Poznań and others

Since writing my last entry I’ve been daydreaming about Poland, and I hope you have too. The cities I went over last may be enough for some people, but I have a hankering to find out more about what Poland has to offer.

So I begin with…

Poznań:

Poznań is located in west-central Poland on the Warta River, and is the country’s fourth largest city. It was recently host to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2008, bringing it back into the public eye. But what else is in Poznań? A few sites I find to be absolutely vital (or at least interesting sounding) are:

The National Museum-It is home to a lot of European art, mostly Polish of course. They even have a Gallery of Poster and Design which would interest any graphic designer.

Palm House-The Palm House is one of the largest greenhouses in Europe which I think is pretty darn cool! In the greenhouse they have the continents’ largest collection of cacti and its tallest bamboo trees. The Palm House has been open since 1910-impressive!-and is also home to an aquarium of exotic fish and an old war-time air raid shelter.

It was pointed out to me that I had made a grievous mistake in my last post. You see, I used a picture of Gdańsk, but failed to write anything about it! I’m horrible. But today I am rectifying that mistake and writing about…

Gdańsk:

This city looks absolutely gorgeous, so it’s no wonder it’s a popular destination…and a well kept secret. Gdańsk sounds like the perfect place to get away due to its pace and atmosphere. The town is Poland’s main seaport and has been for some time. Back in the 70′s Gdańsk hit the map as the cool place to go for popular live music, hosting concerts by Pink Floyd, Queen and others.

Artus Court: This place is so famous that it has a vodka named after it! Many agree that it is the best-known house in the city, gaining famous visitors from all over the world including many of America’s presidents!

St. Mary’s Church: This church is said to be the largest brick church…in the WORLD! Why the heck wouldn’t you want to see that! Even traveling across America the sheer number of beautiful and historic churches you “just have to see” can get tiring, so why not mix it up with a church that totally deserves a visit?

Alright guys, that’s just about enough for this evening. I think I have a pretty good idea of what I would like to go see and do while in Poland, and I hope you do too.

NEXT TIME: AUSTRALIA!

PS-Check out Lonely Planet, they’re a great source of information on pretty much any place you can think of!

How do you get a one armed Pole out of a tree?

Answer: Wave to him.

How do you get a Pole out of a bathtub?

Answer: Throw in a bar of soap.

Why do Polish names end in -ski?

Answer: They don’t know how to spell toboggan.

The Polish have been made fun of for centuries, and I should know. I am one, and my grandfather (who is SUPER Polish) just loves telling bad Polish jokes. Of course, they all start with, “Do you know how stupid I am? I’m so stupid that I…”

See what I did there? Anyway, my point is, Poland has a bad rap, but I don’t think it’s deserved at all. Poland is a beautiful country with a rich history full of strife, hardship and hard work. Through it all Poland has stayed strong and proud…even the Poles who live in Cleveland, OH are proud.

Poland is definitelyoff the beaten path of regular travel, and that’s why I wanted to make it one of my first posts. Too long has Poland been neglected by the average traveler! It’s time to find out why seeing Poland will be time well spent.

Quick facts:

Capital: Warsaw

Official Language: Polish

Currency: złoty

Average Airfare from LOU Airport: $869

Average Airfare from STA: $828

The three cities I will be talking about in this post are Warsaw, Kraków and Poznań.

WARSAW:

Warsaw is Poland’s capital and largest city, and lies on the Vistula River. The city is no stranger to hardship, as you might recall from your high school history classes. Warsaw was under the thumb of the Nazi’s for many years, then became a Communist nation. Hope returned when the rise of Poland’s son, John Paul II, became Pope and instilled an anti-communist fervor in the country. And then Polish kids everywhere began dreaming of one day becoming the Pope…just kidding.

Today, Warsaw is a bustling city center…and it even has skyscrapers!

AKWARIUM JAZZARIUM:

Apparently, this is Warsaw’s first jazz club and it’s still totally operational. All that remains from the early days is the white piano, but it sounds like a great place to check out and get a feel for some of Warsaw’s cultural history.

OLD TOWN:

Most things here are pretty historical, but it’s not all yawns and dust. There are some cool clubs and bars in the area, but they also lend themselves to outdoor seating to just enjoy the area.

If I get to make a trip to Poland some day, Warsaw will definitely be my landing place. It should be a great start to the trip, and ease me into the life in Poland. But it can’t be the only stop I make.

KRAKOW:

One of the largest and oldest cities in Poland, Krakow is most known as the scientific and artistic center of the country. From doing a little research, Krakow sounds like the perfect city to roam around with no particular plan in mind. There are plenty of cool, underground spots (several gay clubs are scattered all over) as well as tons and tons of churches.

There are plenty of historical sites to wet your educational appetite, and I would personally try and see most of the cemeteries. No, I’m not morbid, I just find them to be incredibly interesting, especially when they’re as old as the ones in Krakow.

You can tell how interested I am in Poland by the length of this post, so I guess I should stop now and save it for another day. Stay tuned for details about Poznan, and maybe a few other spots around the beautiful country of Poland.

–Natalie

Italia Part Due(Two)!

As promised, this post will cover everything that is NOT Rome, Italy. Italy is huge and boot-like, so there are a lot of potential destinations to cover. No more wasting time…let’s start with Florence!

FLORENCE:

Florence, or Firenze, lies on the Arno River in the Tuscan province, and is famous for being the epicenter of the Renaissance. It is especially famous for its art and architecture produced during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and housed many great artists. Much of the art has been preserved and can be viewed now, which I think is excellent. Anyone who is an art lover knows how essential Florence is, and typically has an intense desire to visit.

Some of the most important sites in Florence are: Michelangelo’s David, Palazzo Vecchio, The Dome of Brunelleschi, the Church of Santa Maria Novella, and the Piazza della Signoria.

Many of these names will be very familiar to anyone who has taken an art history class. (I had flashes of dread and memorization just typing this entry.) Art lovers aren’t the only ones who will enjoy what Florence has to offer, however.

DAVID:

Michelangelo’s David is famous for being perfect. No, really…I’m dead serious. The David is a testament to the sheer perfection of the human form, and a celebration of Michelangelo’s skill at carving such beauty out of a hunk of marble. It was marveled when it was first sculpted in the early 1500′s and still draws adoring attention today. Its current location is in the Uffizi Gallery where visitors may view David to their hearts content. Oh, and I know he’s pretty, but no touching.

SAN LORENZO MARKET:

If you get bored of all the beauty and history Florence has to offer and just want to blow as many euros as possible, head over to the San Lorenzo Market. I’ve heard lots of people gush about what they can get there and at what price. San Lorenzo Market is known for thier collection of well-priced leather goods, in case you were looking for a brand new bag while abroad. I’m sure the market will be a welcome break from expensive goods. With such names like Gucci, Ferragamo and Cavalli coming out of Florence, a bargin might be hard to come by.

VENICE, ITALY:

The City of Water, The City of Bridges, The City of Light….the City is sinking so hurry up and go see it! Venice might be one of the most famous cities in the world due to its beauty, attitude, and the fact that it may disappear. But we don’t need to talk about that, let’s just focus on how amazing it is, and what we can do once we get there.

Some of the most important sites in Venice are: the canals, St. Mark’s Basilica, The Bridge of Sighs, Rialto Bridge, Hall of the Inquisitors, Doge’s Palace(and everything inside) and the Venice Carnival.

ST. MARK’S BASILICA:

Simply put, it is an architectural masterpiece. It was completed over several centuries (which is just ridiculous, if you really think about it) and is a mixture of Byzantine, Roman and Venetian styles. If you are in Venice and don’t go see it…well, let’s just say we won’t be friends anymore.

There is so much more I could say about Venice, but it’s hard to. There is just so much to see and do, depending on the time of year you visit. The same goes for the whole country of Italy. There is beautiful countryside to see, as well as major cities. Based on your interest and comfort level, choose the region of Italy you want to visit and GO.

If you are serious about going to Itay go to THIS site for help. ItalyGuides is run by actual Italians, so they know what they’re talking about. The site can help you plan where to go and when, and you can also book tickets directly on the website.

I hope the information I have provided has been helpful and interesting for those who are considering a trip to Italy. The best way to see a country, however, is to simply go. Once you get there, ask a local what their favorite place in town is, and then try it out!

NEXT UP: POLAND