Poland

Here's the scoop on our 3 part trip to Poland…

First stop - Boleslawiec for some pottery shopping.  We stayed at this charming little bed and breakfast in a two bedroom suite with enough beds for our entire family.  Let me tell you, after all the overpriced junky European hotels that we've stayed in, a place like this is heaven sent.  

 My Ryan kept the little people busy while I shopped in charming little pottery shops, like the one below.  Pottery shopping can be super overwhelming, but with the help of a thorough list, a budget, and some diet coke, I pretty much conquered the job.

So many patterns and shapes!  Choices, choices!

The B&B we stayed at had some stables and even a forest out back for the kids to do some exploring.  They loved it!

Ry's reward after a long day alone with the kids.  

They heart Polish pottery!

Here are my spoils.  Yeah, I know, everything but the kitchen sink.   Dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and serving stuff.  All mixy and matchy and fun.  Such happy dinnerware, isn't it?

I figured I will probably never go back to Poland, so I should just get a totally complete set.  Don't you just love these patterns and colors? 

Next stop - Auschwitz for some holocaust history.  To prepare for this trip, I read Corrie ten Boom's story The Hiding Place and Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (both books are first hand accounts of people who survived life in concentration camps).  We watched a holocaust documentary called "Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust" and we watched "Life is Beautiful" (which, shamefully, Ryan had never seen).  All of that consecutive holocaust research makes for a very reflective and emotional state of mind.  So doing all of that and then going to see this...

It was just an emotional, unforgettable, horrifying, shocking, and raw experience.  I will never forget it.  I feel silly even writing about it or talking about it, because it sort of cheapens it somehow.  Like we went to Disneyland or some great tourist attraction or something.  It was different than that.  It was just an incredible experience, that's all I can say.  (By the way, Ry and I took turns taking tours and seeing things alone, as this is not kid material…in case you were worried).

"work makes you free"

A map of all the train locations that fed directly into Auschwitz - the center of Europe.

Hundreds of suitcases - carefully labeled and packed by those who thought they were moving to start a new life.  They also had display cases filled with shoes of all sizes, glasses, human hair that was removed upon entering the camp, etc.  It was really powerful.

Next stop - Krakow.  First we saw the Salt Mine - a huge hit with the kids, and also one of the first ever UNESCO world heritage sites

Doing a little square dancing while waiting for our entry time.

These sculptures are all over the salt mine, mostly carved by miners to beautify their workplace.  Amazing!

 Then, the most beautiful underground chapel.  The walls are lined with salt carvings of the life of Christ.  Even the chandeliers are made from salt crystals.  Wouldn't it be so fun to have an event here?

 This area is so high, it has housed the only "indoor/underground" bungee jumping competition.  Can you imagine?

They loved running around and climbing all the steps down here.

They even had several restaurants, shops, and a play area within the mine.

 Then - 

 We just stayed for a few hours, since we needed to hurry back.  It was a beautiful city with lots of fun shopping, but we didn't delve in too much.

And finally - I need to end this post with a word about the FOOD in Poland.  It is so fantastic and shockingly cheap.  Definitely in the running with Greece for my favorite food ever tasted while traveling.  We went to a couple of different restaurants while we were there and fed our entire family, NO, stuffed our entire family for 20 euros.  Can't beat that.

 All in all, our trip to Poland was delish.