Saturday Travel Shot: Wroclaw, Poland

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Feb 20, 2010 in Travel

An evening stroll in Wroclaw, Poland

Tags: europe, poland, wroclaw

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 8 (Dzień Dobry From Raciborz…See Ya In Brooklyn!)

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 30, 2009 in Travel

Raciborz, Poland...my home for the last three weeks.

This will be my last update from the amazing country of Poland. The last three weeks were way better than I could have ever expected. Although 75% of the trip saw cloudy skies, the visit to this Eastern European locale will be something that I soon will not forget.

On my next update I will go over some of my highlights of the trip, give you people thinking of planning a Polish getaway some English-Polish translations that will be useful on your journey, and maybe list all of the beers I tried while hopping around Poland.

Take care, thanks for all the e-mails and comments, and see you back in Brooklyn.

Tags: krakow, poland, raciborz, Travel, warsaw

Nomad Notebook: Poland Update 7 (The Wieliczka Salt Mine)

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Jun 27, 2009 in Travel

Just a few more days left here in Poland and I can say now without a doubt it has been the best trip I have ever taken. I have seen so much of this great country, ate so much of their food, drank so much of their beer (and vodka), and even had time to climb a mountain and wander far below in a salt mine. Speaking of which, here are some pictures from my recent visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine (which is about 15-20 minutes by car from Krakow’s town square):

Far below Krakow is the popular Wieliczka Salt Mine. For 40 zloty (or about $12 U.S.) you will be guided through this amazing UNESCO site. The tour last about 2.5 hours and is very entertaining and educational.

The miners would have to turn these machines in order to lift the salt above ground. The tour guide had a few people test it out...still works.

There are many stops along the way in which the tour guide will tell you a story about the history of the mine. This particular picture is of one of the miners proposing to his girlfriend after coming across a ring he had found while working in the mine. Legend has it that some other disgruntled gentleman tossed the same ring into a well in the Czech Republic and it found its way to the mines of Krakow.

Horses were used in the mines as a way to transport heavy equipment and the salt around the mine. Most of them lived 5-7 years, had stables built for them and even had their own caretakers. Horses were first introduced to the mines in the mid 1600s.

A picture of the stable that workers used to take care of the horses. Here the horses caretaker feeds and grooms the horse. Do not feel bad for the horses, as the tour guide said the healty air of the mines made it very comfortable for them to breathe and move about.

Miners hard at work.

The salty walls of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Yes I put my finger on the wall and tasted it...such a tourist.

This amazing room can be rented out for weddings. For 2,000 zloty (or abour $600 U.S.) you can say "I Do" far below Poland. They even have a special elevator to bring down the bride and groom.

Chandeliers adorn the salty room.

The newest salt statue to be placed in the mine is of Pope John Paul II. In 1999 the Pope was to attend a special event in the mine, but due to a sickness had to cancel. Special tiles were placed in the mine around the statue to make it easier for the Pontiff to walk about. He would later attend a smaller event and get to see the sculpture made for him.