Sunday night I took a night train to Krakow Poland. Arrived early, went straight to Hotel. Decided to get a hotel here, cost comparable and could get close to the town center.
Went exploring early. Krakow has a small old city, surrounded by a narrow park, which was a city moat that was filled in and old city wall destroyed. Up high above the city is the Wawel castle. The city has one main entrance gate. Amazing place. In the center of the city is the largest medieval town square in Europe (200m x 200m).
Krakow is alive with tourism, a huge difference from the years prior to 1989. Also the city square is the gathering place for locals to chat, teens to meet, and many school field trips. I think the kids get out here more.
I took a tour of the salt mines outside of town. A huge working salt mine 60m below the surface, over 700 years old where since the 1800's the miners have carved statues, meeting halls, and a mini lake, all below ground. The horses that were used as beasts of burden, never saw the light of day in their lives. Met a couple from Denver and kids from Canada and Ozzieland. Great tour.
On Tuesday night, I took another night train to Budapest. Ran into a professor and students from Heritage College in El Cajon, small world.
The train ride was interesting, wake up at 2:30AM for border crossing, but got about 5 hours of light traveling over the Slovakian and Hungarian countryside. Beautiful farmland, small villages with town center cathedral. Near bigger cities, huge complexes of high rise housing, old Soviet style of living.
On to Budapest, big city, will get backon that in a few days.
Yours in travel,
Bill Wilson
billwilson@pocketmail.com (While away on travel)
email2bill@cox.net (When home)
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