Baltics states, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia

Pam and I were in the three Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia for 10 days traveling by bus from one capital to the other.  We learned there are few areas in the European Union that have been explored less by international visitors than these three countries.

Tallinn, Estonia and Riga, Latvia have cruise ship ports which means during mid-day there’s lots of people, however the rest of the Baltics remain relatively quiet and off the beaten tourist trail. There is so much to see and experience in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that we really enjoyed over our ten days here. While the capitals are lovely, we loved the smaller cities and towns the same. They all have incredible castles, old towns and Soviet history. We learned following the collapse of the Soviet Union that the Baltic countries went through a process of reinstating their national language as the official language of their country and using the Euro. Travelling through the Baltics was wonderful, and a rewarding experience that was a delight for us.

Warsaw, capital of Poland.

Wandering around Warsaw and looking at its buildings it was difficult for Pam and I to comprehend that 80 years ago, the Polish capital was little more than rubble. Overcoming that WWII catastrophe, then the challenging Communist decades. Recent generations have brought youthful energy, creativity and fun to the metropolitan mix, the results is one of Europe’s most dynamic cities. Pam and I enjoyed walking it’s street and eating their food.

Krakow Poland, home of Schindler's factory from the WWII movie.

Our AIRBNB was in the Old Town and historic center of Kraków, along with Schindler’s Factory from the WWII movie and the nearby Salt Mine. Krakow’s cultural and architectural legacy can be seen at the Wawel Cathedral and Wawel Castle on the banks of the Vistula River. Kraków is also home to Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest universities in the world and often considered Poland's most reputable academic institution. This was a wonderful week in Poland.