Anything relating to queuing, checking documents and protocol at the moment is reminding me of it, and even two days afterwards I’m trying to sort out my thoughts and put my impressions into words.

In the lead up to the visit we’d done:

• a walking tour in Berlin that visited the Holocaust Memorial,
• in Warsaw we’d done a walking tour that included the Jewish ghetto and another entitled Warsaw at War, we also visited The Warsaw Rising Museum.
• We’d watched The Pianist online and visited Schindler’s Museum in Krakow AND
• Seen Schindler’s List online the night before the tour to Auschwitz.

I’m thinking now perhaps it was too much heavy material in a short space of time!

But visiting the concentration camp is so much more affecting than reading about it or watching movies, and I’m beginning to see that being there forces you to confront the reality of it. Something which is difficult because your mind doesn’t really want to comprehend it. Doesn’t want you to put yourself in their shoes. With movies and books there is a disconnect, it’s easier to remove yourself from thinking about it.

When walking around Auschwitz I it’s not a case of feeling overly emotional and I’ve read posts by other bloggers that felt the same way. It’s difficult to feel anything specific when you’re there, you’re just listening to the guide, going into buildings, reading things, looking at photos and exhibits of people’s belongings. 

Our guide has a monotone that suggests he himself has a disconnect from the facts and figures that he is regurgitating, he is very unemotional and almost robotic.

At Auschwitz I the exhibits showcase leftover belongings and personal items but still there’s no overwhelming feeling of anything in particular. Placards tell of what happened in certain buildings and we tour an underground prison cell where people were held for trying to escape. If found guilty after a ‘trial’ they were executed outside on the “wall of death” which we also saw.

There are placards reminding people to be quiet and respect these places, especially for the gas chamber which I’m reluctant to go into but again it’s just a concrete room, it’s difficult to imagine what went on in here whilst you’re in there. Though fingernail scratch marks on the wall give some indication.

After Auschwitz I we’re shuttled to Auschwitz II (i.e Birkenau), a satellite camp constructed in 1941 to ease congestion. This is the place most visually connected with the name ‘Auschwitz’ because of the brick railway arch, famously used in movies such as Schindler’s List and which manages to convey foreboding on sight.

With the same guide we walk to the area where people were unloaded from the trains and selected by doctors, either left to the crematorium or right to the workers barracks.

Back at Auschwitz I we’ve seen a series of photos of Hungarian Jews which were taken right at this point. The first camp is a build up to what you see at Birkenau because it has the photos and a model of the crematorium. While at the second one you see the exact places in the photos and the remains of the crematorium.

It’s more impactful because photos and plastic models, like movies and books, sit in a different part of your brain, the fantasy part. Whereas standing there looking at it you can’t pigeonhole it away into that part of your brain. You know it was a bad thing but it’s not until you’re there, and hear some of the more disturbing details does it sink in how bad the reality was, and when you connect the two the effect is devastating on the psyche. 

Back on the bus the connect starts happening and I start feeling overwhelmed and sick to my stomach; the photos of the faces, the railway carriage, the luggage, the shoes, the overwhelming numbers, the crematorium, start swirling round my brain in never ending circles, I can’t get a handle on it, it’s incomprehensible and that’s the rub, it’s so despicable, so hugely evil, so terrible that the brain doesn’t want to believe that human beings could do this to other human beings.

Would I Go Back?

Visiting Auschwitz I and II was hugely affecting, more so than any movies or books, which I naively thought would help me to understand it. It’s not something you can really understand, even after going there.

It’s touted as a must-see by everyone but also in this way it makes me feel like ‘I wish I’d never gone’ so I didn’t have to deal with the connect that occurs between fantasy and reality afterwards. For this reason I wouldn’t want to go back again. 

Perhaps not everyone has this happen, perhaps they can visit and be somewhat moved but remain unaffected after the visit. I think if you’re the sensitive type who feels things deeply then you will be affected for some time afterwards by vivid images, foreboding, dark thoughts and a general feeling of hopelessness for humanity.

But I still think that it’s important that people do visit it, as one of the signs there cautions, ‘Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it’.

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The Wieliczka Salt Mines are Krakow’s other UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting over a million visitors a year versus Auschwitz’s two million. While it is certainly possible to do the tour yourself (the train station is right beside the carpark), we elected to go on Legendary Krakow’s Salt Mine Tour for 130zł.

The tour included hotel pickup and drop off. For comparison, the train is 10zł return and the tickets currently 84zł (89zł in high season), so it is possible to do it cheaper. If you did it solo you’d still get a guide (they’re compulsory), but the timing of when a guide speaking your language would be able to fit you in their group (limit of 40) would be the issue. With our group we had a ten minute wait for our driver to connect us with our tour guide and get our tickets but it started to snow (in April!) so we had something to amuse ourselves with while we waited.

The Tour

So we begin with the stairs. Wooden stairs going down, six stairs to a flight, turn down another six. Over and over again. There are little numbers on stickers above each landing, and it’s fun listening to everyone trying to do the math of how many landings there should be given the information that there are 378 steps. There are periodic pauses, which I never figure out if they are caused by our group catching up to the group ahead or just people taking the obvious shot up or down the central shaft. I make sure to have a firm grasp on my camera!!

And then we don’t so much reach the bottom of the shaft (that continues on down into the darkness) as get spat out into a level 64m below the ground. Then begins a delightful procession of corridors, sometimes with exposed salt rock, sometimes shored up with white washed timber, punctuated by caverns of various sizes that have been hand carved out of the salt. It’s quite amazing that the salt can be worked like rock – the floor looks to be marble, but no – it’s salt. Hexagon tiles on the floor? Salt.

Periodically we’ll descend well made wooden staircases with sturdy rails into the depths to see another cavern, some with lakes, some built as chapels with chandeliers and religious statues – the miners were a religious bunch as all dangerous professions tend to be. The most impressive of which is a chapel where, as we arrive, a choir starts singing. We’d luckily chosen a Sunday to visit and a choir comes down to enjoy the acoustics.

The Mine has been operating since the 13th Century and the part we explore in three hours (3km) represents about 1% of the entire complex. We end up 135m below the surface and are glad that there is a lift to take us to the top.

Should I Go?

Definitely! We’d been to Auschwitz the previous day and the tour was a well needed counterpoint to the somber nature of that location. Touring Wieliczka is multi faceted: there’s the historical aspect – salt was valuable for a long time, so the salt mine was an impressive source of wealth. There’s substantial beauty down there – large chapels and lakes with artistic lighting and frescoes. And I think there’s even a touch of Disney – an unnaturally safe environment with dwarves and gnomes and gift shops everywhere: the only thing missing is an automated ride on rails and “It’s a Small World After All” piped through speakers.

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Day Zero

There are a number of ways to get to Krakow from the airport – and of course the later the time gets, the fewer there are, and the longer they take to get to where you need to go to. I’ve narrowed it down to two: a taxi or the train / then a walk. The train only just wins out – there is only one cab company serving the airport and after a certain time they charge a flat rate of 90 zloty. The train on the other hand costs 9 zloty. The reason it’s a close run thing is that Angela had let me know it had snowed the previous day so the 20 minute walk across the old town to the Radisson Blu promised to be brisk and cheek-reddening!

It’s cute though: even at 11pm on a chilly Thursday night, Krakow is determined to show a good time. There are tourists meandering around and taxi drivers bustling near the night spots. Even the horse and carriage crowd are getting the odd customer. The buildings in the main square are nicely lit and the stroll across town is hard to begrudge with such picturesque surroundings.

Day One

We’d decided to go on two free walking tours to get a feel for the city – one would take us around the Old Town, including Wawel Castle, while the other would take in the Jewish district of Kazimierz.

Old Town Walking Tour

We’re to meet our guide in the main square outside the towering spire of St Mary’s Basilica, they’d be holding a red umbrella. Lo and behold we are introduced to Ela (easy to remember she says: Ela – umbrella), who takes us around the Old Town.

We learn about the old city walls and why there are only a few parts of these still around, we learn about the gates and how certain guilds were responsible for their upkeep. One of the best parts is at 11am when the trumpeter plays out each of the windows in a tower at the top of St Mary’s then gives us a wave.

It’s interesting to hear both how the trumpeters live in an apartment at the top of the tower and the legend behind the unresolved melody that they play. After visiting the University and hearing about Poland’s favourite son (Pope John Paul II), we head up to the Castle.

Ela’s English is excellent and what she says is a great combination of the legend and scepticism about the legends. unfortunately we’re too early in the year to visit the cave of the Dragon tucked away under the wall facing the Vistula River, so we head back to the Main Square instead to get something to eat while we wait for the next tour.

Kazimierz

At the appointed time we find a number of people under red umbrellas, and so after making enquiries, we find that Ela would be taking us through the Jewish district of Kazimierz. It’s a little bit of a hike from the centre of town, nestled between the Castle and the river.

Ela once gain regales us with interesting stories about the most famous of the Jewish residents who used to live here, my favourite is that of Helena Rubinstein – a woman who lived a fascinating life. As we get closer to the Ghetto, the references to Stephen Spielberg’s movie ‘Schindler’s List’ increases – the most photographed staircase, where certain scenes were filmed etc. The tour ends at Ghetto Heroes Square, which is only a five minute walk from Oskar Schindler’s Museum, so it seems fitting to head over and have a look.

Oskar Schindler Museum

Ange is a little hesitant because I had told her that it didn’t have much to do with Oskar and was just his factory. But the walking tour had featured so many scenes from the movie, and I think that tipped her over and so we went in. After our walk in the cold, we decide to grab a drink at the cafe before we head in to the Museum proper.

It was my second time there and while it was smaller than the Warsaw Rising Museum, it had the same attitude to multimedia supporting the exhibits, and is well worth the visit.

Afterwards we walk all the way back to the hotel. We could’ve got a couple of trams or a taxi but I was trying to get through the trip without getting any more cash out. While it’s a bit of a hike, the rain mercifully stays away despite the overcast conditions and it’s quite a pleasant stroll.

When we get back, because we’d visited so many of the sites in Schindler’s List, we decide it’d be a good time to watch the movie. We have a look through the room service menu, and discover that the Radisson has an all inclusive deal: for 66 zł you get a burger, fries, a beer, dessert and popcorn – perfect for settling in and watching a movie.

Day Two

We booked a tour to Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Our trip had been leading to this day for a while: we’d started our trip in Berlin where the Nazi machine was run and decisions were made. Then we’d headed to Warsaw to walk around where the ghetto had been, watched The Pianist and visited the Museum of the Uprising. Now we were in Krakow, had watched Schindler’s List, visited the ghetto and learned about Oskar at the museum, and so now we visited Auschwitz.

After we get back, feeling drained and emotional, we head up to our room and get a light meal from room service. We’d planned to go out and try some of the local fare but just don’t feel like going out.

Day Three

We arranged to go out to the Wieliczka Salt Mines – the other UNESCO World Heritage site.

After the more upbeat day we head out to a restaurant that Ange had found while I was in London – Restauracja Galicyjska. They serve traditional Polish food which appears to be game of various types, and I kick myself for being too slow off the mark to get a picture of the meat platter when one goes by – a chicken flambé being the pièce de résistance

We arrived before 6pm and have the place to ourselves before groups of tourists start filtering in. One half of the floorspace has been reserved for a banquet and we spend a good chunk of the night trying to decide whether its for a wedding reception or just a group booking.

I order the boar ribs in a honey sauce with fried cabbage and potatoes while Ange has the stuffed chicken breast with seasonal vegetables. We split a slice of the apple crumble.

Day Four

As we’d synchronised our separate departures by air (me to London, Ange to Vienna) we head to the airport via the airport train and I make the mistake of trying to buy tickets from the ticket booth downstairs instead of onboard, leaving Ange on the platform. I would have been better off just getting the tickets from the conductor. The train is very quick and it’s not long before we’re through security and waiting for our flights.

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We’re in Krakow for four nights at the Radisson Blu, figuring we’d take advantage of superior exchange rate to get some five star comfort on the cheap. Ange checks in before me, having already been in Krakow during the week. You really can’t get a better location for the hotel. It’s on the doorstep of the Old Town and yet far enough away to not hear the raucous cheers of drunken revellers. Its a tiny walk down the road to the castle and is on the tram line too.

When I arrive at 11:30pm, I’m quietly impressed, both with the size of the bed as well as the incredibly comfortable looking chaise lounge in the room. although one of the elegant horse-drawn carriages chooses that moment to go by and even though we’re on the top floor, the staccato clip-clop, clip-clop penetrates the room. We quickly remind each other of the NH Collection in Berlin with its quadruple glazing and lament that the Radisson doesn’t have this.

The room service menu deserves a shout out: we have the movie night special: a burger, fries, and dessert plus beer (or juice) and popcorn, all for 66 zloty. The interesting part is the “burger” is served on focaccia bread – an interesting twist. Also the salad for the burger is actually coleslaw and served in a separate little ramekin. It’s a nice combo and worth it for our night in.

We later have a light meal of salad and risotto, which is very fresh and tasty – the food here is great.

Breakfast

I liked the breakfast at the Radisson: when you give your room number at the entrance they walk you to a table and give you a little card to show that the table is occupied – a great idea especially if you’re dining alone. They also have a little card of egg dishes you can have prepared especially for you, or else “just” have the buffet.

I guess the highlight of the breakfast for me are the local sausages (kielbasa) and the various different honeys they have on offer. Ange enjoys the cereals and the variety of toppings available to complement them.

One thing I don’t enjoy are the American pancakes – they’ve been in the warmer for too long and so have started to get hard around the edges. It’s about the only negative though – the spread is huge and varied, with something for everyone.

Facilities

The entrance lobby has an amber shop in it – amber is the tree resin which has been buried and solidified so that it resembles precious stones. It’s been sourced all along the lands bordering the Baltic sea for centuries and traded all over the Ancient world. It’s very pretty but I can’t see how it can sell enough to justify having a person in the shop all day every day.

The hotel includes a health centre which includes a surprisingly well equipped gym. There are multiple weight machines and ample free weights making this much more than the token treadmill and exercycle that some hotels try to get away with.

There’s also a spa which makes me pause for a second. It has been my experience that spas tend to be mixed-sex, with anyone able to use any of them, but in the case of the Radisson, there is one spa past the Male changing room sand one past the Women’s changing rooms. When Ange had enquired about it at reception, they had said for both of us to use the same one, so with some trepidation I go through the Women’s changing rooms to join Ange in the sauna. There are no screams or embarrassment though – it’s late enough that nobody else is using the facilities and we enjoy the heat for our fifteen minutes in solitude.

Pros and Cons

Would I Go Back?

Definitely! The location makes it a no-brainer, but the food and facilities really make this a steal.

The Radisson Blu Krakow supported our Summer 2017: UNESCO tour by providing a discounted stay. All opinions remain our own.

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Checking in was straightforward, I got a keycard and a city map and I headed upstairs to the first floor, there was also a card for a welcome drink at the local Restaurant Galicyjska in the Old Town.

I was given the opportunity for help with my luggage as there wasn’t a lift but I declined as the first floor was manageable and my bag wasn’t huge. Initially my keycard didn’t open the door so after a couple of tries I was about to go down to reception again when the receptionist came running up the stairs apologetically to fix the card.

Room

I found the double room very cosy and elegant, the heaters were on which I appreciated due to the frigid weather outside.

The decor was tasteful with a focus on muted shades of dark grey and mustard yellow, tripod lamps and contemporary chairs added a designer feel. There were quality wooden fixtures and fittings in the the main area, including a sideboard desk which held a drinks tray with free bottled water, a kettle, tea and coffee etc.

The bathroom was your standard white tile, the shower had a rainforest shower head and there was a small basket of Artery Hotels’ toiletries; shampoo/gel and soap.

Zulian Aparthotel belongs to the Artery Hotels group which runs a number of aparthotels in Krakow, including the Yarden Aparthotel a couple of doors down at no.35. Though modern in fit-out, the 20th century tenement which houses Zulian has kept its character features, such as the original floors which date back to 1906 and which give the aparthotel its name – Giovanni Zuliani was the owner of the tile factory where the tiles were made.

The 28 stylised rooms also have geometric prints and soft furnishings that tie in with the mosaic theme of the tiles and, leading up the stairway, tiles are hung as artwork.

Lunch

I fought the urge to curl up on the comfy double bed amidst the neatly folded towels and headed out to the Old Town for lunch which is just a 10 minute walk away depending on where you want to go. There are plenty of bakeries in the street the hotel is on but if you want more of a selection of cafes and restaurants then the Old Town is your best bet. Zulian also provides a print-out sheet of restaurant recommendations in the Old Town.

It was freezing outside so I went into one of the first places I found, Domowe Przysmaki in Sławkowska Street which served homemade Polish food. It was one of the prettiest cafes I’ve been to with planter boxes on the walls, and fresh flowers on the table, the waitress had on a cheerful purple apron. I decided to try a Polish speciality, beetroot soup with a croquette. It was surprisingly delicious!

Afterwards I strolled through one of the main streets of the Old Town, Floriananska, which has a number of tour operators through which you can organise tours to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine, though Zulian can do this for you at reception (they can also prepare lunch boxes for 25 PLN, as well as organise tickets for music evenings and in-room massages).

Back at the hotel the snow turned into big fat fluffy flakes that drifted lazily past the window. But the room was well heated and the windows had double glazing so I wasn’t too worried about being cold. The TV had 66 channels including a French news station in English, and another couple of English stations but the welcome drink card had me curious so I headed to Restaurcja Galicyjska to see what it was like.

Dinner

Restaurcja Galicyjska is also a traditional Polish restaurant but with the feel of an underground wine cellar and the good thing was, they could slot me into a table straight away. There were plenty of customers which was also a good sign and shortly after being seated I got my complimentary mulled wine with with orange and cloves, just the thing for a cold night.

The menu had a good range of options and I settled for: Empress Sophia chicken broth with Lithuanian dumplings, mushroom and cabbage pierogi (Russian dumplings) and hot apple pie with two sauces, whipped cream and ice cream.

When settling the bill I receive a complimentary snifter of apple wine as a digestive. The waiter automatically added on a 10% tip (you have the option of not paying this) but it was all so pleasant I didn’t mind paying it.

Breakfast

After a good night’s sleep at Zulian I headed down to the breakfast room which was through a gateway and round the back. You can get to it usually through the hotel but they are renovating so the entrance can’t be used at present. The sister aparthotel Yarden also uses this room to serve breakfast. There was a good selection of breakfast foods, so there is no chance of going hungry and the wait staff were attentive.

I was at the hotel during inclement weather but the garden out the back is touted as a nice place to rest and relax if you’re there during the warmer months. There is a child’s playground and you can borrow volleyball, badminton set, Twister and chess + blankets.

Pros & Cons

Would I Go Back?

My stay was very comfortable at the Zulian Aparthotel and I found it upmarket and stylish. If you’re after boutique hotel with character and charm in proximity to the Old Town of Krakow, then I highly recommend it.

Zulian Aparthotel kindly supported our Summer 2017: UNESCO tour by providing a complimentary stay. All opinions remain our own.

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Arrival

We arrived not long after it opened to join a queue at the ticket office. I suspected that was because the website was incorrect with the opening time because the line did not initially appear to be moving, but discovered instead that there was only one ticket booth operational and the purchasing process woefully slow.

There was a security guard with minimal English gruffly gesticulating to ticket purchasers where to queue and controlling access to the hut with the ticket counter in it. When we finally did make it to the booth and ordered the tickets, lo and behold the receipt printer jammed resulting in a call across the room to the guy manning the gift shop (seriously? most places put the gift shop just prior to the exit, not at the entrance) to come across and provide technical assistance.

Eventually we made it into the Museum and got Audio Guides at another gift ship. Again, at the entrance. And then on to the Museum exhibits! First of all there is a lot to get through, a lot to read, listen to and see. The layout is confusing: the exhibits are numbered, but because of the layout its sometimes not obvious how to proceed: you’ll be at #28 and you can see #35 across the room but not how to find #29-34. Quibbles about navigation aside though, the sheer volume of information makes for a rewarding experience.

What Is It?

So what’s it all about? Why should you go? In World War Two the Germans herded the Jewish population into a small section of Warsaw and then bricked it up. They then started sending the Jews to an extermination camp in Treblinka. Once intelligence filtered back to Warsaw about what was happening there, some of the Jews decided it would be better to die fighting rather than waiting to be killed carriage-load by carriage-load. Woefully under-equipped, they lasted for a month against the well trained, battle hardened troops of the German Army. It was the single largest revolt by Jews in World War Two.

The second uprising was towards the end of the war when the Polish Home Army elected to liberate Warsaw from the Nazis before the Soviet Red Army could arrive. The theory there being that it would establish the Polish Home Army as being the political force to rule the liberated city, instead of the Soviets. Despite requests from both the Polish forces as well as Britain, the Soviet Arm waited on the eastern bank of the Vistula and only entered Warsaw once the Uprising had failed. It was the single largest military conflict undertaken by resistance forces during World War Two.

The Museum

It’s worth pointing out that there were two theatres on the ground floor – one a temporary one with a 3D computer simulation of flying over the city showing the desolation after the Germans destroyed it, the other showing some of the newsreel footage which showed the Uprising which was intended to show the Allies that they should support their efforts. Apparently the edit that made it through was not what was sent and no aid was forthcoming.

Also of interest was the Sewer simulation down behind the movie screen: this showed the size of the sewers with a small section of (dry!) sewer which you can walk through. Not recommended if you’re claustrophobic!

We paid 20 PLN each plus another 10 for the audio guide. We weighed up whether to try to share the audio guide but it’s not really conducive for that.

An interesting modern section is what seems to be a recruitment drive for the Polish Army. Displays of modern weaponry and exhibits exulting the modern soldiers, hijack the uprising museum’s message.

Should I Go?

Absolutely – it really brings home the story of the Ghetto and the two uprisings and fleshes it out with engaging exhibits. With so much of Warsaw’s history lost due to the Communist government’s refusal to acknowledge events, this Museum is a crucial step in the development of Warsaw and indeed Poland’s identity.

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We’d booked to stay at Hotel MDM for four nights and the room was ready well ahead of time negating the need to drop off luggage and fill in time etc. I grabbed a couple of WiFi tickets which had a unique guest code to use for the stay and headed up to the fifth floor, appreciating the marble tiled lift lobby as I exited.

Room

The room was a double standard but situated in the corner of the building so we weren’t next to any other rooms on one side. Being on the top floor meant there were no rooms above us either. We were, however, next to the lift shaft from an adjoining building but the slight clanking didn’t bother us. The double-glazed windows had a sweeping view over the side street buildings which I was happy about.

Chris bemoaned that we didn’t have a front-facing view of Plac Konstytucji but as I reminded him the hotel was undergoing facade renovations and the front was covered with sheeting anyway. Besides we’d see a good view of that from the breakfast room.

The room was actually a lot nicer than I expected from the pictures on booking.com and pretty spacious for the price. We paid 860 pln (NZ$320) for four nights and were given the option at check-in of paying 45 pln for both people for the buffet breakfast for each of the four days, which we took them up on. The alternative was to pay as we went which would have been 45 pln each, so it was a good deal.

I’m not usually a fan of orange but the orange/grey decor with the large black & white print above the bed was quite tasteful. Judging from the hotel overview info on the TV they’ve had a refurbishment at some stage to update all the rooms and it was a good move.

The bed was a queen, and not just two singles pushed together, though it did have the European two single duvets set-up. The bathroom had a good amount of toiletries, and there was an adequately supplied mini-bar with water, chocolate, nuts etc. (but no mini bottles of vodka). It’s unseasonably cold during our stay but the radiators are up to the task and I have to turn them down a few times as it gets too hot.

Our room was made up for us each day by putting out the door sign. We took to putting the ‘do not disturb one’ on before we went to bed as a maid had arrived to clean the room on the first morning and we were sleeping in – #awkward.

We also took the precaution of putting our laptops in my bag and locking it before we went out. I’d read on a piece of hotel literature that the hotel wasn’t liable for anything that was stolen and since there was no key card lock system on the lift floors we decided to do this as an extra precaution. The reception also has safety deposit boxes you can use.

Food

We were pleasantly surprised by the breakfast buffet spread which catered for all kinds of nationalities and tastes. You could have cold meats, cheese and salad; cereal and fruit; cakes and pastries or bacon, eggs and beans if you desired. It’s always tempting to try everything but we managed to get our money’s worth and still remain decorous. The breakfast room had a splendid view of Plac Konstytucji with its three monumental Soviet Realism lamps taking pride of place. Seating near the picture windows was, not surprisingly, in demand.

Another great thing about the Hotel MDM is that there is a Czech-style restaurant directly to the left as you exit the doors – U Szwejka.

I ate here for lunch when I first arrived managing to get through most of an enormous schnitzel, and again when Chris arrived for dinner (he had the BBQ ribs and I had the pork ragu). We found the restaurant staff cheerful, the atmosphere lively and the food hearty. It has a heated courtyard section out the front with booth seating. Oh and you get a complimentary glass of cherry wine.

Pros and Cons

Would I Go Back?

I personally wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again, there was nothing really to pick at unless you count the hotel’s Upstairs Bar & Bistro not being open in the weekends. As we were there over Easter having this as an extra eating option would have been good but it’s a small niggle.

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I’m unaware when taxiing to Dream Hostel that I seem to have arrived at an inauspicious moment. But I find out soon enough that I have. The taxi driver tells me that 7 years ago on this day (10th April 2010) the Polish president’s plane was (allegedly) shot down by Russians, and there is a ‘memorial event’ taking place this evening.

Ah that would explain the crowds of people waving Polish flags, and holding signs when I alight and the main street lined with police and metal barriers. Situated on Krakowskie Przedmiescie, Dream Hostel is right in the thick of it. But at 5.30 pm it’s still early on in the proceedings.

It’s not until after I check-in and go for dinner on a back-street that the full extent of the ‘event’ is apparent. I actually can’t get back to the hostel because there’s a police cordon blocking off the entrance. Doh! I attempt to show a couple of police the name of my hostel and point behind their shoulders to indicate I’m staying in there. No go. They’re adamant I’m not going through.

I try the other entrance, it’s also police cordoned and is even more crowded with people waving signs and general mayhem. I ask a girl stationed inside a doorway how long it will last “Who knows?!”, she says, “They’re a bit crazy, it could be an hour or it could be all night, who knows what they’ll do”.

Great, my first night in Poland and I’m stuck outside on the street unable to even reach my hostel due to no fault of my own. At least I’ve had dinner. After about 45 minutes of hanging around aimlessly I see a policeman indicate to a couple to go around the back of some buildings and come out behind the cordon. I follow them and end up behind the police cordon and able to finally reach my hostel.

Hostel

Dream Hostels is a chain of six hostels covering three countries – Poland, Ukraine & Slovakia. In the Warsaw one (which got excellent reviews on Booking.com and why I chose it) I’m staying for three nights in a female only dormitory on the first floor. The room has 3 bunks, so 6 beds in total. Each bed is made up with a bottom sheet and has a duvet neatly folded on top and pillow. There is a curtain to pull across and a electric plug socket and a light. We also get a lockable drawer underneath the bed with our own key.

It’s the best set up for a dorm room hostel I think I’ve seen, managing to give you privacy and security as well as socialising if you want it. None of my roommates is particularly talkative though, so I get two out of three things.

The dorm door is activated by a keycard which you can also use on the front door after midnight. I realise however I don’t have a towel, and one isn’t provided so I need to go and rent one, and also buy breakfast for the next day. (If you buy it the day before its 12 pln instead of 15 pln on the day). I also need to do laundry so spend another 15 pln to do a load.

There are a few extras they make you pay for (plus a deposit for the locker key and the towel) but all in all everything’s so cheap the whole deal still ends up being very reasonable.

The room doesn’t have an ensuite bathroom but it’s situated just outside the room, and as I’m on the first floor I’m also handy to reception (I don’t quite make a pest of myself asking a lot of questions but it could get that way….)

Food

I sleep soundly enough and head up to the breakfast room the next morning on the top floor, which is also where there is an adjoining small lounge. The girl has run out of eggs for the big breakfast so I get the light breakfast which is cereal, milk, toast and jam and juice. It’s basic but for 12 pln (NZD$4) I can’t really complain. The other option is a panini which isn’t really appealing for breakfast.

The next morning I try the big breakfast, there are still no eggs but says if I don’t mind waiting she’ll run out to the shop to get some which is fine with me and worth waiting for when it arrives.

Walking Tours

I’ve discovered that the hostel has free walking tour pamphlets at reception so I enquire with Chris about which ones he doesn’t want to do. I end up doing the Alternative Warsaw one which is kind of random and explores the area of Praga on the other side of the bridge. It’s probably one that you should do after you’ve done the Old Town and Jewish Warsaw but it doesn’t really matter. There are six free walking tours and I end up doing four of them, one by myself and three with Chris when we stay at Hotel MDM. The meeting point for most of them is Sigismund’s Column, a five minute walk from the hostel.

Restaurants

The hostel is also very handy to a lot of restaurants, a typical Polish restaurant Zapiecek is right next door and serves cuisine such as Pierogi (dumplings), rustic soups and large knuckles of meat. I go there for lunch one day and get 9 pierogi with cabbage and meat. The waitresses are also dressed up in traditional type costumes, though because its so cold most of them are wearing woolly cardigans over the top.

If that doesn’t suit then there are plenty of others to choose from, sushi, American pancakes, coffee houses, even an Irish pub!

Pros & Cons

Would I Go Back?

Definitely. I was pretty impressed with the whole Dream Hostel set up, it’s really clean with modern facilities and I had a really comfortable stay. Mention must be made of the most helpful receptionist Ola who patiently dealt with my multiple questions, as well as assisting me to book and print a train ticket to Krakow.

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Day Zero

I don’t like Luton Airport. It takes forever to get there, there’s nowhere enough facilities for the volume of passengers and the whole place feels like a shack in the middle of nowhere. Dire. However, its cheapness is why the budget airlines fly from there, so I endure one of life’s petty torments on my way to Warsaw. Heh: maybe that should be their slogan. Luton Airport: one of life’s petty torments.

I arrive incredibly late by my standards – half past midnight touchdown. There’s half an hour to get through passport control and then I’m expecting a half hour wait for my transfer to leave. The terms and conditions of my airline arranged transfer stated that the transfers meeting flights from midnight to 1am would leave at 1:30am so despite being through much earlier I resign myself to a wait in a van in the carpark. They don’t tell you that before you book, of course. Otherwise you would say screw that I’m taking a cab.

Anyway, the instructions to find the transfer van are excellent and the driver sees me approaching and holds up a sign with my name and three others. I indicate which one is me and confirm the hotel name where we are headed and get in the van. The driver says hello and welcome to Warsaw in a thick accent and then pulls out.

I’m surprised – assuming we’d still be waiting for the other three names on his list, but say nothing. Maybe he’d picked them up already, maybe they had cancelled, maybe we’re going to a different terminal – I don’t really care, we’re moving and I figure that means I’ll be on my way to the Hotel MDM that much quicker, where I meet Ange after she had been staying at the Dream Hostel.

The next day we discover the first thing you need to know about visiting Warsaw in Easter. Don’t. Everything is closed. With limited options we decide to go with the only things which are operating: the free tours, which all leave from either the fake palm tree or the old town.

Day One

We start with pre-walk meal of Russian dumplings.

Warsaw Old Town Walking Tour

We meet the guide at Sigismund’s Column in the middle of the Old Town, and spend two hours walking around what turns out to be the not-so-Old Town. Rebuilt according to paintings of how the Old Town looked before the total destruction of World War II, me and Ange have differing opinions on it. For Ange, rebuilding the city exactly how it was before the War is the ultimate display of defiance. For me, form follows function – the architecture of a city is an organic reflection of culture and changes stack up upon each other over time exposing the different styles at the time of building. So for me, while I acknowledge Ange’s point, there’s a certain… authenticity which rankles.

The walk itself is a great introduction to the city of Warsaw – how it got its name, the legend behind the city’s emblem (a mermaid? this far from the sea?) and of course a brief explanation of the fraternal competition with Krakow.

And after the walk we fight off the cold with a hot drinks and shared snack at Cafe Trakt. I stare longingly at the pavlova but restrain myself.

Day Two

Jewish Warsaw

Another tour: some dark subject matter which our guide does a great job of delivering. It’s certainly not a fun tour – and you’d certainly think twice about bring kids on it, but it’s really fitting to walk the areas we’d only heard about, and see the communist-era apartment blocks which were built on the rubble of the ghetto. The communists weren’t interested in acknowledging the history of the city when they took over after the war and it’s only in recent times that people are rediscovering the events that took place.

One of the stops is to commemorate the creator of the Esperanto language. Thousands of people still speak Esperanto, and its supposed to be an elegant language. I think the reason its never taken off is that language is an expression of culture. And so an artificial or manufactured language doesn’t have a culture to reflect so will always struggle.

Day Three

Warsaw at War

Our last tour takes place in the chilly wind and rain, and it is a testament to the tour guide’s abilities that not one of the people on the tour elect to retreat to warmer environs. The Poles are justifiably proud of their contributions to the war effort, and there are some Herculean efforts including a twenty hour escape through the sewers after the Ghetto Uprising, marching from Russia to Italy (via Iran and Palestine) to defeat the Germans at the Battle for Monte Cassino, and Wojtek a very special soldier who ended his days in the Edinburgh Zoo.

The weather has turned truly bitter so we pause for something hot before heading home. Nothing is open, so we end up back at one of the coffee chains. Angela puts me in charge of selecting drinks and a snack as she sits at a table to reserve it. I’m not sure she approves of my comically large hot chocolate until she starts drinking it…

In the evening we again cannot find any restaurants open. We leave it too late, as most close by 6pm – the KFC we had our eye on as a backup should all else fails turns out to have closed at 4pm. The only places open are the coffee chains, so we head back to the one closest to the hotel. And OMG. I have the best pavlova I have ever tasted.

New Zealanders and Australians have a good natured disagreement in which country invented the pavlova. We agree it was named after a Russian ballerina, and that it consists of meringue and cream, but the one that we get in Warsaw has a layer of what we think is mascarpone cheese in it. Normally a slice of pav is all sweetness – alleviated somewhat with the fat from the cream, but by and large it is overwhelmingly sugar. The mascarpone has a creamy texture and complements the sweetness deliciously. 

Day Four

Yesterday we discovered that the Warsaw Rising Museum wasn’t in fact closed today, and that Ange’s train departure time would allow us to visit the museum. We then head to the Central railway station, Ange to head to Krakow, me to catch a bus to the Airport and return to London.

The post Summer 2017 – Warsaw appeared first on etrip.tips.

“Now I see what you mean,” she said, as memories of the day played themselves in her mind.

Early that morning, Kay and I had arrived via the PKP Intercity from Warsaw. After shuffling through the narrow corridor to the relative freedom of Kraków Główny, I suggested leaving our luggage in the lockers on the basement level of the station.

“What is it about this city that makes it so special?” Kay asked as we exited the station from the West and stepped under the warm summer sun.

Only with mere words, how could I convey the significance of Poland’s former capital, the battles and expansions it had undergone since the 7th century, along with the beauty of its monuments.

“If you think of Warsaw as the country’s brain, then Kraków’s its heart,” I replied finally.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.”

Crossing the tram tracks, we walked down Kurniki Street. After about 80 meters, we turned left onto Plac Jana Matejki.

Grunwald Monument proudly took up centre stage, along with the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. In the distance stood the 15th century Barbican. Formerly a defensive gate, it was now positioned a tad awkwardly due to the absence of the former city walls.

Continuing through St. Florian’s Gate, one of Poland’s most well-known Gothic-style towers, we breached the entrance of the Old Town. Along the gate’s interior wall, painters displayed portraits of horses, scenes of nature, and comical caricatures. Through rosy sunglasses, Kay studied the meticulously preserved facades along the aptly named Floriańska Street.

On the far end of the street, between buildings which hugged the street warmly on either side, loomed St. Mary’s Basilica, which housed the largest Gothic altarpiece in the world.

After traversing Floriańska, we reached Kraków’s Old Town Square, our first true stop. The Square, otherwise known as the Rynek, featured a plethora of outdoor restaurants, iconic monuments such as Igor Mitoraj’s sculpture, and horse-drawn carriage rides, which disrupted smartphone addicted eyes and dispersed jaded thoughts.

“Now I see what you mean,” Kay told me as we sat on a bench next to the statue of the poet Adam Mickiewicz.

“Not yet,” I replied, “To understand Kraków, and any city in Poland, you have to get to know its history.”

We entered the 13th-century Cloth Hall taking up the centre of the Square. Passing by the swarm of tourists eyeing Polish handicrafts for sale in the shops lining the inside of the hall, we located the entrance to the Underground Museum, called Podziemia Rynku. Only recently excavated, visitors can see the different stages of development Kraków has undergone throughout the centuries.

“It’s not just ancient history that shapes Kraków,” I said as we left the museum, “The country’s Roman Catholic heritage as well as recent wartime destruction also plays a part.”

Indeed, Kraków can be thought of as the city of churches. Nowhere is that more obvious than at the intersection of Grodzka and Dominikańska Streets, where no fewer than three churches take up point on either side of the aptly named Plac Wszystkich Świętych, meaning All Saints Square. We continued along Grodzka, passing by amber shops, tour companies, and currency exchanges until its end, upon where we reached our second must-see attraction of the day: Wawel Castle.

Brilliantly lit by night, especially from the riverside, Wawel Castle was originally constructed in the 14th Century and steadily expanded upon throughout the centuries. Wawel Cathedral is the burial place of medieval monarchs as well as the nation’s war heroes. Most recently, former President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria are also buried here.

For lunch, we stopped in Hamsa, a Jewish restaurant located on Szeroka Street in Kazimierz, Kraków’s Jewish Quarter. After World War II, with Kraków’s Jewish population decimated, the district fell into disrepair. Only as recently as the 1990s has Kazimierz begun to rebuild itself, becoming a young, hip neighbourhood where one can experience a less touristic side of Kraków.

Thanks in part to the Jewish Culture Festival, Europe’s largest Jewish music and culture festival, visitors from all over the world now come to the district. A great place for affordable, tasty food, the Jewish History museum, an Old Jewish Cemetery, and a handful of historic synagogues dot the neighbourhood.

“Dessert?” I asked, getting an emphatic nod in reply.

Taking a path along Miodowa and Estery Streets had led us to Plac Nowy. Here one could see the perfect business model: a large round building containing about eight stalls all selling zapiekanki, Polish-style baguette pizzas, surrounded by hip neighborhood bars. Here, I convinced Kay to stop so we could split a pizza topped with mushroom and kielbasa.

“You have to eat this while you’re in Kraków,” I justified.

“Is this one of the things that makes the city special?” Kay asked.

I let the food do the talking, but added, “Still want dessert?”

“Of course!”

We headed for Plac Wolnica, where we could get the best ice cream in the city. We passed by Corpus Christi Basilica, a 14th-century Gothic church with a beautiful interior decor. At Plac Wolnica, we waited in line outside Good Lood.

“Wait, didn’t I see this place at the round building in Plac Nowy?” Kay asked.

I studied the menu, which, aside from standards like caramel, chocolate, and mixed berry, featured originally made daily creations.

“Yes, but we need to burn some calories.”

We walked along Krakowska Street as our ice cream dripped in the warm sunlight. At the Wisła River, we turned left until Starowiślna Street. There we crossed Powstanców Slaskich Bridge into the Podgórze district of Kraków.

Soon, we reached Plac Bohaterów Ghetta, which translates to Heroes of the Ghetto Square.

“Why are there so many chairs?” Kay asked, handing me her camera and making to sit in one of them.

“During World War II, this was a place in the Jewish Ghetto where the Nazis had forced the Jews to gather. Here some were selected to go to concentration camps. On other occasions, they performed executions.”

Kay studied the metal chair, unsure whether to sit or not.

“Anyway,” I continued, snapping a candid shot, “There’s one more important stop.”

Schindler’s Enamel Factory is an emotional ride through the former workshop in which Oskar Schindler protected his Jewish workers from the concentration camps. The museum takes one on a journey through the experience of the Jews in Kraków during Nazi occupation of the city.

After leaving the factory, we walked along Boleslawa Limanowskiego Street toward Podgórski Square.

“He lost his entire fortune bribing the Nazis so they would let him continue his work at the factory,” I marveled.

“Right, but I think it’s even more amazing that Schindler risked his life writing fake documents for his workers,” Kay added, “Ooh, what’s that?”

We gazed upon the steep spires of St. Joseph’s Church, built in the Gothic Revival style in 1909. Easily the most majestic church on this side of the river, it was also my personal favourite in Kraków.

Goosebumps raised on my arms, signalling the imminent arrival of evening. Our lodging for the night was the Let’s Rock Hostel, located on Grodzka Street. Budget was key since we were just students, so we’d chosen a place as central yet as cheap as possible. To get back, we crossed the square to Staromostowa Street, turning right on Kazimierz Brodzinski Street.

We tramped along Ojca Bernatka Footbridge, reading the names of those who had locked their love to the bridge, accenting their names with hearts meant to last as long as their love.

Kay leaned against the railing, trailing the path of the river as the sun began setting in the distance.

“Now I see what you mean.”

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