Zakopane and the Wieliczka Salt mine

The Zakopane tour was a huge disappointment and it was the costliest at 300 zlotys per person it comes out to about $204.00 Canadian.  What you basically get is a long drive to the mountains in a car.  The car was a Mercedes surprisingly not all that comfortable.  We were the only two taking the tour that day.  The Zakopane tour depends a lot on the weather.  We left Krakow with foggy weather, the sun did turn up but the mountains remained shrouded in mist.  We were only able to see a tiny bit of a mountain with snow on it.  Zakopane is a ski/snowboard destination but it's also popular in the summer.  It's a bit of a tourist trap with a market selling mostly stuff made in China year round.  OK there are a few things produced  in Poland like sheep skin, some good quality leather, amber jewelry of course and some folkloric clothing items.  The rest consists mostly of cheap toys, trinkets etc...such that you find everywhere all over the world.
The trip there took forever.  It's only 100 kms. but again the traffic was pretty bad, there's a general lack of highway, too many secondary roads, the result being at least over 3 hours to get there.  Once there we took a short ride in a funicular down to the main square which had more of the same in terms of shops, gadgets, tourist crap and food.
We met our laconic guide again, he had to go park the car, and took a little walking tour of Zakopane.  Our guide by the way did not like Zakopane and couldn't understand why people would want to go there.  Guess he was right.
The highlight was this old house, the oldest in Zakopane built in the traditional style of the area.  It's all made of wood with a very peaked roof, less ornate than the Tyrolean style but resembling it with just a "je ne sais quoi" of something different  Truly impressive architecturally.  I took photos which I can't download right now so you'll just have to imagine it.  Zakopane does have an impressive setting nestled in the mountains but I think Mont Tremblant in Quebec is just as pretty although the mountains there are not as high.  Not a total waste of time and money since we got to see a different more "country" side of Poland.

The Wieliczka Salt mine was a tour we took the following day.  Impressive is too small a word, it's stupefyingly grandiose in scope, design, ingenuity and sheer brute labor.  It's one of the oldest salt mines in the world having been started in the 13th.century when rock salt was discovered.  It led to Poland's fortune for many many years to come.  The mine has been declared one of Unesco's world heritage site and along with the city of Krakow itself, it's easy to see why.  There are over 800+ steps going down, endless kilometer long galleries, huge cavernous chambers, chapels, all meticulously maintained.  It's hard to underscore what a mammoth undertaking this must have been, with pic and ax as primitive tools.  Some of the galleries are so huge they are used as ballrooms and concert halls.  They're also very popular for wedding ceremonies and special themed events.
There is a lot of walking involved and of course it's to be avoided at all cost if you're a tad claustrophobic.  The areas we walked in are wide enough and high enough but there's still that sense of pressure from the earth pressing down on you with its incredible force.  Nevertheless there's nothing dangerous about the mine, security is at a premium with millions of visitors per year of all nationalities.  It's a popular place indeed and well worth the visit.  I don't think my puny little camera will do it justice.  The best thing is to go online and check it out yourself.

These photos should give you a little taste of what the mine looks like inside.  It truly is magnificent and well worth seeking out on the net for extra photos.
We came back very tired but satisfied.  Stopped at a market near the main square which was thronged with people since it's the weekend.  We were hungry after our long day and had Polish sausage with potatoes and vegetables from this stand which is incredibly popular with locals and tourists alike.  I'm not sure if anybody is reading my blog.  I do still enjoy writing it and it will remain as a souvenir of our travels in Poland.  Tomorrow we will be visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau and that will be the end of our trip to Poland since we will be gone on the Polski Bus to Prague on Monday.

The magnificent city of Krakow

We arrived in Krakow yesterday courtesy of PolskiBus once again. We were meant to leave Warsaw at 11:00 but ended up leaving around noon instead.  It was a very tiring bus ride although we did notice a lot of new highway construction happening, Poland is definitely booming or at least it's not "busting".  Buses are not as comfortable as the ones in Mexico or South America.  Getting to the washroom might be hazardous to your health.  You have to go down a steep flight of stairs and the washroom is tucked in right at the exit door.  If you have a mobility issue this could be a serious problem especially with all the rocking to and fro going on.  I had to brave it a couple of times.  I try to limit my liquid intake before boarding so I won't have to go too often.
The ride to the hotel was easy, once again by cab but this time the bus station was very close to our destination, not a huge outlay of cash.
The hotel is small in an older building not in the old town proper itself but extremely close by. Our room has a very high wooden ceiling with wooden beans.  The wall are white stucco.  There's a little balcony which looks out onto a private courtyard, three twin beds and a good size bathroom. It's very cute.  Once again we lucked out on accommodations.  It's always a bit of a crap shoot when you book via the internet.
We settled in and then went for a walk to get our bearings. We were hungry and decided on an Indian restaurant where the food turned out to be excellent.  Apparently Indian cuisine is quite popular in Krakow as well as pretzels.  Pretzel vendors are on every street corner.  I had no idea, a little taste of New York in Krakow. The old town is absolutely magnificent.  It hasn't been touched by the war,none of it was destroyed and it's in impeccable shape, everything beautifully maintained in pristine condition.  The whole of the old town functions as a bit of a museum with many spectacular houses, restaurants, well appointed boutique hotels, shops etc.... The main square is huge with the Krakow Cathedral at one end with its magnificent ornate turrets and  bell tower very similar in style to what one might find in Russia.  The Cathedral itself is sumptuous with a lot of gold inlay, statues, marble, reliquary and religious iconography.  We've seen a lot of churches in our travels and this one definitely stands out.  At night the plaza hums with people and performers, it's a busy, happy place with restaurants all around and terraces.  They have heat "lamps" to keep patrons warm and they also provide you with a red blanket you can wrap yourself in while eating your meal.  It's magical at night with all the buildings lit up.
The next day we walked to the world famous Wawel Castle.  It dates back to the 13th and 14 th century and was originally built at the behest of King Casimir III the Great.  Architecturally it's a blend of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque.  It's a bit of a mess but it all seems to blend beautifully. The location itself is spectacular overlooking the Vistula river and the city of Krakow.  The most wonderful thing was the bell tower.  The tower is very high, you have to climb all these steep wooden steps.  There are bells along the way but the most incredible one is at the very top.  It weighs approximately ten tons,takes eight people to ring it and is only rung 25 times out of the year for special occasions.  With all that is involved we can understand why.  The mystery is how they ever got it up there, not only that one but the other ones as well.  The main cathedral is well known for its crypt where a lot of Kings and Queens are buried as well as other famous historical Polish figures like Stefan Batory and a general who fought in America during their war of independence.  There's also a museum named for Pope John Paul which houses religious vestments and other religious artifacts which we don't really care about but are still representative of the period and the value which the Poles attach to their Catholic faith.
Tomorrow we have booked a trip to Zacopane which is about 100 kms.from Krakow, in the high mountains.  It's going to be another gorgeous sunny day. It should be a good trip.

A Little Taste of Warsaw

It's only going to be a little taste since we didn't get to spend much time in this fabulous capital.  We arrived around 3:30 on Monday.  PolkiBus is efficient but not overly comfortable, it gets you where you want to go although it's not exactly fast.  There doesn't seem to be huge stretches of super highways in Poland.  There are little stretches here and there and then you're off on secondary roads with lots of trucks and two way traffic, like I said...slow but cheap we therefore have to settle in for the ride and not be in too much of a hurry.
Warsaw is a very modern capital.  A lot of shiny new buildings in the downtown core which we had to visit in order to deal with the computer connection issue.  Everybody is very wired,nothing unusual about that.  It's a world wide phenomenon, the IPhone is definitely king of the roost.  We took a cab which overcharged us.  It cost more for the ride to the old town than for the PolskiBus from Gdansk to Warsaw.  OK it was a considerable distance and we did hit a lot of traffic but when we did the same direction in reverse, it cost about 30 zlotes less, live and learn.  It was a metered fare not much we could do about the price.
Our apartment was in the old section of Warsaw.  The instructions to get in were a little complicated but we managed.  Seriously we could not have found a better, cuter location and right in the heart of everything.  Only problem it was on the third floor up rickety stairs thus a little difficult to handle with the heavy suitcases.  The apartment consisted of one open area, living room, dining room, kitchen, with a fold out couch.  There was a separate bedroom and a big bathroom with shower and bath, very well appointed.  The apt. cost about $75.00 a day, pretty reasonable considering what we got.
The old town is not very big but was entirely rebuilt.  If you've seen The Pianist you must know that the Germans left nothing but rubble behind them as they were busy decamping.  It's pretty amazing that the Polish government decided to rebuild the area as it was, they could have erected crappy, newer buildings instead.  It turned out to have been a wise investment since it appears to be a favorite tourist magnet.  There is a great big plaza, the Presidential Palace is not far away.  There is a museum which details the Warsaw uprising, lots of little shops, plenty of restaurants which serve traditional Polish food.  We finally got to eat pierogies, twice.  Still haven't eaten bigos but it's on the menu for this evening in Krakow.  Somehow hard to find on the Warsaw menu.
We mostly walked around and took in the sights.  We took a ride on a tramway. They have a very efficient public transit system, the cars all look shiny and new. We never got to take the subway.  You have to buy your ticket via a machine prior to boarding.  Each regular fare costs about $2,00 per person and is valid for 75 minutes.  You compost your ticket on the bus.  It appears to be based on some kind of honor system.  Some people get on with no apparent ticket maybe they know something we don't know.
We noticed a lot of Asian tourists, Japan and China otherwise there was still a distinct lack of visible minorities.  Warsaw is resolutely white in color with the odd splash of brown here and there.  The gypsies are still around begging.  They're a common site in most European big cities.
Warsaw is very clean with huge boulevards.  It feels wealthy and cosmopolitan.  It's no longer a Soviet backwater.  We enjoyed our brief time there.  I would definitely recommend a visit.

Leaving Gdansk

This part of the trip has been a little different since we've ben visiting and staying with Polish relatives.  In a way it's a unique opportunity to see Poland from a non tourist perspective.  The relatives we stayed with,a lovely couple of retired academics, live in an apartment in a Soviet era built huge complex.  The buildings are rather ugly, squat cubes or rectangles with huge numbers printed on the size of each building.  Most buildings are around 6 to 7 floors, no elevators.  You get into the building via a code and each apartment is locked with a double door.  Apparently there were a lot of thefts, break ins earlier on.  These apartment complexes dot the city of Gdynia but they are also found in Gdansk.  They actually look pretty good now, they're very well maintained and the grounds are also maintained very well with a lot of trees, shrubbery and flowers.  It's one thing the Soviets did quite well make renting and owning relatively affordable.
I was curious about life under a communist regime but could only get a little bit of the history due to my limited Polish conversational skills.
During the Soviet era food was more scarce.  Poles were encouraged to tend their little gardens in community plots.  We visited such a plot.  It was huge with about 1000 garden spots which one can buy and pass on to next of kin.  Each plot has a little cabin for washing up, relaxing, drinking vodka after a hard day's work in the garden, a toilet and a glassed in fair size greenhouse.  Obviously this is prime land but it's original purpose remains.  It cannot be developed for another purpose, that's fantastic.
In the Soviet era health and education, even higher education, were free and there were no long delays for major operations.  The interesting thing was that solidarity was more evident.  People were in it together, there was less of the dog eat dog mentality, everybody had a job even if that job produced inefficient results.  Everybody had housing, there was nobody on the street but life was still rather grim and humorless.  The Soviets didn't go for a lot of sparkly, shiny stuff and fun.
Regarding modern Gdynia and Gdansk, Gdansk itself was a bit of a disappointment aside from the old town, it's very very spread out, sort of hard to actually "visit" if one doesn't have a car.  The port of Gdynia was equally unimpressive compared to other beautiful ports visited in France like St. Malo and Concarneau.  It was all right but there wasn't much to write about beside the fact that there was a tourist Pirate boat just like the ones they have in Mexico and an old navy boat left over from the war with a newer one on which young recruits train. 
In general Poles do not seem to like immigrants especially older Poles who are weary of anything new disruptive to the old way of life.  In Gdynia we din't see any visible minorites.  The town is very white.  That trend more or less continues in Warsaw.  Poland is a very Catholic country, the dead Pope Polish  John Paul still enjoys en enduring popularity, his picture is very very present.  It was in both the homes we were in.  People still go to church on Sunday and this includes young people or at least the young people we met.  It was a lovely time, a different time for me since I didn't get to share a lot or ask a lot of questions.  I always have a lot of questions but had to be satisfied with the limited way I was able to participate.  Meanwhile I had fun trying to pronounce words like wszystko (everything) Pszcszyna (a town in Poland) bezwzgledny (fittingly this means rutheless).  Polish is loaded with czs sounds and lots and lots of w, easy roll off the tongue it is not, definitely a challenge.  We're in Warsaw now ensconced in out lovely apartment, you can't find hotels in the old town.  There are none. I'll be writing on our stay here in the next installment.

A Cautionary Tale

I'll be writing a little more on our departure from Gdansk but first a cautionary tale for travelers.  We packed on the Sunday to leave for Warsaw on the Monday.  In the middle of the night I realized I had packed my computer but not the connecting cable for the power source.  I got up, disconnected it and put it in the back pack.  We arrived in Warsaw around 3:00, our apartment is fantastic (more on that later) and I wanted to connect my computer.  I took the computer out, took out the power chord only to soon realize that the little jack which  fits into the two prong European socket had been left behind.  I've had that little adapter since South America and now it was gone, without it no way of connecting the computer.
Being my usual optimistic self I thought it might be easy to find a suitable replacement, Stan w(as more circumspect and much less enthusiastic, turns out he was right.  In the old city, there was nothing, nada.  We were directed to a mall where there was a huge store which dealt in electronics called Saturn.  We made it there after a short cab ride.  Again no success, lots of adapters but they are all from Europe going to somewhere else none for stupid Canadian coming to Europe.  Without the computer I didn't even know which hotel I had booked in Krakow, no way to make other reservations, no communication with family, no banking etc... We spent a long time in that store to no avail.  Went to check out another much smaller store, same result.  Finally I decided to go back to Saturn and seek out another solution.  It turns out we could buy a "universal" type cable which I could plug into my power jack instead of the north American version.  We had to return the next day with the computer so they could sell me the one which wouldn't fry my computer. 
Since I'm writing this the solution worked out well but we spent quite a few fruitless hours.  The best thing to do is to carry a few of those, they don't cost much and they don't take up any room.  And now for a few more thoughts on leaving Gdansk followed by our stay in Warsaw.