Day Two - Policja

No. We aren't in trouble. My brother-in-law Mark wouldn't forgive me if I didn't post a few pictures of the local police vehicles. A traveling past time has become searching them out in every town we travel. So - for Mark, here are some local Policja from Krakow.

Day Two - Plazow & Schlinder

All in all - there were over 9,000 concentration camps (Auschwitz was a collection of nearly 40) in Poland. These were places when people were retained as inexpensive labor for the factories and mines. One of the most famous concentration camps made famous by the movie Schlinder's list was Plazow. The camp is gone but a memorial remains in its place. As the war came to an end, the Nazi Germans destroyed the camp to prevent discovery.

Nearby is also the small Jewish Ghetto created outside of the city center and home to tens of thousands of Jews. It is home to the one of the most famous sorting areas where Jews were sent to labor or death. We happened to arrive at the same time as a group of Israel students and their guards. These kids have to be protected to prevent harm even in 2013.

Original wall surrounding the Jewish Ghetto - intentionally shape like tombstones to represent death

Memorial in Jewish Ghetto sorting area 

Schlinder's Factory entrance

Plazow concentration camp memorial

Day Two - Poland - Jewish Market

Originally the Kosher meat market in the Jewish Quarter - this place gives way to various markets from fruits/vegetables to antiques during the week. One day is dedicated to sales of racing pigeons.

Vegetable market

Butcher building for selling kosher meat

Vegetable vendors

Kosher produce windows - now home to fast food (Poland-style)

Day Two - Touring with Marta - Jewish Quarter

Today we are joined by Marta Chmielowska of Rick Steve's fame and our driver Chester's wife. She spent the entire day walking us around the city and showing us the most famous sights in town. She is delightful and filled with stories about Krakow. She was born and raised in this town of 700,000 people - of which 200,000 are students! This diversity gives the town its buzz and energy. People are everywhere you go.

We returned to the Jewish Quarter to begin our day visiting the area that Karimierz the Great built and later became home to the Jews. It was originally an island and fortified with its own walls. Today, it is home to popular pubs, restaurants and shops.

High Synagogue

Original Hebrew markings on home in quarter

Day One - Poland - Kazimierz Quarter

After our time viewing the camps, it only seemed right that we rush back to the Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz) to visit the Old Synagogue built in the 15th Century. Today, it houses the Jewish Museum.  Only one of the six historical Synagogues, Remu'h Synagogue, in Krakow is a 'working' place of worship. The others are now museums. 

Old Synagogue

Pulpit

Torah Crown

Torah Shield

Kazimierz was originally an island outside of Krakow

Day One - Dinner - Restauracja Farina

A terrific seafood restaurant located one block from our hotel. The atmosphere and food were both a pleasant break from a long day. Our food and drink (water, wine and beer) brought the tab to about 200 Zolty for three people (read: $62 USD). Another good meal at a good price - and another good reason to love Krakow.

Trout

Green pasta & Zucchini

Sea Bass

Farina dining room

Day One - Lunch - U Babci Maliny

Our driver Chester suggested that we try the local eatery for lunch. The spot - U Babci Maliny is one block from our hotel and across the street from the Theatre in Krakow. The street level shop has a counter for on-the-spot orders and take out. After a few minutes, we realized the dining area downstairs was equipped with waiter service. Here the restaurant name 'grandmother' comes to life. The place overflows with antiques and lace. Seriously - your appetite falls and you desire to flee rises.

My advice - sit back and order a drink. 'Grandmothers' polish food is delightful and priced right at 92 Zolty for our party of three (BTW - that's about $30 USD).

Borscht

Pork Cutlet

Fried Pierogi with meat

Day One - Poland - Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau

We spent the day with our driver (Chester) and Guide (Beatrice) getting a deeper understanding of the terrible events in Poland. We had mixed emotions about taking this tour and after some encouragement signed up. I am glad that we did. It makes for an emotional roller coaster with highs and lows as you wander through two of the most famous concentration and death camps associated with Nazi Germany.   Today what remains at both of these important historical places is a tribute to the millions of lives loss and a reminder of the craziness that exists in the World. May it never happen again and may we always keep watch so that it doesn't. 

Everyone struggles with which photos to take and post from walking both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II -Birkenau. Most images show the bleak existence and horrible conditions facing people promised a new and wonderful life by the Nazi Germans under Hitler's rule. The prettier images falsely show a glimmer that better life and are misleading. I decided that these two images best capture the day for me.

Wieliczka Salt Mine - Side Trip from Krakow

We are taking part of one day to travel outside of Krakow to visit the Wieliczka salt mine. The mine reaches a depth of 1,073 ft and is over 178 miles long - luckily the touring route is only 2.2 miles. I am reminded that the walk is less than 2% of the mine's total length of passages. The rock salt is naturally gray in various shades, resembling unpolished granite rather than the white or crystalline making it perfect for carving. The Wieliczka mine is known as "the Underground Salt Cathedral of Poland" because of the sculptures and chapels carved out of salt. In 1978 it was placed on the original UNESCO list of the World Heritage Sites - a must stop for me on visits. I hear that even the crystals of the chandeliers are made from rock salt that has been dissolved and reconstituted to achieve a clear, glass-like appearance. Pretty cool!

Krakow - Here we come!

Our plan is to fly all the way to Krakow from the USA. It isn't easy. First leg on American Airlines to London, British Air to Warsaw and finally Polish Air to Krakow. We are going be a tired group of travelers by the time we make it to our hotel room.

Poland Bound - August 2013

It has been a long year without many non-business trips out of the USA. I did sneak away to Mexico City for a quick weekend getaway in February. I finally have my first real vacation in 2013. It is a trip to Poland. I cannot wait. It has been months in the planning - reading, research and conversations with others. I am off to see both Krakow and Warsaw as well as some of the surrounding tourist sites. 

Let the adventure begin!