but in fact went in reverse--better logistics. When we arrived in the border village of Medyka, we were welcomed by the two Parish Priests, one of whom opened the wooden church built in 1607, but it's no longer in use since a new, much grander one was built next to it (just compare altars in the two pics). In 1997, the new church was dedicated by the Polish Pope John Paul II (since canonized in 2014). As you can see, the church also marks the 4053 km (2000+ miles) to Santiago!
Eddie, my Polish travel partner through Poland, and I are staying at the PTTK hostel in Przemysl for the second night (the night's stay is a far cry from the one in Warsaw). This city has a rich history going back to the 8th century. WW I & II had significant impacts on the city--e.g., the Molotov Line split the city in half in WW II between Russia and Germany.
