Krakow, Auschwitz, and Wieliczka (and Katowice Airport as an extra)

Well Krakow is great, I would recommend it, lots to do, off season less English stag parties! A church on every corner nearly, architecturally amazing. We went to have a laugh and that we had. Hotels, transport and food were very cheap. All the bars/clubs seem to be downstairs.
I did have some dude trying to sell me a trip to drive a tank or fire a gun eh no.
The salt mine in Wieliczka was very interesting, carvings and ingenuity, a lot of walking though, and the Scamo of the photo extra charge. Got soaked walking to and around the castle but happens..
The old Jewish town was lively and good to go to, and round the square was the main event.
Auschwitz was a must see, informative and educational but not as traumatic as I anticipated or feared, maybe that was the frightening thing, but then Auschwitz II Birkenau (a 3km walk) was massive and bleak and eerie, left a real impression and somber after it. Again a lot of walking. Found the poles very helpful, on the complicated ticketing machine on the trams/buses,and giving directions.
Krakow Airport was fog bound so we had the chaos of the buses and getting to katowice airport, didn't shade a great trip.


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Austria Skiing 2009 - Kirchberg/Kitzbuel

Accommodation was ok, the pension/hotel set up with meals worked out well, werved by a herr gruber lookalike. Some excellent skiing on tuesday, wednesday morning and thursday, although crossing the top of the mountain on wednesday evening and friday made me regret leaving the balaclava at home... St. Paddys day we flew the flag like 2 ejeets but it was worth it, kitzbuel much more lively than kirchberg. Ivan ran close to getting a slapping for his backward skiing...Lots of super crazhey dutch people about there for some reason. Ski lifts were never a problem, except for one incident on the 1st day with high winds. The farmers plate meal, always undid any good the open air and exercise was doing. Friday doing the Hahnenkamm (or the bit of it they let you do) was another achievement, and the spill I had on it, I need to pay off the paparazzi for filming it...
Overall I think I preferred France for skiing, but Austria impressed me especially with their unforgettable europop...
Home in time for the Grand Slam!!! and Bernard Dunne Fight..