'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.' According to Marc Twain's quote I would like to encourage you to leave your life in Leuven and go to the beautiful city, the medieval seats of Polish kings, coined the 'Polish culture capital'- Cracow.

But this time I want to focus on some parts of Cracow, which are not as often visited as the Old Town is.

Not many people know that for many centuries Cracow was a mixture of Polish and Jewish culture. Before the Second World War, Jewish inhabitants were 25 % of the Cracow population. They were settled in the separate district calls 'Kazimierz'. What is interesting is that in 1993, Steven Spielberg made his famous movie 'Schindler's List' there – a story about a German businessman who saved about 1100 Jews from death at the Nazi concentration camp, Aushwitz. At present Schindler's factory has been restored into a museum, where you can almost feel the atmosphere of Cracow during the interwar period and II World War.

If you want a taste of the spirit of Jewish Cracow before going there, the closest you can get is to listen to the Kroke & Nigel Kennedy song 'Ajde Jano'.

But traveling is not only visiting museums, galleries, etc. Why not travel back in time in an interactive way? Have you ever thought about living in a communist country? The group of young-crazy guiders (http://www.crazyguides.com/) can show you everyday life in Poland in the 1970's. They'll drive you in a vintage Trabant car or Polski Fiat 125 to the district of Nowa Huta – a model socialist city. They'll take you to their communist apartment museum where you can watch propaganda movies and learn about living under Soviet occupation. What more is that they will treat you to vodka and pickles. If you wish, guiders can arrange a meeting with the legendary Communist worker Mr. Vieslav. And afterwards you will have a rest in a Communist-style restaurant, where you can try Polish cuisine.

Don't forget to visit Zakopane, situated near the Tatra Mountains- 3 hours from Cracow. Seeing the Tatras National Camp will be an unforgettable experience.

Last but not least 13 km from Cracow is another UNESCO World Heritage site – a salt mine in Wieliczka. 327 m under the ground, where you can explore salt lakes and chambers. but don't forget to lick a salt wall, which is what everyone used to do.

So , 'Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover' Cracow; |