What an incredible experience it was to visit Poland! I never really thought I would have the chance to take this trip, but my cousin getting married was the perfect excuse to go! To have been able to travel around Poland, with my dad, aunt, uncle, and cousin, was truly unforgettable. I was lucky enough to see where my dad, aunt, and grandparents used to live, all while reconnecting with our loving family members who still live there! Being able to visit all of our family, and go to places like Krakow, Zakopane, Auschwitz, and Warsaw (to name a few), was an amazingly, emotional experience.
It was fascinating to see all the beauty that Poland had to offer. From city to city, every place had its uniqueness, all while being so stunning and historical. Every where I turned there was so much history and stories to learn about...I was in heaven. A trip filled with so much love, joy, history, and happiness...there isn't anything more I could've asked for!
Mountains of Zakopane -
Kurylowka -
Polish Wedding, Lezajsk -
Fun Fact: Polish weddings last two days, take place in the most beautiful, extravagant churches, and include the best food you will ever eat (I mean COME ON check out the BREATHTAKING kielbasa stand I took a picture of below!)
City of Warsaw -
Fun Fact: The building pictured above, Warsaw's Palace of Culture and Science, was an unwanted "gift" from Stalin, to Poland, after WWII to mark the time of Communism. Once Communism fell there was discussion about taking the building down, since the Polish people never wanted it to begin with...but it never happened. Now the building is used for different functions, like the Da Vinci exhibition.
Auschwitz - Birkenau -
The Wieliczka Salt Mine, Krakow -
Fun Fact: This mine is one of the world's oldest salt mines. It opened in the 13th century, and produced table salt all the way up until 2007. It's 327 meters in depth and is over 287 kilometers long. The mine includes dozens of statues and four chapels (carved out of salt by the miners themselves, as well as carvings by contemporary artists).
City of Krakow -
Fun Fact: If you look below, the first picture on the left is of the artist who hand carves pieces of wood and sells them on the streets of Krakow. I bought the one he's holding, for my mom, in which he even hand carved her name on the back of it - Ludwika (which means Louise in polish). I of course needed to take a picture of him with his art, and am so glad I did because now it's one of my favorite pictures from the trip!
