I am sitting on the Ryanair flight from Livepool to Krakow with my father gently snoozing on the other side of the row. The plane is bouncing a long and it is one of those moments where it is still early in the morning but one has been awake for hours.
So Poland; another country on the grand European tour – I think this makes number 18 in my tour around Europe with only another 34 to make all those that possibly be within Europe. Again, another language to try and follow, another culture to understand. It’s Krakow where we are headed, the old, royal capital and also famed as being the starting point for a trip to Auschwitz. Poland’s beautiful and troubled past in one trip.
And, yet, from what I know the present is no less troubled or difficult. It’s been a part of the EU for five years now and had wanted to join the Euro. It can’t given the current economic crisis. A country which is known for atrocities committed to Jews, Gays and other minorities, has a far right movement which continues to threaten those groups. The political crisis which lead to its freedom in the 1980s has – like its leaders – matured but not completely been resolved. This is an interesting country with the same social, economic and political problems as the rest of Europe and is yet working within its own unique historical and cultural context.
Over the next few days, once again, my view of Poland, Europe and the EU will be most likely challenged and developed. Which is, after all, one of the reasons we travel and I want to make my way around all of Europe.
PS: Countries visited to date: France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ireland, UK, Denmark, Switzerland, Monaco, Vatican City and now Poland
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