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.

Dresden

Took an early train to Dresden Germany. I’m exhausted. Done screwed up because things are closed on Tuesday, my only day in Dresden. The train ride is relatively short at 2 hours. I am still in Germany and it is very easy to map out which tram I need to take to my hotel. The only question now is which Dresden train station to arrive to since there are two; either one would have have been sufficient since they seem to be about equi-distance to my hotel. I am lucky at check in and my room is available is already and it isn’t even eleven am yet (It is always worth asking!). I go to my room, unwind for a few minutes and force myself out since I only have today in town (yeah I know, it’s so unlike me to schedule only one night in a city).

I had a sandwich I traveled with that I inhale before I walk out the door because I am hungry again. I regret that later when I am too full to sample some cheeses. The cheeses are at a beautifully decorated historic dairy store (Dresdner Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund). If I wasn’t so full I would have bought a loaf of bread and sampled some cheeses.

Before I arrive at the historic dairy store I stop in a courtyard to view an artsy building decorated with musical instruments. Apparently this Neustadt Kunsthofpassage building makes music when it rains. Also I pass an old church and a park.

I have a couple things planned for Dresden but nothing is set in stone and many things are closed today. I decide to go to the highly rated Hygiene Museum which is basically a museum all about the human body. Don’t get me wrong, it is a very good museum but I probably should have spent my time learning about something historical to Dresden instead. I spend way too much time here. It’s pretty good.

I head to the main square in old town. It is July 4th today, a large day in the USA but not necessarily in Europe. In Dresden today they are celebrating Fete de L’Europe. Apparently the French President Macron was supposed to attend but has cancelled. The square is crowded and there is lots of security surrounding. A local politician speaks and there are many local music acts. I stop and watch this free event for a little while.

I stop at a tourist restaurant to try to pork roast.

I then spend the rest of the evening exploring town until my feet hurt and I cannot walk anymore.

I walk into a courtyard of beautiful Baroque buildings called the Zwinger. The Zwinger courtyard is closed off for maintenance but you can tell it is impressive when it is fully functional.

This is one town I should have definitely spent more time in. I’ll end up in this part of the world again someday. But tomorrow I head to the Czech Republic.

Part 3 : Heading back to Ljubljana

I wake up way earlier than expected disappointed because I actually want to sleep in this morning. I pack up early for my drive back to Ljubljana. I have my last two climbs up that very long uphill path to get the car out of the tight garage. I am pleased to find no dings on my door. People in Slovenia must just be very considerate and careful. I see that there are parking spaces I can park for 30 minutes closer to apartment (but still a steep walk uphill). I try to parallel park along the stone walls but it is proving to be more difficult than I anticipated. I am backing up into a steep and curvy parallel spot. While I try to straighten the car out it seems impossible because of the uneven stone road. I think the car has some automatic no collision feature on because I feel it trying to stop me from doing things. The alarms are also screaming at me if I get too close to a wall. However the screaming is warranted because even though I don’t hit a wall I am seconds from getting one of my back tires caught in this deep moat like thing along the stone wall. Things could have been bad. I will be so glad when I get rid of this car.

I finally get my backpack and return the garage key card and say goodbye to my host. And one more steep walk uphill. You should see my legs. They haven’t looked this good in like ten years. It is amazing what 4 days of intense hills and stairs will get you.

I decide to stop at the Technical Museum of Slovenia (Tehniški muzej Slovenije) on the way back to Ljubljana. The museum is basically building after building of items related to technical advancements.

The collection is large and vast but the museum is very popular for its extensive collection of cars, some that once owned to the beloved leader of Yugoslavia Josep Tito. How many cars does a communist leader need?

There is an old monastery on site and weird rooms of taxidermy animals. They must have put lots of time into this museum in the past; now much of it is outdated.

Finally make it to the car rental place. They dont do an inspection right away but I inspected and I think there is absolutely no damage. I take the bus back to town. Luckily the walk to my hotel is much shorter this time. I am staying in a proper hotel the next two nights. I like that is closer to the bus station since I have a bus scheduled in 2 days.

I still think Ljubljana is charming. I could make time in town to visit a museum or two but I am happy just walking around. I finally eat at a restaurant I had been eyeing last time called Julija. I order the special ravioli they have on the menu and a side of grilled vegetables.

After dinner I walk back towards my hotel contemplating stopping at a cafe when I come across another festival in the area by the church. This time it is a burger and beer festival. I am sad I already ate since the burgers smell good. I stroll along the water and pick up some pistachio ice cream. The pistachio ice cream I get in the Balkans is different. The nuts are put into the ice cream in more of a nut butter format like you would expect in a jar of peanut butter. The pistachio I’ve eaten elsewhere is always an overly processed thing thoroughly blended into the cream.

The next day I only leave the room to eat and run some errands. I need some warm weather shirts because it is starting to get warm everywhere I go and my wardrobe is heavy on the long sleeve shirts.

I finally try Kodila meat market and take a chance by ordering the Bujta repa (fermented turnip stew) and I am rewarded. I normally avoid anything related to sauerkraut but the sour turnip plus pork plus paprika really works for me. The waiter calls it hangover food. I am not hungover but I guess I might be working on one today with my two glasses of wine with lunch. I also try again the Prekmurska gibanica cake. It is like before, it is a semi sweet cake. It’s something in theory I should love because I don’t love sweet things but its not my favorite Slovenian dessert; I very much prefer Bled cake.

For this evening I have a fancy Michelin dinner scheduled. It’s up at Ljubljana castle. I take the funicular up the hill. Even though it is a long wait today for the funicular I am early. I walk along the free parts of the castle while I wait for my reservation. I am eventually seated on the terrace. I am used to dining alone but I always feel awkward when I do the fine dining because normally I read a book while eating to pass the time and it somehow doesn’t feel appropriate at the fancier meals. The food is good but it isn’t the best Michelin food I’ve had. Maybe I’ve had enough of the fancy foam dishes for a while. Give me some local favorite comfort foods instead.

The heavy meal and wine exhausts me for the evening. I head back to the hotel to pack since tomorrow I travel on to the next country, Hungary.

Part 2: Ljubljana

In the morning I set off for coffee again and decide to visit the Metrolicko art center, a very funky art area. The area seems lively at night from all the beer cans around and bars nearby. I must return in the evening sometime.

I take a quick stop into Ljubljana Cathedral while it is open.

I have a restaurant picked out when I am reminded about the Friday food market very close to my apartment. There are so many food choices to purchase as well as wine and beer. The market is crowded making it hard to find a seat initially. Do people here work on Fridays?

I stop by a popular cafe to try the local dessert called prekmurska gibanica. Made with poppy seeds, walnuts, and cheese among other things this semi-sweet dessert should be something I like but I don’t really care for it too much. I guess I have finally developed a sweet tooth due to eating so many goodies while I am out traveling.

I end my day with visiting a rooftop bar. There is a nice view at Neboticnik but I am actually a little chilly outside and have to move indoors when a table opens up. I am chilly today but not complaining because I like the cold when I can get it. I know it won’t last long.

Back to my room to get ready to leave tomorrow. I am heading to the Ljubljana airport to pick up a rental car. I will explore more of Slovenia on the road. Luckily I’ll be back in town in about a week.