Christmas is coming.

There is not much here to give away the fact that Christmas is almost upon us. Only the main street running through the city has a thin layer of extra lighting. Shops don't bother to alter or embellish their window displays in any way, there's no carol singing or public concerts, and no christmas songs on the radio - just the usual ghastly techno and heavy rock.

Fir trees are bought a day or two before the Big Day, as are decorations which then remain in place until the end of February. There's something distinctly depressing about seeing Christmas decorations still up so far into the following year.

There are even more police cars on the streets than normally (every second car seems to be an ambulance or patrol car), this is apparently because they are seeking extra bribe money from speeding motorists in order to facilitate some Christmas shopping.

As one would expect in a Catholic country the churches are busier than usual. It's always been a mystery to me how a nation can spend so much time in church and yet be so nasty the moment they step from the portal. I remember one Sunday watching a congregation piling out from one of Lodz's many places of worship, a massive monstrosity carved in concrete and steel. I was with my Big German Friend... "holier than holy... now watch them as they drive out of the car park..." he remarked. And we watched them... cursing and honking and pushing and denying others even the slightest consideration. Love thy neighbour? Forget it. Treat others as you want them to treat you? Not round here.

Word of the week: czlowiek religijny meaning churchgoer.