We were off early to Krakow
Krakow, where Kevin and I lived in 1988-89--he had a Fulbright Lectureship, teaching in the Jagiellonian University. I taught second grade to a Diplomat's child and we both shopped as everything was hard to find in those years when Poland was under the harsh Soviet Communist Regime. We had a challenging and marvelous adventure in this magical city.
It was a five hour trip. Marcelina give us interesting information. Some slept especially those who had had a late night in Lublin! We stopped and hung out in seven elevens on the way. iI wonder if Rainie is aware of the young spy behind her?
Cheryl must have had a late night.
We arrived in Krakow, checked into our nice hotel, the Radison Blu located right on the Planty, the green ring that surrounds the old city.
We met again and headed off for Wawel Castle. One reason why Krakow is such a beautiful city is that it was used as Nazi Headquarters and somehow escaped WWII damage. At Majdanek, I found this photo of Wawel Castle during the Nazi Regime.
And today
We saw young buskers walking up the hill to the ancient cathedral.
Walkin through the main gate into Cathedral grounds
A village cobbler had a good idea. He put explosives into a sheep stomach and set it outside for the dragon. The hungry dragon gobbled up the sheep stomach which then exploded in his stomach causing great pain. Fire began to come out of his mouth and to ease the burn, the dragon jumped into the Wisła and drowned.
The dragon's bones were found and are displayed at the entrance to Wawel Cathedral. The Cobbler whose name was Krak became well known for his cleverness and bravery in subduing the dragon. He married the King's daughter Wanda and together they founded Krakow.
Scary dragon Gargoyles hand over the sides
We walked into the city
And onto the Rynek , the second largest square in Europe (St. Mark in Venice is the first). St Mary's Church is there and that is where The Trumpeter of Krakow blows his mournful tune every hour.
The story is that around 1241, there was a fierce Tartar invasion of Krakow. A young man climbed the tower in St Mary's to warn the people about the enemy. He played the Hejnal, an old Polish song; however he was not able to finish it as an arrow from a Tartar stopped him in midstream.
Today the lovely tune is never completed to remember the brave young man who warned the people of Krakow.
This story is remembered in a Newberry Award book, The Trumpeter of Krakow (1928), by Eric P. Kelly an American who spent a year on a scholar exchange in the Jagiellonian University.
When Kevin and I lived in Krakow, the square was much quieter and the Trumpeter's song could be heard easily. It was always magical to walk onto the square when the Trumpeter was playing. Now people crowd under the tower straining to hear the soulful melody.
The Rynek is a bustling place these days. Children play around the proud statue of the nineteenth century poet Adam Mickiewicz .
The flower stands! When we lived here, we could not find fresh vegetables and fruits in the winter but we could always find fresh flowers here on the Rynek! I remember these flower stands lit in the bleak midwinter with warming fires and lanterns. Flowers were important--the gift everyone took for house gifts, thank yous, even to professors giving exams-- and always an uneven number of blossoms.
New art on the Rynek-- a sculpture of the blind Cupid
WonderfulBuskers performing for the many tourists.
This one winked at me,
Tipped his hat,
And blew me a kiss!
And the lively accordions.
We had a nice Shabbat dinner that night.
Herb brought flowers and blessed the wine.
Kevin and I brought our dear friend, Ramon, who spoke to the group about being a Polish Jew.
Ramon is a linguist,originally from London. However he has lived and taught English in Krakow for many years and has become a Polish citizen.
He was our neighbor when we lived in Krakow and we shared a phone.
The dance featured another Krakovian symbol, the Lajkonik, a bearded man in a pointed had prancing on a white horse!
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