Boone, just outside Florian's Gate, where the barbicon once stood
Despite my previous lag in travel writing, I can't allow our trip to Krakow to remain undocumented. It's just too swell a city not to talk about. Four central European cities stand out as the jewels in the old Habsburg crown: Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Krakow. I've seen them all now and love each of them for their distinct moods and personalities. Krakow felt the most special, perhaps because its continued efforts to pick up the scattered, tattered pieces of its tragic, not so distant past, are solemnly evident This is a gravely beautiful city still wrestling with the pallid, ever present ghost of the Holocaust, trying to keep that spectre at bay without denying its existence.
Auschwitz is about a half hour drive from the city. There are tour groups, buses galore that will take you to the camp complex, oftentimes as part of a package with a visit to the Wieliczka salt mine, where one can see an entire chapel carved out of rock salt.
We did neither of these tours...we wanted to devote an entire day to Auschwitz, knowing that the visit and all of its gravity required some time for thought and emotional recovery, and on this trip, we felt we just didn't have that time.
Thing is, Aidan wasn't sure he could handle the intensity of these emotions, so we decided to visit later next year, when he feels ready. I know I would be kind of a wreck for a day or so. Boone has been to Auschwitz twice and can testify as to the chilling sadness that does and should set in. Nonetheless, I think it is very important for us to go, to see, and to pay respect to the dead somehow by allowing ourselves feeling that intense emotional pain for awhile. We will do that before we leave Europe.
Since we were staying a few blocks from Glowny Square, it was easy for us to focus on today's Krakow, enjoy its grey lady allure, cloaked in thick mist spiked with the sharp, coppery hues of autumn. I even had a mental soundtrack running through my head, songs by Marianne Faithfull and Thurston Moore, parts of a compilation cd we listened to driving up throught the mountains of Slovakia, thanks to the thoughtful and generous Dean Volker. A few of my favorites from the cd ran on a loop through my brain the whole time we were away from Budapest. The Blind Faith tune "Can't Find My Way Home" found a warm spot and wedged into my cerebral cortex as well...it was the first song I heard coming out of the speaker in the comfy common room of our hostel. It seemed to work with the mood of the city on that first, foggy day.
Wawel Castle, on the banks of the Wisla River
Smok Wawelski, the Dragon of Wawel Hill
view from our hostel balcony, looking toward the Wisla River
Wawel Castle, looking like a colossal land ship navigating the seas of time
Katyn's memorial, at the base of the castle wall
dusky serenade
Food is always a very important part of any trip to parts previously unknown. The food we wanted to eat in Krakow just happened to be incredibly affordable. We dined mainly on pierogis and brothy soups, which kept our bellies full and our bones warm during our stay.
Krakow, like most other central European cities, hosts a bustling cafe culture. Stop at any coffee shop on or around Glowny Square and you are sure to find the richest espressos, the most fragrant teas. I indulged in the delectably complex, almost pudding-like hot chocolate. This ain't no Swiss Miss, my dears.
"you must stir this chocolate before drinking..."
yes, I licked the cup clean
U Stasi, old commie "milk bar" where the food is cheap and delicious. It is served up at super sonic speed....get 'em in, get 'em out, no time for lingering table talk!
When and wherever I travel, I tend not toward the big tourist draws, the stuff in all of the guide books. And while I don't blame anyone for wanting to see the big sites, all of which are worth the time, I prefer to wander the streets for aspects of a city's true personality. I've said it before, and I don't mean to sound smug, but I feel that once you've seen a couple of churches in central Europe (with a few exceptions) you've seen them all. Their hallowed chilliness gets old, makes me tired. I'm also not a fan of the cliched tourist composition that consists of a cluster of people grinning at the foot of an otherwise stunning monument. I'm fine with tourist shots, but prefer the candid ones, and definitely ones without me in them. I don't need to prove I've been there. No, I like to people watch, focus on the locals, and snap
shots of them when I can. I enjoy capturing the small oddities of a place and while I am capable of enjoying a grand view, it's the small vignettes that really speak to me.
Glowny Square
Glowny Square
She was handing out fliers for an Auschwitz/Salt Mine tour, pushing a pram with a doll inside
Bird Man of Glowny Square...central Europeans enjoy pigeons rather than curse them
living statue...throw a zloty into his bowl, watch him dramatically change position
I'm always charmed by bike vignettes, especially ones like this, featuring a crocheted bike warmer
Our last day was spent in and around the old Jewish Quarter of Krakow. It was once bustling and lively, pre WWII. Today, the neighborhood is working hard to regain its old vibrancy and doing a damn fine job of it, but you can still feel a bit of the silent emptiness that will perhaps never be filled.
Now the neighborhood is once again full of friendly cafes and little hole in the wall restaurants, small but bursting outdoor markets, and a thriving community center. This was my favorite part of town.
restoring the old synagogue
Autumn hugs the synaogue wall
the living and the dead
memorial wall, made up of gravestones destroyed by the Nazis
offerings for the murdered Jewish citizens of Krakow
scene of our last meal in Krakow
potato pancakes smothered in savory stew. scruptious!
We all fell in love with Krakow....Aidan intoned, almost under his breath, "I really like it here". If you find yourself in central Europe, make Krakow a priority. I predict that you will fall in love as well. x
