11 min walk from Torwar – 44 min walk from PGE Narodowy
Dearest hearts,
I had my heart set up on telling you about this place for such a long time. I used to go here twice a year, at least, when going to Warsaw. I usually go for day-trips to Warsaw so I don’t have to stay over, when I have some business at the Romanian Embassy, or when I want to drop by friends. But sometimes, when there is a really good concert – a leg of a tour that does not get to Krakow – then staying over the night is a must.
The usual locations of the big concerts in Warsaw are either PGE Narodowy (eg. PINK’s “Beautiful Trauma” in 2019; Ed Sheeran’s in 2018) or in Torwar Hall (eg. Sarah Brightman’s “Hymn” Tour in 2019, Brian Adam’s “The Ultimate Tour” in 2018). It is crucial to book hotels in time, just about the same time when you get the tickets for the concerts, as everything around the venues goes as fast as warm bread!
The Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum rooms are quite small but clean and well maintained. There is no separate bathroom – the sink is in the same room as the sleeping room, the shower you walk-in from the room. There is a separate small room for the toilet – obviously, there had to be a separate location for that 😉
Location, Location, LOCATION!
When I’m up to go to a concert I don’t need much – just a good place to lay my head after rocking the night, a good shower, and a decent breakfast in the morning after. But most important: I look for a place that would be walking distance away from the location of the concert.
Why you might ask (if you have never been to a concert)… Well, it is simple, both the PGE Narodowy and the Torwar Hall are huge venues with amazing capacities of thousands of people. Once the show is over, the same amount of people will spill outside to public transport, taxi, or their own vehicles, which usually renders the streets to be packed for 30-45 minutes. Who wants to be a sardine inside a bus, stuck in traffic?!I, for one, always love to walk and walking 11 minutes (if the concert is at Torwar) or 45 minutes (if the concert is at PGE Narodowy) is not that big of a deal!
Don’t feed the birds! – sign on the window
The cute minimalistic stickers on the doors
Accommodation – Warsaw: Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum
Always book several months in advance
Let’s face it, when booking up your stay in Warsaw, if you are going to a concert, it is best you buy the tickets for the concert at the same time as you would buy the hotel tickets. This way you know you will have a chance to get a good spot. I always like to make reservations for the hotel even before buying the concert tickets 😉 – prevention is key! You and other thousands of people will want to be close to the venue, so don’t fight! stay cool and book in time!
How do I get there?!
Getting to the hotel is not hard at all, no matter where you come from. Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum (ul. Zagorna 1) has easy access to the city center, main train station (Warszawa Centralna), and the Fryderyk Chopin Airport.
Use the bilingual app/website called Jakdojade.PL to search where you wish to go to and which tram/bus/train you should take. First you need to select where you are (noted with A) and then where you wish to go (noted with B) and search
It has pretty good connections by public transport – it used to be only one bus ride but I have recently checked and now you have to switch 2. The ride roughly takes 20-30 minutes and then there is a small walk around the buildings to get to the Hotel. Buses run often – every 10 min or so. There are also parking places, so if you come with your own (or rented) car you can safely park it there.
Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum has 176 double rooms!
The Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum has 176 double rooms, equipped with air-conditioning (perfect for the summertime!). The WIFI is free of charge.
You can check-in online (I always prefer that, as I never know quite when I will get there…). Otherwise, you have to be there to check-in at 12 (or later, you can let them know when booking). The Check-out is up to 12:00 middle of the day. The nice thing about this place is that the reception is open 24h/day. The people at the reception are always very nice and informative. They will always jump in with a free map of Warsaw to show you the best places around and mark them down. They are all English speakers so there is no stress if you don’t speak Polish.
The sad part is that there is no restaurant inside the Ibis Budget Warsawa Centrum, after dark. However, just next door, there is the Ibis Styles where there is a great restaurant you could check out 😉 and have a nightcap.
The IBIS Budget Room
The IBIS Budget Room
The IBIS Budget Room
The IBIS Budget Room
The IBIS Budget Room
Accommodation – Warsaw: Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum
The Breakfast Option
However, the Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum does provide the Bed & Breakfast option. You can choose to add to your bill the breakfast – which is always buffet style. It costs about 27 zlotych per person (August 2020). Breakfast is a free choice of dairy products, meat cuts, cereals, jams/preserves, fruits. They also serve beverages: orange and apple juice, teas, coffees, and the like.
No eggs, nor omelet, pancakes, and so on, unfortunately, and that always made me sad. There is, however, plenty of sausages (PL: kielbasa) and ham (PL: wedlina). It is a bit overpriced, as at that money you could go to Old Town and get something nicer. But, if you are too lazy… it is a perfect choice 😉
The rooms
Inside the Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum, the roomsare always clean and fresh toiletry (2 soaps) provided. The rooms are not soundproof but that has never been a problem. I am a light sleeper and never have I ever been woken up by any noise here. Not even when just next door they were working still on the Ibis Styles.
Beds are quite austere, but conforming to the price of the room. Mattresses are thin, beds have no suspensions whatsoever so no jumping on them! The sink is in the same room with the bed, so the first time the experience can be quite awkward. I always prefer to take the room for myself only. I do not see myself sharing it with anyone else… next to the sink and bed, there is a small place for the shower that is walk-in. The toilet is in its own closed space, thank God!
The hotel rooms have also TV/radio and I always like to put in RMF Classic to relax. The average prices, if you book in time, are about 30-35 € per night. It can get even lower nowadays, with all the #Covid19 lack of booking. People stopped visiting so the prices do go down a bit…
TIP FOR COLD WINTER NIGHTS: Coming at 12 midnight or later on from the concert, you can always make yourself a hot tea at the lobby area, for just 5 zlotych, to warm yourself up. The lady at the reception will help you out 😉 There are also shelves with books/magazines you can take away and read for the period of your stay.
Bottom line! I am waiting for concerts to happen again and for sure I shall stay there again 😉
DISCLAIMER: I was not payed in any way to do this review. I thought travellers to Warsaw might like to know more about the accommodation options. There you go 😉
1st August in Warsaw – Where all the city stands still for 1 minute – Every year!
Here I am, the 1st of August – standing in Warsaw, the Capital of Poland. It is getting closer and closer to 5 PM and I feel the rush of people gathering… preparing… waiting for the magic to begin!
Each year on the 1st of August the City of Warsaw stands still for a minute. Every year, on the exact same day, at the exact same hour, at 5 PM, people stop – no matter what they do and no matter where they are located – and stand still for a full minute. Buses, trams, cars… they all stop on the great crowded streets and the people inside the cars usually come out and stand straight for that minute – from 5:00 to 5:01 PM.
Thousands of people stand still and think about the year of 1944 and pray for the heroes that fell that day. They remember them and pay their respects, from their heart. But why, you might ask…
1st August in Warsaw – Where all the city stands still for 1 minute – Every year!
The “W-hour” – “WYBUCH”
They all stand still to commemorate the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising that started at 5 PM on the 1st of August 1944. In Polish, it’s known as the ‘W-hour’ (where ‘w’ stands for the Polish equivalent of the word explosion – ‘wybuch’).
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation led by the Polish resistance Home Army (PL: Armia Krajowa), to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. The uprising was timed to coincide with the retreat of the German forces from Poland ahead of the Soviet advance. While approaching the eastern suburbs of the city, the Red Army temporarily halted combat operations, enabling the Germans to regroup and defeat the Polish resistance and to destroy the city in retaliation. The Uprising was fought for 63 days with little outside support. It was the single largest military effort taken by any European resistance movement during World War II.
The Warsaw Uprising Movie 1944
Fighting With Their Hearts For Their Country
Some people, some historians, might call the Warsaw Uprising as the biggest mistake they could make. I call it bravery and love for their own country, for their Motherland. It is true, they did not have military equipment, their opponent was stronger, but their hearts were pure and brave and they did the best they could – considering the circumstances…
Of course, one of Warsaw Uprising’s results was infuriating even more the Nazi’s and that resulted also to the bombings that took place that month – ruining the city, rendering it inhabitable in proportion of almost 90%!
Although the exact number of casualties is unknown, it is estimated that about 16,000 members of the Polish resistance were killed and about 6,000 badly wounded. In addition, between 150,000 and 200,000 Polish civilians died, mostly from mass executions.
1st August in Warsaw – Where all the city stands still for 1 minute – Every year!
Brutal Facts about The Warsaw Uprising
Stalin wanted the Uprising to fail, this is why he never answered to Warsaw’s Underground Army call for help! Soviet Army was on the banks of the Vistula river and they waited until Nazi Germany rained down bombs upon Warsaw, grazing it to the ground.
The fighting lasted for 63 days!!! – that is a long time, considering the Polish resistance Home Army (PL: Armia Krajowa – AK) calculated the weapons and ammo to last only for 1 week! It was supposed to be a shock operation but it bled through… no help was coming…
Sewers were important during the Warsaw Uprising – the water was cut out by the Nazis so the sewer system drained and the AK made great use of it as a network to travel between districts.
Nazi Germany used their newest machines in the Uprising combat – Tiger, Panther guns, and… The famous Goliath tracked mine (robotic weapons)!
Nazi Germany send over to Warsaw their most brutal Commanders to stop the unrest – Oskar Dirlewanger had over 40.000 people (some sources even say 50.000 Polish people) rounded up and shot in the Wola Massacre. Most of the victims were the elderly, women, and children.
Operation Tempest(PL: Akcja “Burza”) – AK was the largest and the best equipped Underground Army at that time, in Europe! They attempted to liberate Warsaw, to coordinate it all with Stalin’s Army… but we all know how that ended up…
The wonderfully brilliantly done music video by Sabaton – a tribute to Warsaw “City at War” – “Uprising” – some of the videos are originals from the 1940s in Warsaw – a MUST SEE!
Ending today’s post (in order to get ready for the 5 PM celebration), I leave you with this song I absolutely love.
Who here, when traveling to Poland and wanting to visit Warsaw (The Capital City) did not put in the iconic Palace of Culture and Science on the list? To be fair, even if you didn’t you for sure ended up in its vicinity, admiring its heights! It is one of Warsaw’s most famous landmarks, so I always enjoyed visiting it – not to mention the 360 degrees view from the top is stunning! I like the architecture of the Palace and I enjoy it immensely so hearing from my Polish friends and colleagues what pain causes them, I wanted to know more – how can one grow to hate a piece of architecture, a symbol of Warsaw?
The Palace of Culture and Science of Warsaw has many nicknames – some of the many include: “Peking” (from the acronym PKIN – Palac Kultury i Nauki); “Nightmare dream of a drunken pastry cook” (given by the Polish poet and soldier Władysław Broniewski) and the most used one: “Stalin’s present“.
Why do Polish people hate it?
As one Lidia Fedorska nicely put this on a Quora answer: “To Polish people, The Palace of Culture doesn’t represent Warsaw’s rebirth from post-war rubble. It represents brutal interference in the heart of our city. It’s a symbol of post-war political oppression under an unwanted system“.
The building of the Palace was proposed by Viachesłav Molotov – if the name rings a bell then you are right: it is the same person who signed the pact of the partitioning of Poland with Ribbentrop. Agreed by Hilary Minc, the project was accepted (barely) by a team of Polish architects.
The Palace of Culture (Warsaw) and its surroundings in the 1950s
80-90% of Warsaw has been grazed to the ground during WWII
To understand where the hate and animosity come from, we must rewind to the times right after World War II. Different sources report a percentage from 80 to 90% of Warsaw being devastated during the war. To give you an idea of how people were living back then, it will suffice to say that 10 people per room was the norm (if the building was still standing). Many (almost all) buildings had no access to running water or electricity. You would think, logically, that housing would be the top priority … but no! Stalin wanted his foot dug deep in the heart of Warsaw.
Stalin’s Gift
Stalin did not want just any place in Warsaw but its very beating heart. He wanted this symbol to be the first thing that people would look at when they looked out their windows… tall and proud. He wanted the Polish people to walk past it and feel dwarfed by its sheer size! But also by what it was a symbol of… a gift for decades! The supremacy of socialism would show from every corner of Warsaw.
The Polish architects tried hard to salvage the situation by putting forward 5 other locations – that were already grazed to the ground by all the shell bombing during WWII, but to no avail… The Soviet authorities decided that 6 streets (that were still standing, and completely functional!) had to be demolished in order to build the Palace. Those 6 streets had 80 functional apartment buildings and 3500 habitable rooms!
Besides of the question where the people inside could live, as all other buildings were grazed to the ground… there was also the question of National Heritage – destroying buildings that were culturally unique and precious, in order to build a gigantic Palace void of any connection to the hearts of the Polish people that lived through WWII.
The 6 streets that were grazed down for the Palace of Culture – Warsaw, Poland
The painful process of building the Palace of Culture in Warsaw
The construction of the Palace of Culture and Science took 1176 days – started in 1952 and lasted until 1955. It took 3500-5000 Soviet workers & 4000 Polish workers to finish it! 17 people were killed in accidents during the construction, including 2 children. It took 40 million bricks, 26 thousand tons of steel, and the labor of thousands of people. This comes in a time where all construction material was almost non-existent and should have definitely been put to better usage by raising places where people (now without a home) could live.
We could have had a Metro!
A legend says that the Soviets could have built a metro or a giant hospital instead of the Palace of Culture, but president Bolesław Bierut chose to do the Palace instead. The least more useful option for those times… Besides being the chief proponent for the reconstruction of Warsaw (rebuilding of the historic district) and the erection of the Palace of Culture and Science, he is the only President that ruled Poland until is death (heart attack in Moscow).
The Palace of Culture and Science in the 1960s
The object of Cultural Heritage
With a total height of 237 meters (778 ft) it is the tallest building in Poland, the 5th-tallest building in the European Union (including spire) and one of the tallest on the European continent. Constructed in 1955, it houses various public and cultural institutions such as cinemas, theatres, libraries, sports clubs, university faculties, and authorities of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Since 2007 it has been enlisted in the Registry of Objects of Cultural Heritage. The Palace was also the tallest clock tower in the world until the installation of a clock mechanism on the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in Tokyo, Japan.
What are your thoughts and feelings on this piece of historical architecture? Many say it looks like a cake badly done, but I think it is a unique representation of those times – made by Polish architects! And I always loved visiting it and going to the viewing terrace on the 30th floor – which, btw is open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM 😉 and they do open it on Friday’s as well during evening time – 8 PM to 10 PM (that still is on my list to do!).
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug, Bringing You a Piece of Polish History
As per our good old friend, Wikipedia, the first typical milk bar “Mleczarnia Nadświdrzańska” was established in 1896 in Warsaw by Stanisław Dłużewski, a member of Polish landed gentry. Although the typical Bar Mleczny had a menu based on dairy items, these establishments generally also served other, non-dairy traditional Polish dishes as well.
The Popularity of the Milk Bars
The commercial success of the first milk bars encouraged other businessmen to copy this type of restaurant. As Poland regained her independence after World War I, milk bars appeared in most of the country. They offered relatively cheap but nourishing food, and as such achieved even more prominence during the economic depression in the 1930s.
Milk Bars and World War 2
The role of milk bars restaurants carried through World War II. After the fall of the German Nazi regime, Poland became a communist state and a satellite of the Soviet Union. The majority of the population was poor, contrary to official propaganda, and expensive and even moderately-priced restaurants were derided as “capitalist“. During the post-war years, most restaurants were nationalized and then closed down by the communist authorities. In the mid-1960s Milk Bars (Bar Mleczny) were common as a means of offering cheap meals to people working in companies that had no official canteen. They still served mostly dairy-based and vegetarian meals, especially during the period of martial law in the early 1980s, when meat was rationed.
The prevalent idea at that time was to provide all people with cheap meals at the place of their work. At times the price of the meals served in the workplace canteens was included in a worker’s salary. However, there was also a large number of people working in smaller firms that had no canteen at their disposal. Because of this, during the tenure of Władysław Gomułka, the authorities created a network of small self-service eateries. The meals, subsidized by the state, were cheap and easily available to anyone.
Menu Examples:
- Scrambled eggs with ham/bacon = 5,9 zloty
- Chicken soup with noodles = 3 zloty
- Kotlet schabowy = 8,2 zloty
- Kotlet de Volaille = 8,9 zloty
Mokotowski Bar Mleczny in Warsaw
Today I wanted to show you a piece of history that will soon be grazed down – as the owner will rent the place to someone else (don’t know the dates yet, as there was a “To Rent” sign last time I went there, in April 2020). The Mokotowski Bar Mleczny, located on Pulawska 63 in Warsaw, is a sentimental stop – a trip in a time machine to the communist times in Poland.
The prices of the menu are low for Warsaw and the food is not done with the help of many types of spices, as the law prohibits such places to use them. There is a tram stop just across the street and it is located on a very frequented road, so each time I passed by it was always full!
Many elderly and students eat there, as the food is at a good price and very filling for one’s tummy. The interior is modest: wooden tables with wooden chairs. There are seatings by the window, so you can look at the people passing by, or you can choose to sit at a regular table as well.
Mokotowski Bar Mleczny Menu
The menu is printed on the wall, as you enter, and the cashier is there too. Bar Mleczny are always self-service so grab quickly a chair, leave your jacket there and get to the counter before the queue starts up! The offer is wide and traditional, with soups, first course, second course and sweets. Of course there is also compote! Meals are fresh and there is always new things popping up on the menu.
I recommend you to try their dishes and follow their Facebook Page as they update it daily with the menu of the day 😉 Let me know if you went there before, by commenting on the section below. I would also love to hear your stories about the other Milk Bars you ave visited anywhere in Poland.
Yours sincerly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug That Loves MilkBars (A Blast From The Past)
Do you love Breakfast? I surely do! It is the best and most important meal of the day! So if you will come visit Krakow, you will need to get your strength for the day. So where should you have breakfast? Well, after 12+ years of living in this fine city, after trying countless places for breakfast… I thought I would share with you some of the places that I really love 🙂 I will list 10 places, however, this is not really a top! I love going to all the below places and sometimes they switch places in my top… so… without any further ado, here is my list.
Brownie at Hamsa Hummus and Happiness
1. HAMSA hummus & happiness restobar
Location: ul. Szeroka 2 / Miodowa 41, Kraków
Right smack in Kazimierz (Jewish District), you cannot miss it! The closest tram stop is Miodowa. They do make nice vegan breakfast options. You can reserve the places you wish to dine – outside if the weather is fair or inside if it rains or gets too cold. Nice atmosphere and kind waitresses. Very good hummus 😉
Charlotte – Bar i Wino and it’s famous Crème Brulee
2. Charlotte – Bar i Wino
Location: Pl. Szczepański 2, Kraków
This little quaint place is on Plac Szczepanski, a stone throw away from the Main Market Square. Be advised that especially during the weekends there is a large queue forming in order to get breakfast there! Also they do not take reservations. They have a lot of spaces but it is a very popular (hip!) location. The food was waaaaaaaay better a few years back but it does have a good breakfast now too. Tres’ French – croissants and jams are the thing! Also… if you do go to Warsaw, they have a place there too.
Full Irish Breakfast at MilkBar Tomasza 🙂
3. MilkBar Tomasza
Location: ul. Sw. Tomasza 24, Kraków
The best place in town to get Irish Breakfast! The MilkBar Tomasza’s Irish breakfast includes eggs, bacon, sausages, wedges, toast, hash brown, baked beans. This is typically a Milk Bar – Bar Mleczny. A old school memory of communist times. Good food, made in large portions, self service. The place is small so sometimes, for the breakfast option – during the weekend, you will have a queue. The place is also great for lunch – the 2 course option costs 32 zlotys (prices as of July 2023). Staff is super friendly and as a huge bonus they all speak English very well!
Pancake option at Mo-Ja Cafe
4. MO-JA Cafe & Bistro
Location: Starowislna 14,Kraków
The best place to have breakfast at any time of day! If other places stop having breakfast options around 12 or even 1 PM, MO-JA Cafe has breakfast options all day! And I think that is absolutely fabulous! The staff is super friendly, the service is fast, the options are clear and the food is delicious. I love the egg options but also the pancakes – especially the ones with seasonal fruits! The only minus, that is quite huge, is the fact that it is not elder/disabled people friendly – there are stairs to get up and no ramp or other access way for wheelchairs. The outside tables are tall, bar-like stools, so that is also not an option… So keep that in mind! Otherwise, this place is awesome!
Hot cocoa with raspberry @ Cafe Magia
5. Cafe Bar Magia
Location: pl. Mariacki 3,Kraków
This is one of the very first places I discovered in Krakow, and it is a place I come back to… time and time again. It is hidden and quaint and worth your time. There are 2 Cafe Magia but the eldest one, the more established one, is on Plac Mariacki. Don’t be afraid of the great wooden door! Open it and pass the corridor! The atmosphere is lovely, there may be a bit of waiting time… but this place is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
6. Lajkonik Piekarnia i Kawiarnia
Location: everywhere inKraków 🙂
Lajkonik Piekarnia is a chain of bread and pastry shops in Krakow. You can find them almost everywhere, at any corner, and they all bear the sign of the Lajkonik. They usually have places inside where you can sit – comfy chairs and even sofas. Great options for quick breakfast or breakfast on the go. Delicious lemonade, hot cocoa, tea options + yummy sandwiches. I love the halves with egg paste – they are the best! Also, they do have plenty of yummy sweets.
7. AWIW Restauracja
Location: ul. Szeroka 13 Kazimierz, Kraków
Do you wish to experience live Klezmer music (flute and accordion)? Have a dinner at AWIW! But don’t forget to try the breakfast options too. The szakszuka is simply delicious here! This is a traditional Jewish restaurant located close to 2 of the remaining synagogues in Krakow. Also walking distance from the Miodowa tram stop.
Fried eggs with bacon @Metrum Resto Bistro
8. Metrum Resto Bistro
Location: Swietego Tomasza 43, Kraków
This one is actually a stone throw away from MilkBar Tomasza 🙂 and it is a great place also to have an amazing view over Old Town Krakow. It is indeed a Krakow Hidden Gem. Located inside the Academy of Music, open to its students and professors, it is kind enough to open its gates to foreigners. The staff does speak English and the menu is written on a blackboard by the bar. It is self service. You order and pay and then you get a small ringer that announces you when the food is ready. You can pick indoor or outdoor seating. I like the places on the right side of the bar, as you go out and see the amazing view of Mariacki and Wawel. Don’t expect fancy! But it will be cheap and good and you will have the best views!
9. HEVRE
Location: Meiselsa 18 Corner Bozego Ciala, Kraków
The former Chewra Tehilim prayer house was built in 1896 under the direction of the architect Nachman Kopald based on an unknown project. We know that there was a prayer room on the ground floor as well as a women’s gallery. After 1951, the building became the headquarters of the “Krakowiacy” Song and Dance Group.
In 2008, wall paintings depicting biblical motifs and numerous friezes with floral motifs were discovered inside the synagogue. High up on the prayer room’s western wall there are images of four biblical animals ( lion, tiger, eagle and deer) in the decorative frames. On the level of the women’s gallery there is an inscription in Hebrew and a fragment of a view of Jerusalem.
In 2017, the contemporary minded yet traditional in spirit HEVRE community centre has opened a new chapter in the building’s history. HEVRE combines several different spaces – cafeteria, restaurant, bar, music club and a creative work space. HEVRE is located on 3 floors. It also hosts in the upper floors Vintage Fairs.
This one is a lovely find and the breakfast options here are also delicious. Breakfast is served until 1 PM but try and be there in time as the waiting time for service is quite long. Eggs Benedict is a must 😉
Inside Cafe Camelot in Krakow, Poland
10. Cafe Camelot
Location: Zaulek Sw. Tomasza, Kraków
This place is quite nicely hidden in Krakow Old Town, but somehow it is always crowded – the locals know it 😉 I will start with the huge minus: one bathroom stall for all, and that bathroom is not always the cleanest… I tend to bring in my napkins and sanitizer just in case! But! The outdoor and indoor seating is great, the place is quirky and cozy and it is definitely worth your time. Love the pink walls! Nice menu. Good breakfast: omelets and scrambled eggs – you get a coffee in the price of breakfast option. I am a eggs fan but there are also croissants with jam OR porridge options. Great cakes!
Let me know what you think of my list, once you visit these places 🙂
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that loves a good Breakfast
#DidYouKnow that the Australian Booksellers Association founded the “Love your Bookshop Day”? It is celebrated each year on the 14th of August. I am a huuuuuuge lover of books, so I could not miss out on the occasion to tell you more about this as well. Bookshops are a very important means of knowledge that people, nowadays, look less at – due to the increase in technology usage. Let’s be frank: Who uses a dictionary nowadays or a book to find the right info? You just Google it!
Old Bible on display in the Muzeum Podgorze, Krakow – Poland
A bit of history
#DidYouKnow that in 1600 AD the very first book in America is printed – “The Bay Psalm”
#DidYouKnow that in 1900 the Hardbacks became popular and the publishers started considering paperbacks as “low quality“
Today we celebrate the Bookshops, and I have to let you that they are one of my favorite places in the world. I could get lost in any bookshop (or library) for hours! And there are plenty of bookshops in Krakow where you can get to pick and choose a good novel. So, without any further ado, here are my 5 picks of the day:
Massolit – which holds also a cafe and the bookstore is built in such a way that you can grab a book, find a nook, and dream away 🙂 They have a large English book selection. They are located on ul. Felicjanek 4. Perfect for a rainy day!
Centrum Taniej Ksiazki – you can find them on Florianska street (Old Town) and they have mainly books in Polish but also a small selection of foreign ones. Plenty of books for kids, though 😉 unfortunaley no place to sit and savour a book before buying it. They do have “old client” cards and you have bonuses.
American Bookstore – If you are searching for a library with books only in English (from kids to Young Adult to grown ups…) this is your place! They even have an Instagram account. The people there are very friendly and helpful and eager to get you with the best option for you. They are located in teh Old Town on Slawkowska.
Bonito.PL – you can see Bonito shopws everywhere in Krakow. It is easy to order online via their mobile app or even via webpage. They have amazing prices and the delivery is fast! They also have games and books and sometimes toys for kids. I definitely have too many books bought from them :)) also good prices on the books in English language 😉
Last but not least: Glowna Ksiegarnia Naukowa – located very close to Teatr Bagatela (Old Town) – provides a full range of books and paper products. It even offers (for free!) to wrap the books as a present! Split in 2 locations (a few metres away), the 2 spots are a place you shoudl go. To get lost for a few hours 😉 Also, one of them allows even to buy tea/coffee only for a few zloty and savour it in an area with chairs and tables. Very cozy! With their own application (GKN) you get a 20% discount!
What about you? I am off to my local bookstore to share some love!
Don’t buy books online, go visit the local stores and support them!
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that LOVES Books & Bookstores
The fire of Krakow in 1850 was one of the most tragic events that happened to the city in the 19th century. This is how the event was reported at that time.
Krakow, July 18 (Thursday)
“10:00 pm. We have experienced a terrible day, and we do not foresee the end of our suffering. A terrible fire bursts around us, a terrible glow shines over the entire city, heavy smoke collapses. A sea of fire flooded the streets and the market square. Roofs fall, beams break, collapse. The dead hour struck for the city The fire is spreading more and more, it occupies the streets along the streets, life, estates, and even the existence of the city itself hangs from the wind. if he returns, the rest of the houses will go to dust.
The great fire of Krakow in 1850. A painting from the epoch of Theodor Baltazar Stachowicz (1800-1873).
Miserable town! The last defeat has finished you, in your streets and squares there will be only rubble, around which whole families will sit, and with a begging stick, you should search for some unburned rag, undamaged equipment. We have neither the time nor the head at this moment to appreciate all the misfortunes; we wait for the next days with fear, we tremble for the present moment, for the rest of the streets. What to do with a thousand victims, where to hug them? what to feed? We have no loft for our sisters, brothers, and mothers; bare pavement strewn with bare wood and the sky black with fire, this is our only refuge.
At 1 o’clock in the afternoon, the blows from the tower and the alarm in the marketplace announced the fire, although it was said that it had been going on for some time. Soon we saw a terrible fire in the lower mills on Krupnicza Street. The wind was blowing strong, the neighboring houses caught fire immediately, ….. four houses were burned down before the water spray ran up! There was no help. Everything that lay in the direction of the wind burned off; the fire did not know where to extend any further …. people started to come back when it was announced at 1 1/4 that the house of Mrs. Bartynowska on Goiłębia Street and the plantations had started to burn. The fire came out of the attic and soon spread over the entire roof. But a new scream: Wiślana Street is on fire! we run and we see a fire on the roof of the tenement house near the Hare. No water jets! nor a ladder! The academic buildings, the library, the dormitory, and offices were in terrible danger. The academic youth sprang up, ran to the roof, formed a chain of 150 people, and in a superhuman attempt to stop the fire, which had already begun to show up in the library building, was finally stopped.
A new scream: the Wielopolski Palace is on fire, I rush there and from Grodzka Street we can see a fire taking place from the roof. Fire in four places at once …. not a single spray! no help! not even the ladders! Nothing, nothing at all, all put at the mercy of the destructive element. Inhabitants start to get out of their homes, everyone saves what they can … meanwhile, the entire area from the tenement house is lit up by the Hare, and the fire is thrown into Gołębia block, into Bracka Street, into the bishop’s palace.
The plantation fire is progressing, the technician, the university printing house and the Unicki Church are in charge. No way to stop the dreadful clouds of fire …. no one is stopping them! Fire terrible on this side. The Wielopolski Palace is on fire, the entire Bracka Street is on fire, and the Starosty House is taken care of. The fire moves to the Franciscans. Streets filled with fires, choked with heavy waves of smoke, it is impossible to enter the apartments, nor cross the street.
A new shrill cry: Rapp’s tenement house on Carpenter’s Street is on fire, it is throwing fire into the Dominican Republic. The sea of fiery spilled over the rooftops and rages with the wind.
A fire enters the market square; the entire south side takes care of; the wind pushes him into the streets of Grodzka!
At that moment, the fire joined the plantations at Gołębia, Wiślana, and Franciszkańska Streets; for plantations at a small market, Szeroka Street, Ś. Józefa …. everything is on fire.
Four churches are burning at once …… and at the moment there are only naked, black walls, among the flames, which are still emerging here and there, there are cornices and gothic vaults. Suddenly, in the Dominican church, the roof falls on the vault, which still persists. The unburned beams still glow on the walls, and from there, and from there, the sheet metal is dripping from there. All the buildings and the library are burning next to the church. monastery, there are butcher’s shops. At the moment, butchers’ houses behind the plantations are on fire, the wind is blowing him more and more from the entire square between the Dominican plantations until a pillar of fire has tied almost under the old Vistula.
The Franciscan Church is on fire; dry altar trees, pews, cloisters are busy, hissing, crackling! The vault collapses, and the fire rushes into the monastery. from the monastery to the surrounding houses; in the courtyard, there are several dozen families, a few poor monks, and around them, a fiery river spread out with a wreath; the gate inaccessible, the only escape through the wall from the garden.
In Grodzka Street, the raging element spills out from the roof onto the roof, all the way to Śgo Józefa Street. But on the other hand, the inhabitants had already ripped off the roofs, and for a moment halted the terrible progress of destruction.
It was five o’clock, everyone lowered their hands because there was no more help. It was only counted that some buildings covered with tiles would be erected abroad! …. in Grodzka Street, the fire leaned against the passage in front of the court building, the part between Grodzka and Poselska on one side burned down. The house on the corner of Wiślana and Gołębia and the building of the Academy covered with tiles defended Śtej Anny Street and the eastern part of the Market Square. Everything is on fire until now! Unless the scaffolding has already collapsed and the red tongues of fire hiss the windows
Around 7 a.m., a few citizens stopped at the Hotel Dresden, thinking about the remedial measures. It was said that the commanding general himself, who had been on horseback from the very first moment, caught a man with sulfur dioxide in his hand, a wax candle, and a cotton-wrapped packet of gunpowder. At his home, attorney Boguński caught a 10-year-old boy dressed in rags, who was running to the attic. On request, where are you going? I’m going to save, he replied. There is no smoking here, replied the owner of the house, and surprised by the boy’s answer, he took him and found the materials needed to set fire to him. At that moment he took him to the barracks in Walter’s tenement house and handed him over to the military authority with the corpus delicti. Four other seriously suspected arson attacks were also apprehended and taken to the main guardhouse.
This story was scary! and we know that under our feet there is some hellish plot that has sworn the doom of the city. We could not comprehend, we did not want to believe, and yet the fact was told clearly, clearly. At that time, Mr. Maciszewski, whose entire apartment had burned down to the top, made a request to go to JESzef Komisya Gub. and HE Commander and ask them to bring a summary judgment, the Chamber of any caught in the act of arson, was immediately shot. This sentence was heeded and soon citizens: Boguński, Lipiński, Skarzyński, Kremer Karol, Kalinka and others went to HE Head of the Commission and Guber. declaring his wish to him. J. Excellencya replied that he could not announce the summary court, but because they were guilty, he would summon the President of the Tribunal.
An inquisition began with the accused who was apprehended by attorney Boguński … and after At 9 a.m. with the sound of drums, the military headquarters announced from the Central Committee, a decree that ordered candles in the windows to be burned, citizens were called to guard their homes, patrols were sent and it was ordered that whoever dares to resist them or is caught in the act of suspicion, will be immediately judged martial. North. We walked around the fire point again, the wind is stronger, choking smoke is spreading all over the square. The fire in the house of Mrs. Wąsowiczowa and Skotnickie falls deeper. Sikawka worked in the same house for some time, then it stopped.
Where are the other water jets?
Part of Wiślana Street is on fire in the background. The bishop’s palace burned down completely. The naked walls of the Franciscan Church are sticking out! the buildings next to the plantations seem to have survived, at least we have not seen any fire on them at the moment. From Bracka Street, or rather from Gołębia Street to Św. Joseph one sea of fire; we haven’t seen a single hive here again. But from this side the fire was stopped; only the interiors of houses are on fire. Stolarska Street is burning down; also the southern part of a small square; weak rescue! no people to help, no water. – Behind the plantations, the butcher’s houses glisten with still unburned coal.
Wentzl’s house in the market square was twice in terrible danger and twice almost miraculously survived. On one, the other and the third side it was boiling, we only saw a few chimneys sweeps on the roofs, diligently flooding water and tearing off shingles.
The Czech bookshop burned down; we saw books being thrown away, but it was too late. The files of two notaries, Ekielski and Korytowski, were burnt to the ground.
Everything depends on the wind right now – we cannot tell with certainty its direction, but it seems to be blowing in the same direction, only slightly stronger. It is only lucky that the roofs are no longer burning anywhere, the terrible fire glows deep inside the houses. All the walls seem to be cracked.Strong patrols walk the streets; the entire army is under arms; on the streets of the guard. In the plantations, the furniture of the unfortunate victims is folded and rested with the remnants of their property. On the market square, from Baranów to Grodzka Street, sofas, chairs, paintings and other movables are allowed together. Warta guards everywhere.
We hear about a few unhappy ones. who were burned. Among others, the venerable old man Filipowski, unable to get up from his bed, burned himself to coal, as they say. Several children found death. Poor victims, you died in terrible torments! but you did not survive your misfortune.
4 o’clock in the morning. Thank God we think the danger is over. The fire goes out. We are just coming back from the technique and house of Bartynowska. We come back filled with adoration for this noble university youth, because we have witnessed her sacrifice (…)
At 1 1/2 we walked out again for a city overview. The northern part of the market square is burning inside, the fire is renewing in technology, Franciszkany or rather the surrounding building is quiet, but in Grodzka Street between Szeroka and Ś. Joseph, the fire bursts violently from the windows. A water-pipe attached to one of the houses works poorly, the danger was in danger, the neighboring houses. who had miraculously survived so far, could for a moment alleviate the general misfortune. Weak rescue.
On Ś. Józef, among the furniture and scattered cloths, we can see a water spray standing in vain, it cannot be pulled into Grodzka Street, and there is no one to introduce it. In the street, wide Dominican buildings throw out a terrible fire, we did not see a living soul. The night and clouds of smoke, from among which the moon sometimes flickered red, made it impossible to see what was going on inside.
Behind the plantations the lights of the butchers’ fires glistened; no one again! We come back Sienna Street beats two o’clock, followed by the alarm, beating drums, announcing a new fire in the city from the Maryacka Tower. We ask where the water jets run to the Sukiennice. There it is easy; they call a fire in S. Anna Street and it’s quiet there; scream, there is fire in Szpitalna Street. the alarm turned out to be false. We return to the house of Mrs. Wąsowicz. The youth created a line and brought water to the water-pipe, which extinguishes the fire. We saw no danger here, but all the greater with technology. There was a fire in this place again, it is threatening the academy. The danger was terrible. University youth are thrown in this direction, pp Majer, Kuczyński and Pol are in charge of the defense. Two water jets were brought in, a double row was created. Then, with extraordinary effort, the ladder was brought down, professor Krupiński climbed on it and threw a huge beam onto the ground, which might burn for a long time. Seeing that with technology the danger decreases, especially since Mr. Majer has manned the roof of the university with people, they run at the end of the Gołembia block from Rudawa, bring water, pull a water-pipe and flood the fire in Mrs. Bartynowska’s house, which he recovered.
The day begins to dawn, the people from the market square, calmness returns to the minds.
6 o’clock in the morning. We walked around the horrible theater of misfortune once more. Heavy smoke is rising from several houses, here and there a beam, a balcony, or a window frame is burning. The walls and chimneys are naked, black, and tanned as crosses over the graves of the former exystentia. Owners of burnt houses come out to the streets, wanting to find out that they still have a lot of bricks from their former estates. (…) In one part of the city, where the shop stood near the shop, the warehouse near the warehouse, only the skeletons of houses and streets remained. It is a terrible sight.
Stolarska Street is burning down; from the Dominican building opposite the church, puffs of fire are piling up against the eye. Sikawka at the end of his mission wants to save a few unburned rain and ceilings. The city is covered with a mourning smoke with heavy smoke.
Only two houses remained from the northern part of the square; from Wiślana street, a stretch from Ś. Anna and Rynek, from Gołębia Street the academic building (all the more Technics) and a corner house, from Bracka Street, part of the house of Fr. Jabłonowskiego, from Grodzka Street up to Śgo Józefa, three or four houses from Poselska Street; nothing from Stolarska Street. This is the most general picture of desolation. And who can count the unsettled losses, who can adequately assess this blow, from which Krakow may never recover?
The house and the Soviet trade of Szukiewicz completely burned down; Fiedlein’s bookstore, as we hear, survived, although it is located in a house (serving as barracks) where a fire broke out very early. The fire was nowhere as fierce as on Stolarska Street. There, among others, the house of Mr. Morsztyn burnt down, along with an expensive library and a rare collection of numismatic items.
At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when the worst fire was occupying the northern part of the Market Square on the west side and in connection with Stolarska Street it was threatening the nearest houses at the Church of the Virgin Mary standing, priest Złowodzki left the church with Sanctissimum in his hand and immediately surrounded by a mass of people. he stood on the corner of Sienna street and, falling on his knees, began to sing: We take refuge in Your protection, Lord! It was an indescribable sight. There the inhabitants breaking out from among the flames. what else could be saved; then the army is fully armed; here the people are beseeching the God of substitutes and begging mercy over the rest of the poor city!
View of Krakow after the fire in 1850, showing the service at the beginning of the reconstruction of the Dominican church – tone lithograph, draftsman: Józef Szymon Kurowski, graphic artist: Isidore Laurent Deroy, publisher Jan Kazimierz Wilczyński, Paris 1851. Collections of the National Museum in Warsaw
The inhabitants of the city are accompanied by a resignation that is difficult to explain, perhaps with the immeasurable enormity of misfortune. It is necessary to confess that rescue is not organized anymore, but also infirm, or rather none. No water jets (as far as we know, there were only four), no carts, barrels, watering cans, no everything that belongs to the fire brigade)
We do not go into the reasons, we describe the fact. In a word, the fate of our city hangs from the direction of the town hall flag. Quietness and indescribable consternation.
In tomorrow’s issue we will try to complete this inaccurate picture written under the impression and at the moment of the drama taking place. For now, only a few remarks that we need to press against the pen.
We have heard that the local authorities are already devising measures to alleviate the fate of the unfortunate victims, if possible. For this purpose, many citizens were summoned to the deliberations. The government in this matter will have to the aid of every honest man, every inhabitant who came out of this terrible flood happily.
Here we want to give you one piece of advice. When, after the Hamburg fire, a large part of the inhabitants found themselves without an attic, wooden huts were built immediately where they could accommodate those who had not found shelter elsewhere (…)
PS. 9 o’clock in the morning. The wind is stronger and the market is blowing strongly. As long as the fire is not completely put out, there is a danger that the smoldering embers may ignite the fire. (…)11 a.m. At the moment, all efforts are aimed at the house of Mączyńska, opposite the guardhouse, in order to prevent the fire from spreading further along the eastern part of the market square. There is more energy and bounce in defense. A water-pipe in constant motion and several lines of people giving water. We saw soldiers on the neighboring roof, and now the entire company has been commanded to rescue.
The gendarmes were sent around the peasants to help us, we have already seen a dozen arriving. There is already free circulation on Stolarska, Szeroka and Franciszkańska Streets. It is still smoldering everywhere but the flame is nowhere.
We saw 5 people burned in the gruel shop next to the Church of St. Mary; the corpses of these unfortunate ones bear traces of the most horrible sufferings.
We now learn that the Sand Rock Castle was burnt down by yesterday’s fire. “
Source: dziennik “CZAS” Nr 163 Kraków 19 Lipca – Piątek. Rok 1850
No more discounted fares for those traveling without tickets. The city wants to recover PLN 41 million by entering free riders into the debtors’ register.
The Public Transport Authority in Krakow is waiting for PLN 41 million of unpaid fines and, since March, has been entering people who do not validate tickets in the BIG InfoMonitor Register of Debtors. Currently, there are almost 100,000 in areas across the country due to unpaid fines. Poles, their debts amount to PLN 141 million. Krakow followed the example of Warsaw, which thanks to the 61,000 PLN, in 2 months we managed to recover over 600 thousand PLN – even before publishing the cases in the debtor’s database.
MPK_Tram-line-for-11-November_Krakow_Poland
It is getting harder and harder to remain an unpunished free rider. With a view to reporting people who do not buy tickets and then do not pay the penalty fee, other cities sign an agreement with the BIG InfoMonitor register of debtors. They have already done so Warsaw, Łódź, Rzeszów, Lublin, Białystok, Płock, Radom, Gdańsk, Olsztyn, Częstochowa, Katowice and other cities of the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, and from March also Krakow joined.
– Thanks to the requests for payment sent in December to the capital free riders, ZTM Warszawa has already recovered 633 thousand. PLN receivables even before the case is made public in the register. After being added to the list of debtors, the impact of the register increases even more. Debtors wishing to obtain financing, installment purchases or signing a subscription agreement usually strive to delete the entry and contact the creditor – says Łukasz Rączkowski, BIG InfoMonitor expert.
MPK_TramsInKrakow
Transport is more expensive and savings on the ticket are tempting
The pandemic has reduced the number of passengers, and rising fuel prices and wages have hit urban transport companies hard. In Krakow, where in 2019 ticket revenues covered 53 percent. of the total costs of functioning of public transport, in 2020 it was only 38 percent. In 2021, it improved a bit, tickets were financed by 41%. ZTP costs.
– But it’s still far from expected. The situation is difficult, but we do not want to completely pass the cost increase only to passengers who buy tickets, hence the decision to report people who want to travel for free to the register of debtors. We hope that the information on this subject will act preventively and will translate into a decrease in the number of free riders in our buses and trams – says Magdalena Musiał, Deputy Director for Organization and Supervision of the Public Transport Authority in Krakow.
The problem of free-riding, whether by public transport or rail, and then avoiding paying penalties on this account is quite big in Poland. According to the data of the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register, over 99,000 For free riders from all over the country, almost PLN 141 million has to be repaid for free-riding. In financially difficult times, there may be more debtors, because, as Poles declare, when there are problems with money and there is a shortage of life, the first thought is to postpone the settlement of cable TV subscriptions, then the telephone and internet bills, and third place for possible fees related to the purchase of tickets for journeys. This idea is shared by 23 percent. respondents. And this shows that traveling without a ticket in the minds of people using passenger transport services is one of the ways to save money.
MPK PHOTO: KRZYSZTOF KALINOWSKI / LOVEKRAKÓW.PL
Ticket to register
However, the savings may turn out to be questionable. For example, in Krakow, the basic additional fare for traveling without a valid ticket is PLN 240, and in the case of reduced fare, the penalty fee is PLN 160. If the free rider does not pay the penalty within 30 days from the designated deadline, the carrier may enter it in the register of debtors kept by BIG. The condition is the arrears of min. PLN 200 and sending a request for payment with information about the planned entry on the list of BIG debtors.
– We intend to report to the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register people who will not pay fees for the lack of a public transport ticket. Annually, it may be about 30 thousand. receivables. At the end of January, we had to enforce over 133,000. additional fees worth nearly PLN 41 million. The record holder has over 55.4 thousand to be repaid. PLN – says Magdalena Musiał.
Practice shows that some people pay off arrears already when they learn that they can be entered in the register, others ignore their presence in the register until it begins to disturb them, for example, in taking out a loan, purchasing a telecommunications subscription or signing a cable TV contract.
– The mere announcement that information about the debt will be added to the register causes some to pay off the liability immediately after receiving the summons. They do not want to be entered, because such information, which is almost publicly available, reduces the payer’s credibility and may take away the opportunity for credits, loans or purchases. Before establishing cooperation, banks, loan companies, telecommunications service providers and contractors verify a potential client in BIG, both consumers and companies. In addition, data on debts appearing in BIG InfoMonitor also appear on most BIK reports downloaded by banks when verifying the customer’s credit history – explains Łukasz Rączkowski.
MPK – Trams in Krakow – The Valentine’s Special Tram
Cities are mobilizing, and so are debtors
According to the data collected in the BIG InfoMonitor Register of Debtors, in January this year the number of debtors-free riders exceeded 99,000, together they have almost PLN 141 million in arrears to be repaid. Compared to last year, almost 44.5 thousand were lost. free riders, and the arrears decreased by almost PLN 53 million. There were several reasons. Pandemic, remote work, remote learning, fewer opportunities for spending and COVID-19-related financial concerns made passenger transport less used, but many people who had all sorts of arrears used the time of the coronavirus to put their financial situation in order and “opted out” of the debtors’ register paying off debts. From the time of the pandemic to the end of January this year. the number of debtors in BIG InfoMonitor decreased by 112 thousand. to 2.13 million people, and the sum of arrears by over PLN 3.5 billion to 39,
– The aim of the cooperation between the Public Transport Authority in Krakow and the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register is to motivate passengers to travel honestly, so that others do not lose on the so-called “free riders”. The more people buy tickets, the higher the share of ticket revenues in financing public transport and the chance of avoiding fare increases. The more so because the transport offer has been made more attractive, and the operating costs of ZTP have increased – says Magdalena Musiał. – We also hope that cooperation with BIG will allow us to collect amounts due from dishonest passengers. People who end up in the debtors’ register will sooner or later stumble over this arrears on their way to a loan or subscription contract with a telecommunications company and will have to choose to pay off the arrears and implement plans, or give them up – he adds.
Most stowaways in Mazovia
Currently, the largest number of free riders in the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register comes from Mazovia. At the end of January, their number amounted to almost 20,000, and the total debt exceeded PLN 34.5 million. Next in line is Silesia and the province. Lodzkie. The inhabitants of Podkarpacie and Podlasie have the lowest arrears. At the same time, Podlasie has the highest average arrears per person – PLN 1,947, which would indicate that those who travel without a ticket do it often.
There are so many unsung heroes in the battles that took place all over Mother Earth, yet it seems to me that the Polish People do tend to keep the memory of their heroes longer alive. There are a myriad of books about them, songs that are sung, events that are hosted (especially with the remembrance days related to World War II) and I thought I might share with you some stories about some really remarkable characters. Today I wish to share with you the story of an amazing Polish Woman: Jadwiga Piłsudska.
Jadwiga as a pilot (photo from the collection of Mr. Wojciech Sankowski) / Jadwiga and her father
The Daughter of a HERO
Jadwiga Piłsudska-Jaraczewska (born 28 February 1920) is a pilot, who served in the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. She is the one of two daughters of Marshal and Naczelnik Józef Piłsudski. And if you have no clue who Piłsudski is… well… I have no clue under what rock you have been under!
He was the person responsible for the creation of the Second Republic of Poland in 1918, 123 years after it had been taken over by Russia, Austria, and Prussia. He was a man that made miracles happen! He devoted his entire life to the service of his country, Poland, and he always wanted to make sure the Red Army would not come back. Józef Piłsudski was buried in a crypt of the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, among Polish kings. His daughter surely had one hell of a fatherly figure to look up to!
Jadwiga, learning to fly (age 17)
Born and raised for Greatness
Born on the 20th of February 1920 – in Warsaw, Poland – she was the youngest daughter of the Marshal Józef Piłsudski. She must have heard and seen so many stories from her father and the people visiting, that her true spirit awoken and she decided she will carve her own path in history. Thus, in 1937, Jadwiga started flying gliders and obtained her pilot license. Her interest in aviation began at the age of 12 when she began building model airplanes, so the career path she chose was not a surprise. 2 years later, she graduated from secondary school and decided to study aircraft engineering at Warsaw Polytechnic – that was the year 1939!
September 1939 – Poland gets invaded by the German Nazis and we see the beginning of World War II. Jadwiga and her family realize that under such circumstances the best decision is to leave the country as soon as possible, in order to live and fight another day. Jadwiga, her sister (Wanda), and her mother get to Lithuania first and then to the United Kingdom; where Jadwiga resumes her studies. In 1940 she enrolls at Newnham College, Cambridge University.
The trip is not without its ups and downs… They managed to get to Riga, from where one of the last scheduled airplanes released from Lithuania flew to Stockholm. From the capital of Sweden, organized by the Polish Embassy, they set off to Great Britain, where they were looked after by Ambassador Edward Raczyński.
Up in the clouds
Jadwiga Piłsudska receives her aircraft pilot license and in July 1942 she joins the Air Transport Auxiliary. During wartime in Britain, she flew unarmed military aircraft in the dangerous skies of that time – she had the rank of Second Officer (Flying Officer). She was one of the several Polish women who served as wartime ferry pilots in Britain during the Second World War – alongside Anna Leska and the Lithuanian-Pole Barbara Wojtulanis. In an opinion issued by British superiors in November 1943, she was rated as “an extremely promising pilot with above-average skill.”
Due to the Communist takeover in Poland, she remained in England after the War, as a political émigré. Jadwiga has never accepted British citizenship. She used a Nansen passport, valid for all countries in the world, except Poland.
In 1990, with the collapse of the Communist government, she returned to Poland and lived in Warsaw. She died on 16 November 2014, in Warsaw at the age of 94. May God rest her in peace!
NOTE: The Cross of Merit with Swords is awarded for deeds of bravery and valor during times of war not connected with direct combat, and for merit demonstrated in perilous circumstances. The Order of Polonia Restituta (Polish: Order Odrodzenia Polski, English: Order of the Rebirth of Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, national defense, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries.
Hope you enjoyed Jadwiga’s story and I hope you will start looking into her story more yourself 🙂
My darlings, it is so nice to have you again dropping over to listen to my rantings. Today I wanted to continue the series of Things You Should Know About Krakow as it seems you have rather enjoyed the first post on this topic. So without any further ado, let me share with you my knowledge. I have lived in Krakow for over 10 years now, so… as I like to point out: SHARING IS CARING! 🙂
MPK_Tram-line-for-11-November_Krakow_Poland
1. Validating public transport tickets
In order to use public transport in Krakow – be it a tram or bus – you must first buy a ticket. Small kiosks sell them, but your quickest and safest option is buying them from the MPK vendor machines. You will be able to spot them right away as they are present next to the tram/bus stops and they have the colors of the city: white and blue. The nice thing about them is that you can pay either by cash or card (even PayPass/contactless or BLIK). The menu is in several languages: Polish (main, of course…), English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
The MPK (Public Transport Authority of Krakow) tickets can be for single usage – 20 min, 40 min, 60 min – but there are also weekend tickets (or week-long or even monthly ones) that you can use on your stay in the city. However, if you will look at point #3 below, and if you plan to really get to know Krakow… you can always walk it and get a tram only if you are tired or if it rains. But when you do take a tram/bus, make sure you do these 2 basic steps: 1) Buy a ticket; 2) When entering the bus/tram make sure you validate it by using the yellow boxes on the bars inside. Without validation your ticket means nothing, and if you will get caught you will have to pay a big fine!
Drinking in Public is permitted only on the terrace/bar areas – Krakow, Poland
2. Drinking in public
It is illegal to drink in Public in Poland! Don’t even try it as you will get a fine! Public spaces – including parks, benches, and everywhere else you may try to open a beer to cool yourself on a hot day – are off-limits!
You can, however, choose to go to a pub or lay down and enjoy the sun from a terrace, while sipping on your Aperol Spritz or your beer. Outdoor seating areas that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages do not count 😉 However, if you take your drink and step outside of the premises to have a smoke… you’re up for a fine!
Drinking alcohol in public places can land you in a dry-out cell for the night and you may get also a hefty fine. The legal blood-alcohol limit for driving is just 0.02 percent! The fines can get up to 300 euros + the “prison” sentence for the night, so you can sober up.
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
3. Book a hotel in Old Town or very near it
If you wish to have a nice stay in Kraków, not be touristy and actually experience the city like a local, then you should book an Airbnb or apartment in the Old Town. Or if you wish to splurge, take a hotel – there are plenty to choose from! Why Old Town, you may ask, rightly so… well… everything is within walking distance. You need not get a cab, or even public transport, as all the most notable places can be reached and discovered on foot.
It is true, the streets in the Old Town are cobbled stoned so high heels would definitely not be a good fit. Think sports shoes and flats and you’ll be fine 😉 plus, by walking you will truly learn and feel the heartbeat of the city. Make sure you check the side streets, the small shops, the old-school architecture of the “Kamienicca” – most buildings in the Old Town are from the 18-1900s. Unlike Warsaw (which was heavily bombed during the Second World War and destroyed almost 90%), Kraków has managed to keep its historic buildings.
Vistula River at Autumn-time – Krakow, Poland
4. If visiting avoid June-August (High Season)
I know everybody loves taking time off for holidays during summertime, but if you will choose the months of June, July and August to come visit Kraków, than be prepared for loads of tourists. Those 3 months consist of the High Season here.
Instead of summer, I highly recommend you to try the Polish Autumn. It’s not as hot, the trees are changing their leaves and they look marvelous, you can taste the famous fresh “szarlotka” (PL: apple pie) and local ciders (which are absolutely yummy!). Also, if you are a fan of skiing, winter may be a good time to come over too. The Tatra mountains are near (Zakopane is just a few hours away) and you can enjoy the lovely views.
Czartoryski Museum, Krakow, Poland
5. Pre-book tickets for the museums online
Museums in Kraków are definitely worth being put on the list. Everyone will be able to see something interesting: from 19th century paintings as big as an entire wall, by the local artist Jan Matejko, to the Stained Glass windows; from modern art at MOCAK to Spitfires at the Aviation Museum; from real mummies (including a cat mummy!) to pages of the original Book of Death. You name it, Kraków has it!
The best way to experience the museums is without the queues though. For that, you can always go online and reserve and even pay for the tickets. Print them or download them to your phone and just get to the museum at the designated time. There are multiple branches that you can choose from, so just click here for the full list.
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