Skip to main content

WROCLAW POLAND - "Tak, jedlismy Pierogi!" (translation: yes, we ate pierogi!)

In August we decided to brave a trip to visit our good friend Dorota in Poland, in spite of Corona-virus restrictions.


We were worried a bit about border crossings, driving from Austria, through the Czech Republic, and into Poland, but it went very smoothly. There were not even border guards. Dorota made all kinds of arrangements for us (places to stay, tour guides, visits with her friends, Polish history lessons). People are very friendly, and many of them speak English.

Most of the time we wandered through Wroclaw, where Dorota lives.


Wandered through the town hall. Fantastic old woodwork on display here!

Hard to tell but, yes, those are Pierogi (Polish dumplings) on the little plate at the top. We had potato pancakes three times, and each time they were different.


The first night Dorota got us tickets to the last showing of the famous Raclawice Panorama in Wroclaw. We made it more famous by being among the last visitors before it was closed to be remodeled. 


Not a lot of tourists here, especially during this "Corona time."

Parking here is very difficult, and the mass transit is exceptionally good, so we just left our car at the house and rode the buses and street cars. We did find this "transit gem" on display in the city hall.

All around town in Wroclaw they have little dwarf statues. Earlier during Solidarity people painted dwarfs on the walls as a symbol of resistance against communist oppression. But now they represent the joys of daily life. They are all over - representing all different occupations and free time activities.

We spent 12 days receiving valuable historical insight into Poland's history. Over the years Poland has been at the center of multiple east/west tug-a-wars. Now, after almost 30 years of effort and foreign investment, Poland is beginning to recover from decades of Communist oppression and neglect. About half of the buildings have been renovated, and the economy seems to be thriving. This old historical building used to house a university library, but sits abandoned after a new library building was built. Dorota told me I should buy it and use my construction experience to turn it into something great.


Wroclaw is a beautiful and fascinating city.

We took the elevator to the top of a modern skyscraper where you can get a view of the whole city. This is the view looking toward the old downtown.

Wroclaw has 5 rivers flowing through town, which makes for an interesting downtown.

One tour took us through the university library, with its beautiful painted ceilings and ornate stairways.




This pre-curser to the "Delta Center" the Centennial Hall was built during the German times. Built entirely of concrete, this arena-like hall can be used for meetings, concerts, or even sporting events. 

The hall is impressive, but the fountains to the side are even better. The waterworks are coordinated with music. This must be where the Las Vegas Bellagio got the idea.

This is the town hall in the Wroclaw town square. Wroclaw has a competition with Krakow as to who has the greatest town square. Although Krakow has a trumpeter in it's Church in the town square, we didn't get any photos.  I think that means Wroclaw wins!


Comments

  1. Hawaii HenDecember 6, 2020 at 1:12 AM

    Wow....12 days of private tutoring in Polish history...lucky you!!
    We enjoy using local busses and street cars, almost as much as walking the streets. Must say we are green with envy that you are able to walk the streets that are almost empty!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A "LITTLE DRIVE" TO CROATIA - So much to see, so little time...

 In February we traded our condo share for a resort on the island of Brac in Croatia. Little did we know how COVID would decimate the tourist industry in that part of the world. Rather than fly, we decided to drive down, and enjoy the scenery along the way. Our trip took us through Slovenia and Croatia. On the way down we paused in Bled, Ljubljana, Zagreb, and Plitvicka, and in Zadar and Opatija on the way back. On other post I have photos of Brac, Split, and Plitvicka. This one is dedicated to the trip down and back. With the split of Yugoslavia, after the war, Croatia received almost the entire Dalmatian coastline. This strip of rocky coast is sparsely inhabited. On the way down we took our time. Spent a couple of days in Slovenia. Lake Bled, just over the border from Austria is a must see (for Werner), if you have time- a great side trip. Tucked in between the Julian Alps, there's a quaint church on an island in the middle of the lake. We made it to Ljubljana, the capitol of Slo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Griasdi, Do sa'ma! (translation) Hello there, here we are!

OK, looks like we made it, and are off to our two year adventure.  Despite spending most of the first month getting our visa paperwork together, getting insurance, finding a place to live, buying furniture and other furnishings for our new home, and all that other not so fun stuff, we have been able to spend a little time checking out the beautiful sites and touristy things around here. Bad Ischl for the day Our new home. Let's hope they let us stay. The winter hasn't been very wintery. Going for a walk up the neighborhood street Across the street from the house An evening walk at the beach The Attersee (our lake) the Almsee Yep, it's winter here, but less snow than usual
1 comment
Read more

TYROL/ZILLERTAL/INSBRUCK

After several multi-week trips to surrounding countries we decided to check out another part of Austria. The most impressive mountains here are in the province of Tyrol, where Innsbruck is the capitol. We were able to book several nights in a private house in the Zillertal (a mountain valley in the middle of the Alps). On the way there you can take the freeway (autobahn) but the back roads are so much more beautiful. We drove and wandered through the mountains on the way. If you are ever in this area you need to stop for a few hours and walk the trails to the Krimml waterfalls. This series of waterfalls, the highest in Austria, cascade down the mountainside 385 meters. From Krimml you can take the highway, or you can pay a toll and drive over the mountains (definitely the better choice). On the way you pass several ski resorts, and of course mountain lakes. Now there's a scene straight out of the picture books. Alps, with little farm houses on the mountainside. If you're going ...
Post a Comment
Read more