As we were making our way up the main ramp/road to the top of the hill we got a call from Dani. It was very very awesome to have a chat to her. Continuing up the ramp, we reached a main gate sort of thing that was partially covered with vines, forming a thick green coating over a large portion of it. I thought it was pretty cool, in that way that old buildings have a strange symbiosis with the growth of plants on them. It also softened the harshness of some of the old architecture.
Through the gate we kept on walking up the hill. We got to a small courtyard-type place where there was a good view of the Wistula River, and the entrance to the Dragon´s Lair where I suppose the story of the dragon must have taken place. Being that it cost a sum of money to go into said mystical cave without the possibility of actually seeing a dragon, we decided that it probably wasn´t worth it. I mean, come on. We would just be seeing an empty cave then!
We made our way through to the main area. The place was filled with a huge garden, comprising of some trees and a large grassed area with some bushes and flower beds. There was a sign which (one would have to assume) implied to not walk on the grass. I would disagree though; I think it meant not to wear shoes on the grass.
We decided not to pay to go into the cathedral. It was just another church to me, to be honest. Not that it wouldn't have been interesting, but unless the church had some amazingly special thing about it, it just didn't seem worth paying and entrance fee. Instead, we walked around and then down through a second entrance. Up on a corner of a tower on the outside wall we could see a gargoyle; a real gargoyle shaped like a dragon or monster or whatnot.
We walked through then in the direction of the main square of Krakow. It was quite large, but very touristy and expensive. There were a lot of pubs and restaurants, filled with a mass of people. There were many families out in the square, and much activity in all directions. There were a couple of cheep fast food places along the way though, which we had noted so we might get food from them later.
In the middle of the square was a markets building. Inside were shops lining the walls on both sides; most selling tourist things, souvenirs and crafted things. There was a lot of amber. I think it´s meant to be big in Poland. Lining the roof of the building were the shields of various Polish cities and towns. I noticed the shields for Warsaw and Krakow near the centre of the building. I bought a shot glass here, but otherwise there wasn´t really anything worth taking a look at.
We sat for a bit on a bench in the square, resting our feet. We stayed for a very short time there and then decided to make our way back. During our walk we passed by one of those cheap food places. We stopped in to get some lunch, consisting of kebabs. The kebabs were more like gyros in a thick toasted focaccia and not very much like the stuff we had in Greece or even the kebabs you get in Australia. They weren´t too bad though.
From there we did make our way back to the hostel. We gathered Ozy and headed out to Nowy again. We wanted to try out a café called Baraka this time, although a second time at Alchemia wouldn't have gone down too badly. Baraka was a bit different to Alchemia, embracing a lot more modern and weird stylish decore and design rather than the classic interior of Alchemia.
Just as we got in, ordered and sat down with some coffee and tea, it started raining outside. Well, not just raining; it was a torrential downpour, and we had just missed it! What good timing was that. There was a bit of hail, and the water filled the streets so that some car wheels (near the side of the street) were partially submerged. We stayed for a while, using the net to check mail and book various accommodations for upcoming places on the trip.
When we were finally ready to head off we left Baraka and walked back to the hostel. When we got there we spent a bit of time drafting some blog entries. There was an add on the bulletin board in the hostel, for a beer night at some bars in the Jewish quarter. We thought it was a good idea, so we got ready and went to the meeting place at the correct time. It turned out that they needed at least five people to make it all happen (and there was only the two of us who turned up). Instead, the guy gave us a map and showed us where there were apparently great unknown places.
With this information we headed off. The area where he marked out places for us on the map was at the big square we were at earlier in the day. From the look of where he had marked it, it seemed that there might be some back streets where these places were. By the time we got there we realised that these places were along a busy tourist and high-end shopping street, were upmarket bars, and definitely not the type of thing we were expecting. We headed back.
We stayed up that night, having a fight to Prague due to leave around 5:30 am the following morning. Somewhere after 2 we checked out and got a cab to the airport. ARS was really such a great place. Since we were going to miss breakfast that morning the staff put together a little breakfast bag with lots of little goodies in it. How awesome were they! Would definitely recommend that place to people.
We arrived at the airport but had to wait around for at least an hour while it was apparently too early for someone to be at the check-in desk. When we finally checked in and went through, we waited for a short while for the flight to board.
I´m fairly sure I had my first taste of outright anti-sematism there going through security. I had my magen david on, wearing a v-neck tshirt, so it was hanging out fairly obviously. The security guard, clearly an ethnic Pole, wasn´t being too scrupulous with people going through the metal detector (probably because it was early in the morning and everyone was tired). My belt usually beeps, so I took it off this time and put it in a basket to go on the conveyor belt. I stepped through, with no beep from the metal detector, and he stopped me and padded me down. I was confused at first because I hadn't beeped or anything. After that, while waiting for our plane to board, I kept an eye on the security desk. Everyone who passed through without the detector beeping simply went on their way, no questions asked.
We finally got onto our plane and I fell straight asleep.
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