Saturday, June 30, 2007

Dodging tour groups and cobblestones

I finally took my roller blades out for a spin today. For the last 8 weeks I've been watching others skate around Krakow, but I've always been doing something else.

I walked to the Planty (just a block or so from my apartment) and donned my skates and helmet there. I can't even remember the last time I roller bladed - I think it may have been two years ago at the Beach in Toronto, but I am not really sure. Anyway, it came back to me fairly quickly, although I felt awkward and don't want to imagine what I looked like.

The Planty is a 4 or 5km stretch of park that circles the Old town and recreates what used to be the medieval wall around the city. Most of the park contains a lovely, smooth, asphalt path that is a pleasure to skate (and walk) on. However, every so often (more often then I'd like on roller blades) the path is interspersed with cobblestones in a somewhat decorative pattern. Sure it's pretty to look at, but it's not fun with roller blades on.

Throw in massive groups of walking tours, who take up the entire width of the path, and multiple roads to cross (including tram tracks), and it's a bit of an obstacle course.

But I managed to go around twice without harming myself or running into any tourists. Tomorrow I think I'll try the Blonia and Park Jordana, which are a bit farther away, but have fewer cobblestones and tourists.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Well I didn't melt . . .

But it might have been better if I did. I am at work now, and I am soaking wet. GRRR!

Rain

It's raining. Really hard. Cats and dogs, buckets, downpour, I don't want to go out type of rain.

The rain woke me up at 5:30 am, pounding on my skylight, and pinging off my tin/steel? roof. When I got up a half an hour ago at 7 it seemed to have stopped, but I was fooled into a false lull.

I'm in the habit of checking the weather online before I go to work in the morning and when I checked 5 minutes ago, it said light rain. HA!

Apparently June is the wettest month in Krakow. I believe it. It seems to have rained almost every day this month (okay I am exaggerating), but thankfully usually just for a brief period every day.

Enough procrastinating. I'd better get going and get ready for work. As my friend K reminded me in one of her posts about running in the rain, we aren't gingerbread men, and we won't melt in a little rain.

I hope.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

I'm still here

Wow, I can't believe it's been a whole week since I have posted. I don't know where my time goes . . . It seems like I am always writing blogs in my head, but I never get around to actually putting them online.

As usual, I've got lots to report. In the past week I hosted my first Polish party - vodka, pickles and all, had my first encounter with the Polish medical system, finally rode my bike, and went on an 8 hour hike in the Tatra mountains.

I also found time to work, pick up my Polish PESL number (I am not actually sure what it is, but apparently it is important), buy a DVD player (which isn't compatible with any DVDs I currently own), and work some more.

I'll tell you more, particualarly about my trip to the Tatras, but it's late in Poland now, and I should really start getting ready to go to bed.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

A near perfect day

I just woke up from an early evening nap, after a fresh-air filled early summer day, and am feeling fuzzy but very content.

My Polish friends took me on an excursion out of the city again today (the third they have treated me to in the past two weeks), to the nearby towns of Wadowice and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska.

Wadowice is the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, and is a pretty enough place, but filled with pilgrims. We stopped in Wadowice only long enough to admire the square, see the baroque church the Pope was christened in, and eat the pope's favourite cream cake, kreemowka.



We then drove to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, which I thought was just a monastery. It took me a while to understand that it is a series of 40 chapels scattered throughout the surrounding countryside and has something to do with the stations of the cross.

Regardless of its religious significance, it was the setting for a perfect walk in the country. After visiting the main Baroque monastery church (from 1702), we started walking up a fairly steep hill into the forest. I thought we were just going to the top of the hill to see another church, so was surprised to see a series of small chapels nestled in amongst the trees. The chapels varied in size and style, but were all built between 1600 and 1632. I am glad I didn't really know what we were going to see, as each time I saw another chapel it was like finding another Easter egg in the hunt.




As we continued walking, we left the forest and walked through fields. We stopped to buy freshly picked cherries from an 81 year old woman, who had just picked the cherries herself. A few minutes later we sat in the grass under a tree and ate them, seeing who could spit the pits the farthest, and laughing at 11 month old Julia enjoying her first taste of cherries.

We then wandered by three sheep, who made me laugh with each baa they uttered. Their bleating really did sound like BAAAAAAA, but they had such dramatically deep voices that I couldn't help but giggle.

As we continued on the route, we encountered several groups of pilgrims, who sang as they walked. Magda told me they were singing hymns, but all sad ones in accordance with the stations of the cross. However, to me, they sounded quite joyful and it was lovely to hear the music periodically throughout our journey.

At one point Magda suggested we gather some of the wildflowers that were growing along a wheat field we were passing through. So the two of us started picking chamomile (I thought they were daisies), some pretty blue flowers, and stocks of wheat that had strayed onto the path.


I never really thought about the Polish countryside before moving here. It's unexpectedly lush and green, and deeply forested in many places. The areas near Krakow are full of rolling hills, dotted with red roofed houses, and like Krakow itself is, to me anyway, incredibly picturesque. The views from the monastery on the hill, and through the wheat fields were so lovely, that I was continually exclaiming aloud.

I never think of myself as a country girl (and I highly doubt any of you do either), but today will stay with me as one of my favourite memories, along with other walks in the country in the Cotswalds, the Lake District, the Scottish highlands, Austria and Tuscany.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Friday nights

I have rarely been lonely or homesick since I arrived in Krakow seven weeks ago. But when I am, it's usually on a Friday night.

Friday nights seem to have a special buzz everywhere, and Krakow is no exception. People leave work a bit earlier than normal, ready to start their weekends. Everywhere you go, people are in couples or in groups, and the air is festive and electric. When you are alone, it seems like other people are having a particularly good time.

I knew before I left that Friday nights would be the hardest for me. In Toronto I often met friends for dinner or a movie after work Fridays, celebrating the end of the work week. Fridays were never really planned (like a Saturday night event often was), but were just casual get togethers, low-key and spontaneous.

But even at home, Friday nights were the nights I would feel sorry for myself for being single. I once remember someone telling me that one of the best things about being married was always having someone to go to a movie with - perhaps he was thinking of Friday nights.

When I was worrying about my move to Krakow before I left Canada, I told myself it was only 104 Friday nights. And somehow that seemed like a manageable number.

And now it's Saturday morning (disregard the date on this post - I think it's on California time), all is well again.

Those crafty Swedes

I was at Ikea again Thursday night, buying more glasses and dishes for a small party I am having tonight, when I was excited to find pet supplies. There are several pet shops in Krakow, but the cat toys tend to be wind up mice and of the hard variety. My cats, particularly Small, love to carry their toys around with them, and then rest their chins on them.

Ikea (pronounced eee-kay-uh here) had several soft cat toys in stock, along with crazy things like cat tents, and cat loungers, which I did not purchase (although I was tempted). They even have litter boxes in a lovely shade of green!

I didn't realize until I got home that the toys actually had catnip in them. Flannery and Small spent the rest of the evening in a blissed out trance, rubbing the toys over their faces and then cuddled protectively around them.

Small is happy that she can cart toys around again. She just walked by meowing proudly to show me her toy.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Pizza delivery

Walking home from basketball Tuesday night, my colleague and I were stopped by a young guy on a bike carrying a huge bag on his back.

When I asked what it was, he answered pizza.

Since then I have seen 3 or 4 guys riding bikes and carrying pizza bags on their backs. I wonder if they deliver this way in the winter.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Stuff I like


I found this little courtyard off one of the main streets in the Old town. It's part of one of the university colleges.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of the things I love most about Krakow is the juxtaposition of old and new. The college is probably five or six hundred years old, while the sculpture is modern.






Although Krakow has strict building codes (nothing here is built more than 5 or 6 stories high, less in the center) and heritage regulations (the building I live in must adhere to them), the modern exists easily alongside the medieval.

Where have all the recycling bins gone?

Recycling is not hugely popular in Krakow. When I first moved in, I asked my agent about it, and she explained that there is no recycling pick up in Krakow.

Instead, you can bring your recyclables to large bins located strategically around the city. I noticed that there were several at the end of my street (for glass, plastic, carboard, almost everything I could recycle in Toronto, except for the compostable stuff).

So, I have been saving my recyclables in my laundry room and take them down the street on an infrequent/irregular basis.

The pile has been growing rather alarmingly, so I decided I needed to take it out. Fortunately, I didn't haul it all down the street (laziness has its rewards some days), because I realized on Friday night that the recycling bins have all been removed, at least from the end of my street.

I think it must have something to do with the new park and statue that appeared nearby a few weeks ago. The statue is a replica of one that was destroyed in the war, and was officially unveiled last week during the festival.

I guess recycling bins were found to be too unsightly for the official ceremony.

Now I am wondering if they will come back.

Bata, Blackberry, and Bombardier

Yesteday my new Polish friends, who are quite curious about Canada, asked me if Canada had any big name brands that they would recognize. I struggled to think of any, naming Air Canada, Petro Canada and Roots, none of which they had either heard of or were impressed by. (When I suggested Air Canada, they laughed and said LOT, which is the Polish airline).

I explained that Canada's main exports were wheat, lumber, oil, and hockey players, along with many other things that I either forgot about or don't know. Being a Canadian representative makes me realize I don't know alot about my own country - on Friday one of my writers asked me if Mount McKinley (the highest mountain in North America) was in Canada and I answered yes, only to discover it's actually in Alaska. Yesterday, my friends asked me how long unemployment was paid for in Canada, and again I had to guess (in Poland you get it only for 6 months, regardless of how long you have worked for, or how much you have made).

Last night I thought of many Canadian brands (Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, Molson, The Bay), many of which aren't Canadian owned anymore, but don't really exist outside of Canada.

My dad came up with Blackberry and Bombardier as examples that non Canadians might be familiar with. And I mentioned Bata shoes to my friends, as I have seen Bata stores all over Krakow. They thought it was a Polish brand.

I guess we aren't really a manufacturing country. If you can think of any others, let me know.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Flannery wants out

The only drawback with my new home is that it doesn't have any outside space. Thus far, this hasn't really been an issue for me, as I seem to be out so much anyway. Walking to and from work gets me out on weekdays, and other than the occasional downpour (not so much fun even with an umbrella and raincoat), and what seems like new blisters daily (my summer shoes are not as reliable as my Naots), I really enjoy it.

However, the last few days Flannery has taken to sitting at the front door and meowing for what seems an eternity (in reality it's probably no more than 10 minutes). A few times I have relented and let her into the outer foyer. This seems to have worked the first few times, but she now realizes that there is another door in the foyer that might lead to the outside.

Small, being a less adventurous type, is content to sit on the window seat and gaze out the window. Then she goes to sleep.

There is a small enclosed courtyard in my building,where we keep the garbage. I am wondering if I should carry my adventurous cat down there. But then I'd feel guilty about leaving Small inside, and I can't carry them both down . . .

A day of fire and dragons (and a little rain)

Krakow's legend involves the slaying of a fire breathing dragon, and the modern day citizens make the most of it. Wouldn't you?

As as result, the city was overrun with dragons last weekend. Some friends and I went to see the dragon parade, which started in the main square and ended up at the castle beside the legendary dragon's lair.

The dragons in the parade are mostly created by school children and other youth groups. I was quite impressed with their handiwork. This dragon made impressive sounds - never having heard an actual dragon, I can't comment on how authentic they were.








This was the only baby dragon in the parade.







I am not sure what this is, but I was impressed with it.















Younger children also get into the act. All along the parade route, small children were dressed as knights and princesses. The knights looked ready to slay any dragons they might meet.

Sadly for everyone involved, it started to pour shortly after the parade began. We took cover under an umbrella in one of the patio restaurants on the square. However an hour or so, with no sign of the rain letting up, we made a run for my apartment, which is only a few blocks to go. Not sure what happened to all the dragons - don't know if they melted in the rain.

It did stop raining in time for the floating dragon parade on the Wisla river later that evening. I wasn't really sure what to expect from this event, but it turned out to be fantastic.

Thousands of people gathered to watch floating dragons shoot off fireworks, and see flying dragons (some of which looked more like fish).

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

This is where I live

After much time spent trying to install software on my iMac, more time cursing and swearing, trips to the electronics store, and way too many hours online (or actually not online), I finally decided to save pictures to CD and transfer them to my laptop. Not sure why it took me so long to figure out this simple option.

One day I'll get internet access on my iMac, but for now, this is the city I live in:



What I love most about Krakow is the architecture. Every building includes small details that you might miss if you don't look carefully. The first few weeks here I was so worried about spraining my ankles again that I was always looking at the sidewalk. Now I walk around with my head up, craning my neck to look at the buildings. This guy lives just down the street from me:




The juxtaposition between old and new is apparent everyday in Krakow. These beautiful women are in the gorgeous 19th century opera house/theatre in Krakow. Watching modern ballet from a New York City ballet company while sitting in a plush 200 hundred year old box was one of the highlights of my first few weeks in Krakow.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Happiness is . . .

A new vacuum cleaner.

My new home contains beautiful hardwood and marble flooring. Unfortunately, my two cats seems to shed an enormous amount of hair, so much so that it was gathering in huge dust bunnies (or should that be dust kitties), throughout the apartment. So much so that when Susan was here she felt compelled to mention it.

Not to mention the kitty litter that they seem to track out of their own special kitty litter room.

I'd desperately been searching for the right cleaning solution to keep the dust/cat hair at bay. I looked all over the city for a Swiffer after one of my colleagues told me you could buy them at Carrefour (a French "hypermarket"), only to spend 40 PLN on a taxi to get there and then find out the next day that he realized he had a Swiffer when he lived in London, not in Krakow.

I ended up buying a dust mop, but that only seemed to displace the dust and cat hair around, not actually get rid of it.

Finally, I talked one of my employees into going to the mall with me to translate all the features of the various vacuum cleaners for me.

I spent Friday night putting the vacuum cleaner together (the manual had an English section!) and happily clearing away the reams of cat hair.

I wonder how long it will take to reappear.

Note - apparently Zelmar is the favoured vacuum cleaner brand in Poland. Even the woman who sold me the LG I bought said that even though she represented LG, she would prefer a Zelmar. However, I ended up getting the LG for its many hardwood floor and furniture attachments. So far so good.

If there be dragons . . .

Krakow is celebrating the 750th anniversary of its foundation this week. Apparently the foundation is something different than the founding, as Krakow has been around in some shape or other since the 9th century.

The foundation was the passing of the Magdeburg Law, which was essentially (as far as I can tell) creation of good government, and allowed self-governmen, urban organizations, jursidictions, trade, religious and intellectual life.

Makes you wonder what Canadians were up to in 1257.

The week long celebrations include outdoor concerts all over the city, dance performances in many of the squares, the European Union Cup of Ballooning(?), competitions for the oldest Krakovian family and local business, sharpshooters, and parades of dragons, walking, floating, and flying.

I plan to see it all, but am particularly hoping to run into a few dragons.

An odd couple

My friend Marn, the owner of a very lovely, if slobbery, boxer named Flin, asked me after my last post if I had ever seen a boxer here in Krakow.

At that point I hadn't. But a few days later as I was walking home, I saw a boxer walking with a dachshund!

The dachshund pranced along trying to keep up with his much larger friend. The boxer just strolled along casually, wondering why some dogs are so low to the ground.