Ten days ago I came back from a week at the Festival; of Jewish Culture in Krakow. It has its own web site, so your searcher will find it. It's well established, in its tenth year, and the quality ishigh. There are concerts nightly at 6 and at 8.30 pm, of klezmer music, jazz and other American music with heavy Jewish influences, and modern work by Jewish bands, singers and composers. These cost a US dollar or two a seat. Then for six dollars each there are two courses, a morning one, conducted in English, in elemaentsary Yiddish and a four occlock one in cookery, but held in Polish. Thre are also series on dance, theology, and of silent and other classic Jewish films. The Yiddish classes are a joy, done through talk and through singing in Yiddish,run by a delightful, informal, professor with jokes at a great rate, and with eager students. <BR> <BR>OK, that's for next year. For now, I can say that central Krakow is getting a little expensive, but not so uch so as Prague, and still chyeap. Foir example, I stayed at ahotel called, would you believe, Fortuna Bis, on thecorner of the Marshal J Pilsudskiego street and Czapskich Street, just near thefirsttramstop after you leave the roasd along the old lineof the walls. It cost me 202 zloties or 50 US dollars a night, with breakfast and my own bath. Staff used English, the restaurant was good, the hotel wasregfurbished three years ago and is spotless, and the style is nineteenth century bourgeois (much like the Pollera which I like but cannot afford), and attractive. I had started in the Mini Hotel in Kazimerz, but found the three flights of stairs with no lift, and the edgeof town location, didn't suit me. At the same time, it is the cheapest of the half dozen or so hotels of Kazimerz. <BR> <BR>Kazimierz, the old ghetto, the one they clear with dogs in "Schindler's List", is now a tourist centre, with perhaps four restaurants. It's all rather expensive, for Poland, except the New Square, Plaza Nova, which has cheap and good garden produce, and a cafe with Polish lunch at Polish prices -- Wienerschnitzel and potatoes for two dollars. <BR> <BR>I'll gladly try to answer questions if you pose them. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Wow! Thanks for posting this. I hope to go to Krakow someday. Did you visit any other cities or villages?

Ben, as usual, you provide good information about interesting places. Did you go out to Auschwitz-Birkenau? We did a few years ago and I still am haunted by the experience. I read recently that Krakow is becoming "the new Prague for tourists." In a way, that's sad but I can understand why. Krakow has SO much to offer.

Dear Mr. Haines, <BR> <BR> Thank you for your post. I found it very enjoyable. We (my wife and I) are currrently discussing where to go for next year's holiday and Poland keeps coming up. We enjoy seeing the "must see's" but also small towns as well, some gentle hiking, shopping for hand crafts, antiques and drinking good local wines. You sound very knowledgeable on Poland, any suggestions for a two week itinerary? <BR> <BR>Many thanks in advance from the turnip.

Hi there Ben: It sounds a wonderful and joyous festival and, having just done a search on Krakow, it looks a pretty interesting city. Thank you so much for telling us about it. Have you ever thought of leading a tour????

Thank you: what a kind set of people you are. <BR> <BR>For Lisa. On this trip I spent just a day in Jelenia Gora, in the south east of Poland, which I found pleasant and quiet, with some good buildings. I was in Poland straight after a few days in Berlin and then two weeks in North Bohemia, based in Teplice, with a concert or recital in a new town, village, or castle each day. Very good. The air was perfectly clear, and the major buildings were freshly whitewashed, painted, and gilded. Theseare the notorious Ore Mountains, famousfor Communist grime: not now. Prices were such that I could afford to eat any meal I came across: beer was 80 cents a litre. <BR> <BR>But I have enjoyed other places in Poland: Torun, Wroclaw, the spring festival of contemporary music in the fine houses of the market square in Poznan, and the festival of medieval music in mid August in Jaroslaw. This last is the one where at three each afternoon you can learn Polish late medieval counter dancing, to the music of a hurdy gurdy, in the sunshine in an empty great square in front of a huge Baroque church. There are plenty of other beautiful Polish places just waiting for me. <BR> <BR>For Al. Yes. I first went to Ausschwitz in 1958 and to Birkenau some four years ago, so this trip I went (for the first time) to some of the national displays. My favourite was the Dutch display, which started with six panels to celebrate to freedoms of Amsterdam (well before other western nations welcomed Jews), Spinoza, and so on before moving to the Hitler time. Also, I saw the film of the freeing of Ausschwitz by the Ukrainians and Russians, deeply distressing. <BR>Perhaps the new Prague for tourists is Lvov. Very cheap indeed (a good seat for Swan Lake for a dollar), welcoming, and interesting. It looks and feels Hapsburg, Polish, and Romanian, all mixed. People are put off by the need for a visa with pre-booked accommodation, but a look at http://www.lonelyplanet.com, then under "Postcards", "Ukraine" tells you how to circumvent all that. <BR> <BR>For the turnip. I'm not knowlegable, only starting to learn. You could try the cities that I've named to Lisa, but as I say there are plenty of good places, and your best move may be to buy a guide book (I use Lonely Planet) and design your own tour. I'm afraid that wine costs as much in Poland as in Germany: wine lovers will be happier in Hungary or Moravia. If you like some kind of music -- jazz, folk, blues, classical, early, contemporary, or whatever, then quite a good way may be what I did in north Bohemia. You can find a suitable festival, go to concerts in the evenings, and by day make rail and bus trips to pleasant towns around. If you open http://www.yahoo.com, then search for "poland festivals" you'll reach a US university website with a good long list. That way you only get to see one region of Poland, but you see it well and closely, and stay in comfort in one old two-star hotel. Of course, you need a hotel by the bus and rail stations (which in Poland tend to be beside each other, conveniently). The same technique works for the Czech Republic and Hungary, too, which is how I found out about north Bohemia. <BR> <BR>For Michelle. Yes, it was, and the city is. I once guided an Elderhostel tour and failed. I am too impatient when people dither. Also, I have an ideological problem, that I prefer people to make their own choices, and design their own tour, which is why I like the atmosphere of this forum. I'm not so brusque with people who choose what to see and ask me to lead them round those places, as I found when I took my favourite nephew and his French girl friend through the City of London one day. I hope that the ideology is American: I like people to take control of their own lives, not to be led. <BR> <BR>Please write again if I can comment further. Thank you again. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines <BR> <BR> <BR>

I was in Krakow last Spring and it was wonderful. There is a very good article on the city in this month's Conde Nast Traveler which came today.

Welcome back Ben, delighted to see that you had a good time. I am sorry to hear that Krakow is becoming like Prague popular with tourists - I visited both way back when I lived in Easter Europe and found them totally unspoilt then. <BR> <BR>How did you get to Krakow from the UK ? Are there any direct flights ? or did you follow the route of a flight to Berlin and sleeper train to Krakow. I am interested in returning to the city for a short visit and would like to fly via London if possible from Ireland, <BR>Thanks <BR> <BR>Cathy

Fodors <BR> <BR>Dear Ms Lynch, <BR> <BR>It's not too bad, since as in Prague prices drop heavily when you leave the centre, and leave central Kazimierz. <BR> <BR>As you guessed, I flew cheaply to and from Berlin, then used trains, westbound via north Bohemia, and eastbound using domestic fares by zigzagging: sleeper from Krakow to Sczeczin, local train down to Kustryn, and German local train to Berlin. I could have cut cost further by using the no-frills flights to and from Prague, but I'm fond of Berlin, and love to be there now, as it comes back to life in front of our eyes. <BR> <BR>Please write again if I can help further <BR> <BR>Ben Haines <BR> <BR>

to the turnip&gt; Poland is really not into wines, but do have few good beers and other low alcohol's like "Miod Pitny". <BR>For hiking any place in south Poland is great from table mountains in south west, to high Tatry in central south, to not so touristy "Bieszczady". <BR>As for cities check old: Krakow,Wroclaw,Torun,Poznan,Gdansk,Sopot,Malbork,O lsztyn,Ksiaz,Lancut,Gniew. Or smaller: (near Torun):Ciechocinek, Golub-Dobrzyn,(near Wroclaw)Polanica,Kudowa,Bolkow,Swiny. (Near Olsztyn) Mikolajki, Augustow National forests near Bialystok and Warsaw. This is a very long list, depanding on what your interests are. <BR>You can also check www.orbis-usa.com for some prices. there are also many car rentals, good train/bus/plane comunications. You can e-mail me if you have questions.