On an extended solo backpacking tour through Europe, I came upon my last stop, Poland.
I didn’t realize that I would fall in love with the country, the people, the food, and the city of Krakow!
Instead of the two weeks I had originally planned on staying, I ended up staying six months! After that, I made plans to return for another six months!
In Krakow, my new home, I rented a small apartment. Nothing fancy by any means…
The view of the castle from my living room/bedroom window made it special.
I traveled around a bit as well. Here is an example of one of the old-school homes outside the city.
While in Poland, I tried to visit a lot of sites. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is a maze of underground rooms and passages, including this church!
I also visited the somber Auschwitz concentration camp to pay homage to those who suffered in captivity.
Art at the museum depicted the great pain experienced here.
I experienced the beautiful tradition of remembering loved ones by placing candles on graves instead of trick-or-treating at the end of October.
I met an American, Tony, who became my best friend, and my only native-English-speaking buddy.
Eating perogies became a daily thing. Fresh bought, frozen, hand-made, they are all good!
Although not Polish, I tasted my first street Kebab in Krakow, became addicted, and kebabs became my go-to evening meal when I was out and about.
The city of Krakow is also a university city, so art and culture abound. I fell in love with Poland, learned the language, and became an English teacher. I still hold fond memories of my time in this part of the world.
