The Wawel Royal Castle.
A few last interesting images before leaving for Canada. Round sugar cubes,
skeleton bike,
mens shoes,
top street music,
very friendly pigeons.
Heading back to Canada via train then plane after 10 months overseas.
Almost there – just a few delays.
We visited the town of Wieliczka to see the underground salt mines.
At the beginning of a shift men would crawl in low with lighted torches to burn off the gas before the miners arrived.
Horses that lived underground their entire lives were a big part of the production.
The underground chapel all carved in salt.
Hard to believe our days of waiting at bus stops was coming to an end. Soon we would be back in Canada with our own car.
The Ryszard Kuklinski Monument was an interesting structure. Ryszard was a controversial Cold War figure.
Sitting on the sand placed right behind the mall for a volleyball, beach soccer and handball tournament.
We watched them bring in the sand and were amazed by the scale of the project.
John was disappointed that we kept missing the women’s volleyball. The day we watched this it was +36.
On the eve of Corpus Christi, a full Catholic mass was held in the main square.
I biked with a small group to a local monastery.
The trip included memorials of the destruction of the Jews of Krakow.
The countryside was gorgeous.
The Benedictine monastery of Tyniec.
As with many structures it was rebuilt after the war. The old well was not damaged.
On the way we watched kayakers navigate the practice waterway. .
We celebrated John’s birthday with a delicious Polish meal.
Polish sausage and Pirogies stuffed with spinach, garlic and feta cheese. Yum!
We visited Auschwitz. Depressing for sure but a crucial part of history, so we felt it is a must see. We were impressed how respectfully presented it was. It did not feel like a tourist location, though tourists such as ourselves were everywhere.
Schindler’s Factory in Krakow. This has been turned into a museum showing Krakow under Nazi occupation, as well as a memorial to Oskar Schindler and his part in saving many Jews from the Holocaust.
Factory roof.
Schindler’s office
The pots and pans made in the factory with the names of every person saved written on the walls within the enclosure.
The Hall of Choices. Notes written by many of the Jews who worked in the factory.
and catalogued into the Righteous
and the Collaborators and Informers.
A memorial, in the heart of what was a thriving Jewish community, in Krakow. Jewish tradition, rather than lighting candles, is to place a small stone in memory.
The centre of Krakow has a magnificent variety of beautiful buildings. The downtown core is a pedestrian’s dream as no vehicles are allowed for blocks surrounding the central square.
We really enjoyed our accommodations and the city, so decided to make Krakow our last destination before returning to Canada. We stayed in a one bedroom brand new apartment for twelve days. It was on the top floor in the back, with a wrap around balcony overlooking a park and air conditioning, which was so needed for the plus 36 days.
Continuing on with the bike trip through Warsaw we encountered these folks dressed to stimulate interest in the history of the Polish uprising of 1944.
Krzysztof said there is an old legend saying there were actually two mermaids in history that traveled together with one stopping in Copenhagen the other in Warsaw.
The door of St. John’s Archcathedral in the old town tells the story of the creation of the mermaid in pictures.
Marie Curie, the well know recipient of the Nobel Prize for discovering radium and its application in medicine, was Polish but because she was a woman was not allowed to study in Poland so therefore moved to France to pursue her education.
Krzysztof indicated that this street is used in many films as it has no signage or any other features to designate that it is in Warsaw.
Famous Polish poet, Adam Mickiewicz, Krzysztof said every school students has to memorize his poetry which he can still recite.
The first coffee shop in Warsaw maintains its original Italian name.
Church where Pope John Paul II first met youth and began World Youth Day
Even though this Polish dignitary was not Roman, the statue was not allowed to show any designation that portrayed Polish nationalism so he was represented as a Roman.
This famous Warsaw hotel was not destroyed because the Nazis used it.
University where Chopin lived with his family when his father taught French. Here he was exposed to all of the musical talent of the day.
Building where he lived with his family on the campus
This is the church where Chopin’s heart is buried. Even though he never returned to Poland his sister brought his heart back to this church.
The street where this church is was destroyed during the war but thanks to paintings like the one below, buildings could be rebuild as they once were.
In the square near the church a celebration for the birthday of the Europen Union was being held. The union has helped Poland grow and they intern will help others as they further develop.
The Royal Castle facing the river Vistula.
A bronze model of the castle grounds just outside the gate.
We noticed the gas mask on this bike when we returned.
We took the night train from Vienna to Warsaw, leaving at 11:00 PM and getting into the Warsaw Central Station at 9 the next morning. It was a comfortable trip, as we had a roomette and travelled in style!
The very old in Warsaw
right beside the modern and new.
The church right around the corner from where we stayed. Beautiful to pass each day and a great landmark. We had a lovely apartment but so close to a large main road we could not open the windows and no air conditioning! We will put that on our list for amenities that we need next time as we roasted.
I think someone in the complex must feed these fellows.
Gorgeous park right by our apartment; unfortunately also noisy which was in such contrast to its serene beauty.
Our first day we ventured downtown on the trolley and had a coffee on the square in the Old Town. Gorgeous.
Statue of William Lindley 1853-1917 responsible for water treatment system for the city still in use today. Loved the pipe bench.
In this city park a water show happens on weekends to music and lights but not until dark. Unfortunately we faded before the dark arrived.
I did a guided bike trip around the city with Krzysztof, while John visited the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising.
Here we are at the university.
The library was very impressive.
Looking down into the library from the gardens above.
Looking towards the Vistula River we rode along the Promenade to the
bridge that we rode over
to get a great view looking back at the city.
Monument to the Polish Resistance. John visited the museum which also commemorates the details of the fight against the Nazi occupiers. .
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The Museum of the Polish Resistance covered the occupation and the struggles against it by the Polish Resistance, the Home Army, and the inhabitants of the Warsaw Ghetto. After the Jewish uprising in the Ghetto was crushed, and the area destroyed, the Polish underground rose up and fought for months until it too was crushed by the German army. By the time the Red army arrived in January 1945, 85% of the city had been destroyed by the Nazis. The exhibit covered the events of the uprising, which saw fierce fighting in the city while the Russian forces assembled across the Vistula and refused to intervene – a subject of huge controversy to this day.
When I went to the Schonbrunn Palace. John took in another aspect of the Red Vienna exhibit.
I was in need of a rest so laid on the grass for a 10 minute shut eye and awoke to this fellow, not 2 feet from my face, just staring at me.
The rose gardens were exquisite and the smelled heavenly. Such a treat for a Yukoner.
The back yard so to speak.
The Hofburg Palace.
Entrance.
Ceiling above where the carriages drove in.
Status all around the inside sure to impress the guests.
as well as the outside.
This is the home of the Lippizaner Stallions which we got to watch doing their daily exercises, but the shows were sold out.
These horse actually preformed at the Jim Light Memorial arena in Whitehorse. I took Miscal she was a baby.
I got a few photos in before they said no photos allowed.
John is not a horse lover so did not stay the entire time. I was rewarded with seeing them practice these moves when back feet actually come off the ground.
The light on the buildings is striking.
Leaving the castle area.
Remnant of the old city wall.
Back to the opera house.
A much needed rest.
A sign in a toilet on the way back, couldn’t resist a photo.
This is not the Easter Bunny but an advertisement for the art gallery that features the drawing by Durer. Apparently the most expensive they own.
We did a walk through the old town on route to the Hofburg Palace.
This church was so plain on the outside but had such wonderful contrast between the light and dark on the inside. It made it easier to appreciate the incredible detail.
Could there be some relationship ?
St. Stephen’s Basilica.
Mozart lived behind the basilica. All his window views are today as they were when he lived there.
Close by the basilica in the square there is another monument dedicated to thankfulness that the Black Death had ended. Similar, though much larger, than the one we saw with Terry Burns in Prague.
On route to the castle we stopped at this baroque church for a free organ concert
and got to hear this wonderful voice as we waited.
The detail in the church was stunning.
Heading toward the castle, with all the other tourists, on the most expensive shopping street in Vienna.
Interesting window displays.
Wonderful store fronts.
This is where you buy the original Sachertorte in Vienna. It is a chocolate layer cake that dates back to 1832. It was a 28 minute wait for a seat.
Lovely street music.
Hofburg Palace.
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