Ragnar's World: Crocs, crooks and cracks in Krakow

"Do you know the time?"
Just one look at the smart-dressed guy approaching me and my friend, and I knew that he didn't want to know the time. I ignored him. My friend stopped slightly, and I heard them speaking behind me, while I was looking into a shop window. My friend started laughing. "I'm married!" he said. The guy didn't give up that easily but still tried persuading him. I thought he was offering my friend a girl. After he managed to loose the guy, I asked him. "He was inviting us to a 'gentleman's club' with strippers." We both shook our heads and laughed. Not interested.

Krakow
This was the second time I and my friend went on a trip together. Last year, it was Kiev and Chernobyl. This year, we had decided upon Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Krakow just for hanging out in the city, and A-B for some serious afterthought. I had never been to either of the two. And I really wanted to visit Auschwitz. But more on that later.
My friend had been to Krakow a couple of times before on business, but hadn't really gotten to see much. So we decided to spend the first two days just walking around the city, and particularly, focus on the old city. With it's Jewish' quarter and its Wawel castle.
We arrived early afternoon on Wednesday. We caught a taxi from the airport and he drove us to our apartment hotel. It was more or less smack dab in the middle of Krakow. Just a short walk from the old city and the train station. When we had registered, we got into our room. The bed was a double bed as expected, albeit a tad narrow. We started laughing. "We just have to be a little more intimate this time", I said and laughed.

Our room

The stairs in our hotel. With
stained glassed windows

After dropping off our suitcases, we headed out looking for some chow. We ended up in a small restaurant where we both ordered a plate of something XXL. It was a big wad of deep fried meat with french fries on the side. Or more precisely, underneath. A filling meal that definitely was enough to keep us for the day.
We spent the rest of the day wandering around in the old city, checking out shops, streets, and getting bugged by smart dressed men, and some women, offering to take us to some strip-club nearby. We weren't excactly enthusiastic...
The old town was nice. But I guess like most old towns of cities around the world, this is where most tourists go, so the streets are packed with souvenir shops, street vendors, horse-cart rides and the likes. I did take a lot of photos there. But the highlight was the Wawel castle. Towering above the old city below, it was a monument in itself. I love waling around such places. Trying to imagine what it must have been like. Coming to a place like this. Walking around there, princes and paupers, soldiers and priests, kings and servants. Beautiful court-yards, wonderful towers, golden domes, statues and arcs. A true masterpiece.
In the evening, we spent some time wandering through a shopping-mall at the train station. And of all the shops we passed, we found one that had only crocs! Of every type and size. Not being a fashion-conscious guy in any way, I may be wrong. But I thought crocs were like .... gone. But obviously not...

Entrance to the old city

From the inside

Horse and carriages everywhere

Wawel castle

Nature trying to kidnap the building

Inside the castle grounds

Entrance to the court yard

Massive and impressive courtyard

Statue of the Polish pope John Paul II

On Thursday, we wanted to explore some more of the old city, the Jewish quarter and also stroll down to the Schindler factory across the river.
Wandering through the Jewish quarter, I couldn't help but think about the war. How this people would be considered the parasites of the world. And one "final solution" would be implemented to get rid of them. We walked past the temple. Some elderly ladies entered. Streets where you could feel the history and tragedies. And we would get a glimpse of the "solution" the day after.
We found a small market where they sold old memorabilia, antiques and ... well ... trash. I commented on a table full of stuff I considered trash, and my friend replied "some people's trash is some other's goldmine." He is right of course. I have scoured flea markets myself for what others considered trash.
One of the things that caught my eye at one stand, was an old polish bank-note where a Jewish star had been punched out of it. I asked the seller what it was. "The Nazis did this. That made these money only valid in the Jewish ghettos. It would be impossible to use them anywhere else."
After walking through the city all the way to the river, we crossed what seemed like the "love bridge" of Krakow. I have seen this kind of thing elsewhere. Where couples declare their love my hanging a padlock with their names on it, on the railings of the bridge. Thousands of them. With a higher concentration towards the middle of the bridge.
After the long stroll, we decided to go to a restaurant my friend had visitied before. A grill restaurant where they served some of the best baby ribs I have tasted. Like ever. It felt like we should probably walk for three days just to rid ourselves of the calories. But it was worth it. I love a good meal.
After this, we wanted to go to the Schindler factory museum. Unfortunately, the museum was jam-packed with people. So we decided to skip it instead of going around like packed sardines. And just walked back to our hotel. It was getting late anyway, so we wanted to put our feet up and rest before we found some dinner.