Off to Krakow

A cat's 'tent', toy and teeth cleaner at Galleria Krakowska!

The night brought some strong wind and the air is cool and fresh this morning.
Off to Krakow!
...
I am back and head over hills, happy! My knee is getting better! It's healing at its own pace, but it certainly is!

When I arrived in Krakow I phoned the dear doctor to postpone my visit, because I was pretty sure the knee would need another injection or else. Then, I reasoned, I'd be hobbling on the three (one leg plus crutches). Seeing the doctor later gave me some time to enjoy the old capital. After a bit of a walk to soak in the Old Town atmosphere, I stopped for a coffee. The place was new to me, in Reformacka Street, next to IPN (Institute of National Remembrance Krakow Branch premises). It had a very clever name "Róg Brackiej i Reformackiej" (Corner of Bracka and Reformacka).  No need to trouble the memory with remembering the address once you know the name! :-)

 The 'No smoking' sign encouraged me to step in. Surely, there is a ban on smoking in public places, but I just found it amusing and intriguing.

 The place wasn't open yet, but a kind barmaid eagerly made me the coffee of my dreams: tasty, aromatic and hot, with a bit of hot milk, no froth! :-) I learnt the cafe has been there for at least 17 years, mostly local people visit it and that bridge tournaments are held regularly there. Many old radios on display come from the collection of the cafe owner, just like the old photography of Krakow.

The building on the next corner was the regional headquarters of  Solidarnosc (Solidarity).

The old town walls around Florian Gate were full of paintings for sale, as always:

Let me add more pictures from my today trip:

Only in Krakow: 'Indian Cuisine Pizzeria'!

A Polish Florence Nightingale lived here:

 

Plac Szczepanski (Szczepanski Square), previously a parking place and a few centuries back a cemetery...

Pałac Sztuki

Bunkier Sztuki exhibitions:

 I had an interesting chat about art with the man who admitted me to see these works. I agreed with him that young people nowadays do not seem to take pleasure in looking at objects of art as generations before have. They want to interact with these objects, change and re-assemble them.

Going home:

The mini-coach only stops in Kielce, before Skarzysko. Here is  Kielce equivalent to London Oxford Street, the main shopping street in this town:

Kielce mini-coach station: 

When we reached the station in Kielce, the driver proved right. Everything was shut. Nowhere to buy anything after ... 7 pm! The afternoon coffee, delicious as it was, didn't give me enough fuel and my stomach was beginning to eat itself, or so it seemed. I no longer resisted the kind driver's offer and had some of his chocolate. That was a true life saver!

The funny thing was that he had found this chocolate in the car. Some foreign tourists had left it behind, I learnt...

When you leave this forest, you are in Skarzysko-Kamienna!

Good night!