FUN-travel: Kraków to Auschwitz to Wroclaw, Poland

July 22, 2014 by  

Day 17 – Thursday, July 17 – Kraków to Auschwitz to Wroclaw, Poland – blue skies turn to ominous, thick dark clouds late – low 80’s

Aushwitz-Birkenau, Poland 2014 20

Auschwitz

Aushwitz-Birkenau, Poland 2014 31

Auschwitz

What I LIKE

  • 7:30 – wake up
  • Slept good but back still a bit still
  • Nespresso machine in room
  • 9:30 – breakfast – pretty typical choices
  • – room is exquisite!
  • – richly appointed draperies & chandeliers
  • Order omelet – more like frittata
  • Make sandwich to go
  • 10:00 – walk the square for grandkids souvenirs
  • 11:05 – check out – load car
  • 11:30 – head off
  • GPS works brilliantly!
  • 1:10 – starts spitting rain
  • 2:00 – arrive Auschwitz
  • – need Zlotys & ATM works
  • 2:15 – need toilet
  • 2:30 – English guided tour ($40 Zlotys ea = $26 US)
  • 4:00 – tour takes break & meets up @ Birkenau camp
  • 5:00 – drive for Wroclaw
  • 7:30 – arrive & don’t have hotel booked
  • (checked Hotels.com before leaving Kraków)
  • Best Western Plus Q – brand new hotel
  • Has room for 350 zlotys – on line more like 300
Wroclaw, Poland 2014 3

Wroclaw

  • – bargain & get lower rate!

    Wroclaw, Poland 2014 1

    Wroclaw

  • – nice thick towels & in room coffee
  • Walk to Main Square – 25 mins
  • Really cute! – filled w/lots of people
  • 8:50 – dinner

FUN-food – Greek Taverna – traditional Greek salad, sautéed eggplant stuffed w/cheese, fresh Dorado (boned tableside) w/grilled veggies – Santa Carolina Carmenere Gran Reserva = $292 Zlotys

  • 11:00 – nice walk back (if you want to be closer to action don’t stay here)
  • Night night after midnight

What I DON’T LIKE

  • Mattress not good – wake up stiff back
  • 12:00 – realize I left my coat in room
  • No exits for 15 minutes
  • Takes 35 minutes to get back
  • & it’s a toll road
  • Need Zloty’s to park & use toilet
  • ATM minimum withdrawal $800 Zlotys = $278 US
  • Best Western Plus supposed to be up scale
  • – no bath amenities or face cloths
  • No AC in room – controls once again do nothing but blow hot air!
  • Welcome to Europe in summer!
Wroclaw, Poland 2014 16

Wroclaw

FUN-fact – Kraków is just a jewel of a city! It is the 2nd largest city and dates back to the 7th century. Oskar Schindler’s enamelware plant was located here.
More FF – Auschwitz is free after 3:00. Before that time you have to pay for a guided tour.
Not so FF – The Nazis envisioned turning Kraków into a completely German city after removing all Jews and Poles, renamed locations and streets into German and sponsored propaganda attempting to portray it as historically German city.

 

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