Everyone Loves Links...

How about some Polish Links?!

Here are some links to a lot of the places I visited while in Poland. If you happen to actually be going to Poland you've got to check these places out. I would say these are on my"You can't leave Poland until you see these places" list. Enjoy! (Note: Some of the sites will pull up in Polish, just click on the little British flag for it to be in English.)

Lancut--This is the town I stayed in. It is in the Southeastern part of Poland and is about 30 minutes away from the Ukranian border. Chris' father grew up here and we stayed in his mother's house (Caleb's Great-Grandmother). Lancut was our home-base of sorts. We would go on excursions and then return.

Lancut Palace--Chris' Grandmother lives across the street from a very cool PALACE. It is beautiful. The palace grounds were made into a public park and Chris and I would walk through the grounds when we were walking back from town. How often do you get to walk by a real palace? While there you should go see the Carriage House. The collection of horse-drawn carriages is phenomenal. Horse enthusiasts and mere appreciators will be in awe.

Rzeszow--This is the closest "big city" to Lancut. Chris and I spent a day looking around and shopping with one of his cousins. A day of shopping is always fun and there is some great shops here.

Krakow--Krakow is one of the best known cities in Poland. Chris and I went there for a weekend while Caleb was babysat for the weekend. We stayed with Chris' aunt and was shown around town by two of his cousins. We had no idea that we were arriving during the 750th anniversary celebration of Krakow. WOW!!! 750 years! One of the most prominent things in Krakow is St. Mary's Basilica in the City Square. Never in my life have been in a church so old (750) and so ornate. I was floored and reminded of God's majesty. Our favorite restaurant while in Krakow was this one. We would neve have known of it if it weren't for Gregory, Chris' cousin. It is down deep in the basement of a university and there is only one sign on the street. But, Oh My Goodness!!! The price was great and the food was phenomenal. Go There!

Wieliczka Salt Mine--Close by to Krakow is the coolest Salt Mine. You may think, "Salt Mine, what is so cool about salt?" I thought that too until I went 427 feet (130 meters) under ground touring this place and we only saw the first three levels (out of seven) and only 1% of the mines. The air is clear and cool. There is even a sanitorium type place farther below where people with respiratory ailments come to spend the night just to breath the air. You will be amazed at how everything was carved out of salt including an entire cathedral that holds weekly mass to this day.

Auschwitz--I know that Auschwitz isn't exactly a happy place to go and I understand reluctance. But, I believe that it is a place that people must see to keep the memory of those lost alive. You can even bring or buy flowers to lay somewhere if you feel so inclined. It is a very quiet place and it is emotionally wrenching. I was thrown back when I realized that as I walked along the railroad track to the crematorium I was walking the very route that probably thousands of people walked and never came back. I had the luxury of just looking and then walking back to my air-conditioned motor coach. Just go and see it. You will never forget it.

Well, those were the best links I could find that were primarily in English. Enjoy! Poland is such a beautiful country and it has really come a long way since communism fell. I was actually amazed at how little culture shock I had and how "Western" it has become. Put Poland on your "Must See Before I Die" list and thank me when you get back.