Blogs from Kraków, Lesser Poland, Poland, Europe - page 6

Well Poland was cheap to travel to using euros. We had fun with our Poland friend touring us around (it was good having someone speaking Polish in Poland). We went to see old town at night, a salt mine and Auschwitz. Just as a disclaimer/ warning the part of the pictures are from Auschwitz.... read more

We flew from Rome to Krakow. I have been to Poland, but never to Krakow. The first thing we did was put our bags in the hotel and had lunch. Something famous in Poland is called Pierogis...something like a non-crunchy empanada. I have had them many times, but these ones were boiled and not fried and I did not like them. After that me, my dad, and Ania split up. My dad and I went to Wawal Castle. At the castle, we had a tour guide and we learned about the history of the castle. The castle was beautiful and had many rooms and 2 stories. In many of the rooms there were tapestries, but in one of the rooms there was a bunch of tapestries that told the story about the flood and Noah's arc. ... read more

Five years ago was the wedding in Poland of Gary and Milena. After the wedding, Stan and I took a short trip to Zakopane in the Tatras mountains. We promised ourselves that one day we would return but with Gary and Milena. Well the perfect opportunity popped up. Katarina and Nathan, 2 friends of theirs were getting married in Krakow and many of the wedding party were then moving into Zakopane. We arrived in the lovely old town of Krakow Friday lunchtime and after spending the afternoon exploring the castle met up with Gary and Milena for drinks and an evening meal. Milena's parents were there too. It was a sweltering 29 degrees that day and still very warm throughout the evening but as we left the restaurant around 11pm we noticed a dramatic drop in ... read more

The trumpeter sounds out from high above as we exit the Cloth Market into Rynek Glowny, the town square of Krakow, Poland. He plays his anthem as he does each hour of the day. It is loud and clear and filled with melancholy. He stops his tune abruptly part way through a note. It pays homage to the ancient trumpeter who, as the legend goes, was shot while warning the town that Tatar armies had gathered to attack the city. He waves to the crowd below and they heartily return his salute. He closes the window and repeats himself in the next quadrant of the gothic tower that has reigned large over the center of town since the 15thcentury. The crowd gathered in the square below the cathedral’s towers hardly misses a beat in their celebrations. ... read more

We have just enjoyed our final day in this beautiful city, which has been full of surprises. What strikes us most is that although the roads are very busy and congested, there is absolutely no road rage evident. Drivers are patient and courteous...to pedestrians and other vehicles. We've come to the conclusion that centuries of suffering builds huge compassion, and patience, within a nation. If we have ever looked lost, standing on a street corner with our map upside down, locals have stopped and offered to help. Most people in the service industry speak a little English, and are happy to speak it to us. We have enjoyed great food, beer, gelato, and coffee...almost as good as New Zealand's! And it's super cheap! Much cheaper then Budapest. Today we've attempted to walk off a few of ... read more