Krakow-Poland-2024

 

Photos - https://link.shutterfly.com/RDrbZIGkBRb

So much history in Krakow, Poland! The first night was a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter and Ghetto. Poland had the highest population of Jewish people. Eight hundred years prior, Poland’s king noticed the Jewish children were the most educated. Thus, he recruited the Jewish from all countries to build him a more educated workforce. The stories of their torture and extermination by the Nazi’s was heart-breaking. The famous Hollywood film director Roman Polanski was nine years old in 1942 when his parents made him escape under the wall from the Krakow Ghetto and hide with a Polish family that they knew, and had paid, to shelter him. Soon thereafter, the parents were exterminated. His movie The Pianist shares some of the horrors of the Nazi’s. Between 1941 – 1945, approx. 6 million Jews were murdered.

Krakow has the largest and most beautiful old town because it was not bombed during WWII. Poland quickly succumbed to Communism in 1939 when Russia invaded. The Poles lived 50 years under an oppressive, tortuous Communist regime with few to no freedoms. And practically starved with the long lines to get what little food was available. Poland was able to remove Communism in 1989 after a series of labor strikes led by Lech Wałęsa, who was then elected president of the newly formed democratic country.

Pope John Paul II was the first non-Roman to be selected as Pope after 500 years of Roman popes. The Poles loved him!!! He served 1978 till his death in 2005. He was instrumental to the ending of communism.

A most unique experience was touring an UNESCO Heritage underground salt mine. The Wieliczka Salt Mine operated from the 13^th century until 1996. The salt mine goes to a depth of 1,073’ and has passages totaling 178 miles. The mine has dozens of carvings made from salt plus four chapels and three lakes. All the “grey” you see in the photos is salt that has been covered with dust over the decades. Even the chandeliers are made from salt. Scratch and lick the walls, or carvings, and you will taste the salt. Ever considered the origination of the word “salary”? Back in the day, workers were paid with salt, not coin. That’s how valuable salt was.  With salt, you could preserve your meat/food and survive through the winter with food to eat.

On a lighter note, I discovered a Bunny Café, a first! Sweet, furry bunnies to feed and pet. I was intrigued by the shop selling cherry liquor made in Ukraine. That was my stop both days to sip cherry liquor and talk with the tourists. I met a Polish man that served in the U.N. peace keeping force during the period of conflict with Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. I met an Ukrainian man that was able to transfer jobs to be a station manager for Air France in Poland vs serving in the war with Russia. I met a man from Uzbekistan serving as a station manager in Azerbaijan. I now know that a future visit I want to see Georgia, Azerbaijan and possibly Armenia.