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| Auschwitz-Birkenau |
Back to some less somber views of Poland:
After the tour of Auschwitz-Berkenau, we made our way to Krakow. Referred to as the jewel of Poland, Krakow is the historical and cultural alternative to the bustling capitol of Poland, Warsaw. The people of Poland are very friendly, they speak excellent English, and they are just as excited about showing their culture as we were to see it. After a free afternoon Friday, Saturday morning our tour began in the Jewish quarter of Krakow.
The Jewish Quarter of Krakow, Kazimierz, is well known for the development of Polish Jewish society. Most famously, the Jews of Krakow were recognized during WWII because of Schindler's List. We also toured the former Schindler factory, which is now a Kazimierz was revitalized and renewed due to the flow of cash and attention.
Next, we saw the Wawel Castle of Krakow, seat of the Polish kings until the 16th century, when more government institutions moved to Warsaw. The castle grounds are immense and beautiful, and include a monument to Pope John Paul II (seen below), who is an icon still in Poland.
Our historical tour of Krakow ended in Stare Miasto, Old Town, which has the biggest town square in all of Europe. Lots of shops, restaurants, and Polish souvenir places lines the edges of the massive square.
Poland is on the zloty, their own national currency; and prices were generally very affordable. Meals cost $5-10 on average and just a little more for large portions and alcohol too. The night life in the city was really exciting, mostly due to the fact that 100,000+ students flood the city every academic year. The language of Polish is similar to Czech as a Slavic language, but it is softer on the ear and easier on the brain.
Oh, and the pierogies (Polish ravioli) are THE BEST.
The adventure to Poland ended with a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines outside of Krakow. This network of underground salt deposits are no longer used for mining, but they were a source of wealth in the past several centuries. Today they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the intricate sculptures and designs made purely of salt. Below is a picture of the Salt Chapel, a massive construction made of salt (and lights for the salt chandeliers).
Overall, it was an experience of a weekend from Auschwitz to Krakow to Wieliczka. I'm really glad that I signed up for this trip because I got to see things I may never have done on my own. I will be staying in Prague next weekend to prepare for midterms, so the next two weeks will be pretty quiet before Fall Break in Budapest in Vienna! Oh, and there's SNOW SHOWERS in this weekend's forecast in Praha!
After the tour of Auschwitz-Berkenau, we made our way to Krakow. Referred to as the jewel of Poland, Krakow is the historical and cultural alternative to the bustling capitol of Poland, Warsaw. The people of Poland are very friendly, they speak excellent English, and they are just as excited about showing their culture as we were to see it. After a free afternoon Friday, Saturday morning our tour began in the Jewish quarter of Krakow.
The Jewish Quarter of Krakow, Kazimierz, is well known for the development of Polish Jewish society. Most famously, the Jews of Krakow were recognized during WWII because of Schindler's List. We also toured the former Schindler factory, which is now a Kazimierz was revitalized and renewed due to the flow of cash and attention.
Next, we saw the Wawel Castle of Krakow, seat of the Polish kings until the 16th century, when more government institutions moved to Warsaw. The castle grounds are immense and beautiful, and include a monument to Pope John Paul II (seen below), who is an icon still in Poland.
Our historical tour of Krakow ended in Stare Miasto, Old Town, which has the biggest town square in all of Europe. Lots of shops, restaurants, and Polish souvenir places lines the edges of the massive square.
Poland is on the zloty, their own national currency; and prices were generally very affordable. Meals cost $5-10 on average and just a little more for large portions and alcohol too. The night life in the city was really exciting, mostly due to the fact that 100,000+ students flood the city every academic year. The language of Polish is similar to Czech as a Slavic language, but it is softer on the ear and easier on the brain.
Oh, and the pierogies (Polish ravioli) are THE BEST.
The adventure to Poland ended with a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines outside of Krakow. This network of underground salt deposits are no longer used for mining, but they were a source of wealth in the past several centuries. Today they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the intricate sculptures and designs made purely of salt. Below is a picture of the Salt Chapel, a massive construction made of salt (and lights for the salt chandeliers).
Overall, it was an experience of a weekend from Auschwitz to Krakow to Wieliczka. I'm really glad that I signed up for this trip because I got to see things I may never have done on my own. I will be staying in Prague next weekend to prepare for midterms, so the next two weeks will be pretty quiet before Fall Break in Budapest in Vienna! Oh, and there's SNOW SHOWERS in this weekend's forecast in Praha!
Lastly, my fourth column in The Hoya from abroad has been published this week! Make sure to czech it out, and feel free to give me suggestions for future columns! Click here to read my article in this week's The Guide!
UNESCO!!! wootwoot! lol
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