Pondering Poland

It’s fairly clear that I am a bit devastated that I will not be a European. I was really hoping that the UK would vote remain and that life would continue as usual. However, that is not how it worked out. Among a million reasons why the country has made the wrong decision, one stands out, the horrific racism that seems to have been unleashed by this vote. As much as the leaders can say that this vote was not about immigration, the reality is that it was. People who have very few immigrants in their towns, voted to make sure that this will never be the case. One of the hardest hit groups seems to be the Polish. I have a number of close Polish friends and am appalled to see in the news about people putting notes through the doors of people that they know are Polish, telling them to go home, that we had voted to have them leave.

Last year, I had the privilege of visiting Poland twice. Both in winter, once to Krakov in January and once to Wroclaw in November. Here are some highlights from those trips.

Liam and I headed to Krakov in mid January and let’s be honest – it was freezing. Really, really cold. There was snow on the ground and we were glad of our warm coats. We were lucky enough to have two very clear and crisp days. 

The first day we got the sad stuff over and done with. A visit to Birkenau and Auschwitz were both on the cards. I had previously vowed never to visit another concentration camp, as I find them too harrowing. However, Liam had never been so, with a heavy heart, off we went. We were on the English tour and were able to be dropped to and from our hotel. I can honestly say, that this place is well preserved. There are photographs of the people who perished there on the wall, there are stacks of their belongings, there are whispers and moments of them everywhere. Every moment, you feel as though you are looking over the shoulders of history and that you are right there. Because you are. In no way can you fathom the horror or the reality of it, but you get a good idea. I had always been lead to believe, though movies and literature, that people survived these camps. I faced the grim reality, that people only survived for, at the most six weeks. This means that those who were liberated when the war ended had only recently arrived at the camps. There are many stories of great bravery, great kindness and of resistance. The worst for me, was the room of hair. Yes, hair. They shaved the inmates and used their hair to create textiles for the Third Reich. I was backed into the furtherest corner of the room and could only glance at it, before bolting.

After this we headed into the central city – to the beautiful central square and proceeded to numb the pain with delish Polish vodka. And delish soup served in a whole loaf. The square is beautiful. So very medieval and so very not what I expected Poland to look like. Off the square, you can visit the home of Pope John Paul II or you can walk to the castle and see the undercroft where the dragon lived. People in the city are very clear about this, there was a dragon and it lived under the castle. There is a great metal sculpture outside of the dragon entrance that spits fire every few minutes. At the entrance to the main cathedral, there are bones hanging by the door. These are said to be dragon bones. Apparently DNA studies have shown that they are likely to be whale, which begs the question how did a whale get to Poland?

That night we met up with our friend Tahnee who had been living in Krakov. We had some more delish traditional food (and vodka) and walked the city.

The next day, was again bright and clear. We took the bus to Wieliczka mine. This is an abandoned salt mine, turned tourist attraction. It is incredible. The rooms have been turned into cathedrals, the walls into works of art and at every moment on the tour through, you are surrounded by beauty. I would recommend a trip out here, it’s stunning and well priced. 

Krakov, like many European cities is hugely walkable, and it’s stunning. Even in the freezing cold, I was taken in by its natural beauty. The people are really kind and helpful, and the living is cheap.

My next trip to Poland, was with a bunch of workmates – I was the only girl on the trip and I loved every minute. We were visiting a friend’s hometown, and had the benefit of his knowledge to show us around. Ryanair have cheap return flights and I would really recommend visiting this town. We arrived quite late at night, checked into our hotel – Jan Pawel II (John Paul II). The hotel is one of the best in the city, and is true to its name – there was religious memorabilia everywhere. It was tasteful though. Pawel tells us that his parents occasionally come here for a nice dinner. We giggle as I am sharing a room with my friend Dilan and are referred to as Mr & Mrs Whyte, by the concierge and then by our friends – everyone else has opted for single. 

It might be late, but the night is just beginning. We drop off our bags and head out to a local bar called Kalambur – its walking distance from the hotel, which we discover, just about everything is. The bar is off the beaten tourist track. Most people there are locals and very few speak English. I would call it an alternative hipster bar – the music was crazy and people were dressed accordingly. I loved it. We quickly discovered that the local spirit – Wisniowka – which tastes like cherries, is delish and very, very cheap – about £1 a shot. From there, we take a quick walk through the main square and realise that we are here during the Christmas markets. Hurrah! We walk to another traditional bar, where Pawel orders us a number of local dishes to share. It’s lovely to see Pawel so happy to be eating the food from home again. I can relate, I freakin love NZ food and never realise how much I miss it, until I get home. We stumble in at about 4am – the rest of Wroclaw is still out partying, but this old chick needed her bed.

The next day, we are treated to a great hotel breakfast – complete with Polish stew. Dilan and I laugh about the chair and crucifix between our beds. This is going to be a full on day. We head down to the local market to exchange some cash and check out the local produce. The market is locally listed and is actually a site that my colleagues have visited as part of a project to protect street markets.

We are treated to a golf cart tour today. Three golf carts are joined together, there are blankets and sides to the carts to keep us warm.  

To my delight, this is where I discover, that there is a dwarf trail. Yes, that is right, there are dwarves hidden all over the central city, they are often themed by what they are near – mini atms and general mischief. I make it my mission to find as many as possible. They are amazing! Again, these come with their own folklore – we visit their home and are told stories of what they have been up too. The tour takes us past the main cathedral – the boys will climb this whilst hung over the next day. My knee could not take that, so I write post cards instead. It takes us past artist’s houses and also to medieval trading streets. There is a great one with artisans in residence, that used to be the butchery street. There are bronze animals on it and we all take turns posing with them. I buy some beautiful glass jewellery for my Mum and a friend, I alway’s think that it’s nice to give a gift that is a bit different and can come with a card saying where it was from and who has made it. The tour takes us past a number of the projects that Pawel worked on before moving to the UK and to lots of other tourist attractions, including his university.

Two things really stand out from this day for me. The first is a story about an artist who bought a house beside the church, for a bag of fur. My friend Max and I gave each other a rather large side eye as this fact was imparted to us over the P.A. of the golf carts, mouthed ‘bag of fur’ at each other and nodded and then laughed for days over it. It’s a pretty niche joke and one that we are still in fits over. Pawel denies that this was the case, I just want it to be true.

The other is a really poignant monument to the Katyn massacre in some gardens. It is of the angel of death, and is in memorial of soldiers and of a moment in time, where all the intelligence of the city was lost. Professors, students, clerics and people of local power were slaughtered. Pawel tells it so much better than I could, but the memorial is stunning and really got me.

By the time that the tour has ended, we are in great need of food and warmth. We are frozen to the bone. We head for traditional polish food – I rediscover my love of perogi and other local delicacies. We warm ourselves in a small café and eat very well. We head back to the hotel for a quick nap – like an hour – and get ready for a rather large night.

After another traditional dinner – I am glad that we are doing a lot of walking cause OMG we are eating our way through this city – we head out clubbing. Clubbing in Poland is much like England, except it’s very cheap. We meet up with some of Pawel’s friends and get our boogie on. Sometime after midnight, we decide to head to the local gay club. To me, this is a big thing. Poland is still a very catholic country. They worship John Paul II – everything is named after this man – and they are slowly becoming more accepting ideas different from this. To have a large gay club, called HaH (Heaven and Hell) in the middle of the city feels brave. Once we are inside, it’s a huge amount of fun. Different to the clubs that I have been too in England, lesbians and gays are all in one room, partying together and it’s awesome. We dance to the small hours of the morning and crawl very happy into our beds.

Breakfast the next morning is a quiet affair. We are all shattered. We all head back for naps after eating. After feeling more human again, we head out to the central square again. I am keen to explore the Christmas markets. I have shopping to do for Christmas in NZ. I find more dwarfs, I drink a delish hot choc (with a shot of pushnovka of course!) out of a boot shaped mug. I eat a lot of meat. Its sunny, it’s crisp and there is not more that I could ask for. Great company and fun times.

So, these are my two trips to Poland. I have loved both of them equally. I went both times with great company and discovered local secrets. I am really hopeful, that others will come and visit these towns. That they will understand the Polish people and how lovely they are. It should not be joy that we are feeling at the possible repatriation of both the English and other Europeans. It should be sadness that our culture will be less rich without them in it.