Krakow

Last week saw me in Krakow with a group of folk from work for a teambuilding trip. We seem to have rather scored on the weather front. When you can sit outside a café in Poland to eat lunch in November there is little to complain about. From our table in the main square in the old town, the Rynek Glowny, we could see this building, the Sukiennice, which is a 13th century cloth trading hall but these days it’s full of stalls selling souvenirs.

Also from our table we could see Kosciol Mariacki or St Mary’s Church.

Every hour from its tower you can hear a bugle call known as The Hejnal - it’s apparently used on Polish radio for its time signal. The last note of the call is cut short to honour the watchman who raised the alarm when the city was attacked by Tartars but was killed by an arrow in the process. The bugler always waves to the people in the square when he’s finished.

A stained glass window in a restaurant on the square.

On All Saints day and All Souls day on November the 1st and 2nd, candles are left in graveyards in Krakow. I wasn’t in a graveyard while I was there but there are also candles left outside some churches and the many shrines left around the country and city.

Thursday night’s dinner was at the La Fontaine restaurant which featured one of the best sweet trollies I’ve ever seen. Each pudding carefully constructed by the waiter. Here’s a bit of black forest gateaux for you.

The old town is surrounded by a leafy park known as the Planty.

Carriage rides around the town are easily available. This one was spotted outside our hotel.

A statue of Nicolaus Copernicus, the famous 15th/16th century astronomer stands in the Planty. He studied at the University of Krakow.

This sign was over some steps down to a loo. I assume it means the steps might be slippy, but they seem very descriptive words to me.

On Saturday I went for a wander on my own in search of interesting churches (more of that later), art and anything else that took my fancy. I got as far as the station where I stopped for a badly needed cuppa and lunch.

The 14th century St. Florian’s Gate, part of the old city walls.

I’ve no idea what this wee bridge thing is but it’s pretty.

A stained glass restaurant sign I liked.

The Solidarity headquarters in Krakow, found quite by accident.

Hot baked Polish cheesecake mmmm!

I didn’t have time to go and see Wawel Castle and Cathedral but I did take this picture while crossing the river.

There was of course time for a wee drink here and there. This is not quite all of us being amused here.