The Lure of the East [Part 4: 31/7-4/8 - Poland]
[continued from part three here]
And so we were in Poland, the last country to be visited on our trip.
Having suitably freshened up and rested a bit, in the evening we went out for a first glimpse of the old town and in search of a restaurant - which we found, and a MASSIVE meal later (which we even tried to cut through, unsuccessfully, with a couple of shots of bison vodka) we decided retreating to the hostel was the best course of action. we DID buy a couple of beers to have there, and we spent some time on the balcony chatting to a bunch of guys from Northern Ireland, but soon tiredness overcame us and we went to bed.
The next day - our first proper day in Kracow - we saw all the other sights, and eventually ended up in the Jewish area, also very nice (and a lot less crowded with tourists than the old town) and found a beautiful retro-style bar/pub where we had a few drinks. In the evening we somehow managed to have another huge meal (the size of the portions in restaurants seemed to be insanely large - especially considering the low price - and the fact that as soon as you ordered they normally brought to you a basket of fresh bread with a jar of MOLTEN LARD to spread on it certainly didn't help trying not to get too stuffed) and again struggled staying up late after that, but since the next day we were going to go to Auschwitz we could do with an early night anyway. All in all Kracow is a beautiful city (the old town especially is amazing), but unfortunately also VERY touristy - for the first time on our trip we were confronted with big crowds of tourists, especially on the main square. Shame really, I'm sure going there off season would be a much more pleasant experience.
Anyway, the next morning we set off to the town of Oswiecim - which the nazis translated into Auschwitz - only some 40 miles out of Kracow, but only connected by slow trains or buses, so it takes a good hour and half to get there. Having got there and found the camp/museum we went in - and I'm very glad we decided to go: while it was a rather sombre and shocking experience, I really think everyone should see what happened there. The camp is mostly reconstructed, but it gives a very good feel of what it would have been like 60 years ago. Most of the blocks host exhibitions that show what life (and death) was in the camp, the terrible living conditions, daily activities of the prisoners, the gas chambers and all the rest, all made quite vivid by the numerous photos of the time. Like I said - certainly not a light-hearted affair, but a visit there can only be recommended.
After we finished with Auschwitz we took the shuttle bus to Birkenau, 3 km away, and while almost nothing is left of this camp (the blocks were made of woods unlike in Auschwitz - where they had originally been Polish army barracks - and were almost entirely burned by the fleeing nazis at the end of the war) the sheer size of it really brings home the scale of what was going on there. Like I said Auschwitz was originally a complex of army barracks which the nazis took over and converted, and it's not so big all in all; Birkenau on the other hand was PURPOSE-built by the nazis when the space at Auschwitz ran out and they needed more - and it's MUCH bigger. As soon as you get there you can go up the old nazi watch tower, which gives you a good view of the size of the camp. Also, the few blocks remaining are the original ones, including the bunks inside where prisoners slept and everything else, and knowing that these are the actual places where it happened brings it home even more. We had a good wonder around there too, the last part of it in the rain which added to the sombre atmosphere of the place.
After that, we realised we'd just missed the train back to Kracow and the next one would have been in 2 hours, so we decided to get a coach back (there was one some 20 minutes later). While this allowed us to get back much earlier that we would have by train, the journey seemed never-ending - the bus was completely packed (we had a seat, but there were quite a few people standing) and the coach stopped in every bloody place all the way back to Kracow - and it was very hot too, making the journey quite uncomfortable. Still, well worth it, like I said above.
The following day it was time for the last train journey of our trip - to Warsaw. We got there in the early afternoon and located the hostel - very big and well-organised, with an actual bar inside rather than the usual common room where you could bring your own beer. The day was spent visiting the main sights of central Warsaw, and then we decided to go back to the hostel and have a couple of drinks there to see who was around, before going to dinner... by the end of the evening we were still there, happily drinking beer after beer and chatting with various other guests of the hostel - a scottish guy serving in the navy, an English woman and some american guys among others - and all the 'dinner' we managed to have was a packet of crisps from the hostel bar!
The next morning - our last day - we were unsurprisingly rather hungover and we didnt do much until lunch time, when we finally managed to get out and explore the city a bit more. This day we went a bit out of the centre and saw parts belonging to the more 'real' Warsaw, much less glittery than the old town, but equally interesting if not even more. Warsaw is quite a nice place actually, every Polish person we'd met on the journey had told us not to bother with it cos it was just 'a big city' but i liked it, and it certainly seemed a lot more genuine than pretty but touristy Kracow. In the evening we found a small restaurant for our last Polish dinner and then retreated again to the hostel bar for a couple off drinks, but having to get up at 3 the next morning to go to the airport (and I was going straight to work upon arriving in London) we decided to be sensible and went to bed rather early.
A few hours sleep later it was time to get up and go to the airport, from which we flew home; by 7.30 am we were landing at Luton and less than 2 hours later we were home (for me to go straight out for work again!). All in all we were away for 17 days (18 if you count the day we flew back), visited 4 countries, clocked up quite a few miles once again and saw lots of interesting places and things, while having a lot of fun in the process - an extremely positive experience, is it time to go away again? I can't wait!!
And so we were in Poland, the last country to be visited on our trip.
Having suitably freshened up and rested a bit, in the evening we went out for a first glimpse of the old town and in search of a restaurant - which we found, and a MASSIVE meal later (which we even tried to cut through, unsuccessfully, with a couple of shots of bison vodka) we decided retreating to the hostel was the best course of action. we DID buy a couple of beers to have there, and we spent some time on the balcony chatting to a bunch of guys from Northern Ireland, but soon tiredness overcame us and we went to bed.
The next day - our first proper day in Kracow - we saw all the other sights, and eventually ended up in the Jewish area, also very nice (and a lot less crowded with tourists than the old town) and found a beautiful retro-style bar/pub where we had a few drinks. In the evening we somehow managed to have another huge meal (the size of the portions in restaurants seemed to be insanely large - especially considering the low price - and the fact that as soon as you ordered they normally brought to you a basket of fresh bread with a jar of MOLTEN LARD to spread on it certainly didn't help trying not to get too stuffed) and again struggled staying up late after that, but since the next day we were going to go to Auschwitz we could do with an early night anyway. All in all Kracow is a beautiful city (the old town especially is amazing), but unfortunately also VERY touristy - for the first time on our trip we were confronted with big crowds of tourists, especially on the main square. Shame really, I'm sure going there off season would be a much more pleasant experience.
Anyway, the next morning we set off to the town of Oswiecim - which the nazis translated into Auschwitz - only some 40 miles out of Kracow, but only connected by slow trains or buses, so it takes a good hour and half to get there. Having got there and found the camp/museum we went in - and I'm very glad we decided to go: while it was a rather sombre and shocking experience, I really think everyone should see what happened there. The camp is mostly reconstructed, but it gives a very good feel of what it would have been like 60 years ago. Most of the blocks host exhibitions that show what life (and death) was in the camp, the terrible living conditions, daily activities of the prisoners, the gas chambers and all the rest, all made quite vivid by the numerous photos of the time. Like I said - certainly not a light-hearted affair, but a visit there can only be recommended.
After we finished with Auschwitz we took the shuttle bus to Birkenau, 3 km away, and while almost nothing is left of this camp (the blocks were made of woods unlike in Auschwitz - where they had originally been Polish army barracks - and were almost entirely burned by the fleeing nazis at the end of the war) the sheer size of it really brings home the scale of what was going on there. Like I said Auschwitz was originally a complex of army barracks which the nazis took over and converted, and it's not so big all in all; Birkenau on the other hand was PURPOSE-built by the nazis when the space at Auschwitz ran out and they needed more - and it's MUCH bigger. As soon as you get there you can go up the old nazi watch tower, which gives you a good view of the size of the camp. Also, the few blocks remaining are the original ones, including the bunks inside where prisoners slept and everything else, and knowing that these are the actual places where it happened brings it home even more. We had a good wonder around there too, the last part of it in the rain which added to the sombre atmosphere of the place.
After that, we realised we'd just missed the train back to Kracow and the next one would have been in 2 hours, so we decided to get a coach back (there was one some 20 minutes later). While this allowed us to get back much earlier that we would have by train, the journey seemed never-ending - the bus was completely packed (we had a seat, but there were quite a few people standing) and the coach stopped in every bloody place all the way back to Kracow - and it was very hot too, making the journey quite uncomfortable. Still, well worth it, like I said above.
The following day it was time for the last train journey of our trip - to Warsaw. We got there in the early afternoon and located the hostel - very big and well-organised, with an actual bar inside rather than the usual common room where you could bring your own beer. The day was spent visiting the main sights of central Warsaw, and then we decided to go back to the hostel and have a couple of drinks there to see who was around, before going to dinner... by the end of the evening we were still there, happily drinking beer after beer and chatting with various other guests of the hostel - a scottish guy serving in the navy, an English woman and some american guys among others - and all the 'dinner' we managed to have was a packet of crisps from the hostel bar!
The next morning - our last day - we were unsurprisingly rather hungover and we didnt do much until lunch time, when we finally managed to get out and explore the city a bit more. This day we went a bit out of the centre and saw parts belonging to the more 'real' Warsaw, much less glittery than the old town, but equally interesting if not even more. Warsaw is quite a nice place actually, every Polish person we'd met on the journey had told us not to bother with it cos it was just 'a big city' but i liked it, and it certainly seemed a lot more genuine than pretty but touristy Kracow. In the evening we found a small restaurant for our last Polish dinner and then retreated again to the hostel bar for a couple off drinks, but having to get up at 3 the next morning to go to the airport (and I was going straight to work upon arriving in London) we decided to be sensible and went to bed rather early.
A few hours sleep later it was time to get up and go to the airport, from which we flew home; by 7.30 am we were landing at Luton and less than 2 hours later we were home (for me to go straight out for work again!). All in all we were away for 17 days (18 if you count the day we flew back), visited 4 countries, clocked up quite a few miles once again and saw lots of interesting places and things, while having a lot of fun in the process - an extremely positive experience, is it time to go away again? I can't wait!!