The World's Best Kept Secret, Krakow and Zakapane, Poland

As a former flight attendant, I visited all European countries except Albania and Poland. Poland is the fifth largest country in Europe. Apart from Lech Walesa, Copernicus, Pope and a decade of Polish jokes I never understood, I knew nothing of this earth. However, my interest has peaked and will soon be hot on the tourist route and because my husband's family is here Chicago. I walked with a sense of fun to discover their roots. I went to educate and enrich it with something new. We flew from Atlanta through JFK in Krakow and Warsaw for only 4 days. No rest for the weary head spinning route. I want to see the cities in the offseason to mingle with the local population. Provides a more authentic and intimate.
Upon arrival at the airport, we were greeted with joy Pavel will be our driver at all times. It has a good signal "Suza Davis." I said, "Hi, I'm Suzy Atlanta" I laughed when I said: "Yes, the American soil.". We arrived at the Amadeus Hotel, a luxury in the 16th century in the beating heart of the city center. Prince Charles once slept in our room, I was told.
We went hunting for dinner. The old light was beautiful and full of so many young people, who made me feel old. 150,000 students who live in this university town. Krakow scene is the most important festival in Europe, where they remain until the birds are singing. This historic district has the highest concentration of bars and restaurants in the world. We quickly discovered pierogi Garden, home of fresh Polish dumplings. It is stuffed with sauerkraut, lamb, beef, fruits, chocolate and even peanut butter. There are 6 types of soups, everything I hate beets. After a dozen balls, I had a goat cheese melted cake was delicious.
Poland has seen many invasions throughout its history. After being devastated by the Germans and the Russians, who finally got its independence in 1989, with the collapse of Soviet communism. Krakow was wired for destruction at the end of World War II by the Germans. They planned to detonate when the Russians took over, fortunately, the end of the war hours before they realized the plan.
Today, it remains one of the few cities that remain in their original form. With a current population of 780,000, has become an international fashion capital. Dynamic and modern but somehow maintains its traditional culture with majestic architecture. It is located in Krakow, where the spirit of the new Poland.
On day 2, we were greeted by Anna, which was surprisingly nice. We started in the cobbled network streets of Old Town, which was intended to work. It was a labyrinth of museums, chapels, galleries, cafes and pubs holes in the wall. Even in winter, there was entertainment with street dancers, mimes, accordion and in a corner, I saw a knight in armor break dance.
We entered the market place, the largest medieval square in Europe, where little has changed since 1257. It is crowned by the Bell Tower, where a bugler plays at the top of the hour. It drives residents crazy night. We really need Cloth Hall where fishmongers, cloth merchants and bakers sold their products since the 14th century. Now, this is a fabulous craft gallery booths.
We walked to the well preserved Jewish quarter is now an artistic avant-garde. Poland has had the largest concentration of Jews in Europe at 3.5 million euros. Polish kings in the Middle Ages, said they were also hunted and invited them to stimulate the economy. It flourished until the Holocaust and forced after the Second World War Communism. At present, there are only 180 left. We saw the ghettos where the famous Spielberg movie was filmed and looked across the river to see Schindler's factory.
Rick Steves writes that we should visit a milk bar here. Anna joined us at one of these cafes subsidized by the Government of the working class. It is a relic of the past communist Poland. Everything is incredibly cheap. I ordered a bowl of soup and homemade cheese for $ 2.
We then visited the Wawel Castle, a masterpiece of 12th century icon of the definition of the pride of the city. No queues as we walked the corridors of history. It was the residence of the kings for 500 years. Anna explains the legend of the fire-breathing dragon called Smok virgin who ate here for breakfast.
This was reinforced by the discovery of strange big bone in the 1400s. (The bones are actually WHALEBONE this part of Europe was once in the water for thousands of years.) Dragon became the symbol of the city and is ubiquitous in souvenir shops. Anna and then pushes us inside several beautiful churches, for me always as boring as paint by numbers, however, were excellent. I wonder if the Protestants here. She calmly replied: "Yes, one."
The afternoon was devoted to inspections of restaurants and hotels. I loved formal greetings and always educational. Learn about local food and accommodation in the best location for the best price. All the hotels were full. Jews and Catholics visit throughout the year for all religious pilgrimages or visits from roots.
Krakow was recently featured in the top 10 European destinations. Now I see why. Americans continue to rave about Prague, which now seems outdated with inflated prices and lower standards of service. It has become so expensive that Rome. Finally, Krakow can do the same thing once Poland becomes the euro in 2012. For now you can splurge at affordable prices. Europeans flock here for 50-70% savings. Germans and Danes in particular come for dental and optometry needs. Medical tourism and plastic surgery is booming. I met a stewardess Austrian Air flight each month for spa treatments at half price.
In the evening, we dined at the restaurant Wierzynek former princes served tourists since 1364 worldwide. It was delicious farmer (organic) boar, grilled ribs and batteries chopped potatoes. I ask you to teach me some Polish, a Slavic language that is not a mouthful of alphabet soup. word toilet has 5 syllables.
The third day, we woke up to a gray, cold and wet, which gave us the right mood for what we saw. Pavel took us 60 miles from Auschwitz. We were greeted by Yuri, our brilliant guide staff whose only passion was to enlighten us on the unthinkable tragedy that took place here from 1940 to 1945. Once I visited Dachau, but it was the largest concentration camp. The death factory has killed 1.4 million people of 27 nationalities. Most were Jews. The rest were Gypsies, Russians, Poles, homosexuals and political dissidents.
We walked in the door reading: "Work makes you free." Inside was a powerful reminder of what we had seen the crematoria, private cells kilos hair, glasses and a fine gray ash pond without even 60 years ago. More disturbing to me was the children's section. They held a sea of ​​little shoes, dolls and meticulous documentation 230000 small German who suffered and died here.
We were taken to Birkenau area (Auschwitz II), with its wooden barracks built to house 100,000 200,000 + but finally realize. Together, in silence, the three walked a mile and a half to see the ruins of the gas chambers and memorial. At the end of our trip, Yuri took leave of us with this profound statement: "I have guided many Holocaust survivors who came here as tourists told me that in the end I'm not able to provide 1% of how it really was. . "It was the most exciting place to touch my eyes have ever seen.
Afternoon visit the famous salt mine in Wieliczka. This vast and mysterious three miles long underground city salt was extracted 800 years. Heritage attracts millions of visitors a year, and it seems they all arrived today.
Justina our guide seemed to have an obsession with salt, but it was the love of his work as a guide. She told me to take 836 steps, which was a better job out of a climber. Cuevas was me, but this site will remain etched in my memory forever. Imagine underground chapels, ornate chandleries scale sculptures and figures carved entirely from salt or a restaurant and a post office 380 "below street level. Was spectacular. For centuries, miners and horses spent their lives here. They remained healthy in this rich microclimate. has to do with magnesium ions, which are? Today, people come to the healing rooms complex treatment for the isolation of the natural purity of the air.
Day 4. I keep looking for the world of things or introduce unique travel companions places. Today, I found myself in Zakapane. For years, one of my friends insisted that I visit this hill station with the funny name I could never remember. We went to the pure air of the Tatra Mountains with Eva, our expert guide that day. He said that this adventure destination from 60,000 to 200,000 inhabitants swells almost all year. In summer, come spas and Alpine roads. In winter, enjoy skiing. This week Zakapane hosted international competitions in ski jumping.
It was a charming village of artists and Giorake, an ethnic group of mountain mountains. These shepherds wandering back to the 15th century. They like to wear their colorful clothes for tourists. They live in cheese or anything smothered in cheese. We visited a cheese market the size of Switzerland. As far as my eyes could see, there were sheep and goats artistically carved in every way imaginable. We also visited the waterpark with a size hot ore Olympic pool and install cable in high mountain scenery breathtaking.
It was a productive and enjoyable day visit. I found a local travel agency that organizes fun activities for groups such as sleigh rides through the forest, sleigh rides and the new "snow rafting" on rubber rafts sleigh style Splash Mountain. In the large open-air market with many ethnic stalls, bought a flashy leather and fashion fur coat $ 260 that looked six times its price.
There are so many things I do not see in this brief visit. In my next turn, I'm going crazy again "tour communism." Outside of Cracow Nowa Huta, in Forced severe socialist industrialization suburb time. Steelworks rich farmland Massive reached. Doctors and teachers were sent to work . Thousands of concrete buildings were built to house them.
The journey to discover a first-hand experience of Stalin's gift to Krakow by getting into an East German Trabant car classic Nowa Huta. A dinner of salted bread, pickles and vodka is included, followed by dancing in a disco era retro 70s.
Under the yoke of communism, Poles refused to renounce their religion. Stalin said. "Implementation of communism here, it's like selling a bull" Face against a determined spirit of the people, I gave up. "M surprised all the obstacles that the country has exceeded stoic.
If you've been there and bought the t-shirt in London, Paris, Madrid and Athens, I encourage you to visit unknown parts of Europe. Krakow is destined to become the next Prague. Living with history, the people are friendly, hearty cuisine, and it will not break your pocket. If you can visit the new Poland, please do not tell anyone Zakapane, one of the best kept secrets in the world.