November 18, 2018

Road Trip: 13 Days in Poland + Germany (Part 1)

Medievel city of Toruń, Poland

Back when we had zero dollars, student debt, and a new baby, Dave and I would day dream out loud about all the places we wanted visit one day. One of those places for him was Poland, the place where his great grandparents were born, the source of pride for his heritage, celebrated by grandparents who had a love for all things Polish, including pierogis and polka.

Though Polish only in name, it’s an identity I wear proudly after visiting this incredible place and getting to know its people. In homeschool, Carter did a unit on Poland two years ago, and after reading, researching, and on the advice of a friend who was raised in Poland, we knew we wanted to see as much of the country as time would allow, and so we got to know Poland in the most amazing way possible, on a ten day road trip.

Our adventure on the road began in Berlin, Germany . . . in a giant van. Not what we were expecting, especially given that it was manual transmission (which I can’t operate . . . and this wasn’t the time to learn). So, as Dave reacquainted himself with a stick shift, we bucked along the streets of Berlin (stalling only a few times), and once we parked that beast, the real fun began.

With all the research and planning, there are certain elements to family travel that you can’t predict. But as Dave reminds me often, “luck favors the prepared” so I tend to go overboard with preparation. In this instance, we brought as little belongings as possible. Though we brought five carry ons total, two were for heavier clothing for our stop in Iceland, so between Germany and Poland we lived out of two carry on suitcases of clothing, a smaller carry on suitcase with toiletries, and backpacks with cameras/valuables (adults) and games/entertainment (kids). Each backpack had a travel pillow attached and a reusable water bottle tucked in the side, and that’s how we rolled through eight different places where we rested our heads. Packing the back of the van resembled a game of Tetris, and by the second stop, Jackson and I had it down to a science. I do love a challenge.

First Stop: Berlin, Germany

We spent the weekend in Berlin exploring the city and stayed at Lulu Guldsmedden. Though I had read mixed reviews about the hotel, this place was perfect for our family in that we could all stay in one hotel room with a loft for the boys. We arrived on Friday and planned to have a fun dinner at Neni and hang out near the 25Hours Hotel. As we walked to the restaurant, we could see the animals below in the zoo, so of course the boys talked non-stop about going back. Dinner was amazing, and the 25Hours Hotel had this really fun, laid back vibe. On Saturday, we did a morning walking tour starting at the Brandenburg Gate and afterward, met up with a Berlin based documentary photographer Jess Haverkamp of My Family in Photos. Hands down, this was one of my favorite of the entire 18 days, as Jess captured our family as we are while visiting the Pergamon museum, playing “toilet” miniature golf at Tempelhof Field, and visiting Carter’s favorite place in the whole wide world, the Playmobil store. Berlin is a city unlike any other I’ve ever visited and I’m so glad that we started and ended here.

Stay: Lulu Guldsmedden or 25 Hours Hotel

Eat: NENI

Do: Pergamon Museum and the Playmobil store (Carter’s #1 travel recommendation!)

Second Stop: Toruń, Poland

We arrived late and checked into Hotel Gromada, and as we were walking to check in, people were everywhere walking through the streets and we heard live music playing loudly in the main square. I loved Toruń, and the fact that it was a small and easy to navigate city made it a perfect first night in Poland. We stopped at one of the restaurants in the main square for a dinner of pierogis and Polish beer, which was one of my favorite meals of the whole trip. Our kids were happy, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was magical, and for all of those things to line up gets as close as we’re getting to perfection.

Toruń is known for two things: being the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and gingerbread. It’s also one of the only cities spared from the destruction of World War II, which means that the way it stands today is very close to how it’s been for centuries. While we were there, we wandered the city, climbed the tower in the main square, and stopped for gingerbread sweets before heading down the road to Malbork Castle.

Eat: Gingerbread at one of the many bakeries

Stay: Hotel Gromada

Do: Climb the tower of the Old Town Hall for views over the medieval city

On the road, we stopped for the morning and lunch at Malbork Castle, a 13th century castle built by the Teutonic Nights as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Center. The castle was badly damaged during WWII, and underwent a major restoration project. It’s an absolutely beautiful place.

Third Stop: Gdańsk

On the short drive from Malbork to Gdańsk, we made a quick proposition to the boys: to swim in the Baltic or no? Of course it was a yes. Before we got to our apartment, we stopped at Stogi beach, parked along the street and walked a short trail before finding ourselves at the shore of the Baltic Sea. Sawyer, of course, was the first one in. Just a week before, he dipped his feet in the waters on the Atlantic coast of Iceland. Ten days before, he was swimming in the Atlantic at home. In that moment, the world felt a bit smaller and more connected in a magical way, and I was grateful to see the beaches of Poland. During our time in Gdańsk, the city was celebrating St. Dominic’s Fair, an open air market that began in 1260 and still continues to this day. It’s the largest open air trade market in Europe and we happened to catch the last few days of the fair. The city was busy, lit up at night, and beautiful. Take advantage of the views from the water with a boat ride, it’s truly beautiful by night.

Eat: Correze, a 15 minute walk from our apartment with amazing food

Stay: An apartment facing Mariacka Street (here is where we stayed)

Do: Check out St. Dominic’s Fair and St. Mary’s Basilica, where you can climb to the top of the tower with views over the city of Gdańsk, or view the city by boat with POLSail.

Fourth Stop: Warsaw

The day we arrived in Warsaw was the centennial celebration of the Independence of Poland, complete with a military parade and citywide celebration. And a logistical nightmare for getting to our hotel and parking our monstrosity of a van. What seemed like a nightmare turned into one of the best experiences of the trip. Because we had to find parking outside of the old town, we were able to park near the site of the Warsaw Ghetto, and followed our guidebook for a walking tour of the history of the ghetto, the Warsaw Uprising, and the Polin Museum of Jewish History. It was surreal to walk in the places we had read so much about and the museum was incredible (I would recommend it a thousand times over). There is so much information about the rich history of Jews in Eastern Europe with interactive exhibits and beautiful artifacts. Though the darkness of the Holocaust could be felt, the focus on the culture, community, and resilience of the Jewish people is the overall message of the museum.

After the crowds cleared from the parade, we parked outside of Old Town and headed to our hotel, rolling our suitcases down cobblestone streets. And up several flights of steps. Until we got to the main desk and realized that our rooms were in another building. So we dragged our stuff about a half mile farther, up more and more steps, until we got to our rooms and nearly collapsed. This is where not knowing the language and misunderstanding conversations over the phone requires patience, because crabby kids, crowds, and a lot of sweating on that trek nearly pushed me over the edge. But again, some things are worth the effort, and our rooms were beautiful, in a perfect location, with open windows and an airy summer breeze on a busy street in what felt like the most perfectly Polish setting.

Eat: At an outdoor restaurant on Castle Square

Stay: Castle Inn

Do: Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews

25Hours Hotel, Berlin