Wrocław

May 27th-29th, 2019

As we crossed into Poland, we asked our driver to let us get a photo by the boarder line/sign. He thought this was hysterical (crazy Americans, right?!), as the signage was pretty limited…but, our family was glad to have some fun photos from this experience. Along the way, we also make a quick stop to stretch our legs at Hospital Kuks, a private hospital that’s original owner had an ambitious goal in 1684 to develop the property known for its springs into a world-renowned spa (and a quick stop for ice cream treats – yum!).  It was nearing dinner time as we arrived to Wrocław, the fourth largest city in Poland with a population of 640K (student population of +130,000 – one of the most youthful cities n the country) over the ~113 square mile area.  Very pleased with our boutique hotel, The Granary, we quickly settled and headed out into the city center. We quickly discovered why this was rated in the top 15 European Destinations in 2018. We had a wonderful evening getting settled in by exploring the Market Square, which was surrounded by various vendors in their small wooden store fronts and knew it was another night to eat outside! We all made selections from a local grill (check out the train smoker/grill) and other vendors selling pierogi, kraut, etc. While feasting on the square, the ornate gothic roof detail on the Town Hall paired with the manmade “beach” in the middle of the square provided such a fun ambience for this beer garden-like meal. We enjoyed watching a blacksmith, the ladies found some perfect attire for our next day in the city, and most importantly took in some “gnome hunting!” Similar to political cartoons in the U.S., these little figurines (200+ scattered throughout the city) started as a political movement. They once were created in support of an anti-Soviet resistance movement (Orange Alternative) to end Poland’s oppressive communist regime in the 1980’s. However, over the years several business have “sponsored” a gnome for outside their storefront (e.g. spotted one looking in a hand held mirror outside a dermatologist office). Not only did Walter enjoy these little friends (He couldn’t get enough of this city!), but we all had fun seeking out the variety and wit behind each creation. We wound down the night after a long day of travel in our cozy hotel bar.

 

The next morning was had a relaxed breakfast at a French café, Giselle, for a tasty-carb fill up before our afternoon vodka tour. Immediately following, we took a walk to “Cathedral Island” (Ostrow Tumski) to the oldest part of the city, dating back to the 10th century. A truly gorgeous collection or churches, courtyards, and quaint streets. Unfortunately we missed seeing this view at night, as there is actually still a local lamplighter who lights the 103 gas lamps throughout this district. We will have to return to find him in his distinguishing cape and top hat roaming the streets at dusk! At 1PM we met back in Market Square to be welcomed by Jaśmina, who we’d spend the remainder of the afternoon with for our vodka tour. What a cool experience! Not only did we learn a lot; but, the insights Jaśmina shared re: growing up in the communist era were truly eye opening. We started our tour at Perwex, which was decorated with retro décor and artifacts from life during the Soviet regime. To start our tasting, we were introduced to potato based vodka (Luksusowa) and a lemon flavored vodka (Lubelska – almost like lemon cello), paired with Śledź (pickled herring & onions) and a polish, kraut based stew called Bigos (interestingly enough, this stew is so very similar to a Kirk family favorite that my dad originated for the family decades ago)! While we make this as a favorite Christmas eve tradition, we learned that most people in Poland make this after a large gathering to use up any left overs. The herring was not as strong as I anticipated it being and it does pair well with vodka; but, I definitely preferred the bigos, as did the rest of the family (Walter included). Regardless, it’s good stuff and my dad’s recipe is pretty much spot on.  The afternoon turned rainy following the gray morning skies, so we jumped between the rain drops as we made our way to each stop during the tour. Loved the little statue of gnomes pouring a shot of vodka, as we entered into Przedwojenna, where we discovered my two favorite vodkas! This classic bar stop turned me on to a “traditional” vodka that reminds me of Christmas, (Żoładkowa Gorzka, herbal vodka) and Figowa (Fig Vodka). While they have a nice selection of small plates here, we passed on food and simply sipped our vodka which we soon learned slides down pretty easy 😉 Our next stop was definitely a crowd pleaser! We made our way through the main dining area of Konspira, and suddenly found ourselves in a unique room that was a clear dedication to the fight for solidarity. We enjoyed relaxing in this space, and sampling Deska wędlin (set of polish cold cuts) with Pigwówka (Quince Vodka) – this vodka seemed to take #1 for almost all the rest of the family, and a close #2 for me. At this point, Walter caught on to “Nostrovia!” and was looking to cheers with his own glass, so our lineup of vodka started being served with one shot glass full of water for him.  This restaurant will be a MUST if we have the chance to return to Wrocław one day. Do yourself a favor, and just book this tour with  Jaśmina, now! To round out our tour, we visited Do Jutra to sample two more vodkas: Wisniowka (Cheery) & Czerwona Porzeczka (Redcurrant Vodka).  We had a blast with Jaśmina (so much that we invited her to join us for dinner, but she had to move on to teaching English to students at school so had to decline), and she was kind enough to recommend a dinner spot (Kurna Chata) where we had a fabulous collection of polish classics! We were all feeling excellent from our assortment of vodka; but, I promise the food was AMAZING here (not just the vodka talking). Walter was so excited for dinner, he grabbed a full apple from a fruit bowl on the table and decided to dive in as we awaited a heavy Polish soup and potato salad to share before our main courses. Bryan opted for a white sausage dinner; and, I couldn’t turn down the stuffed cabbage (Gołąbki) – we certainly went to bed with happy tummies! Luckily, Walt loved the stuffed cabbage too and helped me finish my second piece. While on a hunt for some dessert en route back to our hotel for the night, we decided everyone was full enough and simple picked up some chocolate covered goodies – Bryan, Walt, and I specifically enjoyed chocolate covered grapes before collecting for a night cap back in our hotel bar for one final cheers in Wrocław!

Before our morning departure to Kraków, Bryan, Walter and I took a leisurely morning stroll to a nearby café, Gniazdo, where we had an excellent cup of coffee and delicious breakfast before about a 3 HR drive to our next stop. It was the perfect opportunity to pass by the grand Puppet Theatre (really striking building) and give Walter the opportunity to say farewell for a few final gnome/dwarf friends!