Since we arrived in Kracow a couple of days ago we have been getting to know this lovely city and all of its aspects:
The first impression as we dragged our bags from the bus station to the apartment was that the gardens that surround the old town are green and lush, and we'll used by the locals of all ages.
The apartment at Ul. Studentcka 8 is huge and has 5 bedrooms. In a perfect location as it is just outside the old town wall and only a few minutes from the impressive main square (see first photo).
We decided to wander around the old town and the Jewish quarter to get our bearings.
The second impression is the solid, high, large buildings everywhere. Many are tastefully decorated with small balconies jammed with flower boxes, stone carvings and curves, turrets, and sometimes statues. The ugliest buildings are the newest! I thought the old style buildings must be new and may have been rebuilt following WWII, but apparently Kracow was not bombed at all. Obviously they have been well maintained.
This is a beautiful city as it has wide streets and lots of trees. Around the centre you do have to keep a lookout for huge horses and glamourous white carriages which trot speedily around the main streets of town full of beaming tourists. The other hazard is little jeep wagons with signs proclaiming the major tourist sites, and again tourists listening to loud descriptions about the said Tourist sites. See photos below! !
In the Jewish quarter we found a superb little restaurant called Bombonierka which had gorgeous decor based on the local wood carvings and traditional dancing. The food was fabulous: duck, goose, goulash, pork knuckle, herrings - yum!
Then, the next morning, it was time to tackle the sights from the seat of a pushbike! So off we went for a 4 hour bike ride with a gorgeous tour guide Sylvie. After a short delay whilst Andy exchanged his bike for one WITH brakes (!!), we set off to learn about the history and see the sites with someone who knows. Our group of 10, most of them riding bright lime green bikes, pedaled happily around in the sunshine.
Sylvie's explanations brought the city to life, and saved poor Graz having to know every detail about Kracow. For the most part we listened and pedaled, but we did go into the St. Francis of Assisi church which was one of the most beautiful churches I had seen. It was tiny and not ornate and golden. Instead it had beautiful colours and painted murals of flowers and other designs on the walls and ceilings. Gorgeous colours.
The other place that was fascinating was the original Schindler factory where Oscar Schindler managed to save many Jewish lives by employing them in the factory and sending the workers to another factory when the neighborhood was being 'liquidated'. It was quite a large complex of many buildings which you can't access but there is a Museum in the main administration building which is the one in the photos.
One of the most telling places was a square filled with sparse rows of large metal chairs. This was the exact spot where Jews were assembled to be transported and 'liquidated'. The 70 chairs are a memorial to the 70,000 people who died from the local Jewish ghetto. As we left I realIsed that some of the chairs were smaller than the others. It was a simple and very fitting Memorial.
We also managed to reach a beautiful old University building on the dot of 11am so we could watch the clock to see figures portraying an academic procession of University leaders rotate around to the sound of the glockenspiel.
Cycling was truly a great way to see the city and despite my best efforts I managed to not hit any wandering tourists, or to be hit by any other vehicle!
Desperate for coffee we headed for the main square and sat upstairs in the old market and waited for the trumpet player who plays every hour from the top of St Marys Basilica. He also doubles up as a fireman so obviously they have to find trumpet - playing firemen for the job. We have heard the trumpet a few times over the past few days but have yet to see him as he plays on the top of the tower: we're just not sure which turret he plays from. Tonight we came across a large group of people pointing at him to show others his whereabouts But we arrived a nanosecond too late and he was gone !!
Everywhere you go there are bars and cafes set up in the tiniest of spaces. It's always easy to find a drink or a coffee. Coffee for some mysterious reason is very expensive and not great, whilst beer is dirt cheap and the drinker is expected to drink it in half-litre or litre sizes. Any smaller and you look pathetic!
As we wandered around aimlessly we went into one of the churches (of which there are many) and as we sat admiring the decor people staying arriving and congregating at the side of the church. We are rather intrigued as they were adults of all ages and very well-dressed. After about 50 arrived finally a choir master appeared. Apparently we had stumbled on choir rehearsal for the Mass that night. Even as they warmed up the sound reverberated around the high arched ceilings and walls of the church and it was truly superb. You couldn't hear any one voice as they blended beautifully.
We were inspired to hear some more music played in a church and there are lots of options to do this here. We ended up in a tiny Chapel in a small church to hear a small Chamber Orchestra play a mixture of classical and modern music: Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker Suite and the theme from Titanic included. Three violinists and one cellist did a wonderful job.
Graeme and I are off to visit Auschwitz tomorrow: the others don't want to go, which is understandable.
Your Kracow-informed and well-pedaled correspondent
Dianne
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