Krakow - Wow!

This place is absolutely amazing!

But before I get to that - a quick note on Seeing London with the Burgess' and Sally's Birthday Drinks on the 3rd of June. I wandered through Portobello Road and Charring Cross road with Pat and Alan - and I must go back to the latter! It was bookshop heaven, and I had the most wonderful mocha coffee at Floyd's bookshop! The 3rd was also Sally's 30th, so we went out to a pub called the Faltering Fallback. And drank WAY too much. A very good time was had by all, but I was rather delicate the next morning I can tell you now!!

On the 4th of June I went to see the musical Wicked with Sally, Kirsten, Alex (Kirsten's Fiance) and their friends. It was wonderful. We were seated in the gods and so I couldn't see the stage well, but I'd go back to see it again if I could get good seats, it was that good.

Ok - Now on to Krakow.

I had managed to catch an absolutely vile cold just before getting here. But that really isn't a problem in Krakow. There are Apteka (Chemists) everywhere you go. In fact, it became a game to spot them, but then it was just annoying because it was sooo easy. There is apparently 200 in the city. This city must be full of hypochondriacs. But since Sally, Kirsten and I had decided to visit Auschwitz on our first day, it was probably appropriate that I was as miserable as I've been in a long time.

Auschwitz and Birkenau weren't as overwhelming as expected though. We decided to join a tour group instead of rambling around on our own, and I think that this was what delineated our experience. It was still absolutely horrible and nauseating, but because we were following a guide, and there were loads of people, we went rather quickly in and out of each exhibition and didn't really have a lot of time to process or dwell on the displays. This saved us in a way. I felt a deep sense of sadness and compassion but not depression. The tour took us to both Auschwitz I which is the original camp and Auschwitz II - Birkenau. There is also a third camp but that was mostly destroyed. Very sobering day all up.

But since I hadn't visited the town when we'd first arrived, being way too sick, we went into town that evening, and saw a concert in the main medieval square, Rynek Glowny - full symphony orchestra, playing Holst's Planets on an open air stage very reminiscent of a cathedral. But also very neon. Still, it was lovely and very uplifting after the day we'd had. The Square itself is almost magical too - there are little alleyways and nooks everywhere. And bars everywhere - underground caverns, and outdoor balcony's - including a bar called Wodka where they sold over 150 types of Vodka. We tried about 5 I think, but I was soo stuffed up, I couldn't taste them!

On Day 2 (the 7th), we changed apartments and I met the Bride and Groom, Kasia and Rafal, who are both lovely. Kasia is Polish but was raised in Australia, and the compliment of girls - excluding me of course - had all known her for years. There was Sally and Kirsten, BJ (Bridgett), Phillipa, Cassie and Zoe. Lovely all. We wandered around the town for a bit, just looking! Road crossing for the visually impaired is a bit off putting here - it sounds like a truck backing and so every time we came to a pedestrian crossing, we'd be looking around for the trunk! I found something just for Jason too - a sign saying Smak Bar...say no more!

In the evening, we had a hens night for Kasia, which strangely enough, Rafal attended, and the girls dressed them up and hand-cuffed them together. I must say, for such a strictly reared Catholic as Rafal is, he took it all very well indeed. It was terribly funny! Everyone went out for drinks afterwards, but I came home early. A couple of the girls were out untill after 5 though, so it was a good night.

On Day 3 (the 8th), we all slept in, and then I went with Zoe to visit the old Jewish quarter known as Kazimierz. There aren't that many Jews left in Poland, but they have preserved several of the remaining Synagogues as museums and we visited the Remuh Synagogue. The surrounding area was very picturesque too.

In the afternoon, the entire group visited the Wieliczka salt mines, which is world heritage listed for its amazing array of statues and bas-reliefs carved in salt by the minders. It is still an active mine but now also functions as a major tourist attraction. It was quite interesting, but had mostly religious motives (the Pols are very religious - 97% practicing catholics), so it became a little repetitive.

We are now about to go and have soup and beer at a cafe on the square - something that BJ really wants to do. So I had better go - but I am really impressed with Krakow so far. So very romantic, and friendly, and with such life to it. A very beautiful town.