KRAKOW, anyone?

Hi Dag! Glad to see you're still around -- sort of! Hope you get a response because I'd like to know too. Even better, hope you will post a description here when you figure Krakow out.

Hiya, Tartarin. I sport a digital camera, I will surely post pictures. Of what? I'll take all suggestions.

I've always wanted to explore Poland and will take any information, any pictures, any impressions available!! When you get back check out Simon Schama's book, Landscape and Memory, okay? Meanwhile, have a great time! You're lucky you have the language... kind of...

I dunno - but take pictures!
Maybe I'll do a bit of searching online......

'oldtown' parts of cities are always cool to me:
http://www.explore-krakow.com/328/Sightseeing.html

major attractions:
http://www.explore-krakow.com/329/Key_Attractions.html

Hey - you can horseride in the botanical gardens!

Krakow cam - go and wave to us Dag!
http://www.dziennik.krakow.pl/

Visit the castle on the hill and the old time square. Not far from the castle is Schindler's apartment. Try to get somebody to show you the location. It's not the easiest place to find if you're not aware of it's location. If you have an extra day, go see the salt mines. After seeing it, I thought it should be included as one of the contemporary eight wonders of the world. Bring your camera. c.i.

If it's not far, you can also see the Black Madonna. Take in a piano recital if you can. c.i.

The salt mines across the river in the town the polish pope is (was?) from?

Here's a postcard photo of the cloth hall in Krakow. c.i.

littlek, That sounds familiar, but can't confirm. c.i.

Yep
The Pope comes from Krakow!

You'll have to be a good Catholic girl while you are there, Dag!

hey, dag.

Like c.i. said, of course (castle, square). Additionally, i really liked the Kazimierz neighbourhood - Apart from being the former jewish neighbourhood, its also a pleasant, photogenic part of town that seemed less touristy than around the old town square.

Went from krakow to auschwitz/birkenau when i was there, it's not far. Auschwitz was "museum reality" to me, but the un-annotated expanse of birkenau hit home hard.

Krakow In Your Pocket (IYP's always good for food&drink&nightlife tips, too): http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krakow/en/

Map: http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/krakow.jpg

well, well. i wake up, and the sky has open and all of its contents is pouring down on earth in one magnificent storm. perhaps i called it with my talking about taking the town by a storm. oh well. that won't stop me. i'll go to the castle and the old town, take the horse from botanical gardens to the salt mines and avoid anything papal. they don't like us heathens anyway. any favourite pub/bar/cafe? 2 of my friends passing through the town tomorrow, i want to be the smartest girl!
thanks all, keep it coming!

I found I couldn't read Nimh's post without tears coming to my eyes. Birkenau. Indeed. Very good observation.

I enjoyed looking at littlek's sites. I guess I would go to Birkenau, little good it would do anybody now, but that is my instinct from so far away. I might look at that cathedral...I too am a heathen, but as time has passed in my heathen-ness, I can move through churches with more equanimity than I used to have, and churches in my neck of the woods aren't very big or old. After both of those I would like a good single malt with ice, good luck on the single malt and the ice, but I would try some vodka, very cold please, with some appetizers. The horse and buggy ride would probably be embarrassing and wonderful. I have only done that once, in Guadalajara, years ago. Felt like a ninny even then. Heck, we have one here, I should do that one day.

I've had good Polish food in Los Angeles - you can probably get a nice meal in Krakow. Dennis Kucinich was in the restaurant at the same time we were, that was a long time ago.

The restaurants I originally listed are all in Warsaw. Sorry. c.i.

Try the wild boar at Wierzynek (Rynek Glowny 16). At least it was there when I was, during the Communist time. Let me know if it still is. Great food and expensive only by Polish standards.

The church of the Virgin Mary (she won't bite!) in the marketplace to see one of the most magnificent altar pieces in all of Europe. Carved by Wit Stwosz in the 15th century. Usually closed to protect it from air polution, but opened for a while at noon each day.

Go to Auschwitz/Birkenau for sure, but wait until you leave Poland. It is too painful to see it until then. It will place a dark pall over any time you have left in Poland.

Not many people get a chance to visit the salt mines of Krakow, so I thought it might be a good idea to share one photo for an example of what they have. c.i

There's a room called the chapel that has religious carvings including the Last Supper. One must really see it to appreciate what the miners have done in this mine. c.i.