 I’m home, enjoying the last vestiges of spring vacation. While I’ve been stuck here the entire time, unable to travel, it doesn’t mean I wasn’t doing so in spirit. Editing my traveling memoir, Forever Poland, from when I lived in Kraków allowed for some existential travel, or at least memories of trips gone by, places I’ve seen, and food I tried. To that end, with Poland on my mind, here are some places in no particular order that you might want to check out sooner than later. 5 Places in Poland That May Surprise YouBolko Island - Some people head to Opole for the music festival, others to see the official greeters of the city, the llama gang, and aside from steering you away from one restaurant where the chef will mess up your meal and insist you eat it or a pizza venue with questionable drinks, I’ve decided to share with you a better place to see and experience when you visit. Bolko Island should be front and center. Sure, there is a zoo there, and I’m sure it’s wonderful. Instead, walk the trails, the grounds, find yourself on the point where the Oder reconnects, and take in the peace, the stillness of it all, and maybe make a deer friend in the process. Go in the early morning before everyone is stirring, and if you insist on going in warmer weather, at least check whether the marina restaurant is open so you can get something to wet your lips.
Rybnik Riverwalk - This is a fun one, only because I’m not quite sure what you’ll find now on your side quest out of the rynek and towards the overflow waters of the power plant. If you’re lucky, the culling did little to eradicate the cute inhabitants illegally taking up the water’s edge. You’ll see more nutria than you can count and might even feel guilty enough to stop in McDonald’s en route to grab them some proper grub, a pittance if you will, for the town trying to run them off, and yet still capitalize on the fanfare. Then again, should the nutria still be in hiding, head to the warm water, the reservoir, for a good sit on the banks. Take a bike if you need to, but enjoy the breeze and watch The Simpsons play out before you, or see if you can find a carp to grant you a wish. Either way, this place is worth more than five minutes. Lublin Jewish Cemetery and the Railroad Memorial - I know we’re hitting all the loud spots in the country, and by adding these two numbers, I’m taking out the fun and putting in the gravitas. Seriously, though, look up the cemetery and see what you find. This beautiful, reflective spot is right next to the Roman Catholic Parish of Our Lady Help of Christians. Talk about a mouthful, but that’s your marker to go to this Salesian-run church and then step over to the gate with the distinct Star of David. I don’t think you’ll be as lucky as I to find the gate unlocked with a group of future rabbis leaving prayers to those who have passed, but it’s still worth the time, even if you have to run down the street to pick up the key to get into this sanctuary that will connect the past with the present. For those who want to pay their respects to the original Jewish founders in the Lublin community, or to better understand how this place survived German occupation, it’s something that will leave you in silence. A fitting pairing is then the long walk following a similar route to what the Jewish families followed along Turystyczna to Zimna, where the memorial lies, giving you perspective on Germany’s Final Solution and how it impacted this entire region. I would suggest a tour of Majdanek as well, but after the first two, you’ll be ready for a pint or two at the Irish bar in the old square, and rightfully so. Elvis Presley Memorial Statue in Kraków - Okay, so maybe you aren’t a fan of the King of Rock and Roll, and for that, I apologize for your uncultured upbringing. Putting that aside, if you know of Elvis and want to find a unique monument or really monuments to him, then head to Skałki Twardowski City Park, or as I say, the trails around the limestone quarry. Ignore the rock climbers, the cyclists, and the mom’s club out for their morning chat. You’ll find Elvis across from the Polish garden homes with his face half-submerged in stone, but with a head full of hair for you to pose next to. If that’s not enough for you, walk down the opposite trail and find the headstone with his nameplate. You might be a bit underwhelmed, but it’s worth a story or two. Talk about a fitting tribute for a King. Tatar Mound in Przemyśl - Maybe this one is a cop-out. Honestly, if you’re in Przemyśl and have any sense or love of churches, then you’ll spend the entire day going in and out of every single one in the old town area. Then again, maybe you can’t appreciate Baroque Franciscan churches, cathedrals, Orthodox, or Ukrainian-Greek houses of worship. Assuming this isn’t your cup of tea, and maybe you could give two hoots of the World War I cemeteries or Przemyśl Fortress, then Tatar Mound is the place to see. Yeah, we know about the mounds in Kraków, but this is better because it offers unobstructed 360-degree panoramic views of the city and the Carpathian Mountains. Head up Zniesienie Hill, wave at the giant cross or the radio tower, and then will yourself to this ancient burial site. Rain or shine, it has the best views in southern Poland.
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Meet Mr. Jon- a traveler at heart who loves a good story and walk. Jonathan has over twenty years experience in independent publishing. While he prides himself on crafting a good story, nothing truly beats an adventure and a camera. 
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