Helgas travels: Warsaw & Krakow, Poland...Yipee, some pics are posted!

Pretty flowers on balcony/Krakow


Soap bubble machine @ shop/Krakow

Krakow city garbage truck at work

Personal rented garage, Warsaw

I've walked & walked so much since I have been here, Lots to see, put 29,000 steps on my trusty pedometer, yes I brought it with me! Have managed not to trip & fall on the cobble stone streets, before & after drinking beer, (so far, better not speak to soon!). Poland has good beer & ice cream (so much for trying to stay away from ice cream ) Wish we could walk down the streets drinking beer, like the men & woman here do. Doesn't seem fair : (. Haven't noticed any intoxicated people out and about yet anyways! Decided to not view salt mines here after reading online reviews etc, very expensive, tourist trap & very cold way down there. Some of the other countries I plan to visit have salt mines & stalagmite caves, will wait til then. Going to Auschwitz tomorrow afternoon. Wasn't to sure I could make it to the early one in time, meeting point is a bit from here & you know how I get turned around. Although I must say I'm doing well in Krakow - am I getting a sense of direction or is it because the town is smaller, who knows? Poland area famous for amber, many shops selling it. Had thought of picking up some stud earrings or small necklace. However when speaking with the very helpful receptionist here it was suggested a lot of the stuff is not really amber?! How disappointing, but I guess a money saver at the same time! Met a young fellow (23-30) from I believe Norway/Sweden, very thick accent. Had gone on tour to Auschwitz day before, said it was very depressing but interesting to see. Later that day he went bar hopping & some ruckus occurred at bar. Next thing he knew they were being pepper sprayed. Said he totally freaked out, thought maybe the occurrence of Auschwitz was happening again, right here & now! Thought he was going to be taken away forever!, felt very scared! Poor guy was so drunk, who knows what happened! My ankle is swelling, tsk, tsk...should of taped it, especially with all that walking! Will I ever learn? Took a tour today (6 hours) to Auschwitz & Birkenau concentration camps. route in bus a dvd was shown, old photos, history. Auschwitz is well known but so small in comparison to Birkenau. Unbelievable seeing it all. You read about this event, see photos but actually being there is something else! When you are standing at the complex of Birkenau, more than 200 buildings the magnitude of the place is unreal! The tour was done by English speaking Polish lady who was very informative of the history on everything. A somber mood took place, people close to tears & in tears. I cannot imagine what the people went through, just horrific! This was an excellent tour, well worth it. In years past a person could arrive at Auschwitz and tour around themselves, not the case anymore,. you need to follow a guided tour, liability etc. Who knows maybe some tourist was locked in after hours? Ekk...that wouldn't be good.

Roof on Zlote shopping centre, Warsaw

Cute Turkish Restaurant on Jerozolimskie St, Warsaw

Whose watching over my hotel! Metropol Hotel, Warsaw

By Zlote shoppng centre, Warsaw

Ceiling, church in Krakow

Tripper seeking shade? in balcony flowers, Krakow


Who took this burry pic? Darn tourists..@ Wawel Hill

Krakow is crazy today, many people arrived. The Coke (as in Coca Cola) Festival 2011 is on for 2 days and Kenye West, Cudi, Cool?..Q-tip?...some others anyways, are going to be in town. Imagine the fee for a 2 all day attendance is $75 Canadian! Sure wouldn't be that at home, I'm not going. All these European towns seem to have beautiful castles, old churches, electric tram/trolley and horse drawn carriages for tourists. I feel for the horses standing there waiting, sun or rain, round & round hauling people. Eat, work & sleep....oh I guess that is the same for all of us! Doesn't seem like a fun job to me, especially here where all the streets are little cobblestone pavers! Hey before I forget - you men out there, heads up the manpurse is very fashionable here! Oh I forgot the men who have long beards can have it put into a few braids, just like in Baveria. Talk about weird looking! Not sure what I was expecting of Poland, but I hadn't thought I would feel so safe as I did here. Poland is a pretty country, lovely people, the language - well for me it's very confusing. Managed to get around with a few words, sign language & pen/paper. I would definitely come back here! Love the people, food, beer and ICE CREAM, theirs is the BEST. When heading down to the Jewish quarter there was a line of more than 20 people waiting at a Lody ice cream shop. This location was considered the best, of course I stood in que also, it was the best. Yumm..yumm Favourite food was Golabki=cabbage rolls, Pierogi =perogies and Barszcsź=beetroot soup, borscht