topic Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024 in Travel

TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 01:39:14 GMT

It's been a couple of weeks since I've returned and, frankly, I didn't take great notes! But I mentioned I would try to do a report on some post, so here we are. 🤪. Please excuse what I assume will be a copious amount of typos as I'm doing everything via my phone. Maybe I will go back and edit, but past experience has shown that I will still make many many stupid errors.

A little housekeeping. This tour was through Adventure Women, a women only tour company that I've been following for over 10 years. This was my first trip with them. Poland was, however, not my first choice, but it was the only trip available during the time I had when I wanted to change my original trip to Turkey. So, I really didn't have any expectations about the trip. While at the airport, I ran into a woman going on a Rick Steves tour to Poland (BTW, she raved about his tours). Anyways, she said that Poland was just about to be "discovered" as a vacation destination. So, was nice to get there first! Many on my tour had Polish ancestry, so it was wonderful to see the country through their eyes.

This was a relatively short tour, focusing on Krakow and the Zakopane mountain region.

Without further ado, welcome to Krakow

There was nothing planned the first night as people arrived at different times. I therefore planned my usual go to when in a new city - a food tour.

First stop was for cheese and meat. And vodka. Vodka became a staple for most lunches and dinners.

Next stop - four types of pierogi. Spinach, cheese and potato, sauerkraut, and apple.

The next stop was for a beer tasting, and I failed to take a photo. Did have an interesting beer that tasted like lime cola (much to our guide's chagrin - he doesn't like the flavored beers!)

Next stop was for some cheap, fast food. I may have misunderstood my guide, but it sounded like this was the predecessor for Chicago style deep dish. Given the abundance of Polish people in Chicago, it wouldn't surprise me if it was. (Side note - I don't eat mushrooms, but I pulled up my big girl panties and ate this.)

Our guide told us to walk around for a few minutes while he got our food. One of the places he recommended served cherry vodka only. Two choices - either hot or cold. Don't ask for water! (Again missed the photo - these were actually larger glasses, but the vodka wasn't strong)

We finished our night...because we apparently hadn't had enough to eat...with a three course meal!!

Rolled back to my hotel for a good nigh's rest.

NOTE - I don't intend on posting many other food photos, so let me know if you like them and would like more.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Kachina624 — Sun, 26 May 2024 01:52:42 GMT

@Alter Ego. Thanks for taking the time to do this for those of us who go nowhere.

Did you enjoy Poland? Would you go back or rather see someplace else? What was the mountain region like?

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

AZfem — Mon, 27 May 2024 09:48:17 GMT

@Alter Ego Yum! Were the pierogies as good as they looked? Did they put butter & onions or anything on top?

How did you like the tour group?

Nice pictures!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 02:11:48 GMT

Before leaving for the countryside, we did a tour of Kraków's Jewish quarter.

Oldest (?) Jewish cemetery

Helena Rubinstein grew up in the green house.

I really wished I had taken notes here. Don't quote me on anything I say (!) At one point, Poland had one of the greatest number of Jews living there. Over 3M - only Russia's a Jewish population was close in size. But, now, the population is minimal. I want to say in the thousands.

We also went into a synagogue. Cemetery behind the synagogue.

We next drove to the Jewish ghetto, where Jews were placed to eventually be separated between able workers and those to be deported to one of the extermination camps.

Ghetto Heroes Square, with 33 chairs in memorial to those who lost their lives.

We finally got on the road for the short (few hour) ride to Zakopane. Stopped for lunch and at one of the many wood churches of the tour.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

CoffeeNut — Sun, 26 May 2024 02:26:58 GMT

@Alter Ego

Fabulous report so far and I do enjoy the food pics. I always take pics of what we eat when we travel.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

haddon9 — Sun, 26 May 2024 02:27:20 GMT

@Alter Ego Thanks so much for the trip report & photos! I find it fascinating when someone gives their view on what they are seeing (and eating!). How did you like the food? Did you find the people friendly?

I would have found the places that you visited very interesting. My grandmother came from Poland and arrived here in the US as a teen. She left most of her family behind in Poland never to see her parents again. Most of them perished in the war. They were Jewish.

How do you like the tour group? I think it's great to have a women's group where one can feel comfortable if they are a single traveler.

I know someone who has become good friends with another female traveler (while traveling) so they are now traveling companions and have gone all over the world!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 02:40:59 GMT

The actual name of my tour was "Poland - Cooking, Culture, and Exploring the Countryside". We had two cooking classes on the tour.

This was, in many people's opinion, the best day.

We started our day driving to a meeting hall where a group of local women would teach us some of their specialties

Storks migrate here from Africa. We saw several nests on light poles.

detail of the wood building

The women would later sing for us 💕

My job was to chop up cabbage, bacon slab, and onion. I then had to slave over a hot stove to cook my cabbage and noodle dish. I was literally the only one of the group who had to be in the kitchen as mine was all stovetop.

Our wonderful meal

Many in our group tried on some of the traditional dress of the region. Very relaxed, fun time.

We then headed into Pieniny National Park for a scenic float trip down the Dunajec River.

This rafting trip was great fun. The gentleman who ran the boats would tell horrible mother in law jokes in Polish, which our guide would begrudgingly translate for us - and she would always hit the punchline. They were so bad, but we couldn't help but laugh!

We had one more stop before returning to our hotel. A timber church in Devon Podhalanskie village with original paintings and sculptures from the 15th and 16th centuries.

*******

Not ignoring comments. Something changed (again) and I need to take additional steps to post photos as some are too large 🙄 Just taking a little longer than expected.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 03:00:00 GMT

The next day was our rainy day - and it was supposed to also be our hiking day. We hoped for the best.

We went to another meeting hall that contained items for purchase.

The interior of another timber church

Our hiking guide met us for lunch. It was decided that we wouldn't go the route we originally planned for the hike, but would still try something. I admit I am not in great physical shape and, especially due to the slippery conditions, I actually turned around early. I asked before the hike if this would be okay (I know my limitations) and they had no issues.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

haddon9 — Sun, 26 May 2024 03:09:03 GMT

Beautiful scenery! I know my limitations too and would be afraid to hiking too much over slippery and uneven terrian. That's when I would twist my ankle.

The food looks delicious and I love those leather bags. I bet they are very well made!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 03:38:53 GMT

Our last full day in Zakopane brought us first to another church ☺️ This one is apparently very popular for photos when it has a little snow on it.

We drove to Bukowina Tatrzanska to their Culture Center for a traditional glass painting class.

Example from the center

My little attemp (not my photo)

After lunch...

Feed me ,Seymour

we went to a village to stop at a wood carver's studio

the interior of the building was broken up into two sections - his studio and living area (although I'm not 100% if he actually lived there or not)

The region is known for their oscypek cheese. A very smoky cheese. We traveled somewhere to learn how they make it.

The ducks had this funny feather "hat" on their heads!!

We ended the night with dinner that included folk music and dancing (I didn't dance, but several of the women did)

We were given a trough of meat!!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

World Traveler — Sun, 26 May 2024 03:40:44 GMT

@Alter Ego Your trip report brought back many fond memories of my own trip there many years ago. Did you visit the salt mines? That was a highlight for me. Amazing to see the carvings they did underground.

Are you considering using that tour company again?

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

on the bay — Sun, 26 May 2024 03:54:08 GMT

@Alter Ego,

You took such good photos and thank you for sharing all this with us!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 04:02:10 GMT

We returned to Krakow

And took a walking tour of Old Town, starting near Wawel Castle

We went into the chapel on the castle property. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed.

Walking around Old Town

St Mary's Basilica

We went to Srebrna Gora vineyard for a tour and late lunch.

We ate so late, that we only had room for chocolate for dinner!!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 04:45:26 GMT

Our final day of the tour brought us to a local market.

this is some of the oscypek cheese previously commented on

They had a lot of non food items as well

Next was our 2nd cooking class, this one with a professional chef. We made a three course meal - cold beet soup, duck and flourless chocolate cake.

Lunch is served. Actually, I don't think we had vodka with it!

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 05:14:41 GMT

@World Traveler We finally went to the Salt Mines our final afternoon.

There are a lot of stair to go down, broken up into three legs. The first was the longest

As we got lower, the rooms were larger (or least seemed that way!)

Then there was just a random gift shop and a place to get a snack (as well as bathroom break)

we thought we reached the end and this was the elevator to go up.

We were wrong.

It was another long walk to get to the actual elevators. Maybe another 15 minutes or more walk (or at least seemed that way!)

we passed another restaurant

And a banquet hall (we assume the elevator previously seen was for that)

But we just kept walking and walking

Finally!

We had our final dinner as a group and then I walked around to take some evening photos. This was the great Aurora Borealis night, but I saw nothing. (Don't think it was really by us, although I did get an alert.)

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Alter Ego — Sun, 26 May 2024 06:12:56 GMT

Although my tour was officially over, I stayed an extra day because there was one place I felt it was necessary to go.

Auschwitz

I was surprised that, if you didn't know any better, it didn't look "bad". I suppose that's what the propaganda wanted people to think and they used it to shield what went on. Since I don't listen or know what goes down on the fringe denial sites, I wonder if this idyllic tree lined road is what they point to?? I don't really care, because it's a lie.

In Auschwitz, you enter some of the buildings and, in one, see articles left behind.

Suitcases of people who didn't realize their fate

Shoes that took up two rooms

Picture, if you will, a similar room. But, instead of shoes, it is filled with human hair. After the women were killed, their heads were shaved and the hair used to stuff pillows or used in other textiles. Some things we were respectfully asked not to take a photo. But, for some things, a photo isn't necessary.

Another building showed the living conditions (bedrooms, bathrooms). The walls were covered in photos.

When I later spoke to someone on my tour, she commented on how there were a few last names she recognized. Not that she knew those people - or even knew the families. But it still made her stop and think.

We saw isolation chambers and where they would kee problem prisoners. And, we walked into the gas chamber and saw the crematorium (and, even though there was no photo not to, I simply couldn't take a picture.)

When you go to Auschwitz, you are placed in a group with one of their guides. There is a short 15/20 break before you meet up with the same guide in the extermination camp, Auschwitz II - Birkenau.

Birkenau immediately hits you over the head with how huge it is.

Much of Birkenau was destroyed, with only shells of buildings and gas chambers left.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

Travone — Sun, 26 May 2024 10:09:10 GMT

@Alter Ego

Thank you for sharing your trip with us. They make me want to go back to Poland myself. I was there years ago when they were still under communist rule. The Berlin wall had not fallen yet. It's heartening to see everything seems lighter there now. I remember it as being very dismal and the people very guarded and depressed, even though that was not the case in other communist countries we visited.

You have made me want to go back and visit the real Poland.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

LTT1 — Sun, 26 May 2024 12:00:26 GMT

@Alter Ego

Here we are looking at "Hell on Earth".

Evil can look pretty.

Thank you for sharing these photos of the place.

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

seahorsey — Sun, 26 May 2024 12:27:37 GMT

Wow, this was such an interesting post. Thank you

Re: TRIP REPORT - Poland May 2024

cheriere — Sun, 26 May 2024 12:28:49 GMT

@Alter Ego

Thank you so much for taking the time to show us your wonderful trip. I never get to go anywhere, so this was especially nice for me to see.😃❤️