Jem8472
TS Member
Well I have decided to do another post on my travels. I will try and make it a little different from the last one which some of you may have read over on TTF.
This was all arranged by Carla as a surprise for my 30th birthday. We last went to Krakow in May 2012 and had such an amazing time we have been talking about it since we visited in May.
This was a short visit to Krakow leaving early Sunday morning and returning to a return flight late Wednesday.
Well I did not really sleep Sat night into Sunday morning, just layed on the sofa and dozed a bit.
We set off from our flat to pick up Mum and Dad at about 2am. The drive down to Stansted was really rubbish, snow all the way no let up with it at all.
We got to STN in plenty of time and got from the mid stay car park to the terminal with no problem. there was a big queue for bag drop off but when it opened it soon went down.
Flight was standard Ryanair thing, was on time, we managed to sit together which was nice. Landing was a bit bouncy at Krakow but other than that it was all good. The airport is small so it only takes about 10 mins to get through passport control and grab your bags.
We got some train tickets from an automatic machine and headed off to the little terminal where a shuttle train goes from Krakow centre to the airport.
We stayed in the same B&B as last time as it was a great location. We had a smaller room but it was always lovely and warm, had a very nice bathroom with a great shower.
As we had arrived early we dropped our bags off at out B&B and headed off for some food.
My dad wanted to try out a milk bar, this is sort of a low cost government subsidised cafe which were around everywhere during communist times. Now they are a bit more upmarket. As we soon found out the food was amazing!
3 of us had Zurek which is a type of sour soup with sausage and hard boiled egg in it. Its lovely, really nice and tasty and fills you up.
My mum ordered Bigos which is a hunters stew, mainly made from cabbage with sausage in it.
It was really really nice, not sure I could eat a whole bowl of it but its lovely. We also each had a drink and this came to about 50zl which is just over £10!
This is what the milk bar looks like on the inside
A nice stained glass roof.
After our lunch we headed to the square to have a look about. My Mum and Dad had not visited Krakow since 1980 when it was still all under communist rule. Not a lot has changed building wise but there is just a lot more happening and a lot more people about and it has a much nicer atmosphere.
We went for a ride in one of the horse carriages for 100zl (£20 for all 4 of us) the ride took us down to Wawel castle and it took us about 20-30 mins. Not too bad really.
After our ride we went into the cloth hall. This is a big indoor market, one of the largest in Europe.
Lots of stalls selling all sort of stuff. A lot of amber jewellery and wooden carved objects.
We had a good look in there and a look around the square.
Krakow square is very large so its not just a quick 2 min walk around it.
By this time we were a bit cold so headed to Wedels chocolate shop for something warm.
They do the most amazing hot chocolate in there. There is nothing in the UK that can come close, this is like drinking melted chocolate it is truly amazing!
Hot chocolate with Raspberry sauce at the bottom!
The cafe part of the shop
It was now time to check in so my mum and dad headed off to their hotel and we went to our B&B to check in and get sorted.
We stayed in a place called Tango house and it is about a 30 second walk from the main square.
There was a nice girl that checked us in, she was new there and all a bit flustered, but in a sweet way.
This was almost opposite our B&B
There was a lot more graffiti about compared to our last visit just before Euro 2012, but things like this I don't really class as graffiti, its just great I love it!
Our little room.
Carla had a shower and I fell asleep on the bed while relaxing.
A short time later my phone rang and it was my cousin that lives in Warsaw, he was in Krakow as another birthday surprise!
He came up to our room and we chatted while we waited for Carla to get ready.
We went off to have a look about and find somewhere to eat. After a good walk down to Wawel castle and back we found a nice looking restaurant in one of the corners of the old square.
It was an Italian and Polish restaurant.
I was not too sure about it as when we went in and sat down there was only one other table with people at it. Normally a bad sign with a restaurant.
Myself and my cousin Bartek ordered Pierogi. I went for Peasant ones which are cabbage with mushrooms. Bartek went for Russian style ones with potato and cheese.
Carla ordered a chicken pasta dish with spinach and a cream sauce.
All the food arrived quickly and it was brilliant, really tasty and perfectly cooked. I tried Carlas dish and it was perfectly cooked. Nice bite to the pasta, the sauce was amazing.
I had a bit of cheesecake for afters which was nice. A bit different to our but still very nice.
We had a quick drink in the bar at Hard Rock cafe before heading back to the B&B and bed as it had been a very long day
To be continued....
This was all arranged by Carla as a surprise for my 30th birthday. We last went to Krakow in May 2012 and had such an amazing time we have been talking about it since we visited in May.
This was a short visit to Krakow leaving early Sunday morning and returning to a return flight late Wednesday.
Well I did not really sleep Sat night into Sunday morning, just layed on the sofa and dozed a bit.
We set off from our flat to pick up Mum and Dad at about 2am. The drive down to Stansted was really rubbish, snow all the way no let up with it at all.
We got to STN in plenty of time and got from the mid stay car park to the terminal with no problem. there was a big queue for bag drop off but when it opened it soon went down.
Flight was standard Ryanair thing, was on time, we managed to sit together which was nice. Landing was a bit bouncy at Krakow but other than that it was all good. The airport is small so it only takes about 10 mins to get through passport control and grab your bags.
We got some train tickets from an automatic machine and headed off to the little terminal where a shuttle train goes from Krakow centre to the airport.
We stayed in the same B&B as last time as it was a great location. We had a smaller room but it was always lovely and warm, had a very nice bathroom with a great shower.
As we had arrived early we dropped our bags off at out B&B and headed off for some food.
My dad wanted to try out a milk bar, this is sort of a low cost government subsidised cafe which were around everywhere during communist times. Now they are a bit more upmarket. As we soon found out the food was amazing!
3 of us had Zurek which is a type of sour soup with sausage and hard boiled egg in it. Its lovely, really nice and tasty and fills you up.
My mum ordered Bigos which is a hunters stew, mainly made from cabbage with sausage in it.
It was really really nice, not sure I could eat a whole bowl of it but its lovely. We also each had a drink and this came to about 50zl which is just over £10!
This is what the milk bar looks like on the inside
A nice stained glass roof.
After our lunch we headed to the square to have a look about. My Mum and Dad had not visited Krakow since 1980 when it was still all under communist rule. Not a lot has changed building wise but there is just a lot more happening and a lot more people about and it has a much nicer atmosphere.
We went for a ride in one of the horse carriages for 100zl (£20 for all 4 of us) the ride took us down to Wawel castle and it took us about 20-30 mins. Not too bad really.
After our ride we went into the cloth hall. This is a big indoor market, one of the largest in Europe.
Lots of stalls selling all sort of stuff. A lot of amber jewellery and wooden carved objects.
We had a good look in there and a look around the square.
Krakow square is very large so its not just a quick 2 min walk around it.
By this time we were a bit cold so headed to Wedels chocolate shop for something warm.
They do the most amazing hot chocolate in there. There is nothing in the UK that can come close, this is like drinking melted chocolate it is truly amazing!
Hot chocolate with Raspberry sauce at the bottom!
The cafe part of the shop
It was now time to check in so my mum and dad headed off to their hotel and we went to our B&B to check in and get sorted.
We stayed in a place called Tango house and it is about a 30 second walk from the main square.
There was a nice girl that checked us in, she was new there and all a bit flustered, but in a sweet way.
This was almost opposite our B&B
There was a lot more graffiti about compared to our last visit just before Euro 2012, but things like this I don't really class as graffiti, its just great I love it!
Our little room.
Carla had a shower and I fell asleep on the bed while relaxing.
A short time later my phone rang and it was my cousin that lives in Warsaw, he was in Krakow as another birthday surprise!
He came up to our room and we chatted while we waited for Carla to get ready.
We went off to have a look about and find somewhere to eat. After a good walk down to Wawel castle and back we found a nice looking restaurant in one of the corners of the old square.
It was an Italian and Polish restaurant.
I was not too sure about it as when we went in and sat down there was only one other table with people at it. Normally a bad sign with a restaurant.
Myself and my cousin Bartek ordered Pierogi. I went for Peasant ones which are cabbage with mushrooms. Bartek went for Russian style ones with potato and cheese.
Carla ordered a chicken pasta dish with spinach and a cream sauce.
All the food arrived quickly and it was brilliant, really tasty and perfectly cooked. I tried Carlas dish and it was perfectly cooked. Nice bite to the pasta, the sauce was amazing.
I had a bit of cheesecake for afters which was nice. A bit different to our but still very nice.
We had a quick drink in the bar at Hard Rock cafe before heading back to the B&B and bed as it had been a very long day
To be continued....
