Travel

Travel notes about Poland 🇵🇱 

Food & Drink 🥬 🧀 🍺 
-We loved the smoked cheeses and meats. The kielbasas were delicious all over the country (especially the fried one we had in Zakopane)
-So many yummy dumplings. Of course the pierogis, with so many flavors! But lots of other styles, from potato flours, wheat flours, larger, smaller, different fillings, etc
-Lots of fermented cabbages, krauts, beets and other root vegetables. Delicious!
-Great beer culture. Truly moreish lagers (nice and bitter too, full of flavor) and awesome craft beers as well - we had some excellent IPAs

Culture 🎵 🖼️ 
-Fun and eclectic street art in some neighborhoods. Not as much lame tagging as other places 
-Warsaw is proud of its connection with Chopin and Marie Curie (rightfully so!) The Sunday open air Chopin concert was a family favorite
-Generally good English spoken all over the country. And if the shop keeper didn't speak English, there was always a fellow shopper to translate
-People were nice, helpful and friendly, but not the most outgoing people (especially when comparing to southern Europe)

History 💣 🏰 
-Devastating remnants of WWII all over the country. This was good to experience and contextualize for us and the kids. Auschwitz was haunting and unforgettable, and the history of the Jewish ghettos in Krakow and Warsaw was heartbreaking. In today's geopolitical climate, it seems like not enough of our "leaders" have learned this context. Sad 😢 
-Krakow had an impressive, historical (medieval) city center since it largely escaped the ravages of WWII. Warsaw, not so much (much of the old town was bombed to rubble), but it created the space for a very vibrant and modern city center.
-The medieval periods were interesting for a rich kingdom with abundant natural resources, fertile grasslands, and livestock. Food was preserved by smoking and fermenting. 

Other - dangers on the horizon
-Our Warsaw host commented that a lot of Poles are buying second homes in Spain. "Oh, to get away from the cold winters?" we asked. "No, to have options in case Putin comes here next".
-That's a poignant reminder that war is too close. And that it's just ridiculously stupid. For the egos of overconfident small men who decide that they must have more. A desire to show power and punish the weak. Such a pity we haven't figured this out as a species. But I suppose it's always been that way...
-The mountains around Zakopane were gorgeous. We loved hiking there in the crisp mountain air⛰️