- Explored the castle and cathedral on Wawel Hill and meandered around the Old Town - I especially enjoyed visiting St Mary's Basilica (excitingly! There were even information leaflets as Gaeilge) and the Museum of Pharmacy, which we had all to ourselves. The Old Town and the main square were particularly beautiful all lit up and twinkly in the dark, and we had a good old wander through what I think was the university quarter (many cobblestones and beautiful buildings) on our way home one evening.
- Admired the pretty parks; so atmospheric, with bare black trees stark against the white snow.
- Visited the Jewish Quarter, including the excellent Galicia Jewish Museum with its friendly staff and wonderful bookshop.
- We took a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau; the scale of what happened in this camp was almost too much to take in during the several hours we spent there, and I actually found that the sites within the Jewish Quarter conveyed the events of the time more effectively, as they focused on individuals and the day-to-day life of the Jewish Community in Krakow and elsewhere. Terrible deeds took place at Auschwitz-Birkenau and this should always be remembered and respected; in addition to visiting, I think we also have a responsibility to truly acknowledge the pain of the victims who suffered there and it is difficult to have the space to do this during the official guided tours as they can be quite crowded. In this regard, reading about WWII afterwards and seeing the Jewish Quarter the next day helped me appreciate more fully the incredible sadness of that time and its legacy.
- Bestowed our custom on many cafes/restaurants, and sampled traditional Polish fare including pierogi, potato pancakes, szarlotka and cherry vodka.
- We partook in the ultimate in tourist kitsch; a horse-drawn carriage tour of the Old Town and Wawel Hill (everybody stared at us and I felt just like the Queen - if you can't do these things on holiday in a foreign country where nobody knows you, when can you do them?).
Yes! Poland! And specifically, Krakow, in the south of the country, where we spent a few days earlier in January. There was snow and it was cold, but not as cold as it might have been (apparently it had been approximately -10C the week before we arrived), and it was just lovely! It's a nice-sized city, with a population of in or around 760,000 and is perfect for exploring on foot. I knew very little about the history and culture of Poland before visiting, and even after spending time there and re-reading my guide book, I still can't quite process everything that has happened in this country - Poland has been through a LOT but Krakow and its inhabitants seemed like a city and a people at peace. It's funny; although I haven't been to Poland before, I did make my way to Prague in the Czech Republic, just over the border 250-ish miles to the west, back in the day (I'm trying to remember when exactly; I think it was maybe in 2005), and - apart from the well-established tourist haunts like the Charles Bridge and so on - it felt completely foreign and non-opened up to travellers. [This was probably before Ryanair became such a major player, making previously exotic European destinations more accessible and tourist-friendly.] I had kind of expected Krakow to feel the same but it couldn't have been more different; everyone we met was well-versed in dealing with tourist-types and English almost seemed to be the second language. As I said, I haven't been to Krakow before (so I should really go back to Prague to check my theory out) but it feels to me that European countries have perhaps become far more homogenized in the past few years, which is possibly/probably due to more exposure to each other via Ryanair/the internet/migration throughout the EU. I'm not saying this is inherently a bad thing at all - I'm all for European integration - ; it's just that (if my hunch is right) so much has changed in a relatively short period of time, and it made me think. I did most of my travelling in my 20s, before the days of widespread internet access and digital cameras, and everywhere was so different to home and being abroad (anywhere abroad) felt like a real adventure. I wonder now if I went back for the first time to all of the places I've been to, whether I'd still feel the same sense of foreignness, of being an explorer, or if I'd feel like I'd seen it all before (which I have because I've actually been there before, but you know what I mean). And what about young people who are starting to travel and find their wings nowadays? Are they more jaded/less easy to impress? Do they send painstakingly handwritten postcards to their friends and families with stamps and proper addresses (to actual geographical places where real people live)? Do they get their photos developed in rickety little camera shops where nobody speaks English and all the photos have a weird blue tinge, and that's it, those are your rubbish holiday photos forevermore? Anyways! I've digressed and I'm definitely showing my age... more about Krakow! Here are some photos to lighten the mood (I didn't take many because it was SO COLD): Also, here are some of the things we did/saw in Krakow and around: So, that was my trip to Krakow - a short break away is always good and I enjoyed my mini-holiday immensely. I'm always a little bit lonesome after returning from a briefly adopted country/way of life (I adapt to new surroundings very quickly and 'turn native' within a few days of establishing myself in a different environment - I'm not sure whether this is a good or a bad thing) but I've readjusted to the wind and the rain and have slotted back into my daily routine without too much angst. It has given me a taste of 'holiday mode' however, and I'm starting to think about where else I'd like to acquaint myself with later on this year... let's see what happens!
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About my blog
Really, it contains a little bit of everything, from a celebration of science and the English language to the joys of travel and the Shipping Forecast. The title ('Meanderings') is a fairly accurate description of its content: I write about different things as the mood takes me, but hopefully there's something in here for everyone... Categories
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