Poland-from a dark history to memorable trips

Poland turns dark history

Into memorable trips

Traveling

With Bob & Sandy Nesoff

The 1940s was a dark time for Poland following the German invasion.  People who had interacted amicably for eons suddenly found friends turned into foes.  Some of the darkest moments in history were created in towns such as Oswiecim, better know to the world as Auschwitz.

Today the Polish government has been in the forefront of commemorating those days so that contemporary nations will not forget what took place there.  The former concentration camp has become a major tourist destination, not only for Jews, but for tens of thousands of others who confront the past.  These camps were aimed specifically at Jews, but it is important to note that the occupiers and their local adherents also destroyed millions of others: Catholics, Protestants, Roma (the name Gypsies use for themselves), homosexuals, and anyone they deemed to be less than pure.

The camps are a jolting reminder of what was and what could have been had people of good faith not worked against evil.

One of those brighter stories was of Oscar Schindler, a Christian who saved hundreds of Jews at the risk of his own life.  Today the Oscar Schindler Factory Museum bears testament to his story, also made famous in the Steven Spielberg movie, Schindler’s List.

In Krakow you can see the best of Poland, especially with a walking tour that takes in such sites as the world’s oldest indoor shopping mall, Cloth Hall.  Cloth Hall was a center of the textile trade and some 700 years ago (circa 1300) a roof was built over two rows of stalls creating a covered shopping area.  Located at the Grand Square (Rynek Glowny), it was updated in the 14^th Century with the addition of a Gothic extension with an ornate roof and decorated with grotesque masks by Santi Gucci.

Nearby is ancient St. Mary’s Church and Wawel Hill topped off by Wawel Castle.

In the city of Wroclaw visitors may take in the beautiful mansions and flower markets of the Plac Solny and the Baroque beauty of the town’s main square.  In Gdansk, where the downfall of Communism was born with the defiance of ship and electrical workers, visitors may tour the city’s ship yards and hear stories about the uprising that brought democracy back to Poland and the rest of the Communist bloc.

Experienced travelers know that it’s always a good idea to go to the library and pick up books about a first time destination.  It won’t make you an expert, but I will give you a working knowledge of the area and a taste for the customs of the people who live there.  Another method is to take an organized tour the first time out.  Knowledgeable guides can tell you the stories of the region and point out locales of interest.  Insight Vacations (www.insightvacations.com) specializes in tours of Poland, covering many of the abovementioned locales and much more.

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Those who have visited continental Europe as well as the United Kingdom have seen upscale barges and boutique-sized ships plying the rivers and canals that connect many of the countries now liked by the European Union.  That linkage has brought about considerable benefits for visitors.

All nations in the compact have introduced a common currency, the Euro.  Ancillary benefits have accrued to travelers as well.  One of the most daunting problems was figuring out the exchange rate of various currencies to the American dollar.  Invariably you came out on the short end of the stick.

With a common currency for most of Europe you don’t have to carry a calculator and worry what the cost of something is from country to country.  Another major benefit is that there are no border crossing posts and you can drive from country to country without stopping or providing a passport or visa.

River cruises cover a number of countries in a very leisurely fashion.  You get to see a part of the country that most visitors are never privy to; you don’t have to pack and unpack for each destination, you can sit back and relax as you transit from Vienna to Budapest to Istanbul and absorb the very different cultures and history of each as you pass through on the river, stop for a day’s visit and then hop back on your floating hotel for the next adventure.

Cruise international Magazine has named Uniworld Cruises (www.uniroldcruiseline.com) for “Best Dining” on a ship.  Zagat Surveys has also given the company a “Top Dining” award.  Hard on the heels of these two accolades, the Guardian and Observer Reader Travel Awards has also been presented to Uniworld in a category that includes both river and ocean cruise lines.  The category had previously been dominated by such top notch lines as Silversea, Cunard and Celebrity.  Uniworld scored 100% from the voters.