Krakow winter break

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Neil and I took a short break to Krakow in January. Partly interested in the war history and also because we could take benefit of the cheap flight destinations from Leeds/Bradford, some fantastic deals!

It was very cold at this time of year, probably around -2 to -5 degrees and very quiet so no late nights partying as all the bars were very quiet. We stayed in an apartment hotel called the Hotel Maly Krakow. I recomend this if your on a budget. It was spotlessly clean, around £25 -30 night for a double room and was very central close to the barbican. We did find one bar near by that although deadly quiet, we enjoyed the good music and large projector screen showing sports - this bar was also serving the same Zywiec beer at around half the price of the bars in the central square so was a great find.

First night we tried Peirogi - famous polish dish, ravioli type parcel filled with meat or other fillings. We got two plates, one with meat and cabbage (lots of cabbage with everything in Krakow) and one with black pudding and sheeps cheese covered in melted butter/egg garlic sauce, which made us feel like we might have a heart attack, but good for a cold night.

We had a wander round the jewish district of the Kasmierz, which was a bit run down but full of character but also sad thinking about the jewish people who used to live and work here and that this was their community. Some of the synagogues are still there and you can have a look in. We went to the Galicja jewish museum - this was photographic exhibition (not a museum) from the war and from the history of jewish people in the area. We found this a very powerful and moving exhibition - well worth a visit and they have a fantastic selection of books in the shop. In the jewish district I had my first bowl of Borsch (beetroot soup) and it was absolutely delicious, I have been craving it since I got home.

We did a trip to the salt mine, which was ok - it is very impressive but it goes on forever and I felt a little claustrophobic - would have rather missed this to go to Zakopane mountains.

Trip to Auchwitz was harrowing as one would expect, but this is definately something everyone should see, to help get a better understanding of the war atrocities.

Probably the best and most light hearted trip was with the Crazy Guides communist tour in a German trabant to Nowa Huta. We were picked up in the car and all our driver could say is "I dont speak english", so we were a bit concerned about what was going on but finally got to Nowa Huta which is pretty run down district built for the steelworkers in Stalins time to provied a perfect workers paradise but in reality were designed to maintain control of the people if need be by housing them in units which could imprison people in their own homes. We met up with an english speaking guide and had a drive round then a trip to a little flat in one of the units for some vodka shots! followed by a trip to a bar to look at some old photographs etc over a pint and nip of beautiful cherry vodka all before 12pm - so we were feeling a little tipsy when getting driven back to town - but now with a taste for the drink - headed to out to our little Tiffany bar for some more Zwiec beer.

We had a look round the Wawel castle, which was not really our cup of tea - loads of tappestry etc..... but the cathedral at the castle was amazing inside with some of the most beatiful stained glass.

All in all - it was a big thumbs up for Krakow, which had good food, good beer, loads of history and reasonably cheap too.

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