A Weekend In Krakow

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August 5, 2005 - August 8, 2005

Wow, what an adventure Krakow turned out being. From beginning to end, nothing ever really went at a comfortable pace. From the train ride in, to the weather, the nights out at the local clubs, our side trips to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mine; nothing really went according to plan. Surprisingly, the added ingredient of chaos really spiced up the visit and helped to make some unforgettable memories.

The overnight train ride from Prague was miserable. Keith and I had really hoped to squeeze in some sleep along the way, but the travel conditions severely prevented us from sleeping. In the beginning, things went very well. We spent the first several hours sharing stories with a couple from England who shared our cabin with us. Eventually the conversations tapered off as we all gradually gave in to the need for sleep. The sleep was very interrupted, as every ten minutes I’d snap awake from some jolt of the train. Just when I finally started finding a comfortable sleeping position, the train came to a stop at a station en route to Krakow. Without warning, the cabin door swung open and the lights flashed on. Shouting in a language I can only assume was polish; the train employee passed from cabin to cabin issuing what seemed to be a repetitive message. Confusion instantly set in, as nobody in our cabin spoke his language. In what seemed like eternity, we scrambled around to find out what the hell was going on. After talking to other passengers, we eventually discovered that the car we were riding in was going to branch off towards a different destination. In order to proceed to Krakow, we needed to move to a different car further down the train. A process that turned out to be much more difficult then we initially imagined.

We grabbed our bags and raced towards the back of the train. Each of us pretty much assumed that seating was a scarce commodity, so haste was necessary. Upon our first pass of each cabin, we found nothing but full cabins. To Keith, the idea of riding in the hallway while desperately in need of sleep was not an option. Backtracking to a cabin we had passed with six adults in it, Keith eventually worked his way in through the use of hand gestures and sleep deprived facial distortions. I’m not sure if it was pity or fear, but eventually the cabin members moved aside to create enough room for the two of us. Sitting hip to hip, the hours ahead did not look to be comfortable ones.

Unlike our previous cabin, this cabin did not have a friendly feel to it. I’m quite certain nobody else spoke English, and quite frankly I don’t think they appreciated that we did. Like sardines, Keith and I sat face to face, not saying a word to one another.

As the train continued on, there was a moment of hysteria that I had the joy of witnessing in Keith. Throughout the ride, a train employee would randomly dip in and check everyone’s ticket. We grew so accustomed to the process that we frequently kept our tickets close in hand. At one point, Keith temporarily misplaced his ticket. The sixty seconds of hilarity that ensued was priceless. Frantically searching through his bags while talking to himself, everyone else in the cabin wondered what the hell was going on. Not understanding his English, the look of discomfort on the other passengers’ faces was memorable. At one point Keith jumped out of his seat and started patting his body down as if he was searching for a grenade that was about to go off. Simply brain dead from the lack of sleep, I couldn’t help but burst out in laughter. Eventually, Keith was at peace after finding his ticket. The passengers, on the other hand, were mortified!

As the sun started to rise, the train finally rolled into Krakow. We exited the train and headed for a taxi. Much to my disappointment, the weather in Krakow was cold and rainy. Unfortunately for us, that gloomy forecast was constant throughout our stay in Krakow.

Dropped off at Hotel Senacki at about 6:00am, naturally we arrived a bit early for check-in time. I was extremely anxious to find a bed given my current physical state. The news got worse as the hotel said our room would not be available till the afternoon. Reluctant to explore the city without some sleep, we found some cover outside of the hotel and napped for a bit. Our frequent trips in and out of the hotel eventually convinced the hotel staff to find a room for us until our booked room was available. At about 8:00am, they offered to put us in a room for the morning. We graciously accepted, and proceeded to pass out as soon as our bodies hit the beds.

Finally well rested, we spent the rest of Friday getting acquainted with Krakow. Despite the crappy weather, the energy around Main Market Square was surprisingly rich. As the evening grew later, we eventually made our way to various bars/clubs in the area. I thought it was very different how most of the clubs were in basement like layouts with numerous narrow hallways connecting various rooms. At times, it felt very much like a mid-evil dungeon. In typical fashion for Keith and I on this trip, the night ended in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Saturday was a rough start to the day after the late night out. Keith and I woke up early to join a tour group headed for the Auschwitz- Birkenau Concentration Camps. I was initially apprehensive about going on a tour of Auschwitz. Something in me just felt wrong in supporting a business that documents the historical events of a concentration camp. On the other hand, getting up close and personal with such a horrific historical event certainly helps to better understand the nightmares that people went through and the impacts those events have on our lives today. In the end, after spending a day on the tour, I’m very satisfied with my decision to visit Auschwitz.

I’ve never visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., but I imagine the experience to be slightly comparable to my experiences at Auschwitz, with one major exception. To walk the grounds where the horrific events took place is an exponentially more impacting experience to me. It really touched me in a way that I didn’t expect. It was a very agonizing feeling to mentally go back in time and surround myself with the sorrow of the camps. For those that feel they can handle the reminder, I whole-heartedly recommend a trip out to Auschwitz.

Once we arrived back in Krakow, we enjoyed a slow evening of recapping our thoughts from the day. We ate dinner in the Main Market Square. For the second time in Krakow I ordered pierogies for dinner. Unlike the first, this batch of pierogies didn’t suit my taste buds. Whatever cheese they used to stuff the pierogies tasted rancid to me. This was probably the biggest disappointment for me while in Krakow!

Saturday night was back out to the clubs. Keith and I met some really cool people while hanging out in various establishments. Everyone we approached appreciated the opportunity to share stories over drinks. We eventually called it quits on our Saturday night celebrating once the sun came up in the morning.

Sunday kicked off with an anxiety attack, as we awoke after our scheduled wake-up call. Not only were we late out of bed, but we also missed our bus kickoff time for the Wieliczka Salt Mine tour. After talking with the hotel staff, they agreed that the mistake was on their end. In order to make up for the blunder, they arranged for a taxi to drive us to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. The taxi driver got us to the mines, purchased our tickets for us, and waited outside for us to finish the tour. The guy was by far my best cab driver experience. Makes me wonder how much the hotel was paying the guy. He was flawless. The Hotel Senacki people really went above and beyond in correcting their error. I would positively recommend Hotel Senacki to anyone who may be traveling to Krakow.

The Wieliczka Salt Mines were an interesting display of sculpting in an extreme environment. Apparently, most of the work was completed by a few individuals who worked on the sculpting after a full day’s work as a part-time hobby. Several decades spent in mines sculpting their latest creations; now that’s passion! The part that really stood out for me was the indoor chapel. Most everything from head to toe was carved out of salt, from the chapel detailed floors to the chandeliers hanging down from the cavern walls. Definitely worth the trip if you’re going to be in Krakow for a few days.

Once back to the hotel from the Wieliczka Salt Mine, we grabbed our bags and headed for the train station. Despite all the painful parts of our experiences in Krakow, I leave with a positive opinion of the city. The friendly people and relaxing flow of the city were a welcomed addition to my vacation. Although, if there’s ever a return trip, you can bet I’ll be arriving by plane.

Next up, Vienna, Austria.

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Photos

Auschwitz-Birkenau
Inside Birkenau

Hotel Senacki
Our hotel in Krakow

Main Market Square
A chance to feed the pigeons.

Wieliczka Salt Mine
The cathedral in the salt mine.

Comments

[Dad]

Late Not England
A little late with this addition :-)