My (Eastern) European vacation 2008, part 2 of 4
Again, lots and lots of pictures under the cut so not at all dial-up friendly. Part 1 is over here.
From Wroclaw we took the train to Krakow with a stop over in Katowice to see the lovely tilney, then on to the city itself.
Krakow
Krakow is a big city that is perfectly set up for people like T and I who's default vacation mode is walk and walk and walk and look at old stuff all day long. The hotel we settled in (after a not so great first night in a hostel that looked really cool but ended up being kind of sketchy) was just outside the Planty, a large ring-shaped park built in the former moat that encircles all of old town. Everyday we'd walk across the street, through the park and wander around the old stuff.
The Rynek Glowny (main square). If I remember correctly is it the largest in Europe (or maybe that was Wroclaw, either way I'm pretty sure it was one of the two) and it was very big and really great for people watching.
The townhall tower in the rynek (all that's left of the townhall that was dismantled in the 1800s).
The textile hall which is in the middle of in the rynek and used to contain a textile market, now it's full of stalls selling souvenirs and lots of amber jewelry. I never did figure out if the amber is something that comes from near Krakow or not.
Buildings around the rynek.
Buildings behind the Rynek.
I was totally fascinated by this church. We walked down this street the first night there in our late night search for a place to stay (which ended with us staying in a hostel for that one night and the quickly moving off to a hotel the next day because waking up to the sound of someone puking in the shared bathroom is not really my idea of a relaxing vacation). The church, though, and the little curvy street it was on, I continued to love the entire time we were there.
Looking through the one piece of the old city wall that still exists toward the rynek.
Wawel Castle. Looking over the walls at the castle and the cathedral on the way in.
Wawel Cathedral which is inside the castle walls.
The castle courtyard.
We went inside the castle too, but sadly they wouldn't let us takes pictures and had guards everywhere so sneaking wasn't even possible. It's too bad 'cause the tapestries were really something else.
Looking toward the cathedral from inside the castle courtyard.
Random streets and buildings all over town.
I think this may be my favorite picture I took on the whole trip.
Kasmirez, the Jewish Quarter.
The new Jewish cemetery. The pictures don't even come close to capturing the feeling of being there. In fact I can't even really describe it in words.
One day wee took a side trip to the Wieliczka salt mine about 15 kilometers from Krakow. The mine was in use constantly for 700 years until they shut it down in the mid nineties because the town was being undermined. Over the years the miners carved all kinds of cool stuff into the rocks including this entire chapel. Every bit was carved out of salt, even the floor that looks like tile, all one big piece of rock salt.
Chandelier, also carved out of salt.
Looking up a mine shaft.
A close up of an uncarved bit of rock wall.
Back to the rynek again. Every hour they ring the bells in this church on the edge of the square and then a guy plays the trumpet out the window in the top of the tall spire. It was very cool.
The church (the name of which I can't remember) and the textile hall.
Another building that I love but don't know what it is. I think I took a picture of it every time I walked by, which was a lot because it was on the end of the rynek that heads toward the castle. Old building and tree, I just can't resist that.
We were in Krakow long enough (five or six days, funny that I can't even remember) that we got into a nice little routine of walking around all day and then sitting at one of the many restaurants that had tables outside on the square. We'd have a glass of wine or two, people watch and watch the sunsety light move across the buildings while we decided where we wanted to go for dinner. This is the view from one of the cafe tables.
From Wroclaw we took the train to Krakow with a stop over in Katowice to see the lovely tilney, then on to the city itself.
Krakow
Krakow is a big city that is perfectly set up for people like T and I who's default vacation mode is walk and walk and walk and look at old stuff all day long. The hotel we settled in (after a not so great first night in a hostel that looked really cool but ended up being kind of sketchy) was just outside the Planty, a large ring-shaped park built in the former moat that encircles all of old town. Everyday we'd walk across the street, through the park and wander around the old stuff.
The Rynek Glowny (main square). If I remember correctly is it the largest in Europe (or maybe that was Wroclaw, either way I'm pretty sure it was one of the two) and it was very big and really great for people watching.
The townhall tower in the rynek (all that's left of the townhall that was dismantled in the 1800s).
The textile hall which is in the middle of in the rynek and used to contain a textile market, now it's full of stalls selling souvenirs and lots of amber jewelry. I never did figure out if the amber is something that comes from near Krakow or not.
Buildings around the rynek.
Buildings behind the Rynek.
I was totally fascinated by this church. We walked down this street the first night there in our late night search for a place to stay (which ended with us staying in a hostel for that one night and the quickly moving off to a hotel the next day because waking up to the sound of someone puking in the shared bathroom is not really my idea of a relaxing vacation). The church, though, and the little curvy street it was on, I continued to love the entire time we were there.
Looking through the one piece of the old city wall that still exists toward the rynek.
Wawel Castle. Looking over the walls at the castle and the cathedral on the way in.
Wawel Cathedral which is inside the castle walls.
The castle courtyard.
We went inside the castle too, but sadly they wouldn't let us takes pictures and had guards everywhere so sneaking wasn't even possible. It's too bad 'cause the tapestries were really something else.
Looking toward the cathedral from inside the castle courtyard.
Random streets and buildings all over town.
I think this may be my favorite picture I took on the whole trip.
Kasmirez, the Jewish Quarter.
The new Jewish cemetery. The pictures don't even come close to capturing the feeling of being there. In fact I can't even really describe it in words.
One day wee took a side trip to the Wieliczka salt mine about 15 kilometers from Krakow. The mine was in use constantly for 700 years until they shut it down in the mid nineties because the town was being undermined. Over the years the miners carved all kinds of cool stuff into the rocks including this entire chapel. Every bit was carved out of salt, even the floor that looks like tile, all one big piece of rock salt.
Chandelier, also carved out of salt.
Looking up a mine shaft.
A close up of an uncarved bit of rock wall.
Back to the rynek again. Every hour they ring the bells in this church on the edge of the square and then a guy plays the trumpet out the window in the top of the tall spire. It was very cool.
The church (the name of which I can't remember) and the textile hall.
Another building that I love but don't know what it is. I think I took a picture of it every time I walked by, which was a lot because it was on the end of the rynek that heads toward the castle. Old building and tree, I just can't resist that.
We were in Krakow long enough (five or six days, funny that I can't even remember) that we got into a nice little routine of walking around all day and then sitting at one of the many restaurants that had tables outside on the square. We'd have a glass of wine or two, people watch and watch the sunsety light move across the buildings while we decided where we wanted to go for dinner. This is the view from one of the cafe tables.