Do widzenia Polska

We have enjoyed our short stay in Krakow. The hostel we have stayed at has been excellent - 2 meals a day included in the cost and various vodka based drinks, as well as good craic with the other guests!

Today was a wet and miserable day but unphased we set out exploring in our flattering waterproofs!

We decided that we would go on a trip to a local salt mine. We boarded a train to Wieliczka, about 20 minutes outside of Krakow and visited the historic salt mine.   

We decended down 54 flights of stairs to a depth of 60 meters to the top storey of the mine, where the tour began. The tour lasted just under three hours and took us around various parts of the process. It showed us different methods of mining rock salt from when the mine opened in the 15th century to its closure in the 1960s.   

As well as this, the mine contained large underground rooms carved into the caverns which included this large chapel, a magnificant ball room, lakes, a conference suite and a restaurant!

At the end of the tour we had decended 130 meters underground and thankfully (for Mary) we got a lift up to the surface.

We then returned to the hostel where it was meatball night!

So for now it is "Do Widzenia Polska" and (if we survive tonights sleeper train) "Guten Morgen Wien"

Auschwitz & Birkenau

Early this morning we joined a superfluity of nuns on a pilgrimage...

 

Spot the Sisters

..only joking!

Today we set off on a trip to Oswiecim the hometown of Auswitz I and Auswitz II-Birkenau.

We braved the train and after a few complications, reached the museum...how can such an important town not have any tourist info!

For 30 polish zloty (approx £6) we got a 3.5 hour guided tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau which was an amazing yet harrowing experience.

Entrance to Auschwitz..."Work Equals Freedom"

Birkenau Concentration Camp - the location where the SS doctor would decide the fate of incoming prisoners

Todays been an interesting but very solemn experience. We are glad we went as it was a good chance to learn more about the horrific crimes that took place in Europe during the 1940s, but we will be pleased to move on to more light hearted attractions tomorrow.

Sleeps for losers anyway..

Thankfully our new hostel was a two minute (zombie) walk from central train station so after a quick shower and bite to eat we headed to the Krakow's Main Square where we joined a free walking tour which was fantastic! The tour guide was very good funny and we got a great history of the city whilst walking to each of the attractions, including:-

a big head!

The Seven Chapels on Wawel Hill (each dome/roof is a separate Chapel)

Famous window from which Pope John Paul II made his speechs to the populations of Krakow

Jesuit Chapel built to rid protestants from the city in Baroque times

The symbol of 'Cracow' the fire breathing dragon

Bohemian Rapsody

Yesterday was a day of ups and downs. 

The Ups...

As yesterday was the first day of our rail pass we got a fast train to Kutna Hora in the Bohemia region of the Czech Republic (which was only an hour from Prague).

Our first stop was in a little village, called Sedlec which was a five minute walk from the peculiarly located train station. We visited the Sedlec Ossuary or the "Bone Chapel" which is amazing! In the late 1800s a woodcarver purchased the Sedlec monastary and got creative with the bones of 40,000 people from the centuries old crypt...

 We walked the searing hot 2km road into Kutna Hora town centre where we visited the main tourist attraction; the Silver Mine Museum. Following our Lonely Planets guidance we booked on the czech speaking "The Way of the Silver" tour.The first half an hour was t.e.d.i.o.u.s.... hot weather + no czech language skills makes for a very crabby Mary! However, we were soon equipped with a white hooded gown, hard leather helmet and miners torch ready for a trek down the pits. 

Along with a Canadian lady, we had a threeman english tour down the mine which involved descending 169 steps and crawling through a shaft with walls lined with stalactites. The route was very 'slight' in parts with the narrowest section being 46cm wide and 110cm tall (Sam struggled hehehe!) But..we made it out alive with a new canadian friend and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

After tootling back to the train station and chatting with our canadian pal we were reinspired to give Czech food one last chance...

Back in Prague we visited a traditional Czech pub (which a Dubliner in an Irish Pub recommended to us) and were in culinary heaven! Garlic soup for starters, chicken skewers/tenderloin, dumplings and cranberry sauce followed by hot and spicy plums with ice cream.

With full bellies we were all set for the big adventure: the overnight sleeper train to Krakow, Poland...

The Downs

We arrived at Prague Station with plenty of time, fully loaded with everything you could possibly imagine on our backs! Having planned this for months, we were looking forward to our first night sleeping in a couchette cabin...

To our horror, the reservations we had received did not match what we had been sold, instead of a comfy bunk we were treated to a seat in a chicken coop shared with 6 other hens.

Sam's reaction to our surprise luxury accomodation for the next 9.5 hours.

  Although the cabin may appear spacious, rest assured, was far from it when filled with 1 x Sam, 1 x Mary, 2 x french student, 2 x irish student, 1 x angry bearded czech man (who had issues with staring) and 1 x smelly polish skater.

Alas we survived the night and are eager to get showered and 'Crack-on' with Krakow

Praha..another day

So today we...



...bought some pastries from the bakery beside our hostel

  ...climbed steep cobbled streets to the Palace where we got great views of the city



...had a walk around the Palace but decided to leave the castle tours to the swarms of Americans

..were a little underwhelmed by the changing of the guard (group of grumpy men in uniforms walking to work





...rode the funicular tram to the top of a great viewpoint over city

 

...packed up our earthly possessions for tomorrows big 'move on'

We've enjoyed our time in this city but are ready to move on to new..Polish..places!

Czech Me Out!

Yesterday we explored the Old Town, the Stare Mesto, which is very beautiful.

There are a lot of tacky souveneir shops selling 'czech me out' merchandise.



  

Mary in Wenceslas Square

  

After exploring the main sites, the Astronomical Clock, Tyn Church and the Powder Tower we went to Wenceslas Square for a little window shopping!

 

...having bought no windows..we had an icecream instead

Every day we walked past an amazing smelling Italian restaurant. Although we were tempted by more stodgy dumplings and pork knee, we decided pizza was the order of the day...

...it smelt so delicious, Sam couldn't wait for a photo to be taken before he tucked in..ravenous beast!

 

After dining we headed to the river side and found a lovely little terrace bar overlooking the Vltava River and Charles Bridge.


As it started to get chilly we got blankets to wrap up in..heaven!

Mary overlooking the river, Charles bridge and the castle...

Whilst we were at the bar we experimented with Mary's camera and found the night mode is absolutely fantastic :)

Charles Bridge and Prague Castle at Night

Today we will be exploring the Castle area and hoping the weather forecast is wrong (we don't like rain on holiday!)

Love Sam and Mary

Praha Day 1

Sam finally got out of bed at 8.50am...maybe I just wake up tooo early =)

We ventured over Charles Bridge to find Tescos in the Old Town and after last nights culinary disaster we were pleasantly surprised :)

In the afternoon we kicked back on the Vltava River in a rented pedalo.

Sun, brown river and sam doing all the pedalling..BLISS

Eager Explorers...

..or maybe just one of us is!

Despite several attempts to wake him, Sam is still sound asleep. It appears the more I poke him the tighter a ball he rolls into with his blanket!

Praha

Arrived in Prague after a surprisingly short flight! Turns out its only 2 hours away not 4 :) Our hostel is in Little Quarter which is an amazing location, about 2 minutes away from Charles Bridge and Castle Hill...we shall explore tomorrow!


Lesson of the day:- Avoid empty restaurants which look like they sell "authentic" Czech cuisine...yuck!

To the airport!

Goodbye flat!

Sneezing, Complaining and Packing!

Its T-minus one day til lift off (to Prague) and Sam and I both have the cold/ a mild flu! Theres lots of dashing around to be done....not good when its hard to breathe and feeling queazy!! We are not happy bunnies!!

Hope it lifts before tomorrow!

Wish us luck!

*achooo*

New Blog

Hi Everyone and welcome to Sam and Mary's Blog :)


Hopefully our friends and family will be able to use this blog to check what we are up to on our adventures abroad..internet availability providing!


We are looking forward to our first posts next week!