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. 

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.