“The city, however, does not tell its past, but contains it like the lines of a hand”
Italo Calvino
A good night’s sleep.
We are up early to explore the city and hunt down a decent breakfast.
Most cities in Poland were destroyed during World War II. Kraków was one of the few to remain intact. For practical reasons it seems; Kraków was a supply hub for the Nazi army and its infrastructure needed to support the invasion.
It is a beautiful city. Ancient buildings, plenty of parks. Excellent for walking.
“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”
Ernest Hemingway
There is an exhibition of Popes outside the huge Roman Catholic Church, Parafia rzymskokatolicka Świętego Krzyża. It is staggering to consider the audacity of the church promoting itself in Poland.
Has the Vatican forgotten that they were the first European country to make a treaty with Hitler’s Nationalist Social Party? That Pope Pius XII and his wonderful religion publically celebrated the Führer’s birthday? Has it slipped their mind that neither Pope Pius XII nor the Vatican condemned the Nazi invasion of Poland or the extermination of the Jewish people?
And yet they will celebrate Papal history publically in Poland.
Zero shame. Pope Pius XII is called ‘Hitler’s Pope’ for good reason.
And the petition continues to make Pius XII a saint.
“The problem with religion, because it’s been sheltered from criticism, is that it allows people to believe en masse what only idiots or lunatics could believe in isolation.”
Sam Harris
Finding decent coffee and breakfast in Kraków is not an easy undertaking. Even with Shells talent in this area.
We start at Cafe Fable, and it is definitely not our style. We search the internet high and low for suggestions; the best we come across is Blossom Cafe.
Average is generous.
The day is warming up.
We stroll home to do some research on which art gallery might be worth a visit.
MOCAK, the Museum of Contemporary Art is not close. We would need to catch the tram which means we would need to buy tickets.
It all seems too difficult.
“I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive.”
Frida Kahlo
I start thinking about lunch. I feel like beer, solid food is an after thought. It is the hot weather.
We throw around options. We keep returning to the pickled herring from last night. It seems a perfect match for our first preference lunch, beer.
We head back to Morski Oko.
We order some beer and the herring. While we wait for our order, Shell makes a trip to the bathroom to adjust her dress. Apparently it is unseemly to walk the streets of Kraków with your dress inside out.
“According to Chesterton, tea-drinking’ is ‘pagan’, while beer-drinking is ‘Christian’, and coffee is ‘the puritan’s opium’.”
George Orwell
Home to escape the heat.
We have a dinner reservation at 6.00 pm.
I read for a few hours.
Dinner is at Czarna Kaczka. A short walk from our place which is a good thing with the temperature still over 30 degrees.
Shell orders borscht to start and mieszane pierogi , mixed dumplings for main. I stick with a main, as I know I will be eating half of Shell’s food. Panierowana wieprzowina, breaded pork for me.
A beer, Źywiec IPA for me, and the house riesling for Shell.
Dinner was by no means bad, but it was not great.
We walk home through the crowds.
Tomorrow, we head north, chasing the cooler weather.
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
John Steinbeck
There is nothing like being up early so you don’t have to share with crowds. I hope you find some cooler weather . xx
It looks like warm weather all the way to Lithuania.
We need some more mountains.