Krakow...I want to stay longer!

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So, going off the last post, the printing is free at the Malmo public library and the Flygbussen tickets can be bought on the bus with cash. Their website lied!

Anyway, it about a 45 min ride to the airport and I had no trouble checking in. In fact, I love that I was allowed to take my daypack on as a purse without an extra charge. Sucks for all the men who tote around a man-purse. Spent the rest of the time watching House....I can see how it's quite addictive.

Wizzair was surprisingly comfortable, left on time and arrived 15 mins early. Had a little bit of a scare as the wings started to wiggle as we were about to land but the pilot straightened up and all was fine. I was pretty impressed. Until I found out from a guy I met on the plane and from my host in Krakow that it was atypical and I was just really lucky. The bus transfer from Katowice to Krakow was smooth. TIP: There's the option of getting the bus transfer with your ticket but I found that if you buy it separately from the Wizzair website, it's cheaper! I paid 44PLN instead of 140SEK. Not much but every cent counts!

Andrea, my host in Krakow was really nice but she was sick so I was pretty much left to my own devices. That was totally fine with me. Her cat was a fluffy ball of feline agression and would bite if you waved a finger in front of her but she was a great blanket and would purr like crazy when happy 😊

I only had two days in krakow which, seriously, was not enough. I took a daytrip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines and it was pretty amazing how everything was carved out of rock salt - everything! believe me, I should know since I spent some time licking the walls and such. It was quite strange to be licking things left, right and center (and I only did it when people weren't looking - didn't want the strange looks. I get enough of those already) but definitely salty. They have a website (just google it) and it costs 49 zl + 10 zl for a picture pass with English tours running from 10am to 5pm. As far as admission costs go, it's crazy expensive and I'm not quite sure it was all that worth it but it was nice. The tour lasts about 2 hours with the option of taking a 45 min tour of the museum as well. Also included in the tour is the opportunity to lick whatever you want in the mines with the exception of the statues - you're allowed to eat up to 10 kg of salt. For a tourist place, the food in the underground restaurant was pretty decently priced too. And if you've ever dreamed of getting married in a salt mine, they have a church and ballroom and a statue of the pope! 😊

To get there, take bus 304 (2.60 zl) on Pawia and Kurniki (near the main train station) and get off at the 2nd stop after the turn off to Wieliczka and follow the road down into town. I guess I do totally lost very well because various old ladies went out of their way to help me 😊 One even walked me from the bus stop to the entrance of the salt mine! It's easier to get back. Just wait for a minibus (2.50 zl) at the corner bus stop at the bottom of the road to the mine. My minibus (more like a suped up van) dropped me off about a minute away from the old town in Krakow (after almost getting into an accident with a taxi (the taxi's fault). The 304 takes about an hour to get there, the minibus about 45 mins.

Did a walking tour of Wawel castle with the Polish guy I randomly met on the plane but didn't go into any of the sights - the tickets were all sold out so get them in the morning! Also got ni hao'ed (seriously, wtf?!? Why does it always happen to me?) by two Polish ladies and they gave me a spiel about learning Chinese and being part of an international group.....then they handed me a brochure for Jehovah's Witness in Krakow. Riiiight. Anyway, hit a milk bar with good, cheap food and just hung around the old town before heading back and calling it a night.

The next day, I managed to get to the Jewish quarter - Kazimierz, and did the Jewish heritage trail. It was easy to do without a map as there were signboards all over the place but it probably would have been better and more meaningful if all the places had been open (closed on Saturdays...who knew?) and I was actually Jewish. The Zapiekankis (open sandwiches) in the main square of Kazimierz are the best in Krakow and are soooo good!!

Headed out to the bus station to catch my bus to Krynica. The bus station has an great big board with all the destinations and times listed for your convenience. There's internet too - 1 zl per 6 mins or so - which can save lives if you are like me and lost the contact information for your host right before your bus pulls in. There are lots of little food stands outside the station and tickets can be bought on the bus. If you're a student, try getting a student discount. I did and it worked. yay!

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Comments

[Florence]

Ah...the infamous Ni Hao
That was the first thing Soyun and I had heard from anyone, after deboarding the plane. This is after we got back from Spain. AND the person was prolly Danish!! What the hell!!!

[Anna]

Hello, I read about your trip to Krakow because I love this city. I lived there a year whilst being at Jagiellonian University, before moving to England. I agree that 2 days it's not enough to explore Krakow. There are so many things and places to visit. And I have to agree that tickets' prices to intresting places are quite high. I'd recommend to visit concentration camp in Oswiecim as well.