Last night I ate at Plzenska Restaurace u Dvou Kocek, literally the restaurant "by the two cats". They used to name buildings by the decorations above the doors instead of using numbered addresses, but that all changed to make it easier to collect taxes. The atmosphere was great and there was live accordion music. I wasn't sure if I would get a place to sit, but they found a spot at the end of a table where a nice older German couple was already sitting. I ordered a Pilsner Urquell and connected with the gentlemen with a friendly raise of the glass. The couple seemed very nice and we smiled at each other as we ate our meals. They both ordered shots of what I assumed was vodka so the next time the waiter came by I offered to buy us all a round. The lady politely declined but the gentleman gladly accepted. What the waiter brought out was not vodka, but a slightly yellowish liquor that had a cinnamon and licorice flavor, my best guess is that it was Ouzo. That lubricated the conversation and soon we were chatting amiably in English together. He told me they were on holiday here in Prague, that he'd been to the U.S. on a few occasions for work and pleasure, and that they had sons and daughters living in Austria and Italy. I shared some about my travels and work as well. The gentleman ordered us another round of beers and we passed the time very pleasantly. I ended up giving him my card and he promised to write. I took a picture of them and he snapped one of me and his wife, which I promised to send to him when he wrote. The food was good and a bit spicy, I would definitely come back.
I had to leave to get to my play. I only got lost once on the way there. The Black Light Theatre is small and intimate. I sat fairly close but to one side, it would have been better to be sitting more towards the center because many of the effects were oriented that way. The show, Aspects of Alice, was entertaining. It was a bit like being on a dreamy drug trip with lots of floating objects and people, friendly giants, disembodied hands, dancing flames, and even some gratuitous full frontal female nudity, which is always a nice treat. It was an enjoyable evening.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
Finally a picture update
Finally I found a decent internet access point and got some pics posted. Have fun!
Sight-seeing on Czech knees
The hostel had a better map for free than the one I had bought at the train station and it was more compact. On it was advertising for guided walking tours so I read through them all. I notice a 6 hour one starting in just 15 minutes so I quickly unloaded my heavier stuff, repacked in the smaller bag and ran to catch the beginning of the tour. They were just starting at the astronomical clock when I got there. The cost would be 1000 crowns, or about 40 dollars, when they got to the tour boat. Its a good thing because I saved 40 dollars when I realized how lame the tour was after just a few minutes of following the guide around. I was much better off on my own with the book and moving at my own pace. I get very impatient on guided tours. This whole trip Ive been moving at top speed through the sites, skipping anything that seemed like it would not be efficient and packed with value. Ive been extremely frugal with my money as well, except when it comes to food and drink. So far Ive gotten by pretty cheaply too, subsidizing my meals with staples like bread, cheese, fruit, sausage, and water bought from the grocery stores.
The first Americans I met were a Texan couple in their 50s. Apparently they go on a European tour every year, but the guy couldnt stop complaining about things. He didnt seem like he was enjoying himself. He complained about the roads and how hard it was to drive in Eastern Europe, and kept trying to explain to me the best places to rent a car and where to park etc etc, and his wife kept reminding him that I was relying on public transportation for the whole trip. That never seemed to sink in on him. I just nodded and smiled and politely took my leave at a break in his diatribe. I felt sorry for his wife. Maybe if I came here every year Id get grouchy, but I sure hope not.
So far the weather has been alternating between being sunny and warm, to grey and windy, to lightly raining, and even the infrequent downpour. I havent minded the changes, although I end up spending a lot of time packing and unpacking my jacket. At one point I got caught out in a hard rain and got soaked as I ran back to the hostel. At least I dont have to worry about washing these jeans for another couple days.
I keep running into people who have the same guidebook as me. Its an instant and fun way to connect with people. Not surprisingly we end up at the same hostels, restaurants, out of the way sights, and such all listed in the book. It would be fun to check when I get home to see if there is a forum or website where I could try to catch up with some of them and hear how the rest of their trips went. I do love this book, but I have some complaints about it as well. I will be tempted to write a review once I get back.
Thursday I spent all day wandering Old Town, the Jewish Quarter, and New Town. I saw Charles Bridge but saved Little Quarter and the Castle Quarter for Friday. Even after seeing all the major sites on the East side of the Charles Bridge, I still had time to wander back and forth to the train station multiple times. Each time I would forget to do something and have to head back later. After picking up schedules for the trains to Vienna and Cesky Krumlov I decided not to cram in a side trip to Krumlov and bought my ticket to Vienna. I carefully selected a time that I thought would be best to leave Prague before buying the ticket and was surprised to learn that it is good for anytime in the next month. That would have saved me a lot of time and stress if Id known that before hand. I guess since its not an overnight sleeper I dont have to reserve a seat. Good to know, now when I get to Vienna I can buy my ticket to Budapest without stressing out about it. I also decided to skip Bratislava, both Rick Steves and the curmudgeon Texan said my time is better spent in Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.
Thursday night I went out for a late night walk and got myself nice and lost for awhile. I wasnt too stressed about it and had a decent map with me. Ive learned I can always follow the tram lines in the road until I find something that I recognize. Also Ive learned to watch the locals and imitate them when Im not sure what Im doing. That little trick has come in very handy.
Friday I woke up with ants in my bed. Not a pleasant experience. Ill try one of the top bunks tonight. The breakfast was uninspiring so I picked up some supplies at the grocery store and had an impromtu breakfast near the Charles Bridge. I leisurely strolled across the bridge and took a short tour of Kampa Island on the other side. Then I walked through Little Quarter square and up the long steps to the castle. I seemed to be walking against the crowd most of the way and doing the standard tour backwards. I liked being different and a source of irritation to the hordes of tourists trying to walk in the other direction. I felt like was paddling upstream in the center of a river of people. The castle was interesting but I didnt bother buying tickets to the museums and sites, I felt they were overpriced and overcrowded. I was mostly interested in the Gothic and Neo-Gothic monstrosity that is the St. Vitus Cathedral. I loved it. Its construction spans 600 years, hence the mix of architectural styles. I was appalled by the gargantuan queue waiting to get inside the cathedral at 10:00 so I begrudgingly passed up the opportunity to see the inside. I will try again earlier tomorrow morning.
After leaving the castle I wandered down to the Monastery and had lunch at the old brewery. I ate a light lunch of soup, cheese toast, and two kinds of beer. By the time I wandered over to see the library at the monastery it was closed for an hour. Something else I need to do tomorrow. Next I hiked through the park to Petrin Tower for an excellent view of the city. Downstairs was an exibit dedicated to the greatest mind and inventor who never existed, Jara Cimrman. It was a very funny display. I hiked down the side of Petrin Hill and then back to Old Town in search of an internet cafe and some coffee. Along the way I spotted the Black Light Theater, which I am planning on going to tonight to watch Aspects of Alice. It should be interesting.
Thats all Ive got so far. I still havent found a place I can upload my pictures from. Ive got a ton, hopefully I dont run out of room anytime soon.
Until next time, Ciao.
The first Americans I met were a Texan couple in their 50s. Apparently they go on a European tour every year, but the guy couldnt stop complaining about things. He didnt seem like he was enjoying himself. He complained about the roads and how hard it was to drive in Eastern Europe, and kept trying to explain to me the best places to rent a car and where to park etc etc, and his wife kept reminding him that I was relying on public transportation for the whole trip. That never seemed to sink in on him. I just nodded and smiled and politely took my leave at a break in his diatribe. I felt sorry for his wife. Maybe if I came here every year Id get grouchy, but I sure hope not.
So far the weather has been alternating between being sunny and warm, to grey and windy, to lightly raining, and even the infrequent downpour. I havent minded the changes, although I end up spending a lot of time packing and unpacking my jacket. At one point I got caught out in a hard rain and got soaked as I ran back to the hostel. At least I dont have to worry about washing these jeans for another couple days.
I keep running into people who have the same guidebook as me. Its an instant and fun way to connect with people. Not surprisingly we end up at the same hostels, restaurants, out of the way sights, and such all listed in the book. It would be fun to check when I get home to see if there is a forum or website where I could try to catch up with some of them and hear how the rest of their trips went. I do love this book, but I have some complaints about it as well. I will be tempted to write a review once I get back.
Thursday I spent all day wandering Old Town, the Jewish Quarter, and New Town. I saw Charles Bridge but saved Little Quarter and the Castle Quarter for Friday. Even after seeing all the major sites on the East side of the Charles Bridge, I still had time to wander back and forth to the train station multiple times. Each time I would forget to do something and have to head back later. After picking up schedules for the trains to Vienna and Cesky Krumlov I decided not to cram in a side trip to Krumlov and bought my ticket to Vienna. I carefully selected a time that I thought would be best to leave Prague before buying the ticket and was surprised to learn that it is good for anytime in the next month. That would have saved me a lot of time and stress if Id known that before hand. I guess since its not an overnight sleeper I dont have to reserve a seat. Good to know, now when I get to Vienna I can buy my ticket to Budapest without stressing out about it. I also decided to skip Bratislava, both Rick Steves and the curmudgeon Texan said my time is better spent in Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.
Thursday night I went out for a late night walk and got myself nice and lost for awhile. I wasnt too stressed about it and had a decent map with me. Ive learned I can always follow the tram lines in the road until I find something that I recognize. Also Ive learned to watch the locals and imitate them when Im not sure what Im doing. That little trick has come in very handy.
Friday I woke up with ants in my bed. Not a pleasant experience. Ill try one of the top bunks tonight. The breakfast was uninspiring so I picked up some supplies at the grocery store and had an impromtu breakfast near the Charles Bridge. I leisurely strolled across the bridge and took a short tour of Kampa Island on the other side. Then I walked through Little Quarter square and up the long steps to the castle. I seemed to be walking against the crowd most of the way and doing the standard tour backwards. I liked being different and a source of irritation to the hordes of tourists trying to walk in the other direction. I felt like was paddling upstream in the center of a river of people. The castle was interesting but I didnt bother buying tickets to the museums and sites, I felt they were overpriced and overcrowded. I was mostly interested in the Gothic and Neo-Gothic monstrosity that is the St. Vitus Cathedral. I loved it. Its construction spans 600 years, hence the mix of architectural styles. I was appalled by the gargantuan queue waiting to get inside the cathedral at 10:00 so I begrudgingly passed up the opportunity to see the inside. I will try again earlier tomorrow morning.
After leaving the castle I wandered down to the Monastery and had lunch at the old brewery. I ate a light lunch of soup, cheese toast, and two kinds of beer. By the time I wandered over to see the library at the monastery it was closed for an hour. Something else I need to do tomorrow. Next I hiked through the park to Petrin Tower for an excellent view of the city. Downstairs was an exibit dedicated to the greatest mind and inventor who never existed, Jara Cimrman. It was a very funny display. I hiked down the side of Petrin Hill and then back to Old Town in search of an internet cafe and some coffee. Along the way I spotted the Black Light Theater, which I am planning on going to tonight to watch Aspects of Alice. It should be interesting.
Thats all Ive got so far. I still havent found a place I can upload my pictures from. Ive got a ton, hopefully I dont run out of room anytime soon.
Until next time, Ciao.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
A quiet morning in Prague
I had a good time at Szymon's watching Barcelona v.s. Arsenal with his friends. Maja was kind enough to offer me a ride to the train station so that I could stay longer and not walk in the rain. I got to the station in time to meet up with Marcin. Together we found my train car we said our goodbyes. I was surprised to see that the sleeper car could hold a total of six people, bunked three to a side. The top bunk didn't look much bigger than a luggage rack. Luckily I was on the very bottom and only sharing the car with two very friendly South Korean students who were studying English in London, but in Eastern Europe for a short vacation. We chatted a bit before turning out the lights and catching some sleep. I was fairly comfortable on the ride, much more so than on an airplane. There were a few brief stops along the way and I only had to get out my passport once during the trip. The ride seemed to be over very quickly, and we arrived at Hlavni Nadrazi (Main Station) in Prague exactly on time at 7:01.
I spent almost an hour wandering around the station trying to get my bearings, find a bankomat and withdraw some Czech crowns, find a decent map to buy, figure out the tram ticket machine (which I still have yet to use my one tram ticket), and find the exit. I followed my map to the main square and sat down to eat my breakfast of bread, cheese, sausage, water, and an apple. It was very peaceful in the square at 8:30 before the hoards of tourists all woke up and the commercial tours began, probably my most favorite memory of Prague so far. I stuck around to watch the astronomical clock strike 9:00 and put on it's hourly performance and then went in search of my hostel.
I booked a room at the Art Prison Hostel, which sounds dubious, but is actually quite nice. I have a four person room all to myself and it's very nice to have a sturdy door and a lock so that I feel safe leaving most of my things (and stuff) in the room. Paul's magic backpack has a smaller backpack you can unzip from the rest of it, so I've been using that as my day bag. I have to get myself one of this! I took a shower, got dressed and then sat down to plan my day.
I have to get off the shared computer now so I'll save the rest of today's entry for later. Ciao.
I spent almost an hour wandering around the station trying to get my bearings, find a bankomat and withdraw some Czech crowns, find a decent map to buy, figure out the tram ticket machine (which I still have yet to use my one tram ticket), and find the exit. I followed my map to the main square and sat down to eat my breakfast of bread, cheese, sausage, water, and an apple. It was very peaceful in the square at 8:30 before the hoards of tourists all woke up and the commercial tours began, probably my most favorite memory of Prague so far. I stuck around to watch the astronomical clock strike 9:00 and put on it's hourly performance and then went in search of my hostel.
I booked a room at the Art Prison Hostel, which sounds dubious, but is actually quite nice. I have a four person room all to myself and it's very nice to have a sturdy door and a lock so that I feel safe leaving most of my things (and stuff) in the room. Paul's magic backpack has a smaller backpack you can unzip from the rest of it, so I've been using that as my day bag. I have to get myself one of this! I took a shower, got dressed and then sat down to plan my day.
I have to get off the shared computer now so I'll save the rest of today's entry for later. Ciao.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Last night in Krakow, ready for Prague
Tonight I take the sleeper train leaving Krakow at 22:41 and arriving in Prague at 7:01 the next morning. From there I hope to check in early to the hostel I reserved a room in for three nights. The Pension Unitas & Art Prison Hostel came recommended as a convenient, cheap, and interesting place to stay. Apparently the basement was used as a secret communist prison. Now it's a cheap place to sleep for the night. I hope they let me leave after I check in.
Last night I packed my bags, putting what I thought I would need for the next week in the smaller bag. This morning I skype'd my sweetheart, ate breakfast, got my stuff out of the safe, checked out of the hotel, and took a taxi to the Biprostal building where the LLP offices are located. At first the driver assumed I was headed to the train station or the airport, so when I wasn't making myself clear I got some assistance translating from the front desk clerk. A short ride and ten zloty later I was at Biprostal. As I was wheeling my two bags and carry-ons into the building I got a few strange looks from people who work there. I could imagine their internal dialogue "Silly tourist, he thinks this is a hotel".
Paul is lending me his backpack for my trip. Thank you, Paul, once again you've proven to be an excellent host and friend. He brought it in this morning and I moved my stuff from the smaller bag to the backpack. After a load test I took Paul's advice and edited down my clothes that I was planning on taking. If I'm going to be hostel jumping across Eastern Europe I need to pack light. Paul made an excellent point, that if I don't have enough to wear, I can always buy something when I need it and it will be a great souvenir. I think I have it down to a reasonable weight now, but I'm probably still taking way more than I need. This will definitely be a learning experience. I'm looking forward to it and the next time, whenever that may be.
I'm leaving the rest of my junk locked in Paul's office while I'm away. When I return I will have to do one more quick repacking before Friday. It shouldn't be too much to manage. In fact I will probably have extra room in my bags to fill up with vodka!
Paul and I just got back from lunch. We took care of my last minute supply shopping and then ate a delicious lunch at a Ukrainian style restaurant, that I didn't catch the name of, but I do remember trying to get in there during the last trip with Daryl, Tom, and Mark when it was too busy. The zurek with horseradish in particular was tasty. On the walk back I picked up a new pocket-knife, something that will come in very handy, and some munchables for the train ride and whenever.
This afternoon I might go to Szymon's flat to watch part of a football match before I need to go catch my train. Marcin had to take a train this morning to his hometown to get his passport and will be returning in the evening. He may get back to the train station just as I am leaving. It would be nice to see him before I head off.
I am leaving my laptop, and I will most likely not have easy access to the internet. I do plan on posting pictures and doing blog updates when I find convenient internet cafes. Stay tuned. Ciao.
Last night I packed my bags, putting what I thought I would need for the next week in the smaller bag. This morning I skype'd my sweetheart, ate breakfast, got my stuff out of the safe, checked out of the hotel, and took a taxi to the Biprostal building where the LLP offices are located. At first the driver assumed I was headed to the train station or the airport, so when I wasn't making myself clear I got some assistance translating from the front desk clerk. A short ride and ten zloty later I was at Biprostal. As I was wheeling my two bags and carry-ons into the building I got a few strange looks from people who work there. I could imagine their internal dialogue "Silly tourist, he thinks this is a hotel".
Paul is lending me his backpack for my trip. Thank you, Paul, once again you've proven to be an excellent host and friend. He brought it in this morning and I moved my stuff from the smaller bag to the backpack. After a load test I took Paul's advice and edited down my clothes that I was planning on taking. If I'm going to be hostel jumping across Eastern Europe I need to pack light. Paul made an excellent point, that if I don't have enough to wear, I can always buy something when I need it and it will be a great souvenir. I think I have it down to a reasonable weight now, but I'm probably still taking way more than I need. This will definitely be a learning experience. I'm looking forward to it and the next time, whenever that may be.
I'm leaving the rest of my junk locked in Paul's office while I'm away. When I return I will have to do one more quick repacking before Friday. It shouldn't be too much to manage. In fact I will probably have extra room in my bags to fill up with vodka!
Paul and I just got back from lunch. We took care of my last minute supply shopping and then ate a delicious lunch at a Ukrainian style restaurant, that I didn't catch the name of, but I do remember trying to get in there during the last trip with Daryl, Tom, and Mark when it was too busy. The zurek with horseradish in particular was tasty. On the walk back I picked up a new pocket-knife, something that will come in very handy, and some munchables for the train ride and whenever.
This afternoon I might go to Szymon's flat to watch part of a football match before I need to go catch my train. Marcin had to take a train this morning to his hometown to get his passport and will be returning in the evening. He may get back to the train station just as I am leaving. It would be nice to see him before I head off.
I am leaving my laptop, and I will most likely not have easy access to the internet. I do plan on posting pictures and doing blog updates when I find convenient internet cafes. Stay tuned. Ciao.
There's more than one way to serve a fish
Monday and Tuesday went by very fast. Work kept me busy. I'm glad I'm leaving my laptop behind on my train trip. No way to check my work email and get sucked in. For lunch on Monday I went with the guys to Swiat Pierogow, or "World of Pierogies" or some such translation. I love pierogi and I remember this place from last time. As I was taking that picture, some older gentlemen came by carrying a couple bags of beers and decided my shot needed a little something extra so they set their beers on the table in front of the guys. I swear we weren't drinking during lunch! It did make for a decent picture.
That night I met up with Marcin and Maciek in the square. I was hungry, as usual, and they had mentioned never having tried sushi before for I thought it would be fun to introduce them. We went to Edo, the best place in Krakow for sushi. I think the guys got a kick out of the whole thing, with the private rooms separated by sliding walls, the low table and pillows for kneeling, the Polish waitress dressed in a kimono, trying warm sake for the first time, and of course the food. I ordered some of my favorite rolls and some tako nigiri, which I only told Maciek was octopus as he was about to take a bite. Marcin was confused by the sake since it isn't quite wine and it isn't quite vodka. Szymon and Artur joined us near the end, but passed the opportunity to try anything. Maybe next time.
After our light dinner we went to one of the oldest nightspots in Kazimierz, Alchemia. It has a great atmosphere and interesting decor. The door to the room we hung out in was only accessible by stepping through a wardrobe, something straight out of C.S. Lewis' imagination. After a couple of beers I was ready for some soup. We said good night to Szymon and then the guys took me back to the late night soup bar that I liked so much from before. They were out of the special soup the guys wanted me to try, so I stuck to my default, zurek with potatoes, mmmmm-good. With beer and warm soup in our bellies we wandered back to old town. It was a Monday night so many of the pubs were closed, so we ended the night at old reliable Jazz Rock Cafe, where I entertained myself by watching drunk guys try to hit on the girls on the dance floor and get rejected time and again. It was getting very late, or early depending on how you tell time, so we left and headed back to the hotel.
Tuesday was very tame. I ate lunch in the Biprostal cafeteria, and tried a soup that was very much like Campbell's chicken noodle soup, and then ate a whole fish. I never was able to get an exact translation of the type of fish, I just assumed it was a kind of trout. After work Szymon drove Marcin, Artur, and I to Galleria Kazimierz for some shopping. I was looking for new shoes, since the ones I brought are wearing very thin, but I didn't find anything I absolutely needed. I thought about another pair of Eccos, but they cost the same as in the States. I laughed when the guys pointed out Jeff's restaurant. It was just too funny not to have a beer and something to eat there. We ran into Bartosz and his wife Asha while we were there so sat down with them until they finished and left. When we left the mall it was raining a bit and there was a thunder & lightning storm on its way, but the shuttle bus to downtown was waiting for us. Marcin, Artur and I went our separate ways and I took it easy in the hotel room that night, getting caught up and ready for my trip.
That night I met up with Marcin and Maciek in the square. I was hungry, as usual, and they had mentioned never having tried sushi before for I thought it would be fun to introduce them. We went to Edo, the best place in Krakow for sushi. I think the guys got a kick out of the whole thing, with the private rooms separated by sliding walls, the low table and pillows for kneeling, the Polish waitress dressed in a kimono, trying warm sake for the first time, and of course the food. I ordered some of my favorite rolls and some tako nigiri, which I only told Maciek was octopus as he was about to take a bite. Marcin was confused by the sake since it isn't quite wine and it isn't quite vodka. Szymon and Artur joined us near the end, but passed the opportunity to try anything. Maybe next time.
After our light dinner we went to one of the oldest nightspots in Kazimierz, Alchemia. It has a great atmosphere and interesting decor. The door to the room we hung out in was only accessible by stepping through a wardrobe, something straight out of C.S. Lewis' imagination. After a couple of beers I was ready for some soup. We said good night to Szymon and then the guys took me back to the late night soup bar that I liked so much from before. They were out of the special soup the guys wanted me to try, so I stuck to my default, zurek with potatoes, mmmmm-good. With beer and warm soup in our bellies we wandered back to old town. It was a Monday night so many of the pubs were closed, so we ended the night at old reliable Jazz Rock Cafe, where I entertained myself by watching drunk guys try to hit on the girls on the dance floor and get rejected time and again. It was getting very late, or early depending on how you tell time, so we left and headed back to the hotel.
Tuesday was very tame. I ate lunch in the Biprostal cafeteria, and tried a soup that was very much like Campbell's chicken noodle soup, and then ate a whole fish. I never was able to get an exact translation of the type of fish, I just assumed it was a kind of trout. After work Szymon drove Marcin, Artur, and I to Galleria Kazimierz for some shopping. I was looking for new shoes, since the ones I brought are wearing very thin, but I didn't find anything I absolutely needed. I thought about another pair of Eccos, but they cost the same as in the States. I laughed when the guys pointed out Jeff's restaurant. It was just too funny not to have a beer and something to eat there. We ran into Bartosz and his wife Asha while we were there so sat down with them until they finished and left. When we left the mall it was raining a bit and there was a thunder & lightning storm on its way, but the shuttle bus to downtown was waiting for us. Marcin, Artur and I went our separate ways and I took it easy in the hotel room that night, getting caught up and ready for my trip.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
A long walk in the rain
I'm finally starting to develop a sense of direction in Krakow, at least near the old town. It helps to do so much walking and exploring on my own during the day, with a decent map in hand. That's what I did most during most of Sunday. I started off catching up on some rest and then called Kat via Skype when I got up. We had a nice long conversation, and it helped some with the homesickness I was feeling the night before.
It was after 10:00 when I left my room and breakfast in the hotel was being cleaned up. That was fine with me, since it's the same thing I'd had every morning for the past week and I had my heart set on visiting the Metropolitan again. I remembered it as having a very good breakfast menu from my last trip so I checked the address on my map and located it without much trouble. I was torn between the English style breakfast and French toast. The French toast won out and it was very good, covered in hot diced apples and maple syrup. I savored every last bite while I looked through my books and thought about what to do with the rest of my day.
I decided on seeing Czartoryski museum, walking through the Jagiellonian University campus, and taking a walk through the Kazimierz district and the new Jewish cemetery. Throughout the day it would rain occasionally, but it was warm enough and I had my rain coat so it never bothered me. My tour of Czartoryski museum was brief. I bought the English language guidebook and went on a speed tour. The main goal was getting to the painting by Leonardo da Vinci that is housed there. The museum itself was interesting and the collection was spread across three buildings connected by bridges. I was pleased to learn that the bridge near the painters corner I liked so much was part of the museum and I got to walk through it. The da Vinci piece, "The Lady with an Ermine" was very impressive up close. It has an amazingly three-dimensional effect with the play of shadow on her face. I spent some time there looking at it. The collection included a sizeable room with Egyptian artifacts, a mummy, and lots of weapons and armor, all stuff I dig. I'd say about half the collection was closed off to the public for one reason or another. Altogether it was an impressive museum.
After the museum I grabbed a snack at one of the kebab stands and started my walk across Jagiellonian University. I could imagine it would have been fun to spend a couple terms there, not sure if I'd have gotten any studying done with so much to see and do though. Artur tells me he studied physics at Jagiellonian. I'm jealous. Apparently the newest looking buildings on campus are actually the oldest, they've just been renovated recently. Fooled me.
From Jagiellonian I walked to Kazimierz and started the walking tour in one of my guide books. I had been to Kazimierz many times at night, because it has become a hot spot for nightclubs and cafes, but never during the day. I saw what there was to see and then moved on to the cemetery, which promised to be inspiring. I wasn't disappointed. I was moved by the stone wall and monuments constructed of recovered tombstone fragments. I probably spent an hour wandering around all the paths running throughout the cemetery. Besides the well-kept and cleared paths the cemetery was choked with massive tombstones, trees, and green growing things. The overall effect was peaceful and conducive to contemplation.
On the way back to old town I decided to stop by the Orange Hostel, since it was on the way. I was hoping that there might be someone at the desk I recognized, but I had no such luck. I just took a quick look in, saw nothing had changed, and went on my way.
I grabbed a chicken burger at Rooster in old town for lunch, and then went home to the hotel for a nap. I caught up on some emails and blogs and then went back out for dinner. I had probably the most unimpressive meal so far at what I thought looked to be a decent restaurant. It turned out to be one of a small chain of Georgian restaurants in old town. At least that's one place I can cross off the list. I thought about grabbing a drink before heading back to the hotel, but thought better of it since my feet were tired again (yes the theme of this trip is "boy my feet are tired") so I went back to the hotel and bed.
It was after 10:00 when I left my room and breakfast in the hotel was being cleaned up. That was fine with me, since it's the same thing I'd had every morning for the past week and I had my heart set on visiting the Metropolitan again. I remembered it as having a very good breakfast menu from my last trip so I checked the address on my map and located it without much trouble. I was torn between the English style breakfast and French toast. The French toast won out and it was very good, covered in hot diced apples and maple syrup. I savored every last bite while I looked through my books and thought about what to do with the rest of my day.
I decided on seeing Czartoryski museum, walking through the Jagiellonian University campus, and taking a walk through the Kazimierz district and the new Jewish cemetery. Throughout the day it would rain occasionally, but it was warm enough and I had my rain coat so it never bothered me. My tour of Czartoryski museum was brief. I bought the English language guidebook and went on a speed tour. The main goal was getting to the painting by Leonardo da Vinci that is housed there. The museum itself was interesting and the collection was spread across three buildings connected by bridges. I was pleased to learn that the bridge near the painters corner I liked so much was part of the museum and I got to walk through it. The da Vinci piece, "The Lady with an Ermine" was very impressive up close. It has an amazingly three-dimensional effect with the play of shadow on her face. I spent some time there looking at it. The collection included a sizeable room with Egyptian artifacts, a mummy, and lots of weapons and armor, all stuff I dig. I'd say about half the collection was closed off to the public for one reason or another. Altogether it was an impressive museum.
After the museum I grabbed a snack at one of the kebab stands and started my walk across Jagiellonian University. I could imagine it would have been fun to spend a couple terms there, not sure if I'd have gotten any studying done with so much to see and do though. Artur tells me he studied physics at Jagiellonian. I'm jealous. Apparently the newest looking buildings on campus are actually the oldest, they've just been renovated recently. Fooled me.
From Jagiellonian I walked to Kazimierz and started the walking tour in one of my guide books. I had been to Kazimierz many times at night, because it has become a hot spot for nightclubs and cafes, but never during the day. I saw what there was to see and then moved on to the cemetery, which promised to be inspiring. I wasn't disappointed. I was moved by the stone wall and monuments constructed of recovered tombstone fragments. I probably spent an hour wandering around all the paths running throughout the cemetery. Besides the well-kept and cleared paths the cemetery was choked with massive tombstones, trees, and green growing things. The overall effect was peaceful and conducive to contemplation.
On the way back to old town I decided to stop by the Orange Hostel, since it was on the way. I was hoping that there might be someone at the desk I recognized, but I had no such luck. I just took a quick look in, saw nothing had changed, and went on my way.
I grabbed a chicken burger at Rooster in old town for lunch, and then went home to the hotel for a nap. I caught up on some emails and blogs and then went back out for dinner. I had probably the most unimpressive meal so far at what I thought looked to be a decent restaurant. It turned out to be one of a small chain of Georgian restaurants in old town. At least that's one place I can cross off the list. I thought about grabbing a drink before heading back to the hotel, but thought better of it since my feet were tired again (yes the theme of this trip is "boy my feet are tired") so I went back to the hotel and bed.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Have I been here a week already?
I slept in a little bit Friday morning before heading in to work. I was pretty tired from the night before. When I got to work the guys wanted to take me out to lunch at the main square, the student festivities were reaching their pinnacle. When we got there I was shocked to see how much the students had trashed the square. Garbage and broken beer bottles were everywhere. I was even more amazed at how quickly it all got cleaned up. By the next day you couldn't tell that there had been several thousand drunken partying students in the square the night before.
We had lunch at the Sioux cafe, which was an American themed restaurant complete with Cowboy waiters and Indian Squaw waitresses. Funny, it didn't make me homesick for some reason.
That evening after work Paul and I made plans for our big excursion to Ojcow National Park the next morning so we went to scout out the tram and bus schedules. After that we headed back into old town and had a nice long leisurely dinner and Szara. It was a very well prepared meal and we drank an excellent Argentinean Malbec as we savored it. We even stayed for dessert and a glass of Hennessy Cognac. It was a delightful evening.
I went to bed early since we needed to catch the 9:04 bus to Ojcow the next morning. I met up with Paul at 8:00 after a quick breakfast and we headed off to catch out bus. Paul was much more prepared than I for an all day hike. I hadn't thought to buy water, or bring anything other than a banana to eat. We stopped at a small market across from the bus stop to buy a few more things for the trip. Paul picked out some smoked sausages for us.
While we waited for the bus we met a pair of travelers who were also planning on spending the day out at Ojcow park. I never got their names but they were a friendly couple of guys. The most talkative of the pair was from Brazil and said they had been in Krakow 13 days already. We sat next to each other on the ride out and chatted. They got off at the first stop and planned to hike North. Paul and I were getting off at the last stop and hiking South. We wished them a good day and said we might see them along the way.
The bus took us all the way out to the extreme North end of the park, to Pieskowa Skala. Kazimierz the Great built this stone castle in the 14th century. We didn't go into the museum, but we loitered around outside for awhile until we were ready to start our hike.
The hike was very nice and the park is beautiful. About a third of the way into the hike we reached the Grodzisco Monastery and took a short break. Along the next third we had to be very alert, because the trail signs were very easy to miss. We got off track a couple of times, but we always found the most interesting paths to hike and eventually ended up back on course. After two thirds of the hike was done we caught up with the guys from the bus headed the other way. They were having a bite to eat at a small kielbasa stand at a point where the trail and the road met. We exchanged tips on the trail and said a hearty good luck and good bye.
The rest of the trail was very beautiful and steep at times. We took a break soon after passing our friends and sat to have our hikers lunch of bread, sausage, chocolate, and water. The mosquitos flocked to me and I have some itchy bites on my arm, but it was still very pleasant to be out and exploring. At this point both Paul and I were thinking about a beer at the end of the trail. So we got back on our feet and pushed on.
Just before coming to the end of the trail at the ruins of Ojcow Castle, we arrived at the Kapilca Na Wodzie, a small church built over a stream on a bridge. The story goes that when Poland was under Russian rule there was a moratorium on new buildings "on the land of Ojcow" so this was the rebellious response to get around that law.
At last we reached Ojcow castle ruins at the end of the trail. We spent a good amount of time seeing what there was to see and enjoying ourselves. Not much remains besides the gatehouse and the one tower on the hill above it. The view of the park was nice from atop the ruined walls.
Now our minds were definitely on having a beer so we wondered down to the town below and had a couple rounds. We had over an hour until the next bus was scheduled to pick us up and take us back to Krakow so we took our time.
When the bus arrived, somehow I wasn't surprised to see our hiking friends on board and on their way back to Krakow as well. The timing just seemed to be working out that all day. It had been a gorgeous day and was just now starting to rain. I didn't mind so much.
When we got back to town we stopped for a hearty bowl of zurek and tea and then wondered over to Paul's favorite bookstore, Massolit Books. There they cater to English speakers and serve up some delicious carrot cake. I confused the Polish guy manning the cafe by ordering an Americano. When he asked about it I said it was espresso and water. So he brought me an espresso mixed with ice water. We got it straightened out eventually.
Paul thanked me for an excellent day, and I thanked him for sharing it with me. I would not have had such a good time without him as a guide and a friend.
I came back for a short nap and then went out into the evening to find some dinner and a drink. I grabbed a quick kielbasa at a kebab stand and then checked my guide book for suggested hangouts. I ended up at Prozac, which had a very interesting interior design, with bars on three levels, and a maze-like warren of passages and stairs connecting them all. After checking the scene there and having a beer I moved on and decided I would end the night with a Guinness at the Irish pub I had seen a few nights earlier. It was very quiet down there, with only a few couples playing a game of pool together. I watched them for awhile, drank my stout, and then went home to bed. I was starting to feel the first pangs of homesickness.
We had lunch at the Sioux cafe, which was an American themed restaurant complete with Cowboy waiters and Indian Squaw waitresses. Funny, it didn't make me homesick for some reason.
That evening after work Paul and I made plans for our big excursion to Ojcow National Park the next morning so we went to scout out the tram and bus schedules. After that we headed back into old town and had a nice long leisurely dinner and Szara. It was a very well prepared meal and we drank an excellent Argentinean Malbec as we savored it. We even stayed for dessert and a glass of Hennessy Cognac. It was a delightful evening.
I went to bed early since we needed to catch the 9:04 bus to Ojcow the next morning. I met up with Paul at 8:00 after a quick breakfast and we headed off to catch out bus. Paul was much more prepared than I for an all day hike. I hadn't thought to buy water, or bring anything other than a banana to eat. We stopped at a small market across from the bus stop to buy a few more things for the trip. Paul picked out some smoked sausages for us.
While we waited for the bus we met a pair of travelers who were also planning on spending the day out at Ojcow park. I never got their names but they were a friendly couple of guys. The most talkative of the pair was from Brazil and said they had been in Krakow 13 days already. We sat next to each other on the ride out and chatted. They got off at the first stop and planned to hike North. Paul and I were getting off at the last stop and hiking South. We wished them a good day and said we might see them along the way.
The bus took us all the way out to the extreme North end of the park, to Pieskowa Skala. Kazimierz the Great built this stone castle in the 14th century. We didn't go into the museum, but we loitered around outside for awhile until we were ready to start our hike.
The hike was very nice and the park is beautiful. About a third of the way into the hike we reached the Grodzisco Monastery and took a short break. Along the next third we had to be very alert, because the trail signs were very easy to miss. We got off track a couple of times, but we always found the most interesting paths to hike and eventually ended up back on course. After two thirds of the hike was done we caught up with the guys from the bus headed the other way. They were having a bite to eat at a small kielbasa stand at a point where the trail and the road met. We exchanged tips on the trail and said a hearty good luck and good bye.
The rest of the trail was very beautiful and steep at times. We took a break soon after passing our friends and sat to have our hikers lunch of bread, sausage, chocolate, and water. The mosquitos flocked to me and I have some itchy bites on my arm, but it was still very pleasant to be out and exploring. At this point both Paul and I were thinking about a beer at the end of the trail. So we got back on our feet and pushed on.
Just before coming to the end of the trail at the ruins of Ojcow Castle, we arrived at the Kapilca Na Wodzie, a small church built over a stream on a bridge. The story goes that when Poland was under Russian rule there was a moratorium on new buildings "on the land of Ojcow" so this was the rebellious response to get around that law.
At last we reached Ojcow castle ruins at the end of the trail. We spent a good amount of time seeing what there was to see and enjoying ourselves. Not much remains besides the gatehouse and the one tower on the hill above it. The view of the park was nice from atop the ruined walls.
Now our minds were definitely on having a beer so we wondered down to the town below and had a couple rounds. We had over an hour until the next bus was scheduled to pick us up and take us back to Krakow so we took our time.
When the bus arrived, somehow I wasn't surprised to see our hiking friends on board and on their way back to Krakow as well. The timing just seemed to be working out that all day. It had been a gorgeous day and was just now starting to rain. I didn't mind so much.
When we got back to town we stopped for a hearty bowl of zurek and tea and then wondered over to Paul's favorite bookstore, Massolit Books. There they cater to English speakers and serve up some delicious carrot cake. I confused the Polish guy manning the cafe by ordering an Americano. When he asked about it I said it was espresso and water. So he brought me an espresso mixed with ice water. We got it straightened out eventually.
Paul thanked me for an excellent day, and I thanked him for sharing it with me. I would not have had such a good time without him as a guide and a friend.
I came back for a short nap and then went out into the evening to find some dinner and a drink. I grabbed a quick kielbasa at a kebab stand and then checked my guide book for suggested hangouts. I ended up at Prozac, which had a very interesting interior design, with bars on three levels, and a maze-like warren of passages and stairs connecting them all. After checking the scene there and having a beer I moved on and decided I would end the night with a Guinness at the Irish pub I had seen a few nights earlier. It was very quiet down there, with only a few couples playing a game of pool together. I watched them for awhile, drank my stout, and then went home to bed. I was starting to feel the first pangs of homesickness.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Blending into the crowd
Thursday got off to a slow start. I had to drag myself out of bed, wash the smell of smoke out of my hair, get ready for work, and jump on the tram. Grabbed a quick lunch with the Marcins again, and then went on a long walk with the rest of the crew. They wanted to go to the cafeteria at a local college of education. Apparently its a good place to pick up girls, as opposed to AGH, the math and technical school, where it is 80% men. There weren't many people hanging around campus due to the student celebrations going on around town this week. There is a festival during this time where the mayor gives the key to the city to the students and they pretty much party non-stop. I couldn't tell the difference. I shared more stories of my experiences in India with the guys during lunch.
I needed to get my train tickets exchanged before Friday, since my travel plans had been rescheduled. I was a bit concerned about attempting to negotiate something that tricky in English, but Marcin came to the rescue again and offered to come down to the train station with me and help get me taken care of. So after work we took the tram to the train station and got it all worked out. Now I leave next Wednesday on the overnight train to Prague. When I get to Prague I will purchase a ticket to Vienna, and so on and so on. That way I won't have my trip set in stone and I can be a bit flexible on where I go and when I come back just in case I change my mind part way through.
On the way back to the tram I was feeling hungry so I bought a morsel of the specialty smoked sheep cheese, Oscypki, that villagers from the Zakopane mountains are famous for. It was tasty. I rode the tram back to old town, made plans with Marcin for later that evening, and headed back to the hotel. I dropped off my heavy bag, grabbed a quick kebab for dinner and walked to Marcin's apartment. I hadn't realized how close Marcin lived to the office, literally across the street.
We sat and talked until Szymon showed up with some wisniowka, a kind of cherry vodka, then we sat and drank and talked. We could hear the concert from Marcin's apartment and around 21:00 we finished off the vodka and headed out. I called Wolak and he said he'd meet us at the stadium. We waited for him outside the gate and then all went in together. We got in just as the biggest name band, Hey, was starting their set. We grabbed a couple beers and watched the concert from the back for awhile. Then we braved the massive crowd. I tried to keep up with Szymon and Marcin but they lost me and Wolak about halfway in. It was thick with bodies. We found a spot and sort of hopped in place for a few songs. We both laughed at the kids surfing the crowd, they looked like rag dolls the way they were being tossed about. Wolak spotted Szymon pushing his way back out of the crowd and we caught up with him for another beer and a kielbasa to replenish our stamina. It really hit the spot. Marcin found us and he was covered in dust from dancing in the thickest part of the crowd. When the lights would come up you could see a huge cloud of dust hanging in the air as it was kicked up from the dry ground by thousands of dancing concert goers.
After the concert broke up the whole crowd migrated down to the main square and the old town clubs. We, like good little drunken sheep, followed the crowd and ended up at the Jazz Rock Club. I did my best to dance on the packed dance floor, but it was very hot and my legs were about ready to fall off from exhaustion. Around 2:30 I said goodnight to the guys and went back to the hotel to crash for a couple hours before getting up for work again. This morning it was very hard to get out of bed. Almost caught up now! Ciao.
I needed to get my train tickets exchanged before Friday, since my travel plans had been rescheduled. I was a bit concerned about attempting to negotiate something that tricky in English, but Marcin came to the rescue again and offered to come down to the train station with me and help get me taken care of. So after work we took the tram to the train station and got it all worked out. Now I leave next Wednesday on the overnight train to Prague. When I get to Prague I will purchase a ticket to Vienna, and so on and so on. That way I won't have my trip set in stone and I can be a bit flexible on where I go and when I come back just in case I change my mind part way through.
On the way back to the tram I was feeling hungry so I bought a morsel of the specialty smoked sheep cheese, Oscypki, that villagers from the Zakopane mountains are famous for. It was tasty. I rode the tram back to old town, made plans with Marcin for later that evening, and headed back to the hotel. I dropped off my heavy bag, grabbed a quick kebab for dinner and walked to Marcin's apartment. I hadn't realized how close Marcin lived to the office, literally across the street.
We sat and talked until Szymon showed up with some wisniowka, a kind of cherry vodka, then we sat and drank and talked. We could hear the concert from Marcin's apartment and around 21:00 we finished off the vodka and headed out. I called Wolak and he said he'd meet us at the stadium. We waited for him outside the gate and then all went in together. We got in just as the biggest name band, Hey, was starting their set. We grabbed a couple beers and watched the concert from the back for awhile. Then we braved the massive crowd. I tried to keep up with Szymon and Marcin but they lost me and Wolak about halfway in. It was thick with bodies. We found a spot and sort of hopped in place for a few songs. We both laughed at the kids surfing the crowd, they looked like rag dolls the way they were being tossed about. Wolak spotted Szymon pushing his way back out of the crowd and we caught up with him for another beer and a kielbasa to replenish our stamina. It really hit the spot. Marcin found us and he was covered in dust from dancing in the thickest part of the crowd. When the lights would come up you could see a huge cloud of dust hanging in the air as it was kicked up from the dry ground by thousands of dancing concert goers.
After the concert broke up the whole crowd migrated down to the main square and the old town clubs. We, like good little drunken sheep, followed the crowd and ended up at the Jazz Rock Club. I did my best to dance on the packed dance floor, but it was very hot and my legs were about ready to fall off from exhaustion. Around 2:30 I said goodnight to the guys and went back to the hotel to crash for a couple hours before getting up for work again. This morning it was very hard to get out of bed. Almost caught up now! Ciao.
A night of Hungarian wine and Kebabs
I took my time getting ready, having breakfast and walking to work Wednesday morning. Work seemed to fly by. I spent part of the morning talking with Paul about the changes in my trip plans and that afternoon I confirmed my new plans with Harold when he got online.
I had lunch with Marcin and Wolak (also Marcin, but I'll use his last name for clarity). There is a decent cafeteria on the 2nd floor of our building although I can't read the menu. My favorite dish is Polish potato pancakes smothered in meat or mushrooms and with a side of veggies. I should learn to make them myself when I get home.
After work I grabbed some dinner at the hotel before Marcin came to pick me up. The guys had decided not to go to a concert that evening, and would save that for Thursday. Instead Marcin took me to a wine bar, Re, and we sat under the trees in the courtyard drinking a sweet Hungarian white wine while we waited for Artur and eventually Maciek and Olga to join us. It was a chilly evening, but still very nice. After it got dark we went inside where it was a bit warmer and found a cozy table in the back. I was charmed by the atmosphere immediately, with it's low cellar ceilings, exposed masonry arches and vaults, and candlelit wooden tables and chairs. Together we went through many more pitchers of wine as we schemed about how we would make our first millions by developing the next big thing on the internet in Poland.
We'd had our fill of wine and the evening was still young, so we moved to Carpe Diem Klub I for beers and dancing. After checking the scene and having a beverage we decided to move on to it's twin club Carpe Diem II. With a much bigger dance floor and many side rooms for talking and snogging, this was a very happening place to be. We settled in here for the rest of the evening. Both clubs have an odd mix of decor consisting mainly of motorcycles, maritime and military paraphernalia. I had enough liquid courage in me to bust a move on the dance floor, and I even got up on stage for awhile.
Around 2:00 Maciek and I called it quits and started back to the hotel. We had a good chat and stopped for the local fast food of choice during a late night of partying, kebabs, which are basically gyros served in your choice of roll or tortilla. At 6 zloty it's a decent meal for super cheap. Along the main drag you pass about one kebab joint every block. I liked it so much I got one for dinner the next night as well.
That's it for Wednesday, Thursday's post is coming soon.
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