We got off the train in Krakow, looking for connections to Warsaw and FOOD. Evidently the word is out that American dollars go a LONG way in Eastern Europe, since this train station was even more heavily populated by students, many of them American.
We found that trains ran regularly from Krakow to Warsaw (about once per hour) and would take us about 3 hours to get there. At this point, we went for food. It was very early in the morning, most of the shops were not yet open.
Teresa had been here the year before (for another conference) so she knew her way around. We headed from the train station into town, walking toward the market (it turns out this used to be a large cloth market, they now rent the building out for shops: think the Jockey Lot, in Polish with lots of Amber
(the building in the center contains the shops).
We ate breakfast in an outdoor caf� off the main square/market. We waited a bit for the market to open (we had amber to buy) and had a good time shopping there. We then started heading back for the train station by a different route and wandered into the open air market.
In my opinion, this was (at least partially) the "fell off the back of the truck" market. Teresa found some lingerie for prices that were simply unbelievable: the shopkeeper ran out of stock before we ran out of the desire to buy.
Of course, this is when the one small problem of packing light does pop up - you have to carry the things that you bought SOMEWHERE. We did fit everything in (thank goodness for backpacks) and headed back to the train station to catch the train for Warsaw. Teresa had packed a small duffel bag for purchases.
This time, there was no issue about taking first class tickets. It was not as big a deal this time (we were not going to be on the train nearly as long) but they are more comfortable and you have a better chance of dozing off, because our compartment had a door we could close.
Once we got to Warsaw, we walked to the hotel. Walking is actually a good way to get a feel of a European city. Vienna flows, Krakow hurries, Warsaw bustles.
Warsaw has built pedestrian "underpasses" (tunnel malls, for want of a better term) to get across the busiest streets. These underground malls are LOADED with shops.
Poland was communist for so long, and people were so poor that theft seems to have become a way of life. The impression I had was that people didn't like it, but they understood and accepted it. Thieves over there seem to be a bit more � refined? in their approach. Yes, they will steal from you, but they don't plan to hurt you doing it: this is just the way they are feeding their family. If they can take your passport - they will.
We made it to the Hotel Grand and napped for a while - it had been an active week, an exciting night and a busy day. Next we went to the University of Warsaw to register Teresa for the conference.