(Unpronouncable Polish Word)

Wrocław, pronounced Vrotswhaf, previously Breslau, is the capital of Silesia and Poland’s 4^th most populous city. It has the most beautiful old town we saw in Poland.

It is also the Gnome capital of Poland.

The little statues found all over the city are an homage to the Orange Alternative movement which used graffiti and absurdism to protest communist rule.





The Racławice Panorama is a 360 degree painting and diorama depicting a battle between Kościuszko’s Polish rebels and the Russian Empire. It’s basically the 19^th century version of Braveheart and is actually pretty cool, we give it 4 stars.

Travelling around Europe, it's interesting to learn new things about the various cultures. For example, Poles love ice cream. Luckily, so do we.

The Leopold Hall at Wrocław University

Kraków

The Wawel Cathedral, with Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture all rolled into one.

The old Jewish Synagogue

The square from within the Kraków ghetto, today a memorial.

To the east of the city of Kraków is the Nowa Huta district, built by the communist government as a worker's paradise.

While much of it looks a bit depressing today, you can see what they were going for. Each block of 30 apartment buildings would be its own community with shops, gardens and a school. 

Just south of Kraków is the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Built in the 13th century and closed in 1996, it's a fascinating place for its history but also for the carvings, statues and chapels within the mine.

The underground cathedral. Everything is carved from rock salt.

Even the chandelier is made from salt.



Jesus: "This is my body which is given for you"

Paul: "Mmmm, it's delicious Jesus"

Luke: "Yes Jesus, very tasty indeed"

Judas: "I find it a little salty"

Jesus: "YOU'RE A LITTLE SALTY!!!"

Before leaving Poland, Josh decided to visit the town in which his great-grandparents may have lived, Bielsko-Biała. We had a look around the old Jewish neighbourhood, of which there is very little remaining. Despite that, it was interesting to be somewhere with very few international tourists.

The location of the once great synagogue (shown in the picture on the building).

We visited the Jewish cemetery searching for some Dolinskis but to no avail. This plot housed those who died in World War One fighting not as Jews, or even Poles but for the Austrians.