The changing mood of Poland

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Geo: 50.0553, 19.9274

As we drove west from Oloumouc we knew we were getting close to the Polish border but weren't sure exactly where the border was. We figured we were in Poland when the road signs changed slightly. We knew we were definitely in another country when all of sudden there were all these interesting bridges to cross. The designs of the bridges were elaborate and innovative and they were all painted in varying and bright colours.

We continued our drive from the border to Krakow. Once in Krakow we found ourselves in the university district which turned out to be not so far from the town centre so quite a good location after all. Our apartment was bright and airy and we had a small balcony which looked out on to a leafy courtyard. This turned out to be somewhat indicative of the city as there were lots of nice parks and although small, were very pleasant to stroll through and would be a respite from the sun on a warm day, not that we had seen much or indeed any sun up until that point. The parks were popular with young couples who seemed to like hanging out there and spending time together just sitting close on the many park benches.

On the day we arrived in Krakow it was cold and grey, the same as it had been for the past few days for us in the Czech Republic. We were told that it had been raining for about a week in Krakow so we were fortunate not to have arrived a few days earlier. Despite the cold weather we ventured out to have a look around. It was so cold we wore several layers plus jackets as well as hats to keep our ears warm. The market square was large and filled perhaps half with tourists and half with locals. There were a few people scattered around sitting in the various outdoor bars and eateries huddled next to heaters or under the bright coloured blankets which most establishments supplied in the hope of enticing customers to sit about outdoors despite the cold weather. We decided to brave the weather and found a cafe that served mulled wine and hot beer! The mulled wine went a long way to warming us up but was no substitute for the sun which we longed for. Eventually we were compelled to retreat to the warmth of a basement restaurant for dinner.

The following day we woke up delighted to find that the sun was shining and the expected temperature was well above 20 degrees which was such a welcome change compared to the temperature of the last few days where it had fallen below 10 degrees during the day. We had a very pleasant day seeing the sights in the sun including the castle with views to river and across the city. We searched for the Jewish quarter but appears we missed it by a street or so. Found some very interesting areas of the city despite getting a bit lost. When our feet could take us no further we returned to the market square and spent a couple of pleasurable hours sitting enjoying the sun, watching the world go by enjoying a few local beverages.

We were by no means the only ones enjoying the change in the weather. It seemed like everybody was happier or was that just our imagination? The square was now packed with punters enjoying the sun in the outdoor cafes. Couples and groups strolled by eating ice cream. I don't think I have ever seen so many people eating ice cream! Even the heavily dressed horses pulling the elaborately decorated carts in laps around the square seemed happier and held their heads that little bit higher.

Our next destination was Zakopane which was only about two hours drive from Krakow. Located in the Tatra Moutains its a very popular winter ski destination for the locals. The typical residential buildings had changed from single storey and quite close together throughout the villages in the Czech Republic to two or three storey buildings in Poland spaced further apart. As we moved closer to the mountains the architecture changed again from masonry to mostly timber and the rooftops became very peaked because of the high snowfall in the area. The views became quite remiscent of Switzerland or Austria. In one area about 10km from Zakopane we came across a whole village made up entirely of small log cabins spaced very close together. At a guess it looked like some kind of commune but difficult to tell why the village was set up like this.

When we arrived in Zakopane it was fine and sunny so we took the furnicular railway up to the top of the mountain figuring we should get a good view of the surrounding mountains and the town below. About half an hour after we arrived at the top of the mountain the clouds rolled in at great speed, it started raining and then we heard thunder. The locals who had all been sitting outside enjoying the sun on the deckchairs were all of sudden running inside to seek protection from the rain. It continued to rain throughout most of the evening. We spent over an hour trying to find a restaurant that was open in the off season and with close access to parking to avoid the rain. We almost gave up but eventually found something in the centre of the city and as luck would have it turned out to be exactly what we were looking for as in something with traditional food and decor.

So our time in Poland turned out to be quite a mixed bag weatherwise. We found the people a little more friendly than the Czechs and perhaps a little more eager to please when it came to service in the hotels and restaurants. The prices for accommodation were a little lower but the prices for food and wine a bit higher. So not a lot of difference but interesting the way things change from country to country. Our next stop being Slovakia we weren't quite sure what to expect next!

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[Jenny]

If that's summer imagine winter