Escape of the Week: Krakow Sunset

Krakow is an easy city to fall in love with, and one of the most underrated. The old portion isn’t too large, so it’s easy to navigate. There’s tons of kebap shops. Clubs and bars make the nightlife one of the best in the region. And, well, it is just plain gorgeous. I spent aContinue reading “Escape of the Week: Krakow Sunset”

How to have a Travel Adventure without Adventure Travel

    Adventure. It’s a pretty hefty word with a lot behind it. To me, adventure is more than just jumping out of airplanes … more than climbing a mountain. I’m so not that girl. In my world adventure is about taking risks. Going off my beaten path to experience something new. As a traveler,Continue reading “How to have a Travel Adventure without Adventure Travel”

Surviving Auschwitz

I didn’t want to go to Auschwitz. In fact, I had been dreading the trip to the concentration camp since I knew I was going to be in Europe. Maybe “didn’t want to go” is not accurate. I wanted to go … but knew it would be an experience that would be achingly painful. AsContinue reading “Surviving Auschwitz”

Being Jewish in the Krakow Jewish District

On my second full day in Krakow, I decided to do my walkabout. I knew there were places I wanted to go — mostly the locations on the map marked with a Jewish star, also known as the Jewish District. I know Poland is seeped with a terrible history as it relates to Jews (andContinue reading “Being Jewish in the Krakow Jewish District”

A Polish funeral and Krakow

When someone questioned me as to why Poland, my answer back was “why not?” When I first decided to go to Krakow, it was because of the city’s close proximity to Auschwitz, as someone who identifies myself as Jewish it was a place I felt necessary to visit. I had heard mixed reviews about Poland.Continue reading “A Polish funeral and Krakow”

A BRIEF intermission: Chasing spring … two months in

A year ago, when I lived in Atlanta, I remember marveling at the city’s sheer gorgeousness with the changing of the season. The pink flowers that would sprout from the winding trees. The bright green grass that would pop up overnight. The light wind that would gently blow during days spent at Piedmont Park, taking in the South’s spring.

I would never in a million years have imagined spending my spring 365 days later in Europe, living in a prolonged (and amazing) spring for nearly two months.