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!

May 30 and 31

I thought I'd try to be as good as my parents, who are on another epic bike ride (see their blog HERE), about posting some near daily pics and details about our Central Europe travels.  

But I have to include a few pics from our last stroll through Copenhagen yesterday.  It was a stunningly beautiful day....Mother Nature was good to us during our last week.  It was tough to say goodbye not only to the place, but the people, we've come to love a whole lot.

Early this morning we left and hopped over here to Krakow, Poland, a city (and country) that wears its history on every facade.  Just took a couple of walks this evening to get to know the 'hood around our AirBnB apartment and ate dinner at an up-scalish Polish restaurant that still cost less than lunch in CPH yesterday.  We are staying in the historically Jewish neighborhood of Kasimierz, whose residents were forcibly relocated to the ghetto in WWII.  Now it's a vibrant, hip place.  We are currently being serenaded by young people celebrating at the Jewish Community Center across the street.

In Cph, the Black Diamond library, the Dome of Visions, and the harbor on a beautiful night.

One of our favorite streets, the Streget, the location of our favorite bar, the Kreuzberg. 

"Our" square, Gråbrødre Torv.

Our front door and a cool bike.

One last stop at Lagkagehuset in the airport to say goodbye to these amazing folks, Andrea, Enrique, and Sofia. 

St. Mary's on the square in Krakow. 

Dinner on the square.

Inside the Cloth Hall on the square.

A stall in the Cloth Hall.