wife. mother. awesome girl.

I know it’s shocking, but I took a non-bike-related vacation to Europe! Specifically, one of my kids moved to Poland last year, and aside from a very brief visit home a month later, we have had to make do with video chats and texting. We finally decided to make the trip out to see where they live and the places they like to go.

This was also my first time traveling off the North American continent, so I was extra nervous about being on an airplane for more than 6 hours (my previous long-distance flight). To the point of feeling panicky when thinking about it; mercifully, my psychiatrist provided a few Xanax for the flights. Since this was our first time traveling truly internationally, not just to Canada or Mexico, I opted to pay a bit more for comfort, both on the flight and in our accommodations.

The Trip Part 1

The trip didn’t begin terribly well – our flight was delayed several times before it was canceled outright on Friday evening due to widespread major thunderstorms in Denver. Lufthansa rebooked us immediately for the following evening – but with a few more layovers. We had to call to request a change to the rebooking to make sure we had more than 20 min to catch a connecting flight, but everyone at the airline was very helpful. Saturday evening, we finally boarded our flight, which was slightly delayed again due to weather.

Quick plug here for spending the additional cash for comfort on a long-haul flight – and honestly, for Lufthansa specifically. I have a long-standing dislike of United Airlines, but to minimize travel and transfers, Lufthansa was the only one with a direct flight from Denver to a port of call near where we were going. We booked Premium Economy because I didn’t want to try to spend 9 hours crammed into an aircraft like a sardine. The seat was comfortable, the amenities appreciated, and the flight attendants were stellar. As a perpetual middle-seat dweller, I had plenty of room – two armrests, adequate space between my fellow travelers and me, and excellent seat recline. The food was excellent and plentiful. I watched one movie (Devil Wears Prada 2 – 3 stars, it was OK) and got about 4 hours of sleep on the flight (thank you, Xanax!).

We landed in Munich and passed through Border Control to the Schengen part of the terminal. Munich Airport was clean and had lots of shopping options for high-end clothing lines. With 7 hours to kill, we eventually decided to get coffee and a light lunch/snack at Dallmayer. European standards like not hovering over you, not handing you the check while you’re still eating, and the whole No-Tipping vibe were … pleasant. We then made the best decision of the day: we booked a day room at the Hilton Munich Airport.

A beautiful Hilton is attached to the terminals. They have a day rate. We booked the room, checked in, and then fell into a deep sleep for a few hours. Pete took a quick shower (I was committed to holding out until the next morning), and we headed back through security for our next flight, which was also delayed.

The flight to Frankfurt was very quick – maybe 45 minutes. Lufthansa handed out water bottles and chocolates – and then we landed. We quickly made our way to our next flight, which was also delayed (!!!) and also, on a partner airline, Air Dolomiti. The plane was tiny – 2×2 seating configuration. One of the flight attendants on the Munich flight alerted us that our bags might be too big for that plane, so we gate-checked them to be safe. The flight was a little over an hour, landing in Poznań, our final destination, shortly before Midnight CET. We picked up our bags, took an Uber to our hotel (Puro Poznań), and fell asleep almost instantly.

Day One: Poznań & Kostryzn

The next morning was a struggle to wake up. Never in my life have I had what can properly be called jet lag – until now. Despite sleeping almost 10 hours (plus an additional 4+2 hours the day before), we forced our eyes open and stumbled out of bed to make the most of the day. And of course, we missed the breakfast window. I downed two lattes before we headed out for the day.

We got lunch at the Kawaii Cafe and wandered around the main Old Town Square. The colorful architecture on the rowhomes was very Renaissance; the Town Hall is partially under restoration. We watched the Noon reveal of the Goats at the top of Town Hall (as did many, many others) before walking to Poznań Główny to catch the train to Kostryzn.

Kostryzn is a small town about 20 minutes outside Poznań. The town is an interesting mix of old-world/Renaissance, Soviet-era, and modern architecture.

Video Link as we rolled into the Kostryzn station

Today’s plan was to meet Kacper’s family and have a low-key cookout. Kacper’s mom doesn’t speak English, and we don’t speak Polish, so we relied heavily on Kacper to translate. Hilariously, his mom was very animated and talking quickly. Kacper responded in similarly animated Polish for a minute, then finally turned to us and deadpanned, “My mom gets very excited and talks a lot sometimes.” She insisted on the traditional Polish welcome – bread dipped in salt and chased with a shot of vodka. She also brought us a plate of strawberry yeast cake. Pete and I were struggling to stay awake, but enjoyed meeting Kacper’s mom and his tiny but obese Jack Russell-like dog, Sprężynka.

The weather didn’t want to cooperate, and a cool, steady rain began as we walked to Kacper’s brother’s house. Hubert and Emilina welcomed us warmly and served amazing foods – including fresh bread, Polish pickles, and kaszanka. Emilina is a spectacular baker – we feasted on chocolate cake and sernik topped with a strawberry gel.

As we left, Hubert asked me if this was what I had envisioned Poland to be like. I don’t think I answered satisfactorily at the time, because I’m not sure what my expectations of Poland were! Americans may think of European cities as cosmopolitan and the countryside as a bit “behind the times”; what we experienced was a welcoming mix of Old and New. Poland has been partitioned many times by both Germans and Russians (and the Swedes at one point), ravaged by war, built and rebuilt again and again. The juxtaposition doesn’t feel out of place, though. It’s like Poland has embraced its past and integrated it into its future.

What surprised me was how many people use human-powered transit (bicycles, walking) and how strict the laws are about pedestrians having the right of way. If someone is even approaching a crosswalk, all vehicles stop well short of the crosswalk. It was mildly liberating to just be able to walk places!

We ended the night with some drinks and snacks at the hotel bar.

Day Two: Kostryzn

Day two began with another struggle to wake up in time for breakfast. We caught a train back out to Kostryzn with Kacper and Ava for lunch at Buła i Gaduła. Fun fact: they know Ava’s order before she places an order: bacon cheeseburger, double cheese. The food was delicious! We wandered through one of the town parks, which featured a small free library and a rope climbing structure that would make most American parents panic.

We then walked over to Parafia Świętych Apostołów Piotra I Pawła W Kostrzynie. The Catholic Church is a prominent feature of Polish life, although, like many religions, it’s seeing a loosening of its grip on national culture. The church is very plain on the outside but beautifully decorated inside. We walked around the building, where you can see bricks repaired post-war, and noticed this silver plaque. Turns a permanent level for building higher.

We then walked to Biedronka (Ladybug Store) for snacks. By this point, I’d started documenting all the unique Żabka (Froggy Store) we passed – some were across the street from each other or just on opposite ends of the block! It was fun to see the different ways familiar foods are packaged and presented – like eggs just sitting on the shelf unrefrigerated, or the American Foodie line of snacks that are a highly stereotyped version of what someone might think Americans eat. We wandered over to a park to take in the rain wall (Tężnia Solankowa), which gave us a well-deserved break in a very zen environment.

A quick stop at Piekarnia Bogienka for fresh pastries and then some light grocery shopping at Netto before heading back to Kacper’s house to drop everything off before heading back into the city. We passed by Stara Rzeźnia, which was closed to visitors when we were visiting. The brickwork is stunning and the efforts to preserve the area are laudable.

We walked over to Pierogarnia Stary Młyn Poznań for dinner. The baked pierogi were phenomenal, as were the dessert pierogi. The weather was favorable for a relaxed walk back to the hotel.

Day Three: Poznań

Today was moderately easier to get up – but we still – STILL! – missed breakfast. We enjoyed lunch at Billy’s American Restaurant, featuring dishes with names that made absolutely zero sense (Night in Arizona was chicken tenders and fries; Montana Shrimp was just fried shrimp and fries; Trump Nachos …. had nothing to do with our current president).

The real gem of the day was a demonstration at the Rogalowe Muzeum Poznania – the Croissant Museum. Unique to Poznań is the St Martin Croissant, a delicious and hefty pastry that only certified bakers are allowed to make. The show was very fun (and funny) and ended with an awesome view of the Town Hall Goats at 3pm. We left with a tasting size (which was itself very generous) and a certificate saying we are “apprentices” in the St Martin Croissant practice.

We then walked over to Bazylika kolegiacka Matki Bożej Nieustającej Pomocy, św. Marii Magdaleny i św. Stanisława Biskupa, a beautiful local parish towering over the local rowhomes. We made a small donation to light a candle for my mom, who would have loved the parish’s history and beauty.

Stopped at a bar for a quick break and refreshment before walking to Centrum Szyfrów Enigma to learn more about cryptography and Poland’s role in cracking the German Enigma code in World War II. We may think of cryptography as something of the past, but our everyday internet activities use encryption rooted in its long history.

We popped over to the Centrum Kultury ZAMEK w Poznaniu for a respite in the cafe. I’m getting used to the smaller caffeine infusions and Pole’s preference for sweets – so coffee and cookies! We hit up the bookstore for a few gifts before walking over to Taco Jesus for dinner. Living in a high-Mexican Cuisine area, the food was adequate and the margaritas plentiful.

We called it an early day – only one more day left!

Day Four: Poznań

Ava had an appointment with immigration as she tries to attain residency in Poland, so Pete and I had the morning to ourselves. We made it up in time for breakfast: a huge spread of sweet, savory, and made-to-order items.

We walked over to the Bazylika Archikatedralna św. Apostołów Piotra i Pawła– another very old and beautiful cathedral. We purchased tickets for the observation tower and to view the crypts – the views were spectacular, and the historical relics of the original church were fascinating.

Fear not, we stayed in the Old Jewish Quarter of Poznan immediately adjacent to Nowa Synagoga w Poznaniu, which has a fascinating and horrifying history you can read about here.

After lunch and the basilica, Ava and Kacper rejoined us to stroll around Poznan one last time. We picked up souvenirs, did a little thrifting, and wandered around Stary Browar.

For dinner, Ava and Kacper chose The Mexican. I know – why are you trying to eat everything BUT Polish food? It’s always interesting to see other cultures’ interpretations – and this was no exception. The best part was ordering Cheesecake for dessert – Zorro delivers it to your table. Plus, Ava wanted to take us everywhere that reminded her of home. We weren’t going to argue that.

Another early ending to the day, but we were beat, and we had to be up much earlier than we had accomplished to this point on the trip.

The Trip Part 2

The trip back to Colorado was mostly uneventful – we got up, had breakfast (again! yay!), and enjoyed a few moments with Ava, Kacper, and Ava’s dog Dani before getting an Uber to the airport.

It’s interesting to learn that travel within the Schengen area is essentially considered domestic. The process is similar, yet feels much less intrusive than US air travel. We debated checking our carry-on bags, but no one had really said anything on the way out – plus the plane to Frankfurt was bigger than the one we took to Poznan – so we went to the gate to wait to board.

Unfortunately, the gate attendant decided Pete’s carry-on was too big (keep in mind, I have the exact same size bag AND had more stuff in mine and no one stopped me) and made us weigh them. 12kg each when 8kg is the max weight! Oops – time to pay the non-compliant fees.

At least we could travel relatively unencumbered for the rest of the trip.

Quick flight to Frankfurt, short layover, but we had plenty of time, even though we had to go through Border Control again because our flight to Denver was delayed. I think my passport was checked like 5 times before getting on my US-bound flight. This time I knew what to expect and didn’t need anything to calm my nerves for the flight.

Once again, Lufthansa’s flight attendants were spectacular. Attentive, extremely friendly and cheerful in a genuine way, and the flight was a delight. I managed to watch one movie (Sinners, 3 stars, meh), finish a library book (Little Fires Everywhere), and catch a nap.

The MPC app simplified border control in the US, but waiting for checked baggage was draining. We also gained basically a day back – we woke in Poland at 7am CET and landed in Denver at 3:30pm MDT. We managed to stay awake until about 7 or 8pm MDT before succumbing to the siren song of sleep.

Final Thoughts

A whirlwind trip, but I’m so glad we went – and so glad we went to Poland specifically. Both Pete and I have Polish ancestry, and while we would never claim to be Polish American, it was wonderful to see a beautiful, resilient country that is very modern and faithful to its roots at the same time.

And of course, to see our daughter and her boyfriend, meet his lovely family, and see the things they see and do every day.

Would I recommend Poland to others? Wholeheartedly yes.