Spaulding wrote:
You'll talk soccer but not hockey?
Hope it was a good trip. Would like to hear more about it.
what would you like to know?
Day 1- flight from O'Hare is delayed. I traveled on five planes in four countries aviationally inferior to the US and the only plane that was late was United out of O'Hare. Thanks Daley. We flew from Chicago to Frankfurt. The flight was decent and the entertainment package on newer jets for long flights is really great these days. I had my choice of recent movies that I could start at any time. I also had four episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Unfortunately, airplane food quality is no higher than it was decades prior. They should forget hot foods. Just give me a really good cold sandwich or salad with some good bread and that would be fine.
Day 2- landed in Frankfurt late, which almost set the whole schedule into a tailspin. We had to run from the flight to the next gate, which was finishing boarding when we arrived. If you have ever had to run to a gate after getting off a nine hour flight with young children, you have earned your spot in heaven.
We got there just in time to board a germanicly efficient Lufthansa to Vienna. It was only a one hour flight. Landed in Vienna. Had a good laugh with the kids that it is pronounced Ween. That one had me laughing 25 years ago and still cracks me up. I was happy to pass it down to the next generation. We were able to walk to our next gate, where we met my parents. They had previously been on a trip to Vienna and Salzburg and were meeting us for a few days in Krakow. The meeting picked up the kids' spirits.
We boarded an air Austria propeller plane to Krakow. It was one of those where you have to walk to the plane on the tarmac, which is always kind of different. Those prop planes are tiny. They shouldn't let the full figured stewardesses work them because of the narrow aisles and Air Austria's uniforms do not complement a wider woman. I always consider Austria to be Germany Lite or Germany's sibling who got all the love, however, I think Austria really has more in common with Eastern European neighbors than German. You could bunch the whole area of Munich, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and southern Poland into a group with kindred spirits. They served some awesome nutella wafers on the flight, even though it was only an hour.
We arrived in Krakow midday. That airport is still stuck in the communist era. I guess it is befitting as it is more of a local airport and probably only the fourth busiest in the country. We got to the hotel with enough time to do some touring that I had scheduled. The best way to break the jet lag is to force yourself to stay up and exercise a little. I knew it would be rough for the kids so I scheduled something fun. We stayed near Wawel Castle so I had us go there to tour the Dragon's Lair. There is an old myth about a dragon living in the city and causing havoc. One of the many brilliant Poles decided to trick the dragon by putting casks of gunpowder in sheep's wool. The dragon ate it and blew up. The Dragon's Lair is an old cave under the castle. It was appropriately fun and scary. We then climbed the castle tower for a great view of the city. That was a well run first taste of Europe.
I was in charge of the Krakow planning part of the vacation so I put some real effort into it. I found what I thought to be an interesting dinner in an old brewery near the hotel. It was a few blocks which was long enough to get an on the ground feel for the city. My parents generally don't drink, which puts a damper on a brewery restaurant but this was family friendly and loud enough that we wouldn't cause a scene if someone got tired. I threw down a little Polish in ordering up beers for my wife and I. The food was plentiful, as you might expect in a beer hall. It wasn't that tasty but did the trick. They had a quartet playing Polish folk music. There was a group of Polish men sitting next to us sitting for a guys night out. They were a few sheets to the wind and enthusiastically joining in the songs. In another corner it was someone's birthday and a round of Stolat broke out...kind of a perfect evening.
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
