Krakow, Abel Hostel

We are missing Scotland so much. We are so pathetic. We got up at 4.30 am and walked from our Travelodge at Ratho Station to the airport getting there about 5.40 am. We actually got into the terminal at the same time as a family that left the Travelodge in a car as we headed off. We still needed all the time. It was a nightmare getting our baggage checked in and then through security. It was mayhem. We were corralled like animals. We then found our way to the departure gate – 1E. The flight left slightly late.




I found the flight exciting but Anne was upset to start with. We got to Balice (Krakow Airport) a bit early! I didn’t manage to get my camera out my bag. I was bothering the man on the outside seat and panicked. So I have no photos till landed at Balice.

















I recorded sections of the route with my Garmin Etrex 20. I didn’t record it all as didn’t want to use up all my batteries. This is the gpx plot I have.

Analysis of the gpx track gives the following –

Maximum elevation: 35787.4 ft
Maximum speed: 625.6 mph
Average climbing speed : 467.7 mph
Average descent speed : 525.8 mph
Average speed: 502 mph
Total real distance: 1113.3 miles

This is data from FlightAware




We bought postcards in the airport to try and get change for the bus, but it wasn’t enough. We found the machine for purchasing tickets. I managed to pay with my debit card.  We got three 4 zl tickets covering zones 1 and 2. This was advice from the net. You have to buy a ticket for your luggage. At 80 pence that is not a burden!

We managed to get the 292 bus.
 




We sussed out how to get our tickets stamped and got into the centre and walked to our hostel. We came to the Vistula River and past Wawel Castle which is all lovely and then into Kazimierz, the old Jewish part of Krakow.





This is our first view of Krakow after getting off the bus.





The Vistula.



Wawel Castle. Before here I never thought of taking that classic photo of Wawel Castle. Stress and me don’t do well.





Here is Hostel Abel where we are to stay the week.



We couldn’t get in our hostel till 2.00 so had a wander and got something to eat in a shabby supermarket. We ate it on a park bench surrounded by tramps, kind of like the Grass Market in Edinburgh.





We then went back to Abel Hostel and signed in. Our bill for the week is only £227.05 (1130 zl). Amazing. It is nice and the people friendly but seemed a bit condescending. We rested and went out again covering more than 3 miles.



We visited The Isaac Synagogue just round the corner from us.







We headed out east then south and came down to the river again, the Vistula.





We had been looking for the Old Jewish Cemetery but couldn’t get in so we came to the New Jewish Cemetery. It had been trashed by the Germans during the war. It was a lovely old cemetery and we were glad to get the peace. I had to purchase a cap for 2 zl to go round it. 





We saw these candle lanterns all over the place.









We actually saw two Hassidic Jews. It is so sad they don’t know that the Messiah, the Saviour has come. We saw the river again. Had a look at some shops.

We had a nice tea in a wee restaurant called Warsztat, which seems to mean ‘Workshop’. It cost just £12 for both of us. It was a spiced grilled chicken with chips.









We have been in our room very tired and stressed. I have a headache and bad bowels. I certainly don’t want that! It is very noisy. Wish I was home! We have phoned mummy and Aunt Jeana, but can’t get Mairi.

Altogether I’m a woose. I can’t handle adventure.

These are some of the coins. I like the Polish currency and am glad they don’t use Euros. The country has its own currency, the zloty. Zloty can be abbreviated to zl though PLN, the international symbol of the Polish currency, is widely used in Poland. A zloty is divided into one hundred groszy (abbreviation gr). 

Here are 1 gr, 2 gr, 5 gr and 10 gr coins.

Also a 1 zl and a 2 zl coin.



Did a bit of work to write this but finished it the next day. Gave up on doing photos as feeling bad. We watched clips on YouTube on my Android tablet. I have the Bible and a Kindle reader on my tablet. I downloaded a couple of books before we left: “Following The Front Wheel West…” and “Scootin’ to Alaska: A Travel Memoir”.  It also has a copy of all our important documents – boarding passes, travel insurance and scanned copies of our passports.

We walked 2.2 miles to Edinburgh airport; 1.8 miles from the bus stop to Hostel Abel; 3.3 miles round Kazimierz.

Total = 7.3 miles

We did a bit more than that. Anne’s photos