For more than two decades, Ann Smith Gordon has been combining her photographic talents with tales from her fascinating travels to raise money for local cancer care.

On Wednesday, she shares her journey to Poland as part of the annual fund-raising event for PALS.

Describing it as a "land of beauty and treasures", Ms Smith Gordon will take the audience on a tour of some of the highlights of the historic, eastern European country.

"My audio-visual slide presentation of Poland explores an amazing country that has survived more than 1,000 years of turbulent history and has, more recently, emerged from the grim and grey decades of communism," she said.

"It is a country full of surprises, of glorious cathedrals, beautiful works of art, magnificent castles and ancient fortresses of the Teutonic knights, wonderful museums, stunning World Heritage sites, amazing sand dunes, ships that sail over land and so much more.

"We begin our journey in Krakow, Poland's most historic city and the royal capital for over 500 years. It is the only large Polish city to have escaped unscathed from World War Two.

"Krakow has a wonderful collection of medieval and Renaissance architecture very dear to the hearts of Poles who consider it the birthplace of their nation and their culture."

The presentation will include Ms Smith Gordon's tour of the "amazing Wielicza Salt Mine", a beautiful ¿ and massive ¿ chamber hand hewn from solid rock salt, as well as her visit to Auschwitz and Birkenhau.

"From Krakow we will also make a heart wrenching visit to the Nazi concentration and death camp of Auschwitz and Birkenhau, the largest centre for the mass extermination of European Jews. It was a hell on earth beyond imagination with extraordinary and chilling accounts of courage, endurance and survival that the world must never forget." Ms Smith Gordon then travels to the World Heritage site Zamosc, considered a perfect example of a late 16th-century Italian Renaissance town, and on to Warsaw.

"Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Warsaw has rebuilt itself from the rubble of World War Two to once again become a thriving, bustling capital city. It is the geographical and political centre of Poland, full of elegant shops, luxury hotels, palaces and museums.

"Four hours by train from Warsaw, many will be delighted and surprised at the beauty and charm of Gdansk. World War Two broke out here at dawn on September 1, 1939 and 90 per cent of the historic centre was entirely destroyed. But gazing at the remarkable and complex reconstruction from the ground up, it is difficult to imagine that the beautiful buildings we see today have not stood for 400 years.

"We will end our journey across Poland with a 12-day cruise along the Vistual and Elblag rivers to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. It is an exploration of the little known Polish coastline that explores in some depth, a corner of Prussia rich in natural history with ancient towns and villages. We pass through miles of tranquil and beautiful landscapes charmingly untouched by mass tourism. I do hope you will join me to share these memorable experiences of yet another fascinating journey."

Ms Smith Gordon will present Travels in Poland: Land of Beauty and Treasures, on Wednesday, March 12 in the auditorium at Mount St. Agnes at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and available at the PALS office or by telephone, 236-7257.