Sunday Travel Shot: Wroclaw, Poland

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Nov 1, 2009 in Travel

Wroclaw's Main Market Square (Polish: Rynek) is a medieval market square and now the heart of a pedestrian zone.

Tags: cheap travel, eastern europe, main market square, poland, Travel, wroclaw

Picture Slideshow, Top 10 Polish Brews & Why You Need To Visit Poland Now

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jul 1, 2009 in Travel

It is impossible to remember all of the tasty beers I consumed in the three week journey around Poland. So here is a top 10 list of my favorite frosty adult beverages that I enjoyed while on my trip:

Zywiec – The king of Polish beers! Zywiec is to Poland as Guinness is to Ireland or Budweiser is to the USA. This pale lager was such a pleasure to drink while going out in Krakow, Raciborz and Zakopane. It sure was the perfect drink to help wash down some of the amazing Polish cuisine I devoured on my trek through this amazing European country. Zywiec was purchased by Heinken in the 1990s
Okocim - I have been drinking this for some time in the States, but still preferred it when Zywiec was not around…which in Poland is pretty rare. Okocim has been brewed in the same city since 1845 and was purchased by Carlsburg in 1996.
Tyskie - A big bottle of the tasty Tyskie beer was seen quite often in front of me when hanging out with friends in Raciborz. One of the more popular beers sold in Poland and I am not surprised since it is such a great tasting beer!
Zubr - You cant miss this beer in the pub or supermarkets of Poland, since it has a big old buffalo smack dab on the front of the bottle. This delicious adult beverage has been brewed for over 200 years on the edge of the Bialowieza Forest in Poland.
Warka - The smell of the beer is underwhelming, but the taste is surprisingly enjoyable. I loved me some Warka (pronounced “Varka” since Poland uses a V sound for the letter W).
Harnas - Yet another tasty golden lager that goes down easily and works well with some Polish grub.
Tatra - Although sold all over Poland, I found myself drinking this beer the most while hanging out in the mountain city of Zakopane, which happens to be in the shadows of the Tatra Mountains.
Ksiazece - Made by the people at the Tyskie brewery, this subtle and slightly bitter beer was a pleasure to drink on a hot Polish summer night.
Redd’s – Now I normally do not like flavored beers. But this company that specializes in producing cranberry, orange and apple flavored lagers, was pleasantly refreshing on a very humid day hanging outside in Raciborz’s town square.
EB - Produced by the Zywiec people and introduced in1997, this beer is popular among younger drinkers and available outside of Poland as well.

One last note about Poland. If you are thinking of checking out this country, then you might want to do it sooner than later. The Polish zloty’s weak exchange rate with the U.S. dollar, Euro and many other currencies make this already enjoyable locale super affordable.

One U.S. dollar will give you about 3 or so zloty, one Euro will give you about 4 or so zloty, and one British pound will give you an astounding 5 or so zloty! But rumors are that Poland will change over to the Euro as soon as 2012. So book that trip to Krakow or Warsaw soon and enjoy a 4-star trip on a 2-star budget.

Tags: dublin airport, eastern europe, golompki, krakow, poland, raciborz, rosol, tatra mountains, Travel, zakopane

Nomad Notebook: Poland Update 5 (More from Zakopane)

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 24, 2009 in Travel

Hello again from Poland. Due to my lack of internet access, I have not been able to update as often as I would like. But here are some more pictures from my trip to Zakopane, Poland. This mountain resort is extremely popular in the winter and summer. Luckily I visited a week before schools got out and the madness of the family tourism rush came into town. While it was still busy, I was told by more than one Zakopane local that this was quiet compared to what they will be getting in just a matter of days.

My next update will be in a few days with an update from Krakow. I have been looking forward to checking out this great city for years. The weather forecast calls for lots of rain, but it will take a massive hurricane to stop me from checking out easily the most popular city in all of Poland. Some of the locales I plan to check out the amazing Rynek Glowny (the world’s biggest medieval town square), the historic Wieliczka salt mines, and much more.

When in Zakopane be sure to check out Karcma Holny. An amazing restaurant that serves old school Polish cuisine. Try all of their soups (especially the cream of mushroom). I ate here three nights in a row. Loved this place.

A breathetaking view of the mountains in Zakopane on a very hot Friday afternoon.

Hanging out at "Rabkoland" in Zakopane. This place was just full of items for sale (like jewelry, mountain cheeses, toys, etc), restaurants, and even a few places to grab a Zywiec or two.

Getting ready to BBQ on a warm night in Zakopane. The view from our back porch never gets old.

Checking out the many shops, cafes, bars, and attractions on the main street of Zakopane. Just tons of places to spend your hard earned zloty.

Being a tourist on Krupowki street in Zakopane.

I might be a tourist...but you will NEVER catch me riding around a horse and carriage when on vacation.

Enough of Krupowki street...time to get some piwo (beer) and head back to the house.

Decisions...decisions. I have tried over 20 different types of beers while visiting Poland. But I still like the Zywiec brand the best out of all of them.