Week 2 with Family - Trip to Kraków

Day 1 in Kraków

Our 2nd week with Rebecca and Becca began with a "Girl Trip" to Kraków, Poland.

Our mode of transportation to Kraków….a 3 hour Polish train ride!

This was my 5th visit to Kraków… a very popular destination for anyone who comes to Poland.

The main train station in Kraków sits next to a very modern mall. In front of the mall is a bus stop that would take us directly to the Wieliczka Salt Mines…about a 40-45 minute bus ride away.

We were going to be in Kraków for only 3 days, so we wanted to take advantage of every minute and hour in order to see and enjoy as much as possible.  So after getting lunch at the mall, we went directly to the salt mines.

This was my fourth visit to the salt mines and I enjoyed this visit with my family, just as much as when Mark and I went the first time together. 

In the picture below, Rebecca and Becca are on the steep staircase that leads to the largest underground chapel in the salt mines. This is an amazing room filled with  creative sculptures carved into the walls made from salt.

These two figures are two of my favorites in the salt mine.  It is a scene depicting the Hungarian princess Kinga who was on her way to marry a Polish prince.

After walking and climbing for 2 1/2 hours (we climbed down 800+ steps) it was nice to take a short break.

The salt mines are filled with amazing rooms and salt creations…. the air inside, far below the earth's surface, felt fresh and cool.

It was quite dark throughout the tunnels…we saw amazing sites created from salt…but I was glad when it was time to go up and outside.

It was a busy day at the salt mines with many tourists like us….

….but we had a good visit and I'm glad we came here early.

Upon returning to Kraków we picked up our luggage from storage in the mall, and made our way to our hotel.  After checking in and unpacking, we went to Kraków's Rynek (town square)…which was just a short 10 minute walk from our hotel.

This rynek is the largest in Poland and is always a beautiful place to walk around, explore, shop and eat.

I have been to Kraków with Mark twice in the fall, with our daughter Melissa in the winter, with Jamie and Caroline and friends in the spring, and now with my sister and niece in the summer!

The Gothic-style Church of the Virgin Mary….built in the early 12th Century and rebuilt in the 14th Century. It is especially known for its wooden altar piece…which I saw last December with my daughter Melissa. This year…the church was only open for worship.

Kraków is a beautiful city in any season.  Summer is probably the busiest season…as the crowds of people were the largest I had ever seen here.  In spite of the crowds though, we loved walking around the rynek and seeing the beautiful churches, historic buildings and old city clock tower.

We walked around the rynek but did not stay out late.  We had two very full days ahead of us to explore Kraków and surrounding areas, and we wanted to be well rested and up early.  I am glad both Rebeccas are "morning people" like me!

Day 2 in Kraków
On Friday morning, our 2nd day in Kraków, we took a one-hour bus ride to Oświęcim, better known by its German name Auschwitz, to see the Nazi concentration camps there and at Birkenau.  This was my my 4th visit to these memorial sites.

Prior to going to Auschwitz, both Rebeccas had read a lot about the concentration camp and this period of time in Poland's history.  They felt they were well prepared for the upcoming visit.

The sign above the entry gate at the Auschwitz camp reads:  Work Will Make You Free

The site of the former concentration camp is today a museum and a national memorial site.

Each time I have come to the camp, I have had a good tour guide. They each spoke English and did a very good job  explaining and helping tourists understand the areas around the camp.  On this visit our tour guide was exceptionally good….the very best guide I've had.

 There are many tour groups around the camps and the guides  lead the  groups in many different languages. We are each given a headset and monitor, so that we can only hear our own guide.

I think I must take a picture of the photo below each time I come. I have been drawn to this photo and the women and children that are passing by. 

One of the many guard houses scattered around the camp.

In the picture below we are almost at the end of the Auschwitz part of our tour, before moving on to Birkenau.  R/R did very well….though watching my sister Rebecca reminded me of how I felt the first time I visited here.

You see, you listen, you ponder, and take pictures. Then….you just listen.

We left Auschwitz and drove for 10 minutes to the Birkenau Camp….this is the entry through which trains carrying prisoners would pass into the camp. 

The biggest differences I noticed on this summer-time visit was….the many more tourists, and….the grounds were much greener.  It was a good visit and both Rebeccas were glad we had come.

Returning to Krakow, we ate dinner at the Resto Illuminati. Mark and I had been there just the month before with  Jamie and Caroline and our friends Kelvyn and Laurie. We loved the quiet atmosphere and the quaint room….and everything we ate was so delicious! 

Since we still had good daylight hours left after dinner, we walked over to the Wawel Hill where sits the Wawel Castle.  We spent time exploring the grounds inside and then walked around the outside of this beautiful castle which overlooks the Vistula River.

It was a good time to visit the castle because very few tourists were on the grounds…we didn't realize they would be closing these iron gates (behind Rebecca and Becca) within an hour of our arrival.

Beautiful spring flowers were growing around the courtyards and  in small garden plots.

Rebecca and Becca stand near the castle which consists of many buildings…. 

….including the Gothic Cathedral in the background.

We had a good evening exploring this beautiful area.

Summertime at the Wawel Castle with Rebecca and Becca 

Outside of the castle and next to the Vistula River sits the Dragon of Kraków.  

A well-known Polish legend tells the tale of a young cobbler living in the city of Kraków.   He worked out a clever plan to destroy the dragon which was living in the cave beneath King Krak's castle and terrifying his people.  This monument is a reminder of this Polish legend.

The entrance to the dragon's cave

It was fun to wait and see fire escaping from the dragon's mouth … which periodically bursts out for a few seconds.

Returning to our hotel we walked down more of these beautiful streets that we were fortunate to travel each day.

Our 2nd day in Kraków was packed full of exploring…but what a great day it had been for us!

Day 3 in Kraków
Saturday morning began with a visit to the Cloth Hall (pictured below).  This is a market building located on the same site as the 13th century market where merchants of Kraków came to sell their goods.  Today Polish arts and souvenirs are offered in the market stalls.  We walked through the hall, but especially enjoyed exploring below the Cloth Hall.

There is a very interesting exhibit created below the Cloth Hall to show what life was like here during the middle ages.  Only 7-8 years ago this area was excavated and what they found below the city streets was preserved for viewing and study.  Remarkably, a museum exhibit was built around the discoveries….and now the public can see what was unearthed!  Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos, but it was fascinating to see centuries-old cobblestone walkways and personal artifacts such as shoes, combs, tools and more.

Soft pretzels from a street vendor….they were tasty! I had seen this style of pretzel in Warsaw but had never purchased one before. 

It was fun sharing a treat named for Kraków.

Near the main town square, is the New Town Square.  On my previous visits there were no shops in the New Town Square.  But on this visit it was full of booths of people selling their wares and food.  Rebecca and I both found Polish pottery pieces we had not seen before…we made fun purchases!

On almost each visit to Kraków, I have seen a large tethered balloon over looking the Vistula River.  Today we found it and we decided to take a short ride up….it was great!

We were able to go up 150 meters…and enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city below us.

We were only up for  15 minutes….but we still enjoyed the quiet ride up and down.

Behind me is Wawel Hill and the Wawel Castle…beside the Vistula River. 

Becca was a little apprehensive about going up in the balloon….but we were just fine.

A view of the Vistula….north of the city center area. We noticed there was a man-made beach below….and a swimming pool on the deck of a boat anchored next to the beach.

Another view of the city of Kraków.

A novel way to get a view of the beautiful city…from high above!

Slowly descending....

I have also seen a tethered balloon in Warsaw…but have never been up in it.  Mark and I may need to check out this balloon in Warsaw...now that I've been safely up in the balloon in Kraków!

After our quick balloon ride, we walked towards the Wawel Castle again….and looking back toward the balloon this was our view. 

When walking around the streets in Poland…whether in Warsaw, Kraków or other cities…I notice so many details….colors, architecture, designs….that are quite beautiful.

Approaching an outside corner of the Wawel Castle, I wondered what the small enclosure protruding from the castle wall was, and who might have looked out from the windows?

A beautiful door….

As we walked one of the Old Town streets leading to the Rynek, we came to a small cupcake shop that Mark and I had visited previously.  We decided to rest our feet and enjoy sweet treats at the same time.

We enjoyed our scrumptious cupcakes!

My small carrot cupcake was perfect!

Just around the corner of the cupcake shop, we came to the oldest church in Kraków….St. Andrew's Church.  This church was built between 1079-1098 and has been a place of worship for over 900 years!  The church was used as a refuge and fortress during the first raid of Kraków by the Tartars.

As we walked up these steps to take a peek inside the church, I wondered how old these steps could possibly be….notice how the top step is worn down in the middle, and how parts of the bottom step have crumbled away over the years.

 

Outside St. Andrew's Church is a small scale model of the church (on the right), and of the Peter and Paul Church (on the left).  These two churches are actually located next to each other in Kraków. 

Near the University of Krakow stands a statue of Nicolaus Copernicus….I like this statue.  Copernicus attended the University in Krakow and is recognized for laying the foundation of modern astronomy. 

Copernicus' theory, that the sun is the center of the solar system and the earth orbits around the sun was not a popular theory.  It was quite controversial in the early 1500's, especially with the church.  

I remember doing a report on Nicholaus Copernicus when I was in elementary school….little did I know that I would one day be living in the country where he was born and lived.

Our last meal in Kraków was eating outside on the rynek.  We ate at Yummies…not your typical Polish name.  But the meal was delicious nonetheless!

We ate, relaxed, took a few pictures….and tried to act like the Europeans…they really know how to relax, enjoy a meal and have good conversations.

We arrived at the main train station early….taking a tram then walking just a block or two.

Our visit to Kraków was wonderful….I'm glad we had beautiful summertime weather and that Rebecca and Becca could enjoy another Polish city filled with history and beauty.

Traveling by train back to Warsaw was  relaxing….it was fun thinking about all the places we had walked and explored over the past three days.  I would say our "Girl Trip" on our own to the city of Kraków was a success!