Exploring Poland: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Auschwitz, Poland

I was really torn about writing this post. Auschwitz-Birkenau is such an emotional place and I felt such rage about how people behaved there. I felt really uneasy about people taking selfies, people filming videos of the exhibition rooms and saying crude things as they walked around. I snapped a few photos of the outside and then felt an feeling of guilt. But I honestly believe that everyone should make the trek to the camps at least once as it's so incredibly important to see it with your own eyes. This is why I decided to blog about it.

Everyone knows the background of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It's something we learn about all throughout School and from family members. Personally as well as my Secondary education, I also studied the rise of Nazism for A Level history. It's terrifying to see the signs today, it seems as if people have forgotten what happened in the 1930's. Forgotten how someone like Hitler rose to power. Being European, it's a place that's ingrained in our conscious. You know the horrors and the sheer brutality but I don't think you can truly quite understand what happened until you see it for yourself. Until you see those gas chambers. Until you see that execution wall. Until you see those mugshots on the wall of the people who passed through those gates. Until you see the tiny brick huts where prisoners slept. Until you see the endless pile of human hair piled up behind a glass wall taken from prisoners.

I left with such a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and filled with anger. It was terrifying to see just how close Hitler was to achieving his ultimate goal. But I was also so glad that I finally was able to visit. We did a guided tour with Escape 2 Poland and I learnt so much. I honestly thought I knew all about it but our guide was so knowledgeable that I found myself in awe. He really did make the trip.

If you find yourself visiting Krakow, then please do schedule in a trip to see the camps. Despite it being so difficult to visit, it's also so important to visit. It's so important to make sure history never repeats itself as sometimes, history can be forgotten.

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An Italian bucket list

Italy is one of those countries that I can't believe has eluded me. Despite it being very high on my countries to visit, I still haven't made it over. I've got so many regions, cities and towns on my list but here are my top five.

Picture taken from Paris and Around

1. Naples
As a pizza obsessive the birthplace of my favourite dish is naturally on my list of places I want to visit. I've heard Naples is a bit of a rough diamond but this only makes it more appealing to me. I love places that are a little rough around the edges. Squeezing in a trip to Pompeii will be on the list when I visit too.

Picture taken from Fat Frocks

2. Florence
Every year since I was 18 I've vowed to make it over to Florence. And every year I never quite make it. I seem to have this thought in my head that it's ridiculously expensive so I've always ticked off the cheaper places on my wishlist - despite the fact everyone telling me it's really not that much of a money suck. My ideal trip would be two weeks in Tuscany with five days in Florence before spending time in Pisa, Siena and Lucca.

Image taken from Intrepid Travel 

3. Sicily
I have such a romantic view of Sicily. I imagine such a slow pace of life with nothing more important than gobbling down some pasta and basking in the sunshine. I'd love to get some type of late villa deals like these and just spend a few weeks really switching off. Sometimes I feel like I cram too much in a holiday so it would be great to have a relaxing one for a change!

Picture taken from My Life Long Holiday

4. Lake Como
Lake Como just looks dreamy and every time I see a picture, I want to visit even more. I think it'd be the perfect place to spending a week relaxing and switching off. I'd love to wander around the little towns, eat too much pasta and get water taxis everywhere. It wouldn't hurt if I accidentally bumped into George Clooney either...

 Picture taken from The Traveller World Guide

5. Rome
I sell myself as someone who adores travelling and it's slightly embarrassing to admit that I haven't visited Rome yet. It seems to be a place that EVERYONE has been too. Except me! I'm desperate to see the Colosseum, throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, marvel at the famous Sistine Chapel, stand on the Spanish Steps and see the fuss about the Vatican, I'd love to spend an entire week soaking up the city and getting a feel of it like a local.

Have you ever been to Italy? Where do you recommend?

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Photo diary: a return trip to Warsaw

I always have plans to re-visit a city I've loved  with Berlin and Copenhagen springing to mind, but somehow never seem to do it. But with Warsaw I did. We added in Warsaw to our Poland trip because one of my friend's grandparents has a flat in the city, just a short bus ride from the Old Town. As we had visited five years prior, we took the opportunity to really relax and have a chilled three days without any strict itinerary. We made the effort to venture out of the Old Town and try to see the city more like a local. I loved Warsaw even more the second time around. There's something quite charming about it and I much prefer the Old Town to Krakow. I still can't believe that the city has been more or less completely rebuilt after being over 80% destroyed during the war - something you will never guess when you visit.

Whilst the Old Town is by far my favourite place to mooch, the new town also offers some sights that  shouldn't be missed. The Palace of City and Culture and the fascinating war museum offer an interesting insight into the city's history. If you have time to venture even further afield, the neon museum in the rough diamond district of Praga is worth a visit - make the most of the day and spend it bar hopping.  An easy 25 minute bus journey away is Wilanov Palace. The vibrant yellow palace is now an art gallery but we chose instead to soak up the beautiful gardens. Take advantage of the gorgeous lake and hire a rowing boat. 

Warsaw is unfairly left behind when visitors choose to visit Poland as Krakow is very often the first port of call. But don't give it a miss. I find it less touristy than Krakow and it feels a little bit more 'authentically' Polish. It's a great place to visit if you're a bit short on pennies as budget airline offers very reasonable flights and the cost of food and drink is quite cheap. I've been saying this since I last visit Poland five years ago, this country is one of my favourites and is vastly underrated by people here in the UK. 

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A foodie trip to Cardiff

A few weeks ago we took a road trip down to Cardiff to celebrate Gem and Martyn's wedding. We stayed the night at Hannah and Steve's in south London before heading across the country. Wales is a good three hours away from us, so as with taking any type of road trip it's essential to make sure your car is up to the challenge. No one ever likes breaking down hours from home! Make sure you keep your car up to date and in good shape by getting it regularly checked. Use companies such as Ossett Tyre House offer car servicing in Dewsbury if you need a little help. 

Despite visiting for the weekend, we probably only had a full day in Cardiff so decided to do what we do best. Eat, eat and eat some more. Take a look at all the places we stuffed our faces in and take some notes for when you make a trip to the Welsh capital. You don't want to miss out!

Brød
I knew as soon as it was decided we week sharing a house with Hannah and Steve, a Scandi-inspired trip to somewhere would be involved. This time it was a breakfast trip to the Danish bakery Brød. This cosy coffee shop offers an incredible selection of pastries and cakes alongside delicious savoury options which include meatball paninis, loaves of bread and mini pizzas. The cafe has a great atmosphere and the staff are very friendly, more than willing to to talk you through the menu. It's a little way out of the city centre but it's well worth the trip.

Got Beef
This small but perfectly formed burger restaurant features an open kitchen where you can see the chefs work their magic. It's not the best burger in the world - so spoilt in London - but it's a good solid choice.  I opted for the Soprano. A tasty concoction consisting of a juicy beef patty, smoked streaky bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, spicy jalepeno mayo and chunks of chorizo sausage. As you can imagine, it went down a treat!

The Potted Pig
Gem's wedding wasn't until 5 so we wanted a good substantial meal to keep us going - and stop us from becoming lightweights when we started on the prosecco. The roasts at The Potted Pig had come highly recommended. I'm not a huge roast dinner fan - take my British passport away immediately - but this one was amazing. Located in a former bank vault underneath the city, they offer an amazing set menu on a Sunday which includes two courses for £15. The pork belly was heavenly and I'm still dreaming about the cauliflower cheese now.

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Two places to have brunch in Krakow

I often find it hard to find a decent brunch in other countries. We have such a solid brunch culture here in the UK that nothing ever really seems to live up too. I think we're a bit spoilt! But Karkow didn't disappoint. We were only there for a couple of breakfasts and each one we picked got our seal of approval. Good work Krakow!

Ranny Ptaszek
If you're after a quick and casual breakfast, then this is a place to go. Sitting at the bar I ordered one of my favourite breakfast dishes, the Middle-Eastern speciality of Shakshuka. Accompanied by a basket of warm pitta bread, pickles and siracha mayo, it was just the ticket to begin a day. The breakfast menu isn't the biggest but it's great value and service is very quick.

Alchemia Od Kuchni
Located in the trendy Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz, this restaurant is just off the main square. Full of hip exposed brickwork, industrial-themed decor and a good solid breakfast menu, it's perfect to enjoy your first meal of the day. I decided to pump for the chorizo hash brown. A chunky round chorizo hash brown topped with wilted spinach and two poached eggs drizzled with tangy hollandaise sauce and chopped chives. It was great value, priced at about £5, and a good centre location for a day out in the Jewish Quarter.

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Updated: my new five favourite places to eat in London

Mien Tay
I've mentioned time and time again that Vietnamese is one of my favourite cuisines and Mien Tay is up there as my top place to eat it in London.  The food always tastes so fresh, it's great value for the capital and the menu is so varied. Definitely opt for the chicken clay pot curry and you won't be disappointed. The lighter vermicelli noodles are great if you don't want a heavy meal.

Dishoom
I've mentioned this before but thought I'd mentioned it again as they're opening a new branch in west London this autumn. Even more locations for you to enjoy the food! I tell everyone they absolutely need to try the bacon naan if it's the last thing they do. I never knew something so simple could be so tasty! If you go for dinner make sure you pump for the delicious black dal and moreish lamb chops.

Franco Manca
Pizza is my jam and Franco Manca is the king of pizza. Bold claim I know but true. I never opt for anything other than number 4. A tantalising combination of salty home-cured Gloucester Old Spot Ham, creamy mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, soft wild mushrooms and juicy tomatoes on a chewy, sourdough base.

Chic N Sours
Korean Fried Chicken would be my last meal on earth and Chic n Sours does a cracking version. Just the right amount of heat, addictive sauce and unbelievably tender chicken. The hot Szechuan crispy aubergine, K-Pop chicken burger and addictive house fry are also well worth ordering. In fact make sure you go multiple times so you can try everything on the menu.

Honey & Co
For a mere £16.50 Honey & Co offers a fantastic brunch option. The whole table has to order but you get so much food. The table can enjoy a selection of meze, breads, olives, pickles, cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit and homemade jam. Then everyone gets to choose their own main meal to enjoy. I opted for the green Shakshuka with two Cornish eggs.

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Three places to visit in Warsaw outside the Old Town

Wilanov Palace
When we go away I always drag everyone to some sort of palace or castle. I love them. Everyone else? Not so much. But this one was a winner for everyone. Over my 28 years I've seen lots and lots of palaces but this 17th Century one might just be my favourite - it's one of the most beautiful buildings I've seen. It doesn't hurt that yellow is my favourite colour too! It's an easy 30 minutes bus journey from the Old Town and couldn't be simpler to get to. Just one straight journey and you can use your travel card (a must for getting around Warsaw). Amazingly this grand royal palace survived the Second World War. I find this incredible as so much of Poland was destroyed and rebuilt. A stunning yellow colour, the palace is now an art gallery so we never made it inside as galleries aren't really our jam. But we did pay a couple of pounds to go in the gardens and they were absolutely beautiful. There's a lake where you can hire rowing boats, a gorgeous rose garden, the Baroque garden which is the oldest part of the park and an English-Chinese garden.

Neon Museum
Located in the Praga district of Warsaw, the super cool neon museum is a collection of vintage neon signs from the communist area. It is quite a trek from the Old Town but Praga is said to be the hipster district of the city so it's a great place for a bar crawl. It's very different from the Old Town, a lot more grittier but it's a great place to get a 'real' feel for the city, away from the hoards of tourists. The museum reminded me a lot of God's Own Graveyard in Walthamstow. It's not a place you'd spend hours wandering around but it's really interesting, cool and something a little bit different.

Palace of Culture and Science
Built by the Soviets in 1955 as a 'gift', the tallest building in Poland has such a presence in the Financial District of the new town. Now it's home to a huge congress hall, theatres, a multi-screen cinema and museums. Catch the lift to the top to the observation tower and you've be rewarded with amazing views over the city. It's well worth a visit just for this but beware, it gets windy on the 30th floor!

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