A Walk around Krakow

On Friday Heather and Ewan very kindly took us on a walking tour of Krakow, using the knowledge that they had gleaned on their bike tour earlier in the week. It was really great. First of all we visited the Jewish Ghetto where the Jews were forced to go in 1941, not to be confused with the original Jewish Quarter. We passed the Schindler Factory on the way - it was amazing to think that the building is still there, and yet, why not? It was not that long ago; I was born only 17 years after the 2nd World War ended. Many of the buildings around the main square of the ghetto, Zgody Square, have been replaced by modern buildings, so it doesn’t look the way it must have in the 1940s. The square does, however, have 33 empty over-sized chairs scattered throughout it, each one representing 1000 lost lives from the ghetto. It’s very stark, but I felt that it is effective as a way to represent this terrible loss. In one corner the original pharmacy (called Under the Eagle) is still there and is now a museum to the work of Tadeusz Pankiewicz, a gentile who stayed there to serve the Jews in the Ghetto when all of the non Jews were moved out. He prescribed their medicines, often free of charge, hid some people during the round ups and provided meeting spaces for the Resistance. It’s very moving and full of beautiful wooden cabinets with old style medicines in glass jars, just the way it would have looked in the 1940s. After a restoring cup of coffee sitting outside an attractive wee pub, we walked along the riverside to see the dragon statue (which was not belching fire as Gosia had promised me!) and then round the side of the castle and up a gentle slope into its courtyard. What a lovely courtyard, surrounded by castle buildings and the cathedral, with a café at the side. From there we walked to the main square and Heather and Ewan treated us to a delicious lunch in the rather upmarket Wesele Restaurant (yes I had pierogi, summer fruits this time.) I had noticed the horses and carriages going on around the square while we were there and I couldn’t resist, encouraged by how well cared for the horses were. James treated us all to a carriage ride and it was good fun trotting around the streets for 40 minutes, getting a new perspective from the carriage. Touristy it certainly was, but we are tourists so why not? Then it was time to check out “Mitchell’s Café” as we had begun calling Mitchell’s favourite café on the terrace above the Cloth Hall, and we were very glad that we did because it was warm but delightfully shady and had the most beautiful views over the square as we enjoyed our drinks. All too soon it was time to return to the hotel to say goodbye to Heather and Ewan ahead of their return to the UK. James and I then strolled to the nearby Jewish quarter and had a pleasant meal before an early night, tired out from all of our sight-seeing.