Krakow and Ania's Birthday

In the late 80s, Kevin and I watched the television production of Olivia Manning's "Balkan Trilogy" and were thrilled with the images of Bucharest. One day a Fulbright advertisement went across his desk and he saw a position open for a Fulbright Scholar in Bucharest. He called and talked with someone who said,

 "No, no, you don't want to go to Bucharest. You want to go to Krakow, Poland and there is a position open there. I will send the application."

Kevin and I talked about it. Jake was in college. Helen was about to go. So it seemed the perfect time for an adventure. He applied and won a Fulbright to Krakow where we traveled in 1988 after dropping both Helen and Jake at Harvard.

 In spite of the shortages and rationing and obstacles put up by the Communists, we had a marvelous year in Poland. And, we made the best of friends which enables us to go back and visit, so on 8 May we traveled by Ryanair for Ania's birthday!

Ania lives south east of Krakow in Biscopice in this lovely cottage.

with Kaja

And, the boys--Leon,

                         Napo,

                           and

                         Misza

On Ania's birthday she fixed us a delicious spaghetti lunch, very fresh Italian. We ate on the lovely tablecloth with the huge bouquet of Birthday flowers from her colleagues at work. We drank delicious Polish Miod Pitney.

Later we went into Krakow where we met Monika. As we headed toward the city square, we heard that memorable tune, right on the hour, the famous trumpet song that stops in midstream to remember the invading Tartar arrow into the Trumpeter’s heart.

 The huge town square or Rynek has been the center of the city since the 13th century. In 1988, we went to a public event in the American Consulate and were welcomed to the heart of Europe. Now there is a huge museum under the Rynek which tells the fascinating history of Krakow throughout the centuries. Reading this history shows the importance of Krakow in the old trade routes. The city was the junction of important North-South and East-West trade routes, becoming the major trade center at the heart of Europe.

Archeological digs have been going on for some time under the Rynek now as more and more and older and older settlements were found. 

Map showing old trade routes with Krakow

in the center

The Adam Mickiewicz Monument
 in front of Sukiennce, or Cloth Hall
 where goods were traded.

The museum is interactive with fun things to do-- we could manipulate this screen by waving our hands.

Walking through the museum is like walking through old markets, with sounds and moving pictures on the walls. Glass cases held displays of the artifacts found--the  pretty little horses were game pieces.

There was even a huge cemetery that archeoligists unearthed, telling them even more about
the many people who lived and worked over the years. Everyday possessions had been buried with the 
bodies. The museum shows these graves and cemeteries but the real bodies have been buried elsewhere.

This museum was amazing and comprehensive--we had to hurry through a fascinating section with the more recent history  about WWII and its aftermath. But we had a Birthday Party to attend. We made our way onto that magical square, so much brighter and lighter than when we were there in 1988-89, now restored with interesting shops, bustling cafes, and nice restaurants.

We made our way over to Kasimierz the old Jewish center where the Birthday Party was held in an elegant restaurant crafted from an old garage with tall ceilings and long windows that open in the summer for dining al fresco.

And here we are celebrating Ania's birthday!

Ania enjoyed her birthday dessert!

The next morning, Kaja, Ania, and Monica worked on flowers for the Village Palm Sunday celebration.

And here are some of the village ladies celebrating the flowers with delicious cheesecake, a jello compote, wine, coffee and tea.

 

 We visited the beautiful old Tyniecki Abbey where we went on a tour with a personable young monk.

We found these funny MickeyMouse-like priests painted on a  wall.

 We also saw an exhibit about Hildegard of Bingin, a woman who lived in 12th century and had visions which she dictated to a secretary who then painted them into beautiful, comtemporary-looking paintings.

We had a delicious lunch there eating right under St Benedictine.

Later  we walked in the ancient woods across from Ania's home.

 On Sunday, Ania, Monika, and Kaja prepared a delicious obiad. Kaja's sister Bogusia and her son and daughter-in-law and two children came. Later, Ania's friends Lila and Ela came. Sophia, the next door neighbor with the lovely chickens also dropped by. Everyone enjoyed the gracious hospitality on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

That night, Ania had a wonderful surprise planned. We went into Krakow again to Kasimerze to Zazie's and who should appear but our dear Ramon (British Prof of English Language) and then Jurek and Radek, students from long ago at the Jagiellonian. Both Radek and Jurek had studied in US (Radek with Ania at USC and Jurek at Universtiy of Alabama who had visited us in SC that same year).

 We had fun and so many good memories to talk about from our year in Poland. Ania, Radek, and Jurek have good memories from their time in US

 Radek had brought both me and Ania beautiful bouquets which is the sweetest Polish custom. Our Polish is not so good but we love hearing those sweet sounds...wish we could make them better.