Polly #43 travels to Poland and Ukraine

On the 26th of July I left Plymouth, Devon (England!) and set of on my travels to Poland. My trip began with Judith (who I live with in Plymouth) and Lucy, who is Judith’s friend from Dawlish. I spent a day in London, seeing some sights, before heading to Luton and sleeping on the airport floor for the night! At 4am Abbie, Chris, Craig and Fran arrived (Judith’s friends from University) and we boarded the plane to Krakow, Poland.

We arrived in Poland very tired, a frog doesn’t sleep so well on the floor! And it was raining unbelievably hard in Krakow! We spent our first day seeing some sights in Krakow and getting very wet! On the second day we thought it best to escape the rain and head to Krakow’s aqua center. It was an amazing day! There were more water slides and activities than I have ever seen in any water park, all indoors! There were slides, a climbing wall in the middle of the pool, rope walks, inflatables… I am so glad I packed my froggy swimming trunks!

 

 

 

That night we boarded a night train to Ukraine. It was the most exciting night I can ever remember! We got on in Ukraine, I shared a cabine with Lucy, Abbie and Judith. It was fantastic, we even had a sink!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My time in Ukraine was my favourite part of the trip. It had a far more Eastern European feel to it, Poland has become more western since its entry to the EU. We rode trams around the city of L’viv, which cost about 8p (£0.08, I don’t know the equivilent in $ I’m afraid!) we also walked for miles and miles!

L’viv is a the most nationalist area of Ukraine and so the city is pickled with statues and monuments to great Ukrainians. There is a marvelous statue in the central square that marks Ukranian independence from the USSR, as well as Chevchenko, the great Ukrainian poet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After two wonderful days in Ukraine we boarded another night train back to Krakow. We spent three more days there, seeing the sights. We walked miles and miles!! We visited the Oskar Schindler factory museum where I learned a lot about what Poland was like during the Nazi occupation in the Second World War.

I also we to the Jewish quarter of the city and visited 5 different synagogues. They were all very different and each beautiful in a unique way. We saw some very ornate Orthodox Christian churches in L’viv, so the contrast was very interesting.

After two wonderful days in Ukraine we boarded another night train back to Krakow. We spent three more days there, seeing the sights. We walked miles and miles!! We visited the Oskar Schindler factory museum where I learned a lot about what Poland was like during the Nazi occupation in the Second World War. I also we to the Jewish quarter of the city and visited 5 different synagogues. They were all very different and each beautiful in a unique way. We saw some very ornate Orthodox Christian churches in L’viv, so the contrast was very interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we were back in Krakow some more friends, Phil and Gemma, came to join us. On Monday Phil, Gemma, Judith and Lucy went to see the site of the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp. I stayed at the hostel that day. They said that the trip was very moving in many different ways.

On Tuesday morning we had to flew back to Enlgand. I am now back in Plymouth, looking through the 850 photos that Judith took on the trip, many of them including me! I have asked her to upload them to Facebook, and I have been tagged in them so that you can see all of my adventure. I would very much recommend a trip to Krakow, and even more so to L’viv. I just hope that the city retains it character and culture for you to enjoy!

Polly xxxx

Tags: Polly 43