Krakow:
Thursday, November 7
Suddenly, Krakow! - hurry, disembark lest train leave for Siberia!
- pack mule parade to first hotel, nice, but booked - second hotel,
okay, available - breakfast a waste - posters of U.S. cities, nasty
tablecloth - AAAAAHHHH, Wade's ill
Keep walking to Hotel Pollera - could it be? It is
available, at least for one night - lovely, old, clean - sleeeeeeeeep
for two hours
Shower, change money, find hotel for second night (just in case) -
through old streets to Town Square and treasures! - local craft,
woodcarvings, amber jewelry, dolls, sweaters, leathercraft - too good
to miss - Romanesque-like, handcarved creche, 10 pieces, $24! - buy,
buy, buy!
A guidebook-inspired lunch at Balaton - beautiful goulash, potato
dumpling with meat and cream that fills the entire plate - red and
black place settings - first cloth napkins we've seen - wonderful,
perfect
Walked to ancient Wawel Castle on the Vistula - turn to buy
stamps, but walk through a door and startle a guard - drops of rain,
first since Atlanta - hurry back - sleeeeeeep another two hours
Time to figure out travel logistics - rainy night walk to train
station only a few minutes from the Pollera - bus to Auschwitz, when?
- train to Budapest, how much? - walk, walk, wet, wet
Guidebook again to tell us about Pizzeria Grace - best pizza in
months, cold beer and Coke - back to hotel, then out to "Drink Bar"
of green granite, brass, ultra-Euro - write these pages there