Travels
Krakow News: Krakow Airport – the safest airport in PL!
First Airport In Poland to receive the distinction Kraków Airport is the first airport in Poland to receive the ACI Airport Health accreditation, awarded by the International Airports Council – ACI (Airports Council International). This program introduces high standards of airport protection against the COVID-19 pandemic so that staying at airports and flying is fully safe and comfortable for both passengers and all staff members. The rules of conduct in relation to the COVID-19 threat have been developed by the best aviation and health experts and approved by key international aviation organizations – ICAO, EASA and ACI. Photo by Rakicevic Nenad on Pexels.com Accreditation is valid for 1 year! The ACI Airport Health accreditation has just been granted – valid for a year. It mainly concerns the adopted cleaning technology and the scope of disinfection, the application of the principles of social distancing, the security of airport staff, the method of informing about sanitary rules, and other amenities for passengers (e.g. full and free access passengers to disinfectants). Granting the accreditation to the Krakow airport was preceded by a special audit. Successful completion of the accreditation process is a clear and legible signal for passengers, carriers, employees, and airport users that a given airport can be a model in the area of health care and effectively protects everyone against COVID-19 infection. Photo by Alex Powell on Pexels.com What does the President of Krakow Airport say? “We are glad that Kraków Airport has joined the group of airports with the highest standard of service, where the most important is the safety and comfort of passengers and all people working at the airport. We put a lot of effort to ensure that the standards in this regard were washed to the highest. We decided that it is worth making this effort not only because of the need to protect the most valuable good, which is human life and health, but also because it is crucial for our industry to rebuild trust in travel and flying. A sense of security is the foundation of trust” – comments Radosław Włoszek, president of Kraków Airport. Photo by Janiere Fernandez on Pexels.com The first airport in Poland to sign the “Aviation Industry Charter for COVID-19” Let us recall that Kraków Airport was the first airport in Poland to sign the declaration “Aviation Industry Charter for COVID-19”, initiated and prepared by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The main purpose of the declaration is to apply and promote new security rules against the spread of COVID-19 by air operators and airport managers. Read the article in Polish language here. Twisted Red LadyBug, bringing you the latest #KrakowNews
Krakow News: We are in the COVID19 YELLOW ZONE!!!
The Ministry of Health has included Krakow in the YELLOW ZONE of the Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus epidemic. We appeal to residents and tourists to be cautious and follow all sanitary rules!!! On Thursday, 233 new cases of coronavirus infection were detected in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. 59 cases were found in Kraków alone. According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, if there are between 6 and 12 new cases per 10,000 in a given area, it is included in the yellow zone. If there are more than 12 out of 10,000 new cases, then it is included in the red zone. The ministry introduces restrictions on the basis of an analysis of the dynamics of increases in infections over the last 14 days. The ministry announces that it will update its infection rate and map twice a week. The colors of the zones correspond to the additional rigors of the sanitary regime. The restrictions concern, among others fairs, congresses, sports and cultural events, gastronomy, sanatoriums, weddings, transport and the obligation to wear masks. ⚠️ Aktualna lista powiatów objętych dodatkowymi obostrzeniami (żółtymi i czerwonymi). #koronawirus pic.twitter.com/v1M8dKDW1R— Ministerstwo Zdrowia (@MZ_GOV_PL) August 27, 2020 New YELLOW ZONE restrictions! In the yellow zone at various types of events, there will be no more than 1 person per 4 m 2 , and not 2.5 m 2 , as it has been so far . Audiences, including cinema audiences, will only be filled to 25%, and cultural events may be attended by up to 100 people. The principles of the operation of hotels, gastronomy, aquaparks, and swimming pools have not changed. In amusement parks, amusement parks, or recreational parks, 1 person should be used for 10 m 2. At gyms, clubs and fitness centers, there may be no more than one person per 7 m 2 of space available to customers, while maintaining a distance of 1.5 m (excluding service). The number of participants at weddings and other meetings has been limited to 100 people. Public transport, commerce and, for example, hairdressing salons, may continue to function unchanged. The obligation to cover the nose and mouth with clothing or parts thereof, a mask, a mask, a visor or a protective helmet is maintained, e.g. in public transport, in commercial or service facilities, in workplaces and in public utility buildings and in generally accessible places, unless a distance of 1.5 m is kept. The obligation to cover the nose and mouth also applies during religious worship, including religious activities or rituals, in public buildings intended for religious worship and in cemeteries. One may be exempt from covering the nose and mouth due to pervasive developmental disorders, mental disorders, intellectual disability (moderate, severe or profound) and difficulties in covering or uncovering the mouth or nose on its own. Red zone restrictions: In the “red” regions, the rate of increase of new cases per 10 thousand. inhabitants exceed 12 in the 14 days preceding the publication date. Mass events are prohibited in the red zone. The number of wedding participants is limited to 50. Only half of the seats are available on public transport. The operation of cinemas and other activities related to the projection of films or video recordings is allowed indoors, as well as in amphitheaters or concert shells, provided that every fourth seat in the audience is available to viewers or listeners, except that no more than 25 percent. number of seats. In the absence of designated seats in the audience, a distance of 1.5 m between spectators or listeners shall be kept. Spectators, listeners, visitors or participants are required to cover their mouth and nose. It is forbidden to organize fairs and cultural events. Sanatoriums are closed, and sports events may take place without fans. Gyms, clubs and fitness centers can not be more than one person per 10 m 2 space available for clients, while maintaining a distance of 1.5 meters (excluding service). Additional details on the gov.pl website . Yours truly, The Twisted Red LadyBug Bringing You The Latest Krakow News!
The History of Sukiennice
Kraków’s emblem/landmark No matter where you come from if you ever visited Kraków and if you ever saw photos from the city, there are 2 landmarks that this magical place is the most connected to Wawel Castle and the Sukiennice (EN: Cloth Hall). Every resident of the city knows it but might you also know its history? The term Sukiennice refers to the trade of textiles and fabric, which is why it is also called Kraków’s Cloth Hall. Right now, it is daily visited by thousands of locals and tourists, that just pass through Old Town Kraków or that want to just stay still and enjoy the view. Being one of the biggest tourist attractions in Kraków, you can surely spend some more time on it, buying some souvenirs or enjoying a lemonade at Cafe Szal (on the 1st floor – trust me, the view is WORTH IT!). Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) before the reconstruction. View from the West. Photo by Ignacy Krieger. Sukiennice – its beginnings and the great fire! The history of Sukiennice (EN: Cloth Hall) begins with the history of Kraków in the mid-13th century. Part of the process of establishing Kraków was to indicate the place where the most important thing for the city would take place: trading goods. Therefore, a rectangular area was marked out in the middle of the Market Square for stalls in two rows, closed on the shorter sides with bars. Prince Bolesław the Chaste promised to build stalls for the people to sell their goods and he stuck to his word! This place/area was turned into a brick building in the times of Casimir the Great. In the 14th century, he approved to make it into a real, Gothic market building made of red brick. Fast-forwarding to 2 centuries later: Sukiennice was destroyed by fire and only a few parts survived. Its Renaissance form, known to all, with a characteristic attic and unique architectural details, is the result of a reconstruction in the 16th century and renovation in the 19th century. The Sukiennice is surrounded by arcades on all sides – giving it an unique look and being the top location to take very Instagram friendly photos. Inside the Sukiennice there is a vaulted ceiling and there are crests of Poland’s cities on the walls. Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) before the reconstruction. View from the North-East, around 1870. Photo by Ignacy Krieger. Not all the original Sukiennice pieces remain To be noted that before the aforementioned renovation, the Sukiennice had outbuildings that do not exist today, which in the middle of the penultimate century were, like many Kraków buildings, in a deplorable condition. Hence, it was decided to demolish them and restore the Cloth Hall. In addition, it was decided that on the first floor, in a place where various kinds of trinkets were sold in the past centuries, the National Museum will be located. The branch of the National Museum of Kraków holds the largest permanent exhibit of 19th-century Polish painting and sculpture, in 4 grand exhibition halls arranged by historical period and the theme extending into an entire artistic epoch. It is definitely worth your time and money! Fragment of the Cloth Hall, 1948. Photo from the collection of the National Digital Archives. The Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) today So what does the Cloth Hall look like today? What is its function? It is difficult to answer with one sentence because its function is multiple. Currently, it is the seat of branches of 2 museums – the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art of the National Museum of Kraków and the Underground Market Museum. Sukiennice (EN: Cloth Hall) also has stalls, souvenir shops, restaurants, including one of the icons of Krakow’s café life, the Noworolski Cafe. It is also a living lesson in history and art because we can see, for example, a symbol of the Magdeburg Law, which was used in Kraków in the past. You can also find out where torches illuminating the darkness in the past centuries were put out (hint: check the side of the Sukiennice, as you enter – a set of small holes in the side). Sukiennice Arcades – 2020s – Krakow, Poland Yours truly, The Twisted Red LadyBug That Loves History 🙂
Romania – Things You Should Not Do While Visiting
Romania is a wonderful country to visit, but like any country in the world, it has its ups and down – its pluses and minuses. This is why today, I thought I would break-away a bit from the #DiscoverPoland posts and rather focus on #DiscoverRomania instead 🙂 so without any further ado, my dears, here is a list of things you should not do while in my homeland. Do not take a cab from the airport! NEVER GET A CAB FROM THE AIRPORT – ANY AIRPORT!!! – Use public transport or the shuttle buses that take you back to the city. The taxi drivers love to scam the newbies that have no clue where they are heading and they always take the longest route or spin you around the city, to get the bill bigger. On the other hand… The prices for driving in a taxi are probably the lowest in Europe, so you will not be spending a fortune 😉 and some of the taxi drivers are actually nice and very talkative. Also, it is best, if you think the bill was too large, if you will haggle. Romania’s Railroads Traveling by train – unreliable When visiting Romania, it is best if you would rent a car or you would go by bus (buses also usually have WIFI). The trains are rather unreliable in their schedule and … each time I went by train I always bumped into rather weird individuals. Public transport – buses and trams No AC for the buses and trams! Most of them are rather old-school or second hand. In summertime you should definitely avoid them as they tend to be very packed and you end up feeling like sardines… they do open up the windows for more air… but it is equal to going to the sauna! The Metro is reliable, fast and cheap. In Bucharest you should use it, rather than buses as you might get stuck in traffic. Source of the Gypsy “Roma” photo Pickpocketing Pickpocketing in Romania is real! You have to be careful of your goods while in town as there are loads of gypsies ready for you! They hide in the shadows or in plain sight and they wait for any wrong move! Do not show off with your possessions and always keep an eye on them. Do not keep your phone and or wallet in your pockets – especially the back pockets! Keep your bags and backpacks in the front while traveling by public transport. Better be safe than sorry, that’s what I always say! Vlad Dracul was real! Yes, Dracula was real – vampires, however, are just fairytale material. Do not ask the first question if they are real and if we spotted any! We do not carry garlic with us nor a wooden stake. We do not live in the Middle Ages and just so you know… Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Dracul > Dracula) was Voivode of Wallachia 3 times between 1448 and his death. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero of Romania – yes he did impale people, but only because they were doing mean things. Do you have an example of things one should not do while going to Romania? Would love to hear your stories and if you agree with me or not! Yours sincerely, The Twisted Red LadyBug, born in Romania 🙂
Krakow News: The balloon near Forum is back!!!
The balloon has moored again near the former Forum Hotel. The previous one was destroyed by a violent storm A new balloon has been placed under the Forum Hotel – the previous one was destroyed by a strong wind. Preparations for the return of the sightseeing balloon to this place began already in mid-July. “We have replaced the shell with a new one, there is also a new gondola” – says the owner. Coming back depends on the Civil Aviation Authority (Urzad Lotnictwa Cywilnego) The resumption of flights depends on the procedures of the Civil Aviation Authority. “We are doing everything to resume flights within a week” – Marek Kufel from Balon Widokowy tells us. He adds that the balloon that was damaged by the wind was of course insured. “He was excluded from air operations at the time because we expected storms and gusts of wind, but not on such a large scale. We were prepared for the wind up to 25 meters per second maximum, not 35” – remembers Kufel. The balloon was damaged on Saturday evening – 13th of June 2020. There were hail and rain and the wind blew at over 120 km/hour! Yours truly, The Twisted Red LadyBug, bringing you the latest Krakow News
Accommodation – Warsaw: Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum
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 Elevator SelfieThe “key” to the roomThe Hallway – Ground FloorAccommodation – Warsaw: Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum 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 windowThe cute minimalistic stickers on the doorsAccommodation – 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 RoomThe IBIS Budget RoomThe IBIS Budget RoomThe IBIS Budget RoomThe IBIS Budget RoomAccommodation – 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 …