FUN-photos: Driving Germany, Poland & the Netherlands

September 3, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Driving Germany, Poland & the Netherlands 

We landed at the Berlin Airport in the late afternoon of July 15th and spent the night at the Mercure Airport hotel so we could get a car first thing in the morning. Our stops included Kraków, Auschwitz and Wroclaw, Poland before returning to spend time in Berlin. Then late on July 20th we headed to Warnemünde, Germany to board our 11 day Baltic Sea Cruise on Princess.

We returned to the same port on the morning of July 31st where we picked up another car. Our stops included Bremen & Cologne, Germany before dropping the car in Amsterdam where we stayed until August 6th. The highlight was having Cinzia (Chris’ sister) & Fabio from Trieste, Italy join us in Amsterdam!

FUN-travel: Kraków to Auschwitz to Wroclaw, Poland

July 22, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Kraków to Auschwitz to Wroclaw, Poland 

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.