Spending a week in Poland due to the fact that it was the cheapest flight out of Israel was a great idea! While the temperature difference to Israel was a joke it is so freaking cheap! My first few nights were spent in the royal capital of Krakow. With the biggest medieval town square in Europe it is definitely a beautiful city! My mission to find delicious stroganoff sadly failed. I mean who serves it in a bread roll or with salad. I have discovered a love of potato pancakes though! A day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau was a surreal experience following my visit to the memorial in Jerusalem. Towards the end of the day we saw the most beautiful sunset over the remains of the main extermination camp. While a peaceful location now, made photo worthy with the setting sun, it is even harder to picture what it was really like all those years ago. It makes you wonder if the prisoners saw the same beauty in similar sunsets and if it perhaps gave them hope for a better tomorrow.
Used to 'CityFail' back home, the delayed train to Warsaw should have been nothing new. However, trying to discern what is going on from the reactions of the people around you because you can't understand Polish really tests your patience. Arriving an hour and a half late in what felt like the dead of the night (in reality 6pm - damn European winter) I finally arrived at the Oki Doki hostel. I thought Warsaw was just a beautiful as Krakow. However, while the architecture in Krakow is original, the majority of buildings in Warsaw are post-WWII reconstructions. A very interesting city considering their communist past and love of vodka. In fact, my free walking tour got a lot more lively after free polish vodka shots were handed out. The three rules to Polish vodka drinking: 1. Freezing cold and in shot form. 2. Only 250ml in order to have a fun night but no hangover. 3. Always drink with food - preferably herron, pickle & bread. My last day it was their national holiday. A huge affair with military parades and cannon fire. With news reporters everywhere, I was even almost interviewed. At least I assume so since a microphone was shoved in my face.
Poland, my first really cold country! Oh well, the weather provided a good excuse for a bit of H&M shopping!
