Krakow

Heeeere's Krakow! I love the Old Town square in Krakow. It's got two churches, a bugler, horse and buggy rides, break-dancing kids, a folk band, a massive market hall, several dozen restaurants, two billion pigeons, and ice cream. What more could you want?

Well, if you want a change of pace, you take a 20 minute walk from the Old Town to the old Jewish district, Kazimierz. Before World War II 80% of the World's Jewish popluation lived in Poland (I didn't realize it was that high). Now there are only a couple hundred Jews living in Krakow. Understandably, the Kazimierz neighborhood feels a little empty and pretty neglected, but it seems like they're working to rejuvenate the Jewish heritage in the area. I stayed in a hotel in Kazimierz and it kind of grew on me. It's very blue collar, lots of convenience stores and coffee shops/bars. The non-touristy part of Krakow is full of small stores that sell crazy combinations of things. Like leather goods and shampoo, for instance. I can't imagine that most of these places are able to stay in business very long, but OK. Lots of entreprenuers taking advantage of capitalism, I guess.

Top to Bottom: Wawel Cathedral (kind of an architectural hodgepodge); Market Square with St. Mary's Church and Cloth Hall; street in Kazimierz; Tempel Synagogue in Kazimierz