Saturday, July 17, 2010, Laurie and I are celebrating our 39th Wedding Anniversary today. She gave me a brand new Nikon D3000 camera as a gift (again), and I gave her a trip to Berlin, Kraków and Prague.
We were both happy.
It was also our last day in Kraków.
Water and some smokes
What else would one need on another day of record heat in Kraków, Poland?
Wawel Castle
We started our last day in Poland by visiting what is a sacred sight for every Pole, Wawel Hill.
Besides the castle, the Hill includes a cathedral and various other sights of historic interest to the Polish conciousness.
Pope John Paul II
When the Pope was still Karol Wojtla, an ordinary priest, he served in a parish in Kraków starting in 1949 and by 1958 he would become the Auxilliary Bishop of Kraków.
He was such a very beloved Pontiff worldwide, but especially by his Polish countrymen.
Wawel Cathedral
Kraków's Vistula River
Every great European city was founded on a river. Wawel Hill overlooks the Vistula River for easier defense of the castle.
Great cathedrals have great gargoyles
Yes, both halves weigh the same
If only . . .
It was a strange impulse that swept over me, but I just had to buy one of these. It is part of the ceilng decorations in one of the castle's rooms.
An imposing castle watch tower
Wedding Cake Bakery
We passed this bakery every time we left our hotel.
Aromas.
Polish Fiat Money
Why didn't some of our key American forefathers have insanely good looking facial hair like these two Poles?
Augustianie
There was a Catholic Church across the street from our hotel named simply Augustianie.
It was of interest.
I liked their murals
and their Open Air Confessional
Nice straight lines, huh, Brian?
Even their Stations of the Cross
were different
A nun contemplating
Once we exited Augustianie Church, we headed back into the Kazimierz district, the old Jewish Quarter.
It was here that we found two examples of Earl Scheib's Kraków Auto Body Paint Shop.
One of Earl's last jobs before
the fall of the Communist regime
and one of his first ones in
the Lech Walesa era
"I'll paint any car for only 39.95 zloties!"
Food Market on Plac Nowy
The Jewish Museum
It was big on antique Torahs and Menorahs.
Time for another Jewish meal
On the Sabbath, no less!
Hey, why doesn't anybody have pastrami on their menus?
A lonely waiter waits on a hot day
Speaking of hot, click on this picture to enlarge it
Its the same time/temperature message board as yesterday, only at 1:30 p.m. today it read 39.0˚C.
That's 102.2˚F!!!!!!
And humid.
The Main Old Town Gate
It was now time for shade, people watching, shopping and more gelato.
You try selling fur clothing
items in 39˚C heat
Poznan? Where the hell is Poznan?
AC Girl
As we were walking through a market place full of stands like the fur lady's, we chanced upon a vent spewing ice cold air out at hurricane Category 3 levels.
We didn't move for at least five minutes.
Taco Mexicano
In Poland? Not even on a rare triple dog dare, David!
Nuns in their Summer
white home game uniforms
Reflections again
Twin Towers
Pope John Paul II's old digs
Warwel Hill nearing Magic Hour
A statue of the dragon that Prince Krak slew
It had SEVEN heads, go on, count them . . .
and it breathe fire!
The Overnight Train to Prague
A very good and worthwhile three days in Kraków were over. We felt very good about the town, and its people, but mostly the cuisine and its accompanying aromas.
I would recommend Kraków as a great place to visit very inexpensively for a couple of days, but do it when the temperatures are in the low 20˚C range!
As for the overnight train to Prague, it was like Eva Marie Saint and Cary Grant in the movie "North by Northwest."
Magical.
On an athletic note, I may have reached my peak trying to take a shower on this high speed train while it was in motion.
Balance, the great ones have balance . . .
HAPPY 39th ANNIVERSARY, Laurie!!!
2 comments:
But I bet you'd eat a Polish sausage in Mexico.
Absolutely!
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