Poznan

We just got back from a three day weekend in Poznan. (No classes on Fridays is awesome!)

We liked Poznan quite a bit. It's only based on a short visit, but I'd say it was my second favorite Polish city (behind Krakow of course).  Jill says it was a close third behind Krakow and Gdansk.

We lucked out and the weather was sunny and not too cold to get out and see the city.  We visited the old square, the cathedral island, the castle district, and the palm house.  Poznan has a lot to see and the up shot is there aren't all the tourists to deal with like in Krakow or Gdansk.  We also noted that it's nice to visit other Polish cities where you can see something new but at the same time still feel comfortable because you're in a country where you know the language and culture.  We give Poznan two thumbs up!

On the Old Market Square

Enjoying a sunny October day

In Adam Mickiewicz Park

Fall colors

On the fighting goats -- the symbol of Poznan

Trzy Korony

I took a hiking trip with some friends recently.  We drove to the Pieniny Mountains, which are about 60 miles south of Krakow. We hiked up to a peak named Trzy Korony (Three Crowns).  It was a couple hours up to the peak.  A few steeps parts, but not too bad -- definitely easier without JR on my back.. The views were great, especially as the fall colors were starting to appear. Enjoy!

Map of Pieniny Mountains

View on hike up to Trzy Korony

View from top of Trzy Korony

High Tatras, Slovakia

For one last trip before school started back up, we drove down to the High Tatras, just across the Slovakian border. We spent two nights at a nice hotel (Jill especially like the robe and slipper for JR) and enjoyed the scenic surroundings.  The hotel was right on a lake in the middle of the Tatra mountains.  The trees were changing colors, but it wasn't too cold yet.  Ideal!

Riding the chair lift, up, up, up!

On the walk around the lake

With Mama, hotel in background

Ready for the pool

Prague excursion

Why visit just one beautiful old European city when you can see two?  We spent two and a half days in Prague while my mom and aunt were here.  They were pretty blown away with the beauty of Prague.  It's a show-stopper, for sure.  Especially the dramatic way their castle is lit up at night.  Sorry, I don't have any pictures here -- my iPhone couldn't do it justice.  

This was my second time in Prague and I was just as impressed as before.  I also noted how much easier it is to tour around a city when you don't have a two-year old in tow!

Happy tourists in the tower atop the Old Town Hall

At the castle gate

In the Golden Lane, a little historic street inside the castle

Siroka street, in Prague's old town

Back in Krakow, heading to the bus stop with JR

Visit from Grammy and Aunt Sue

We had a great two weeks with JR's Grammy and Aunt Sue.  Tom's mom and her twin sister (it's obvious, right?) came to visit us as part of their birthday celebration.  It was a milestone birthday, but I won't tell you which one.  The last big one was 10 years ago when they celebrated their 50th birthday with a trip to Ireland. ;)

It was great having them here.  They saw a lot around Krakow and we even took a trip to Prague to see another beautiful central European capital -- only 5-7 hours away depending on where your GPS sends you!

Here are some pics!

At the Boleslawiec pottery store

Mom and Aunt Sue at Wawel Hill

Story time

At the Krakow Aviation Museum, with a Sopwith Camel

At the Krakow Zoo

At an undisclosed location

It's a circus!

The circus was in town a couple weeks ago.  And an old-school circus it was -- one tent, set up for the weekend in a vacant lot.. Popcorn and cotton candy to eat.  Camel rides during intermission..

It was here the same time last year and we said to ourselves, "maybe next year."  Now, at 2 1/2, this was the right time for JR to see his first circus.  He really liked it -- he was beaming as he sat in our laps and watched camels, tigers, horses, a clown, a tight-rope walker, and a trained porcupine!  Can't beat that!  JR was clearly enjoying the first half, but lost his focus a bit after intermission -- running up and down the ramp next to our seats became more interesting than the trained tigers.  Go figure.  But all in all it was good family fun.

Norway

Bergen, Norway

Looking out over the Sognefjord after hiking up 300m

Sunrise over the Sognefjord, Balestrand, Norway

Photo-op by the Flam railway train

A very fierce Viking

We found a couple cheap flights to and from Oslo, so we took a recommendation from our friends the Bushes and took a trip to the Norwegian fjords. We stayed in Oslo for a night and then took a very scenic train trip to Bergen -- a lovely little city on Norway's west coast where it rains all the time!

After two wet days in Bergen (it still was a nice city to visit), we took an express boat through the Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord, to Balestrand, which has a couple hundred years' history as a retreat in the fjord. After that, another boat took us on to Flam, at the end of the fjord, where we stayed in a rustic farmhouse. The Flam railroad took us back up to Myrdal, where we joined the train from Bergen back to Oslo. Finally, Ryanair back to Krakow. Planes, trains, and automobiles!