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Showing posts with label Krakow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Krakow. Show all posts

Monday, August 21, 2017

Krakow (Poland) - Just looking, not buying

KRAKOW (Poland)
21 August - 22 August 2017


Poland makes for some hard driving, it really challenges your patience as all major roads seem to be constantly under construction or re-construction.

Inching along at 60kms an hours when you really want to be beating a path through a flat, unchanging landscape has you visibly beaten at day's end.

We stayed at the Apartamenty Grzegorzki Park,  a little outside of the centre. It was supremely comfortable, had reasonable city views and was fully equipped.

That's all to add on this stop in Krakow, just a drive-by, but a destination in waiting, that's for sure.

Friday, May 26, 2017

Krakow (Poland) via Brno (Czech Republic) - Pre-wedding DAZE!

KRAKOW (Poland) via BRNO (Czech Republic)
26 May - 28 May 2017

Our migration north for our pre-wedding preparation had commenced. The much loved, and may I add, unfairly maligned 2002 Renault Laguna was to be our vessel of transit over the 1800kms to our new home  away from home.


In all honesty I was glad for the move. Living next door to my mother, literally next door, had actually become a form of stress to me. Here I was, a 42 year old, about to be married man, was still have occasions when my mother simply walk through the front door at any time of her choosing, not announcement, no knocking - then there were the endless nonsensical needs to have 'serious conversations' every couple of days or so. These conversations ranged from a 'very serious' interjection about me losing too much weight, to queries as to why Inga didn't like them because we weren't showing up for our necessary quota of afternoons coffees or launches to a range of many other forms of inane and stupid items. It seriously did my head in and became so bad that many times I found ways of negating going there on my own because of the accusations I know I'd face. Seriously, it ended up being desperately unfair. Leaving gave me a lot of breath space.


On the way to Krakow - Poland

The Luneta Warszawska Hostel - Krakow - Poland

The Luneta Warszawska Hostel - Krakow - Poland


The drive to Riga was usually a two night affair for us. On this occasions we aligned our travels with a Bruno Mars concert that was happening at the Tauron Arena in Krakow on 27 MAY, as part of his 24K Magic Tour.

Our first stop was on the 26th of May in Brno. A small town (city) of some 400,000 inhabitants, located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers. Modern in part but still heavy in the former Soviet style, we didn't really see much of the city at all aside from stopping in for an early evening gym sessions.

The next day we had a short drive to Krakow, some 350kms and had accommodation booked at the Luneta Warszawska Hostel Krakow   - a fabulous place located in what looked to be an old fort. Impeccable in terms of presentation, cleanliness, space and location. The only thing against it was that it was a 30 min walk out of the city centre, but in a large way that was part of its charm too. It felt like it was in the middle of nowhere and there was something extremely appealing about the feel.


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland



Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


In many ways the Bruno Mars concert was quite the surprise. First, he's a performer and that something that aligns with his style of music, pop, funk and rock all mixed into his own style. He's a lot of fun and I guess sometimes that exactly what you need. Another surprise, and what Inga & grew to really appreciate during our Concert Series prior to getting married, was that Polish crowds really got into the spirit of the event. A large part of the atmosphere at concerts of this elk is the form of participation you get from the crowd. Krakow formed the baseline and the expectation by which all future Polish crowds had to live up to....and with that said, we had a few concerts planned, Coldplay in Warsaw (18 June) & Guns 'N' Roses in Gdansk (20 June). Additionally, we had the Foo Fighters  planned for Riga (21 June) and Kings of Leon on (27 June) in Vilnius. Not that they were all in Poland but I figured passion for tunes was more a regional thing anyway.


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Tour - Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland


As for the concert - here's a set-list from that evening

Performer: Bruno Mars
Location: Tauron Arena - Krakow - Poland
Tour: 24K Magic

Set List
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  15. Encore:
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  17. (Mark Ronson cover)