Page 8 - AAA Schuylkill County – AAA Now! – January/February 2017

TRAVE
Cultural and Historic Poland
By Dorothy Crouch
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As Poland experiences a renaissance that allures tourists to this formerly turbulent region, the country is promoting its modern attractions, while remembering its past.
Kraków’s Medieval Heritage
Though Kraków was recently named the city that will host the 41st World Heritage Committee in 2017, it has enjoyed increased tourism over the last decade. This second-largest city in Poland sits on the Vistula River, the country’s largest at 651 miles.
The city’s Old Town, or Stare Miasto, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has managed to retain much of its pre-war architecture. As a predominantly Christian country, with heavy Catholic influence, Poland’s religious heritage
is evident in the churches that fill Kraków’s Old Town, such as St. Mary’s Basilica and St. Wojciech, which are located in the area’s Rynek Główny,
or Main Square. At 1,000 years old, St. Wojciech
is one of Poland’s oldest stone churches, each year welcoming devout Catholics and history enthusiasts from around the world.
Beautiful Music of Warsaw
The Polish capital of Warsaw is also the picture of resilience. During World War II, the city’s Old Town was completely destroyed, leveled by the brutal violence, yet has since been rebuilt and developed into an alluring cultural center.
Walk the grounds that surround The Palace
of Culture and Science before heading into the building, which houses more than 3,000 rooms. Completed in 1955, the Palace was built as a gesture of Stalin and the Soviets to Poland. Today, the building includes two private universities, the Polish Academy of Sciences, a post office, cinema, swimming pool, museums, libraries, conference centers and two of Poland’s most popular theaters — The Congress Hall and Concert Hall. When visiting this site, travel to the 30th floor’s trzydziestka, which is a massive terrace, affording
enviable panoramic views of Warsaw.
Warsaw’s pride for its native son, 19th-century
music prodigy and composer Fryderyk Chopin, is evident throughout the city. Though Chopin passed away and was interred in Paris in 1849, his sister Ludwika returned to Poland with his heart, which to this day sits in Holy Cross Church, where it remains in excellent condition, nearly 200 years following
his death. While visiting Warsaw, travelers must explore the Fryderyk Chopin Museum and attend
a concert of the master’s music, which affords an unforgettable, authentic Polish cultural experience.
Lest We Forget
Amid all the wonderful sites to visit and experiences to be had
in Poland, the tragedy
of Nazi occupation in the country cannot,
nor should, be ignored. Visiting Oswiecim, which is more commonly known by the German name – Auschwitz – is
a solemn life-changing experience, one that
cannot be described, only felt. At the height of German occupation, the camp comprised more than 40 branches, Auschwitz, which once served as Polish army barracks, was the first portion to be used and Birkenau, constructed later, its largest.
Though the atrocities of Auschwitz still serve as reminders of destructive fanaticism, many examples of the power of humanity and compassion also arose during this time. One famous example of humanity and goodness is the story of Oskar Schindler, a Kraków enamel factory owner who protected his Jewish workers from becoming victims of the camps by bribing members of the SS.
Kraków, Poland
Jasna Gora Monastery
Join us for a special presentation on January 26
at 6:00 p.m.
DISCOVERING POLAND
August 30, 2017
13 Days from Newark to Warsaw $3,759* per person, double occupancy
INCLUDES:
• Round-trip airfare
• Round-trip transfers
• Tour escort (with 16 travelers)
CITIES VISITED: Warsaw • Krakow • Gdansk • Torun • Malbork • Wroclaw • Czestochowa
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Locally guided city tour of Warsaw
• The Black Madonna housed in the Jasna Gora Monastery • Polish culture folklore show and dinner
• City tour of Krakow with a local expert, including Wawel
Castle and Schindler Museum
• Auschwitz with a local expert
• Medieval town of Torun
• Marienburg Fortress, the largest castle in the world
Travel
For more information and reservations,
contact Cathy Baldigo at (570) 622-4991.
* Rates are per person and subject to change. Single and triple prices available upon request.
Warsaw, Poland
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
Now!