Sopot to Krakow, and every dumpling in-between.

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Day 1 - 8

Farwell London! Thank you for your time! I must now leave!

Andy joined me for the first week of my adventure; we flew into Sopot, Poland, and together we travelled north to part ways in Krakow.

During my time in London I had been privy to negative feedback from Lithuanians, Latvians and Hungarians regarding the Polish, though now I realise that most of these Eastern Europeans don’t particularly get along with each other, an age old dispute following past wars and border disagreements.

So although I may have been slightly dubious when I first entered the country, these concerns were completely unfounded. Poland is a spectacular country, the people, the food, the culture. The Polish, by far have been one of the most interesting and welcoming people I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I was slightly disappointed with myself for not realising this sooner; there is quite an impressive Polish community in London, though I had not had the opportunity to consider any my friends.

Sopot was a pleasant enough beach side town, which really only consisted of one main road and a restricted amount of beach space. The town has a reputation for being a lively night spot and thus only started to get interesting after the families were packed away. Andy and I were not in the mood to hit the town following a busy week in London, so we simply settled for beers on the beach which was a perfect way to unwind and start a lengthy journey.

We moved onto Gdansk a small yet exceptionally beautiful town. The roads intertwined and met in stunning squares. Andy and I instantly fell in love with the small town and wasted no time in exploring. The local stalls offered an array of Amber jewellery, which I presume is locally sourced. The side streets meet up with the canal, alongside the water snaked open cafes and bars. The town had a mixed vibe of old school tradition and yuppie culture, an interesting mix.

In Gdansk we had our first Polish meal, the location had been recommended by a local, which is always an excellent start. After many wrong turns we found the Green Dragon, a cellar restaurant which is easily passed unnoticed. Inside sat wooden chairs and a piano which locals took turns on. We each had the local soup, a hearty pork and vegetable mix followed by the roast of the day, which was more pork served with potatoes (of course) and a polish ‘salad’, which is usually pickled cabbage and/ or beetroot. Fabulous.

Warsaw I must admit was not as exciting, being almost completely destroyed in WWII the city was far more modern than I would have expected. The rebuild project had obviously tried to replicate the fallen city as authentic as possible, however It easy to notice the new structures and walkways.

Warsaw seems almost empty, the roads and squares were wide with only a few locals and tourist walking around. We joined a free walking tour with 3 others from our hostel(which was dire, I might add).

We lunched at a ‘Milk Bar’ which is a traditional Polish restaurant started during the communism years. Dinning out was deemed capitalist, therefore low cost and no frills cafes were set up which at first only served warm milk, thus the name. As the years progressed the menu expanded to include local dishes. The Milk Bar only sat local people and the menu did not offer the best English explanation, Andy and I picked four options excited with the prospect of the unknown. The meal was ordered by a stern looking older woman who abruptly shouted the order to a duo of no fuss ladies in the kitchen who were somehow managing 12 army sized saucepans and numerous fryers, the meal was then unceremoniously slopped on a plate and pushed towards you, it was up to the diner to pay attention and catch the plate.

Beetroot soup, Cucumber soup, Sweet cheese dumplings with sugar and Sour Kraut, the total meal cost £4. Each dish had the home cooked Mum feel to it and I have to admit we spent the next few days always seeking of these types of establishments for our meals.

Krakow was our next and final Poland destination. If Gdansk is exceptionally beautiful, than there are no works for Krakow. The city oozes a rich and vibrant culture. The local square was host to an array of stalls offering locally crafted goods and sourced produce. In the centre sat a stage with children singing and adults playing traditional instruments.

The old city was watched over by a grand castle and the old Jewish quarter boasted the festival of flavours, a food festival dedicated to showcasing the best flavours Poland had to offer. This is where Andy and I were in our glory. Each stall offered a taste at just a few cents, we drifted from stall to stall, salivating and ignoring our growing belies. Dumplings, lard spread, sliced meat, cheeses, cabbage and potato pancake, pork off the knuckle; simply thinking of these local delights has me wishing to return immediately.

The festival was crowded with hungry locals pushing past one another, grease on their chins and hands full of treats that would last only a few more moments. The cooks were dressed in traditional attire and were proudly selling their goods; the look of satisfaction on their faces as patrons devoured their meal is a small example of Polish national pride.

We ventured onto Auschwitz which is a short bus ride from the city. Preparing yourself to view the world largest grave site is impossible, and I found my own emotions difficult to decipher. On one hand I was excited to have the chance to view such a site, of the other I felt horrified by the unimaginable pain that was carried out over the years whilst the camp was running.

Although I had visited Dachau the year before, the size of Auschwitz is shocking. The tour guide shared the horrific facts and stories, he was able to capture your mind and you found yourself standing in the same position, just 72 years earlier.

One of the buildings had been transformed into a storage unit of the victim’s belongings, rooms and rooms of shoes, children’s toys and human hair. It was enough to turn anyone’s stomach. The torture rooms and the detailed explanation of what exactly partook made me question humanity and the obvious lack of value on human life. It is easy to say that the genocide happened in the past, however this is untrue. Will in another 70 years, there will be similar memorials over the world to cover the current mass murders? Syria? Central Africa? Who knows; maybe even in your own country.

Poland offered a raw, stunningly beautiful, and horrifically unimaginable insight into their culture and history. The people have an inner beauty and resilience that I have not witnessed before. Again and again I was greeted with warmth and sincerity. Through the most difficult past possible, the Polish still hold their heads up high and their arms our wide.

Poland, truly a magnificent county, culture and people.

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Photos

Gdansk
My pictures can do no justice

Milk Bar
A young boy enjoying his dinner in Warsaw

Krakow
Fancy some Pork?

Auschwitz
Electrified and barbed wire surrounding the camp

Karkow
Proud of thier cusine

Auschwitz
The last train for millions

Warsaw
A tribute to the children to assisted in the war - although they were not soldiers, mainly runners.

Krakow
Festival of flavours.

Gdansk
A local woman handmaking hair clips for her stall.

Comments

[virginia Wemyss]

Sopot to Krakow
Hey sweetheart, Keep these travel stories happening, they are so informative. How long will you be travelling in Poland, sounds like you've left London for good? What about your boyfriend? Love you V