Wednesday 28th July

 28/07/04 - Day 25 -

Our priority as we sauntered into town (still raining btw. In fact, I've now worn my socks, trousers, coat AND jumper - and the latter three all at once!) was, of course, Breakfast. And Lo! a bakery at the first corner. We then got a call for the town before acquiring a new hostel for the next 3 nights - right on the main square, very comfortable and clean (Heather, I'm sure, will be commenting more fully on the finer points of tasteful decoration later).

A few pertinent thoughts about Krakow???

Finally a lively lovely city. Kind of Budapest smoothed over. Nothing exceptionally grand (even the National Symbol Castle does not stand out excessively), yet somehow every part of the centre and the Jewish quarter feels genuine and is ornate. As though a part of the entire city has been frozen in time. It is politely helped Somewhat by the teams employed in culture (restaurants with (Arabic) clerks in traditional dress outside, Hakiers in traditional dress) but still it has a feel to it that the other cities have not had. It feels as though it is the same city to the locals as it is to the tourists - there is no distinction between tourist areas and the real city, the two just blend into one.

Moving on to something less well, wish-fest wise, the city is a mix of everything we've seen so far. It has the kebab houses and bagel-street sellers of Istanbul, the takeaway, quick-snack mentality of Budapest, and the cafe culture of Budapest. I love the main Square (largest in Europe), it has the cafes around the outside, the kebab counter in the side-street and, apparently the 3rd largest pigeon population in Europe. I just hope we get to see it in the sunshine.

Then continued the (as I'm sure it will become) Infamous: unespecial snack tour to Krakow. We did rather well out of it (for recommendation) hot chocolate and 2nd hand taste of a cheap quality restaurant for Polish pierogi). and it was alsovery refreshing to talk to someone I knew other than 'Heather'

I think I had my first taste of pierogi last night at the huge backpackers where the rooms were either like cells and they had no vert-head beds to maker shelf. I managed to get a pretty good nights sleep After a long day out arriving in Krakow, feeling pretty rough (and wet), I think Tara was a bit keen but we headed into the old square. It was a Shame about the rain but it did clear up so that's something. The ornate old buildings reminded me of Budapest. The Cloth Hall (was a craft place) was great and if I had been in a better mood I perhaps would have spent more time (and probably money!) There we failed to get into St Marys Church so we headed in search of a better hostel which, I'm pleased to say, we found I've decided this is the best youth hostel I've ever stayed in. It's really spacious with high ceiling and wooden floors - and immaculately clean and tidy. In fact I think the cleaning lady has a compulsive disorder! The kitchen/dining area was very pleasant to cook in and instead it was nice to have a hot filling meal which didn't involve bread. The other excitement of the day is that we met the first person we knew, I'm undecided on Krakow - it certainly has potential for being an attractive bustling town but I felt a bit let down by the things to do - the castle made me never want to own any Polish art Krakow definitely will be tourist place and it'll probably best it not by and de a visit of things but just wanderaround, which is a bit damned on a rainy day! I'd like to see some music folk - hopefully we'll head off to the Jazz Festival tomorrow but there have been lots of buskers (and a marching band). The church, in the end was pretty shocking - a bit messy for me and very unique. Everything's nice and cheap here which is a bonus. I'd quite like just to walk through and around the town again or do it again in a better mood, really.

Our Polish meal out was very tasty & somewhat expensive & sparse.

My wonderfully prepared cuisine was awkwardly not very memorable. For Brian as this meal should come in amongst early.