Krakow... European trip. Part 1
After Asia, I wanted a calm trip, organization and calculation. Naturally, the choice fell on Europe. I don't like Europe. Mostly I go there for the sake of "tick" or because of the desire to see something new. The phrase "to see something new" in the Schengen countries is lost immediately in the border area. For me, it is all equally cleanly licked, the same, as if under a ruler, lined houses, monotonous architecture.
I did not expect something very emotional from the upcoming trip, what I got, I will tell you in order. . .
Visair, with its cheap flights, provides a lot of opportunities. The main thing is visas. Simplified filing of documents for the Polish Schengen played a role. But just to visit Poland alone would not be interesting and trite. After reviewing all the offers from Visas, we chose Spain. For a long time they puzzled over whether it was worth showing the second host country to the embassy, or whether it was worth lying brazenly. Since I don’t know how to lie catastrophically (terrible pictures flashed in my head of how I arrange an interrogation at the embassy), and there are already Schengen passports in my passports, we decided to follow the RULES. Having calculated all the possible options, the following path was chosen:
1. we arrive in Poland, Katowice, 3 nights in Krakow.
2. flight from Katowice to Barcelona, .2 nights in Barcelona
3. moving around Spain, overnight in Girona.
Total: country of first entry Poland, equal number of nights in each country. The Poles requested 30% payment for hotels in Poland, 100% payment for hotels in Spain. Since we only had a week to organize the whole trip, we had to drive between fax, laptop and telephone with foam at the mouth.
We relaxed only when the Poles accepted our documents the second time. It became clear that we would get visas.
Exactly at the beginning of registration, we were already in Zhuliany. The announced opening of the new terminal was only for the media, at the moment only the old chicken coop 2 * 2 square meters is working. Our people, as always, are breaking and running, but there are not enough places for everyone. Well? we are not the first to fly with visas, we will always find places.
Since one of the largest low-cost airlines arrives in Katowice, because Polish visas are issued easily, because fake Polish cartoons for Ukrainians are widespread, then border control is not a joke. As soon as we arrived, there was a huge queue for passport control. We prepared all the documents, and were already preparing for the interrogation. Many were taken to a separate room, their passports were taken away, and they were asked to provide various documents. As our turn approached, a man from our flight approached us and said:
- Do you have a tourist visa? You will still be interrogated for a long time, let me go ahead, I have a residence permit!
Okay, come on. We don’t feel sorry for that, we are good aunts. But somehow the man exaggerated his abilities. They checked him for 15 minutes. They only took our passports from us, checked the availability of various Schengen visas, and without asking a single question, they let us in.
Well, welcome to Poland! According to the plan, we had Krakow, the ancient capital of Poland.
The transfer brought us to the bus station of the city, and then, following the signs and printed maps, we wandered off to look for our hotel. Near the bus station there is a huge shopping center, railway station. Outwardly, the city did not differ much from Kyiv, but the closer we got to its old part, the more we realized that we were no longer at home. On every corner are favorite simits (Turkish bagels) for 1.50 zł , street beggars, musicians, smiling people with their dogs and bags to collect excrement. Funny Polish morning.
The road from the station to the hotel took 15 minutes. Our hotel was located in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz, not far from the Wawel Castle. At the reception we were met by an enthusiastic guy, handed us the keys, a map and wished us a good rest. The "traveler's set" was waiting for us in the room: a kettle, cups, plates, cutlery. Since our body did not see breakfast, this discovery pleased us, and it was decided to immediately wash the appliances.
Further, leaving our backpacks on the third (!!! ) bed in a double room, we went for a walk. The first point of course was Wawel Castle, which is located on a hill right on the banks of the Vistula.
Entrance to the territory is free, however, to enter the castle itself, the cathedral or museums, you need to pay a bribe. Since we had exactly one day to look around the city, we decided not to go to all the cathedrals, churches, palaces. In addition, we, like real blondes, did not have local currency on our hands. Having somehow removed the zlotys from the map on the territory of Wawel, we decided to visit the Cathedral of St. Stanislaus and Wenceslas and see the royal stone sarcophagi. Lech Kaczynski and his wife were buried right there. (entry PLN 11)
First, we wandered inside the cathedral, admired the magnificent painted chapels, sarcophagi of saints. We decided to climb the bell tower (I do not recommend it for people with magnificent forms).
Our ascent to the bell tower reminded me of the Cologne House. However, the height of this belfry was less intimidating, and the stairs themselves, knocked together from wooden beams, inspired stability and aroused the desire to show all their flexibility and climb behind the boarded-up partitions.
We walked around Wawel for a long time, looked at the Vistula, admired the city. The heat was incredible. March turned up the heat.
It was decided to "go down to earth" and follow the heart of Krakow - the old city. As soon as we got to the first street, we saw the Ukrainian restaurant. At the sight of photos with borscht and dumplings, my stomach rumbled gently.
I see no reason to describe the old city for a long time. He needs to be seen! He is beautiful. Small multi-colored houses, a huge market square, with many cafes on the street, flower trade, Cloth stalls (shopping arcades where you can stock up on the usual tourist junk), cathedrals, churches and many carriages. You feel like you're in the Middle Ages. You can sit near the Town Hall, surf the Internet (there are Wi-Fi access points throughout the old city), drink delicious coffee and eat a huge sandwich. Krakow is a city for relaxation. Even late at night, you can safely walk along the old cobbled streets without fear for your life.
By evening, our legs fell off. We bought provisions with a degree in the nearest shop to the hotel, and went to the rooms. For a long time I enjoyed Ukrainian sausage, Polish beer and the Egyptian company represented by Gudik)
