Day 1 in Poland

Now where was I.....

Oh yes, going to bed for an early start ... and indeed that is what today was. Up at 1.15am away from the house at 2.15am, and then arriving at Stansted Airport at 4.15am - Charlotte is a good, if fast driver, I wonder where she gets it from?

So there we were, Standsted Airport at what felt like the middle of the night (well it was) and my first ever experience with Ryanair was about to begin.

Travelling very light, with just my hand luggage, I still managed to get my bag searched. No it wasn't the insulin, or the needles, which I was so careful to put into the clear plastic bag, nor my tootpaste(Sue hadn't declared her toothpaste, so her bag got searched as well) nor was it the other medication, but my deodorant. And I had been so careful to go out and but some roll-on, having met this problem before, it was the wrong sort of roll-on. Anyhow, all got sorted out. And I had even managed to get through the metal detector this time!

Then Ryanair! I have to be very fair to them, they got us where we wanted to be, on time. But that was about it. Nothing about passenger comfort, of customer service - all about getting things done as quickly as possible, maximising profits at every opportunity, and hoping the good old public will do as they are told - without question. You know what I am like, I just took it all in my stride, and we arrived in Poland. Treating its customers like cattle was the feeling, but we're here - I wonder if the return journey will be the same sort of experience.

And then something very strange happened, as we left Krakow Airport - the airport to Poland's second city. All help for the tourist vanished. We went in search of a shuttle bus to the railway station, only to find one un-identified bendi-bus, with people sitting on it. But being British, we didn't want to risk getting on a bus that might whisk us away to somewhere we didn't want to be (even Neil was unsure) so we walked to the station, me wheeling my bag, and using my stick to support my errant leg.

And after about 3/4 mile we arrived at the station - well I wouldn't call it a station at all, more like one of those unmanned stops on the Robin Hood line, with just a little shelter. We had just missed a train, but it was very pleasant sitting in the sunshine, waiting for the next one.

One of these train/tram thingies - but it was very nice, and interesting, although Sue didn't quite match my enthusiasm. It took us to the main Railway Station in Krakow, through some very interesting scenery (mainly rural, but also urban, with loads of rail stock in varying degrees of condition from burnt out (literally) to brand speaking new.

On arrival we decided to go straight to the hotel to drop off our bags. Neil's question to me (I had done all the arranging) was had I got a map showing where the hotel was. Oh dear, I hadn't, and I told him so, and I think his face just showed the slightest hint of asking the question "why hadn't?". But here came my first mistake of the day. I should have taken the lead like Neil would have done, and said "I don't need a map, because I know where the hotel is" (I didn't). It seems to me the art of good leadership is also about blagging it. And if I had, everyone would have thought how clever I was, because when we turned as we walked out of the station, I saw the name of the hotel about 500 yards away (no one else had seen it hehehe) Oh well, c'est la vie!!

Dropped off our bags, and then walked through the old city to the main square, where we had breakfast. It was still only 11.30am, and that after putting our watches on an hour. The weather today has been glorious - sunshine, and shirtsleeves.

After breakfast we went our separate ways - Neil and Jocelyn wanted to walk and wander through through the old city and the Jewish quarter. Sue and I, well initially we went to church. The Main Church in the old city. A beautiful building, although I didn't understand the sermon. In one way the experience was like churches I have been associated with, and in another way nothing like. "Nothing like" - it was packed. Standing room only - there must have been nearly 2000 people there, and so many young people, especially young men, actively involved with what was going on. "And so like churches I have been involved with" - people just came and went all the way through the service, with no real thought as to when it began, what stage we were at, or when it would end.

After church, and knowing my limitation, and having been targeted by market research (I think it was the walking stick) I managed to negotiate a city tour. It would last 1 1/2 hours and would show us all the sights of the old city, other city sights, the Jewish quarters, Schindlers factory, and what was once the Jewish Ghetto. It did all that and more. Even though it was expensive, we wouldn't have seen any of it without it. The tour consisted of Sue and I and our young driver/guide (just the three of us) along with a very helpful audio guide, and being transported in what was really a fast golf buggie - or rather like that thing they have at King's Mill Hospital which helps you get around when you can't walk very well. It was great!!! In every aspect. And the highlight of the tour - as beautiful as though it all was, for me what touched me was the Square of Heros, beside what was once the Jewish Ghetto. A Square with many monuments and plaques, but also dotted around we're dozens of chairs (in stone of course) representing empty houses.

I was beginning to get a bit tired now, as was Sue,but the other thing which I love about Krakow are it's trams. Hundreds of them everywhere, most packed with people. Brand new trams, old trams which look as though they would have been around in the was, and every sort in between.

But I was tired, and came back to the hotel to book in and to rest, but only for an hour and a quarter - and then, with Sue still asleep I went out with my camera and took loads of photos of....trams.

The trams, the people, and the beautiful sights of Krakow have really excited me!

Tonight (it is not 7pm) yet, going out for a meal in the city. Getting quite hungry now. A really great, happy day.

Tomorrow we are being picked up at 9am for our trip to Auschwitz and the Saltmines.

Now that is going be a totally different experience.