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Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków May 20th 2019

It’s an early start this morning in order to reach Auschwitz before the 10 am compulsory, yet non-existent, tour guide cut off time. We make it with minutes to spare, although it means skipping breakfast. It feels inappropriate to complain about being hungry in a place like Auschwitz. I fail to gain entry at the first attempt as I have left my passport in the car. Then there is an issue with the spelling of my name on the ticket. Finally, on the third attempt (fourth if you count yesterday), I am admitted. The camp consists of around 30 blocks, most now form a museum detailing the history of Auschwitz. Some blocks deal with the history of the camp in general, while others recount the plight of specific nationalities of prisoners. The general blocks contain a ... read more
Arbeit macht frei
Auschwitz
Auschwitz

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków February 16th 2019

The best way to spend your free time? Active recreation! If you are a sports fan and you are not couch potato, come to Krakow, where you will not be bored! What can you do in this unique city? In addition to the party atmosphere and lots of tourist attractions, great adventure await you on the race track! Hit the gas, enjoy the speed and feel like a champion of the race track. But first a bit of history! If you want to see the true motoring gems of the past decades, be sure to check out the Museum of Urban Engineering, where you will find unique cars and move in time. You will find here cars and motorcycles made in Poland from the 1930s and learn a bit about the history of public transport in ... read more

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Auschwitz September 18th 2018

Today was our visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp. A somber day, but a must. The name Auschwitz itself conjures up the Holocaust and its horrific images. Oświęcim is about an hour and a half drive from Krakow. It is and was a railway center, with connections east to Krakow, west to Wrocław (once Breslau) and Berlin and south to Vienna. Thus the town was selected as a central place to which to transport people which was removed from heavily populated areas. A Polish army barracks had been established at Oświęcim before the war. These brick buildings became Auschwitz I. Nearing Oświęcim, the tour bus again crossed the Vistula, the river that ties Polish history together. Off to the right was the railway bridge and at that moment a passenger train was on it. A reminder ... read more
Auschwitz Guardhouse
Auschwitz I Entrance
Entering Auschwitz I

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków September 17th 2018

Monday morning would be a full day of sightseeing in and around Krakow, including Wawel Castle and the Old Town. Unlike other Polish cities, Krakow's buildings and monuments were not destroyed during World War II. The Germans want to make it the administrative center for occupied Poland and a showcase "German" city. (It had been under Austrian occupation from 1795 to 1918.) The coach dropped us off outside Planty Park. Planty is a greenbelt around the Old Town. It follows the trace of the medieval city walls. Walking though t to reach Wawel Castle reminded me very much of Łazienki Park in Warsaw. There were monuments and sculptures here, too. I like these peaceful green spaces. At the foot of the park, we came out onto Ulica Podzamcze, with the steps to the castle hill across ... read more
Planty Park
Owls
Metropolitan Seminary

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Wieliczka September 17th 2018

The salt mines of Wieliczka have been in operation for over 700 years. Extraction of salt from surface brine began in the 13 century. Under the patronage of Kazimierz III the Great (1310-1370), extraction mining began in earnest in the 14th century. Salt was a valuable commodity, not only for seasoning but for preservation of foodstuffs. Tours of the mine reach 443 feet (135 m), though the the working mine extends to a depth of 1,073 feet (327 m). The "Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines" was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. Those among the tour group, including myself, who wanted to tour the salt mine set off from Krakow for Wieliczka in the afternoon. Tourism at the mine is not a new phenomenon. Visitors have been descending into the mine since the ... read more
Salt Mine Lift
Janowice Chamber
Antonina Shaft

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków September 16th 2018

Our motorcoach arrived in Krakow at 6:00 p.m. Upon crossing the Vistula, a dramatic entry was made into Krakow, with Wawel Castle to the left and the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel to the right. The coach headed straight for our hotel, the Holiday Inn Kraków City Centre. (No ordinary Holiday Inn, the building had once been the Pareński Palace, a 19th century mansion.) The hotel was within walking distance of the Old Town (Stare Miasto) and its centerpiece, the Rynek Główny. The tour group had a date with dinner and an accompanying Polish folkloric show. Passing though the Small Market Square (Mały Rynek) the group entered the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny). Off to one side was our destination for dinner, Restauracja Tradycyja. Dinner in the restaurant's basement included a Polish folkloric show performed ... read more
Cloister On The Rock
Ratuszowa (Old Town Hall)
Kościół Mariacki

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland September 8th 2018

As a child my understanding of Eastern Europe was prejudiced by reading books like Solzhenitsyn’s “A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch”. With its Gulag drudgery and cabbage soup, it was a pretty grim picture. After decades of BBC propaganda, I was expecting dreary concrete box slums, and grey citizens; it was all they showed on tv. Yet any of those shots of miserable housing blocks and people could have been filmed in north Manchester. When you actually go to Eastern Europe you realise the ‘border’ between east and west is a more a political construct than anything else. Krakow at least is a cracking place and the people smile in plenty. Cheap flights and cheap beer have made the city a bit of a stag and hen party destination and there were several parties ... read more
Nearby countryside
Main square
Auschwitz

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków July 21st 2018

Bonjour à tous, Une journée qui commence mal mais qui finie plus tôt bien. Lorsque j’expliquais que les polonais étaient limite gracieux, 2 exemples, hier, un peu fatigué je m’assoie à une terrasse, les serveuses passent, servent les clients il me semble les plus près du bar, moi je suis le plus loin. Au bout d’un quart d’heure je fais plusieurs fois signe, rien ne s’en passe. Je me manifeste de façon plus voyante, une serveuse me regarde, et sa réaction, les épaules tombent et elle souffle. Un bar aurait été pareil. Ce matin en quittant l’hôtel je m’aperçois de suite en montant dans la voiture que j’ai oublié mon appareil photo dans la chambre. Je retourne à la réception, j’explique à la petite réceptionniste que j’ai oublié mon appareil, bien sur en anglais. Je suis ... read more
Jean Paul II
Cracovie
Town Hall

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków June 10th 2018

We have really enjoyed Kraków. It helped having an extra day so we didn’t have to rush. Today was the Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci. This was a surprise as we didn’t expect to find her here. She is caught with her body facing right while she turns left slightly as if to listen to and smile at someone in that direction. The ermine is fidgety as its hind leg muscles can be seen trying to wriggle out of her arms. The sitter is Cecilia Gallerani from Siena who was sent to the Court of Milan In 1439. She was young, beautiful and educated, wrote poetry and took an active part in philosophical and theological discussions. As such she caught the eye of the notorious Duke of Milan and became his mistress. Two ... read more
Our favourite cafe
Traditional dress and music
Doorway to a florist

Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków June 9th 2018

At least this wasn’t the depths of despair! I have heard from a number of people that it is real experience going down into the Wieliczka Salt Mine. The one we had been into in Romania was quite small in comparison to this one - 300kms of tunnels over nine levels. Fortunately we didn’t walk that far and only went to 135m in depth. Our guide said that at least once a month a tourist gets lost - that happened yesterday so we should all be ok!! Great! After walking down about 800 steps we followed the guide closely into different tunnels, chambers with hand hewn salt sculptures of gnomes and mythical figures. We passed through a number of air locked chambers which regulate the flow of fresh air. Remarkably there are a number of chapels ... read more
Our Guide, Kamilla
Lighting up blocks of salt
Walking the tunnels




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