My Little Box November Products

If you read my post about November's My Little Box you'll know that I was a very big fan of everything I received.

I've been putting the products to good use and can say that most pieces have lived up to my expectations. Firstly I donned my apron on Thursday to help my sister prepare for Thanksgiving. Her sister in law is American and had no one to spend it with this year so we opted to put on a spread for her. My sister was very complimentary of the design on the apron which I agree looks very cute. Especially when you have a beer in hand ;) 

The beauty products this month were equally a big hit with me. I normally have pretty good skin. But over the winter month's my skin takes a bit of a bashing. My hands probably suffer the most. No doubt from their exposure to the harsh Scottish cold. Not this year. The Sweet Hand Cream has kept my hands in really good condition and the marshmallow scent isn't too overpoweringly sweet. Available to purchase on mylittlecorner.fr for €9, which I really feel is excellent value for money! It's a great size for your handbag or to keep in a drawer at work (which is where mine is currently living). It really has made a difference to my hands this year. 

Part of my routine to get my skin back on track over the winter months was making sure I've been taking my make off properly and treating it to a bit of TLC. I've been using La Rouche-Posay 'Effaclar' Purifying Foaming Gel for Sensitive Skin for the task of removing my makeup. It's really great and makes it easy to get every bit of make up off including waterproof mascara. It's a product I definitely would recommend and I'm a big fan of the La Rouche-Posay brand.

 Once I'm 100% make up free I've been making use of My Little Beauty's Night Cream that I received in October's box. I'm a big fan of night creams and use them every night. This one does the job as good as any other one. Available on the same website and coming in at €16 it's much a muchness to other night creams on the market. But as I do receive them so frequently it was a very welcome addition to this month's box. I have been using Dr Pierre Ricaud's Neck & Décolletage Lifting Cream that I also received in the box. Now I'm not sure if I haven't been using it long enough or if it just doesn't make any real difference. Of course I know the anti-aging benefits of moisturising your neck, however, I personally don't feel the need to use a specialised cream for this area. At £18 a pop I just don't see myself ever actually purchasing this product I'm afraid to say.

The final product I've tested this month is the 'So Elixir' perfume by Yves Rocher. I wore this out last night actually as the small size is ideal as it won't take up much room in a clutch bag. A lovely mixture of Iris, Vanilla and Patchouli.  It actually really grew on me as a night went on. So much so I've decided to buy a bottle as a Christmas present for someone. The bonus is that currently they have a big discount on their website and thanks to a surprise code in this month's box I'll also get a full size bottle for free for myself! Excellent news for me!

To all my readers in America I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving! :)

Winter Krakow Trip (Day Two)

On the Monday we set off early for Auschwitz. An experience that I knew would be incredibly upsetting but I felt it was important to go and see first hand the sort of conditions the victims of the Nazi state were subjected to. Out of respect for those who lost their lives there I opted not to take any pictures. A decision that I hope my readers will understand and respect.

We decided that we would prefer to go early without a guide. I had heard how busy it could get with groups and I didn't want to feel like I couldn't spend the time I wanted to take it all in and absorb what I was seeing. If you do want to go round without a guide then you do need to go before a certain time. I can't quite remember. Check out the website for precise details but I think it's before 10.

We went for half 8. Do remember that if you are going by public transport it does take around an hour and a half on the bus. It's easy enough to do it yourself. The bus was cheap and took you straight from the bus station to Auschwitz. They are also fairly regular. We visited a Tourist Office the day before to make sure we had up to date information and didn't miss our reserved time. On that note, you MUST book your tickets ahead of time.

The whole experience of both Auschwitz I and II was enlightening, disturbing and extremely emotional. The exhibition of the possessions stolen from their victims was almost too much for me and I wasn't the only one walking round with tears streaming down my face.

At Auschwitz II (a short free bus journey) I was taken aback by the sheer size of the camp. It was massive and I found that I just couldn't comprehend how any human being could condone such actrosities on such a huge scale.

It is an experience I will never want to experience again with the exception of taking my kids in the future to ensure it is never forgotten. I hated every moment and felt physically sick, but it is something I am so grateful I got the chance to go and see first hand. It does take up the majority of your day so do make sure you put the proper amount of time away to visit.

On our return to Krakow we went for a wander by The Barbican. It's an incredible piece of military architecture situated next to St Florian's Gate.

We then headed back down for a few beers at Rynek Główny, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying people watching. As I said in my last post the square really is a stunning spot that any tourist will be sure to love, especially at night.

Afterwards we had a short walk to dinner. I'd seen another place recommended on TripAdvisor and was looking forward to trying it out: Pod Wawelem Restaurancja. Famed for its huge portions we were looking forward to a tasty meal. Beer aplenty: good. Breaded camembert with cranberry sauce: good again but definitely a case of quantity over quality. So far so good though.

That final picture is when it all started going wrong. We had pretty much only just started our starters when the waitress came over with our mains. Mine being the above pictured 'Officer's platter': a gigantic portion of all the meats with potatoes and rice. We told the waitress we weren't ready who just shrugged and rearranged the table to squeeze the plates on. Again it was definitely quantity over quality. None of mine tasted good. Needless to save I didn't finish it, went back to the hotel and fell into what can only be described as a 'Meat Coma'.

Read about our final day in Kraków in my next blog!