Poland - Krakow and Warsaw

Ok.. so Poland was no where on my schedule of places to see, although i was interested when planning, just seemed a little too out of the way. But, throughout my travels, i have met many backpackers that said "GO TO POLAND - You won't regret it!" So, i said to myself, Rach... Go to Poland, why not!? So.. with that, i left Prague and headed to Krakow.

In my train compartment on the way to Krakow was a fun guy named Jack. HE just graduated from grad school and had 2 months to kill before starting a new job. Obviously two fun people flock together, hee hee, and he and i became fast friends and toured Krakow together.

Krakow is an astonishing city. Like Prague, it is untouched from the war. An amazing place. It has these amazing Squares, which we all know by now, i am OBSESSED with. And what is fun and funny about this square is after the bell rings at each hour, a trumpet player sticks out his trumpet and plays a little ballad. It was fantastic! Also, Krakow has beautiful views, castles and churches a Jewish quarter as well as JAZZ!! I love JAZZ!! For three nights in a row, Jack and i hit up different Jazz clubs until finally, our last night, we found the one i was looking for..M****. M*** is a famous Jazz Saxophone Musician out of Poland. And he now owns this club and the night we were there he played with the local band! It was OUT OF THIS WORLD!

The first day we arrived in Krakow, we basically handled the Old City and toured around. Found the "local" spot to have a couple of beers and then i had my first Pirogi for dinner.. It was quite nice actually. Then we head obviously to the Jazz bars and when that was over, we found one of those bikers with the seats in front (oh, Maroney, you know what i am talking about) and he hauled it around town to this underground club with really fun dancing. Also, oddly, at this club this girl was dressed in one of those silver vent tubes and was dancing. So strange!

the second day was very interesting and knowledgable. We went on a communism tour in an old T Car. It was really cool. Jack got to drive it and said it was like driving a golf cart without power steering! We went down to Nowa Huta which is a communism "planned city." It is really intersting and looks a little like the streets in Paris how they all run into the Arc de Triumph. All the building are the same in the 5 cities within the main one. All with their own schools, movie theathers, grocery stores, etc.. very cool..

Our third day, was a little depressing. We spent the day at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. I cannot even explain to you how awful that place is. It amazes me that people could what they did. I saw everything from the gas chambers to the cremation "ovens", to barracks, photos, stories of children, thousands and thousands of shoes, brushes, kids items, i mean everything. jack and i we sick and to add to it, it was cloudy and started to rain, which honestly was fitting. I think everyone should visit Auschwitz or another camp so everyone can see how despicable it was so we NEVER repeat it or anything like it.

Later that night, we ended our evening with dinner in the Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter and then jazz baby!

Our fourth day we headed to Wieliczka Salt Mine. This was very fun and salty! :-) We were maybe 25-35 stories underground. Walking through mazelike tunnels and seeing these cool statues carved out of salt and they still had some of the old equipment and churches inside. Infact, that salt mine is still active and producing salt!

After the salt mines, Jack and i parted ways. He was heading to the south of Poland to hang out in the mountains where i am now in Warsaw. And to be quite honest, i wish i went to the mountains with Jack! Warsaw is Pee-U! Just another big time city. Sure it has the CHopin Musuem which i loved and the National Museum with Polish Artist and an Old Town with Obviously a square, but really.. eh, i could have skipped it.

Tomorrow i head to Stockholm and work my way down. I cant wait!

Pictures to come shortly.

Love and miss you!