June 3: Krakow

June 3: Last day in Krakow.  We started at my new favorite cafe in the world: Les Couleurs on Plac Nowy.  Go there!  We visited the armory and cathedral at Wawel Castle (no pictures, please!).  We also visited the Jagellonian University museum, which is a sweet little collection of random university items (Copernicus studied here), plus a glimpse into the oldest university in Europe: over 650 years old!  Did I mention that we saw the trumpeter of Krakow in St. Mary's church?  If you want, check that story out here.

I'm behind on posting because yes, traveling this can wipe you out.  We are trying to be conscious of that and to make sure we have down times.  But I'm also exhausted because I had the bright idea of taking the overnight train from Krakow to Prague.  It'll be fun, I thought!!   I had some Orient Express-like romantic notions.  Um, no.  As my friend, Deborah, said today, "Oh, that's rough." The rest of the family thought it was pretty cool, and I guess it kind of was.  But it was loud and cramped, and I pretty much didn't sleep.  Even if I was 20 years younger, it would have been rough!

Next stop, Prague!

My new favorite cafe: Les Couleurs in Kazimierz. 

Max on the overnight train.  It almost looks spacious here.

Maggie in the hall of the train.

June 2: Krakow

Today we went to Oskar Schindler's Factory Museum in Krakow.  Not much in the way of pictures, obviously.  They did a good job of illuminating life for Jews in Krakow before the Nazi invasion...and after.  We stayed in an old building in the Jewish neighborhood, Kazimierz, and it's sobering to know that whoever lived in our apartment was likely moved to the ghetto and then a camp.  P.S.  The scene from the movie "Schindler's List" where he dictates the list is not true; someone else prepared the lists.  But he did try to save his workers and their family and friends, including having children added to the list even though they were too young to work.

 The stairway to our apartment...wooden stairs, extremely worn.

 This is now a bookstore, but it has the feel of so many Kazimierz buildings.

 Krakow pastry break!  Helps lift the spirits after a rough morning.

 The Nazis tore this sculpture down during the occupation.  The Poles rebuilt it.

June 1: Krakow

 First up today...Wawel Castle high on a hill overlooking the Vistula (Wisła) River.  The grounds are enormous, so we only saw part.

 View of Krakow from a tower of the castle.

 In the Dragon's Den!!

 Cool-looking cheeses.  We got one of course.

 We luckily happened to be here on the day of the Great Dragon Parade.  The legend is that a dragon used to live under the castle (see lair above) and terrorized the area.  A cobbler's apprentice finally defeated him and got to marry King Krakus' daughter in reward.  (Why is the king's daughter always the reward??)  These dragons were built by schoolchildren, who marched in the parade as well.

For lunch, we were invited to the home of Marian and Dorota Lewandowski.  They both are scientists at Jagiellonian University, and Mark met them the last time he was here.  They served us a most delicious, traditional Polish meal in their apartment which overlooks the river.  Wonderful people!  For dinner, pierogis!! at Mr. Vincent's Pierogis which was decorated with Van Goghs: plum, curry, spinach, and potato pierogis.  Beer for 5 złoty, which is about $1.60.  Woot!