Wroclaw, Poland

 Dzień dobry, from Wroclaw, Poland! Poland was another bucket list trip for us. We researched several different places to go but ended up in Wraclow on the recommendation of several friends. We are so glad this is where we started our Polish history lesson because it is such a charming little town. But why take my word for it? I'll let the kiddos tell you all about it!

Logan (Age: 11)

Favorite thing about Wroclaw:  I loved walking all over the town.  It seemed like there was something new to see everywhere we went.  There were musicians and entertainment everywhere.  The first evening we were walking around we saw magicians, people using massive bubble wands and all kinds of other things.  Their little town square was full of entertainment.  

Main square

Favorite food: I really liked the ice cream we had in the special cones.

Ice cream shop

One new thing I learned: there are gnome statues all over Wroclow.  We learned that these were a part of the anti-soviet resistance movement. The anti-soviet group, the Orange Alternative, started to put up the dwarves as their symbol and helped topple the communist regime.  

Brody (Age:9)

Favorite thing about Wroclaw: I liked walking around and finding all of the gnomes.  Some were really well hidden and they all seemed to have something to do with what they were near.  The bank had little bank teller gnomes near it, for example.  

Favorite food: The oreo ice cream!

Ice cream in trdelník cones. 

One thing I learned: there is an unexploded bomb (Red Army shell) that is in the side of a church.  Our tour guide said the bomb was disarmed and left in the church as a reminder of how close the church came to being destroyed during World War II.

Hanging out in a little park.

Lincoln (Age: 6)

Favorite thing about Wroclaw: The gnomes!  It was so much fun looking for all of the gnomes all over.  My favorite gnome was the professor gnome.  We rubbed his head and the tour guide told us we would pass all of our tests now.  

Church door near the university.

Slodowa Island

Favorite food: The ice cream.  I also tried dad's pirogue and I didn't like that as much.  

One new thing I learned: In Wroclaw at night someone goes and lights all of the street lamps.  (Mom note: Wroclaw still has a lamplighter who lights all of the street lamps nightly, at dusk.  The lamplighter is dressed in old, traditional, lamplighter clothing).  I also liked seeing the Nazi police headquarters.

Gestapo Headquarters.

Mollie (Age: 4)

Favorite thing about Wroclaw: I liked all of the little gnomes we found around the town.  I also liked running around on the big hill (mom note: there was a World War II bunker that's been turned into a little park of sorts and the kids spent quite a while running around there.)

Favorite food: I liked the ice cream cones and the fries we had at the restaurant on the way home.  

Cute, traditional Polish restaurant on our way back to Germany.

One new thing I learned: there are more than 400 gnomes in Wroclaw and they keep adding to them!

Wroclaw was the perfect city to visit.  It wasn't overwhelming and we were able to enjoy our three days exploring the city while also not feeling like we had a lot left to see when we left.  It was great to explore some more World War II history having just finished our studies about it.  Do widzenia, Poland!