Wrocław fun

Since tomorrow is a holiday and many things will be closed there is a rush to do things today. I have an early morning at at University of Wrocław where they have a couple impressive things to see.

First is the beautiful doors of the college.

And the fun dwarves hanging out at the college.

At the University of Wrocław there are up to four museums to see and I buy a combo ticket that includes all four.

Aula Leopoldina

Aula Leopoldina is a late baroque hall that is adorned with many scholars by the windows. It is a very beautiful auditorium.

Next is the mathematical tower that houses many historic sundials and compasses and there is a tower that offers a view of the city.

Next is the Oratorio Marianum another beautiful hall.

And finally a college museum that houses discoveries and studies.

For lunch I planned to go Hala Targowa, a market, since it is the only day it is open while I am here (because my visit contains two holidays). I walk around the market and pick up some fruit for snacking but I actually end up eating at the restaurant outside the market. The meal I order there is just ok. I wanted some fish and vegetables. The vegetables hit the spot but the fish was not too exciting.

Communism and Dwarves Tour

Back in the time of communism times dwarves began to appear on walls as a form of protest. Krasnale or dwarves in Polish sounds and looks like the color red in Russian – krasnyi. Red also represents the red army of the Soviet Union, the occupiers of Poland at the time. Eventually communism failed in Poland and it became an independent nation again but they lived under Soviet communist life almost 40 years after the end of world war 2.

Papa Smurf, represents a middle finger to communism

Dwarves became the official symbol of Wroclaw in 2005 (like dragon is symbol of Krakow). Now there are like over a thousand dwarves in town. Some are public purchase by the city and some are private by businesses. Some even have gps installed in case they are stolen. I feel like many of them are just advertisements for nearby businesses. They are charming though. A great activity to do with kids (or kids at heart) is to get a dwarf map and find them all. There is a place in the main square to get a map and play the game.

During our tour we hear lots of stories about the Orange Alternative, a student group protesting communism in a non-violent way. They come up with very clever ways to protest while simultaneously pretending they weren’t protesting. The more I learn about Poland the more I learn how effective they were in protesting communism and union forming (later in Gdansk).

I meet a nice USA expat during my tour who is living in Germany but drove to Poland for the long weekend. I wish I wasn’t in such a hurry to get to my evening plans since I rarely meet solo travelers in my age range. They are usually way younger than I or way older than I.

After my tour I take a few minutes to rest in my room before heading to Centennial Hall a couple miles away. Google is not giving me public transportation options but I remember there is a tram from down the street that is supposed to head there so I go hoping for the best. I see a tram 4 going to the zoo and I know the zoo is next door so I hop on. Luckily I am correct. I take this same tram back later in the evening.

Centennial Hall is on my itinerary to see because it is on the UNESCO list but it is closed for viewing the whole time I am in town. But now I am actually here for a musical festival where I can see shows in the hall. The festival 3-Majówce is a three day music festival that happens every year around Constitution Day which is May 3. I learned about this festival when I was researching parades or street events that may be happening this weekend. I look at the list of performances and most of them are unfamiliar to me but one jumps out on the second day DUBIOZA KOLEKTIV. Dubioza Kolektiv is a Balkan ska band that I first learned about a couple years ago when I visited Bosnia and Herzegovina. I subsequently heard them mentioned in other Balkan countries when I was touring the region. Even though many of their songs have a political message they are fun to listen to and they make you want to dance. When I saw them on the schedule I knew I had to go – who knows if I’d ever have a chance again. I think they’ve only rarely played shows in the USA. I am very glad I made myself go. The band is incredibly fun and has so much energy. I am tired but I am determined to stay to the end of their show.

I am in the festival without a wrist band like everyone else has. I had in advance purchased a ticket but I can’t read polish so I missed a sign at the entrance I think. No one stopped me from entering, in fact I even had a bag check. Also no one kicks me out so I am not going to stress about it unless anyone approaches me.

Oh look that where I get my wrist band as I leave for the night.

I see the inside of Centennial Hall but it is all closed up on the top for the music festival.

I check out a couple of other bands while I am there but I missed most of the other headliners because I don’t have it in me to stay for a late night. I do get to see the inside of the centennial hall but it is dark inside and all the windows at the top were covered so it isn’t exactly the same as if I came as just a tourist. It’s still an interesting concert hall though.

The highlight for me is definitely Dubioza Kolektiv.

It’s a good night. I even try a raspberry syrup beer because it impossible to get anything else alcohol related unless you are in this one fenced in area. I am digging the syrup beer but I don’t finish it because I am afraid it will make me sick. I am pressing my luck too much lately with these beers. My tram 4 takes me back to my hotel tonight and I sleep well after the fun day.

Wrocław

The train here is packed. I am glad I have a reserved seat in first class. As I walk to my hotel there are tour groups with rolling luggage and many people carrying guitar cases. I am confused at first then I remember there is a big punk festival this weekend for the holidays.

I catch a protest of some sort as I walk to my hotel. It is constitution day so it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. “Workers united are invincible” is on their sign. It appears to be a labor protest on constitution day.

I walk into the city center there are more guitars and artsy people. I hear music playing at a stage near my hotel. My goal is to check in quickly and check out the music.

I drop my things off and turn the corner to find a band playing a cover of “Sweet child of mine” it is busy in the courtyard but not as busy as it will be in a hour or so. The crowd slowly fills with people carrying guitars and bystanders like me. I am here in time for the annual Guitar World Record in Wrocław. People come from all over the world with their guitar to play “Hey Joe” in unison to reach a world record. If I read the news correctly I think they beat the record this year.

About the holidays this weekend, I had only scheduled 2 1/2 days to enjoy Wrocław and I later discovered that two of these days are during national holidays: May 1 Labor Day and May 3 constitution day. Not everything is closed on these days but a good number of things are and if they aren’t they close early. This means I won’t get to see all the things I want to see in town because I really only have one full day of sightseeing and part of that day is going to a festival to see some polish and international punk-ish bands (when in Rome).

I escape from the crowd temporarily to get a snack and climb the tower to see Bridge of Penitents or Witches Bridge. This is famous for its little witch dwarves overlooking the town. The view is nice but there is way too many people on the bridge at one time so I don’t stay up there too long. They really should do some crowd control at the top to make the experience better for everyone.

Georgian food to go. I love cheese so much

After the bridge I find an antique market I explore for a bit before I brave the guitar crowds once more.

While the crowd gathers a woman who used to perform with Michael Jackson is on stage. I can’t get close enough at this point to take any pictures. The crowd is a sea of guitars getting ready to play.

Finally they play their “Hey Joe” for the record recording. I walk out to beat the crowds but I hear the crowd cheering in the distance.

Some of the many dwarves in town playing little guitars for the day. Dwarves are important to Wroclaw but more on that later.

I walk down to one of the many “islands” that are connected by pedestrian bridges. The goal this afternoon is to stalk the gas lamplighter on Cathedral Island but I am way too early for that so I explore other islands and surroundings.

On one island there is a huge park with many groups picnicking, many with small foil pan metal grills. The smell of grilled sausages permeates the air and makes me really hungry. I’m waiting to eat until I get back closer to my hotel but does it smell good. I take a break to have a happy hour by the water. I watch the boats go by while I finally get a moment off my feet. Today has already been a long day.

I get to cathedral island to explore and even though most things are closed except a few restaurants there are still many people strolling around. Lines are consistently outside the college botanical garden that should be closed right now so I am not sure what is going on over there. Finally I spot the lamplighter and he moves quickly. He’s got an entourage of kids following him. He is not an official tourist attraction he’s just one of the few actually gas lamplighters left in the world. He (or someone else) lights at sundown and then they extinguish in the morning. I think I saw another in Zagreb, Croatia a couple years ago. This is not the only one but they are rare these days with electrical power.

I walk back toward the main market square where I have my eye on a Soviet communism theme restaurant that has a private room (not so private tonight since it is being used for diners). There is a long wait for food and it is just ok but I love the theming of the place so I explore the secret room quickly before I head back to my room to sleep. It’s late and I am tired after this long day.

I need to rest for touring tomorrow.

Krakow last hours

Originally I was going to do a day trip to the mountains today but after getting there and trying to figure out the logistics it didn’t seem like I’d have much time to hike, the activity I really want to do. Tatra does have a tourist area but it seemed mostly shopping which isn’t my thing. People also recommend the thermal baths but I can take or leave those. If I couldn’t do a proper hike I didn’t see the justification to spend all that time commuting for just a view. I think when I return to Poland I’ll do at least two nights there and schedule a proper hike. Instead it is laundry this morning.

I decide to go back up to Wawel castle today but purchased tickets to the Wawel underground. Here one can find remains of old churches and pieces of the castle that’s been destroyed and raided on the past (most famously by the Swedes). The main castle is probably a pretty impressive museum but I don’t have it in me to tour another castle today. My ticket includes two old churches, a museum of columns, facades, and restoration work in general, and also access to the royal gardens where I am loving springtime.

I also buy a ticket to Wawel cathedral because it is said to have some famous people buried there. During the tour I end up in a bell tower (I didn’t do audio tour so I barely know what is going on). No pictures allowed in church but I do snap a couple in the tower. The famous people are mainly polish kings and queens many most in USA have never heard of but I was familiar with a couple because I did about ten episodes of a polish history podcast prior to this trip. Also Chopin (except his heart…more on that in Warsaw) and a former polish president is here.

Royal Gardens at Wawel

Pierogi Time

I need a snack so it’s time for pierogi. This time I do a mix of ruskie (potato and cheese) and spinach and feta and a small local restaurant.

I’m exhausted from the drinks last night (my courage potion might have just given me the courage to not drink again). – just kidding I am drinking a wine at a cafe as I type this. By the way my wine is costing me about $3.20 USD. I relax for a couple hours before dinner at a cafe and then go Kazimierz for dinner and after dinner drinks. I stop at Schindlers Passage one last time to see it without crowds.

Tonight I have reservations at a Alice in wonderland slash mystical speakeasy cocktail bar. The drinks are an interesting combination that correspond to the elements and if you tell them what you like they can custom make something for you; I ordered off the menu of the exiting choices.

Stalking cats in a cat cafe after hours on the way back to my hotel

For the most part I did everything wanted to, main exception the Czartoryski Museum. I waited too long to commit to a visit time and tickets are booked up a week in advance. There is no more go with the flow travel in Europe anymore. If there is something you want to really see you must book in advance, sometimes months).

The reader will get a kick out of learning that the “far away” train station in my arrival post is actually the main station next to my hotel. I am here now and it is exactly as I remember – AND I only walked about 20 minutes to get here. I don’t know why google told me I had over an hour to walk but I can only explain that it was a google failure. It’s odd though because I’ve had google failures in many cities but my days here it has worked perfectly except from my arrival at the train station (it couldn’t possibly be my error?!?).

Anyway I am now heading to Wroclaw.

It’s a holiday today (constitution day) and the train is busy with lots of seat confusion. Me claiming my seat caused a cascading effect where one girl got booted from our car because she didn’t have a confirmed reservation. Note to self – make sure I have confirmed seat reservations on all my legs in the future if I travel from country to country.

Krakow: Schindler Factory and Bagels

I start the day with a tour of the famous factory where Oskar Schindler have saved over 1000 local jews by providing jobs, food and protection for them at great risk to himself.

I booked a guided tour which is very informative but be warned if you book the guided tour option you will not be able to freely roam the museum afterwards because it moves in a one way direction towards the exist. Do I think the tour is worth it, yes, but there are details in the museum I missed because I took the guided tour option.

As for the museum, it is more so about the complete history of the Jews during WWII with some of Oskar Schindlers work mixed in. They have interactive area where you walk through a walled area to get a feel how those that were moved into the ghetto must have felt.

The swastika is used on flooring as a sign of disrespect. Museum visitors are walking all over them.

There are some modern day lessons to be learned here like when Poland was being invaded by Nazis there were plenty of locals acting like everything is normal when it’s not. How many people would easily turn on their neighbors when given the chance or even a small bit of a payout. It makes you think the worst of humanity and while I would like to think we’ve grown past this behavior, I fear we have not. It was common to have families hidden underneath business and had to not make any noise. There were Nazis that went to buildings with stethoscopes to listen to any slight movement to see if someone was hidden in a building.

We learn about the ghettos and camps and working conditions that the Jewish people were under.

We also learn that Oskar Schindler himself is a flawed man. He was actually a nazi spy who profited off of the war but upon living in Krakow and working with Jewish people became sympathetic to their struggles. That is when he starting making his “list” of workers he needed for his factory of enamelware and ammunitions factories. When confronted with the ridiculousness of say employing children he would use excuses like he needs the “small hands” to clean the ammunition. In the end he saved about 1200 people.

After the museum I have lunch at a milk bar where I finally try to get to try one of my favorite dishes, golabki – cabbage rolls stuffed with barley and meat topped with mushroom cream sauce. I ordered a side dish because I thought I needed veggies (even though the cabbage was very filling) but I realize I bought a plate of three different types of coleslaw and I hate coleslaw – yes I know I should like it because I love cabbage but some reason coleslaw is ick to me. I also had another glass of kompot, this time I think it is plum.

I visit the nearby Bazylika Franciszkanów (St Francis Basilica). Even though I have church fatigue like I have castle fatigue I have this church on my list since it is decorated in Art Nouveau style. I am not disappointed. I love the inside decor, especially the stained glass windows.

Afterwards I finally try the polish version that that cream cake you find in all the Eastern Europe countries. It is so good. Each country has their own version of it.

This afternoon I’ve signed up for a bagel class but I’m early and discover a market across the street. I must return after my class. I love a market.

I have a class where I learn how to make the special “bagels” here in krakow. They aren’t actually called bagels even though tourists tend to call them that. They officially name is obwarzanek and they are specific to krakow. It is a bagel like bread that is braided into a ring then quickly boiled and then baked. A number of toppings can be on them but officially they are sold either sesame, poppy seed or salt. You can find them daily in blue carts all over town.

For our class the dough was pre-made for us to save time. I believe it is a simple recipe: flour, salt, yeast, water and some kind of fat, and maybe some sugar.

We are given the dough to split in two and roll into two equal long strings. Believe me it is harder than it looks. Then we attach the end and braid or twist together to two strings. Once we attach or seal the other end then the dough is dumped in boiling water for ten seconds. Only after then do we apply the topping. Then they are placed in the oven.

While we didn’t do any heavy duty cooking here today I did learn an interesting history lesson and got more of a feel for the polish culture.

Side note – The bagels in NYC are another polish/jewish export. They weren’t really popular here in Poland but immigrants were very successful bringing them to NYC.

After I sample some of my bagel I go back across the street and have some wine before dinner. The market closes soon so I won’t be here long.

During my first days in krakow I noticed a weirdly named wolf restaurant nearby. Come to find out it is a medieval-style restaurant where you have drinks made out of potions and you can pay with ducats instead of ZL. The food was decent enough and the whole create your own drink thing was fun. I have some friends who would really dig this place.

Before I forget this is the late night snack I had the night before. I am frequently calling ketchup a garbage condiment but forgive me when I say that ketchup 100 percent works as a Zapiekanka topping.

Also this breakfast a couple days ago was great.

For tomorrow I was supposed to take a day trip to a mountain town but I canceled those plans to stay local and sightsee at a slower place. The constant action is tiring me.

Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau

Today is not a day of fun but is more of a day of education. I think most educated folks know what happened in Poland in WWII and even if not you’ve seen a movie or two. I don’t want it to seem like a tourist attraction or anything but most people can benefit from visiting a place such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, to imagine what it might have been like there, and to make sure something like this never happens again.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is a forced labor or extermination or concentration camp or all of the above. Many were taken to these camps during WWII. Not all of them were Jewish but the majority were; there were also dissidents, roma, disabled, and homosexuals – all housed or exterminated at these camps. I say camps plural because although they worked together they were 3 kilometers apart.

The tour moves pretty quickly but takes you through a lot. You get the background of the facility and what it’s used for, you learn who was brought here and how it was determined who stayed to work and who got extermination. You learned the horrific way they were tricked into being exterminated, like they even had a choice.

There are displays of cases filled with women’s hair (they would cut off and sell women’s hair), shoes, prosthetic body parts, and luggage among other things.

Our first part of the tour was around Auschwitz but then we get in the van and drive to Birkenau for the final part of the tour. While the first part was more a museum and memorial the second part is to actually view the barracks. Also we see the platform where the trains arrived to and arrivals were sorted.

It’s hard to imagine but you must – being forced out of your homes being told to bring your most important things (that you can carry) and some food. The nazis wanted to give them impression that they were all just going to be “deported” to another country when most of them were getting on a train to be exterminated immediately. If they were strong they were going to a camp to work but probably eventually unalived as well.

A great resource on the camp’s numbers of people held can be found here. Most were Hungarian (400k) but the second highest were Polish (300k).

When I get back into town it is late. I grab something quick to eat then head back to my hotel for the night. It somehow doesn’t seem appropriate to food blog after the day I have had.

Take care and always be on the lookout for signs of fascist regimes.

Good night.