Sunday was another beautiful day in Krakow. Pretty hot for me, but not quite as extreme as yesterday. We visited the Old Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter, the oldest surviving synagogue building in Poland. It was originally built in the 15th century but was much altered over the centuries until it was completely ransacked by the Nazis in the 2nd World War; they used it as a warehouse. It was repaired and renovated in the 1950s and is now a museum about the Jewish religion. Very interesting.
We went for a coffee in the wee courtyard behind the Jewish bookshop, which was very cute, and then headed back to the castle yet again, but this time we were finally going inside, on a tour booked by James! We met our lovely guide at St Mary Magdalene Square and headed inside. It was a great tour and very thorough - this conscientious lady was not going to let any artefact or painting or wall-hanging pass unexplained! The trouble was I felt very hot, however I managed the situation as best I could by heading straight to either a window or an air-conditioning unit in each room that we came to. I probably looked like a fool to the others in our group, but it worked! I also used my neck fan and my cooling neck towel. Then we went into the cathedral which was very ornate and learned a new fact. Saints can be put in their sarcophagi above the ground, but non-saints, even monarchs, must be buried under the ground, way below their sarcophagi. This is because, when the day of judgement comes, saints are allowed to fly straight up to heaven but mere mortals have to climb out of the earth first. Well! Who knew?
We went down to the crypt where there were many ornate coffins, among them the Polish President and his wife who sadly died in a plane crash along with most of the government in 2010. Ewan had told us that during his and Heather’s tour earlier in the week, a tourist had asked the guide if former President Lech Walesa is buried there. “I hope not,” said the guide, “he’s not dead yet!”
After our tour we had time for a light lunch near our hotel before our taxi arrived at 4 to take us to the airport. I felt sad to be leaving beautiful Krakow, especially as the heat of the day was just fading to that softer evening warmth which is so very pleasant. But what a great city break it has been!
We went for a coffee in the wee courtyard behind the Jewish bookshop, which was very cute, and then headed back to the castle yet again, but this time we were finally going inside, on a tour booked by James! We met our lovely guide at St Mary Magdalene Square and headed inside. It was a great tour and very thorough - this conscientious lady was not going to let any artefact or painting or wall-hanging pass unexplained! The trouble was I felt very hot, however I managed the situation as best I could by heading straight to either a window or an air-conditioning unit in each room that we came to. I probably looked like a fool to the others in our group, but it worked! I also used my neck fan and my cooling neck towel. Then we went into the cathedral which was very ornate and learned a new fact. Saints can be put in their sarcophagi above the ground, but non-saints, even monarchs, must be buried under the ground, way below their sarcophagi. This is because, when the day of judgement comes, saints are allowed to fly straight up to heaven but mere mortals have to climb out of the earth first. Well! Who knew?
We went down to the crypt where there were many ornate coffins, among them the Polish President and his wife who sadly died in a plane crash along with most of the government in 2010. Ewan had told us that during his and Heather’s tour earlier in the week, a tourist had asked the guide if former President Lech Walesa is buried there. “I hope not,” said the guide, “he’s not dead yet!”
After our tour we had time for a light lunch near our hotel before our taxi arrived at 4 to take us to the airport. I felt sad to be leaving beautiful Krakow, especially as the heat of the day was just fading to that softer evening warmth which is so very pleasant. But what a great city break it has been!
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