http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Poland en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:09:15 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:09:15 BST Mat Dave Trace and I hopped on a sleeper train on Friday the 13th and trundled our way south and east towards Krakow in Poland. Our cabin was pretty lush a three bed sleeper. After a couple of goodbye Germany beers we headed to our bunks and woke up heading in the opposite direction. Not sure how this worked but we did arrive in Krakow. Krakow was spared from bombing in WWII so its beau http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-303549.html Dobry denWe are now in the Czech Republic Prague to be exact and we have plenty more to share since we last posted. Our last day in Berlin was fairly relaxed. Zabs and Leslie decided to take it easy and catch a movie in English at Potsdammer Platz while I took the opportunity to do some solo sightseeing. I spent the morning at the Jewish History Museum a striking building designed by the Am http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-303099.html Hello againWell I am now in Warsaw Poland nearing the end of my tour I'm so sad. On Wednesday we were in Vilnius Lithuania. We only had a few hours there to explore the Old Town unfortunatly we all wish we had at least a full day there as there was alot more to see. It was a very pretty town though.Yesterday we left Vilnius and arrived here in Warsaw. A very long drive. Last night we had http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Masovia/Warsaw/blog-301436.html todo todo todo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-301059.html ... http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/blog-300948.html Getting computer time here has been really hard. In the dorms there are only two computer to 120 students and staff. Plus these computers are circa 1990 running Window's 98. They're a nightmare. So I finally got a chance to use the good computers in the computer lab again.This camp has been a blur. There are only three more days that students will be here. I still can't believe that it has g http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Pomeranian/Tczew/blog-300144.html Hello againWow today was emotional. We went to Auchwitz on our way to Krakow which was so so moving I picked up a pebble from in there our tour leader said its a good idea to get one and then when your feeling that life is tough just roll it in your hand and remember that 11 million people died in these camps in the most horrifc way you can think of but worse. The hardships they incurred are http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-299964.html Here are a couple of photos Pascal took of a huge storm we had. A couple hundred tries and just as many screams of merde later he got some awesome lightning shots. The other photos are from the place I was working at for a couple of weeks out in the Wielkopolska wilderness.I finally have a lot of free time so we'll be traveling around more. Next stop Copenhagen. Stay tuned... http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Greater-Poland/blog-299529.html Disclaimer In order to avoid upset or inspire anger I would like to point out my sincere sympathy and respect for those who died at Auschwitz as well as the families of those killed there and my views in no way seek to appease or dismiss the terrible events that took place there.We set aside Thurs morning to visit Auschwitz. We originally intended to take the tour but on discovering the package http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Auschwitz/blog-298749.html Allir peningar horfnir...svona nanast...en ef Patrick Leigh Fermor gat ferdast fotgangandi fra Rotterdam til Konstantinopel a 4 pundum a manudi hlyt eg ad geta komist fra Krakow til Amsterdam a 6000 kalli. Hann for reyndar sina ferd 1933 en sama prinsipp. Ekki panika of mikid og ekk segja besserwissernum fra eg nenni ekki ad hlusta a fyrirlestur akkurat nuna. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-298288.html So I made my way pretty swiftly out of Germany. Destination Poland.To start a couple of nights in pretty but wonderfully untapped as far as tourism goes Wroclaw and don't ask me to pronounce it. Basically a relaxing and largely uneventful period made up in full and a bit more at my next destination.Yes Krakow forever it will be indented upon my memory. Forever it will be accociated wit http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-297613.html Big bustling city with so much to see. Totally rebuilt after the war. We went to the Lazenki Botanic gardens with the Royal Palace. We went to some magnificent cathedrals. One was the parish church of Frederick Chopin which holds his heart. Explored the streets of Stare Miasto Old Town. Completed the day with dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe Warsaw. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Masovia/Warsaw/blog-297612.html Time well spent with relatives. Longest cafe shopping street in Poland Piotrowska Street. Holds large Jewish memorial as most of Europes Jews in WWII were transported to the Lodz Ghetto before being packed onto the cattle cars bound for Aushwitz. Sunday 29th was the 30th anniversary mass for Barbara's mother in a 12th century church in Zarnow the place she is laid to rest. Here also in the cemet http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lodz-Province/Lodz/blog-297604.html Thirty minute bus ride from Zakopane up winding mountain road. Jarryd and Barbara did this one their own. Then walked 9kms along a beautiful road to the lake. It was enclosed by mountains We walked the 2.6km perimeter on large and small boulders through 4 waterfalls and on glaciers. Then 9km back. Walked 21km in total. Excellent adventure http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Zakopane/blog-297589.html Busy ski resort in winter and picturesque mountain village in summer. Wonderful wooden mountainstyle homes. We fell in love with this place with fabulous food from huge open barbeques fancy bakeries and tall icecreams. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Zakopane/blog-297579.html The little white beasthelliphelliphellipSo I could either sit on my butt dupa for 1 week or see as much as I can before Russia. So what the heck I rented a car my little white Fiat. Thank god for my few experiences driving in Poland already because I don't know if I would've had the confidence or I would have had at least more stress and problems on the road. I won't lie I did feel ve http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Pomeranian/Sopot/blog-297349.html well this is the plan anyway. it is raining this morning in warsaw and so it has not made for a good start. we are off to seek out some breakfast and then buy our tickets to krakov promising to be the better city of the poland leg of the tour. i hadnt realised the previous night but there seem to be a lot of british here in our hostel. most of them seem to be here to get drunk. i wasnt aware of http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Masovia/Warsaw/blog-297348.html having deliberated for some time we have finally decided to name our short journey the white trousered kebab house tour. i am not sure whether we have mentioned before but there is a definite association between european women and white trousers. whilst i would not say that women from the uk do not participate in this association i would suggest the prevalance is much lower. perhaps some resear http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Masovia/Warsaw/blog-297125.html First things first. We decided to stay at this hostel another night instead of taking a night train to Prague. It just rocks too much and we will leave for Prague Czech Republic in the morning. Now onto more serious less logistical writing.Today we visited Auschwitz concentration camp. It's Kate here by the way Ian will post too. We both want to type our own experiences because something lik http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Auschwitz/blog-297094.html Well we went to the death camps today. I am not quite sure how to put all of this. I wasnt happy to be there but sad. I didnt like being there one bit. Let me explain. Walking through Auschwitz wasnt like walking through a cemetery or a battlefield it was in a league of its own. The place reeked of death even though there was no smell evident to my senses. Yet everything about the place told me http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-297091.html good morning allwe are in poland we realise that we have been a little tardy with maintaining the blog and chronicling of our adventures. we will update as regularly as possible. we arrived untriumphantly and late last night into warsaw main station. we were tired our free transport never arrived and we were forced to pay 25 zloty for a taxi ride which we only this morning found out took us to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Masovia/Warsaw/blog-296853.html I told you I would find a place where I can upload pictures from http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-296575.html Krakow was amazing. The best Old Town I have been in. There is so much going on there all day longcafes musicians concerts horse carriage rides bars nightclubs etc. Beautiful too. Today we took a 6 hr train to Bratislava Slovakia. Very interesting. Had to go here because of Eurotrip We just got back from the huge castle overlooking the city and that was pretty neat but it is rain http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-296573.html Boarding the plane i was asking myself am I really flying to Poland right now Right now I am in the Southernmost part of Africa and in several hours I will be touching down in Krakow Poland. It felt unbelieveable and somehow also just the 'next step' on this journey that is in one sense so planned out and in another so unpredictable and spontaneous. And like so many other moments over the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Silesian/Katowice/blog-296440.html Just a quick note to say that this hostel is the best ever.We get free internet and free laundry. And a free welcome drink. And breakfast is delicious.Notice there is very little punctuation when I write just letting you know its the keyboards...they are very confusing.Mom Verona wasnt in our plans and I was bummed about it....so it definitely was luckfate that it was the best place to stay to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-296436.html Greetings from PolandWe had such a great time in Dro these past few days. The day that we updated last was our free day so to speak we didnt see the family. We went to a lake called Largo del Garda which was gorgeous and ate some really yummy Indian food. The next day the three of us played poker on the balcony of the B and B and polished off two bottles of wine. Then we were picked up by the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Krakow/blog-296093.html Leave england way too early.Spurred on by Steves adorable adieu.Thing 1Discussed the possibility of having as male tree.ou can have a male treeyes you can.how do you tellthey341e the ones that always have wood... zlolRervelation 1 meredith has revised once... zlolPortent 1 meredith discovers that there is a lot of cloud isn thererevelation 2 meredith shaves his armpits. regularl http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Masovia/Warsaw/blog-295649.html