Our Last Day in Krakow

On our last day in Krakow, we first stopped by that famous market in the main square. It was pretty chilly out. So ducking into the market stalls for some warmth felt so good. While the wind outside was harsh enough to blow me away, the interior was windless and cozy. There were souvenirs at every corner. And of course, there were those famous and cute pigeons. They have become the symbol of Krakow. Nobody disturbs them. I can even say that pigeon-shaped keychains in the market were selling like hotcakes.

I also wanted to briefly mention the food. It's impossible for me to forget the traditional sour soup Zurek, that we ate at the famous cafe called Black Duck. I’m not someone who seeks out soup normally, but I absolutely loved that soup served inside a bread bowl. It was packed with mushrooms, potatoes and fresh Polish sausage. The best part was picking at the edges of the bread bowl while finishing the soup.

I remember feeling quite small for a moment while wandering the Krakow streets. The people around were so tall that I felt like I had returned to my dwarf state next to my 1.98 m tall brother. There were different delicacies in the fairground. We saw everything from chocolate-covered apples and caramel pears to local sausages. The aroma of freshly baked bread and that zurek was everywhere. We also saw the local hot sandwich Zapiekanka and delicious Polish dumplings Pierogi. The Pierogi were much larger than the pelmeni I know and they were stuffed with meat. The meat had a texture as if it hadn't been through a grinder but rather pulled apart by hand.

Then we moved on to the Jewish quarter Kazimierz. The weather had become even harsher. We bought donuts from a shop called Dobra and really liked them. The neighborhood looked a bit neglected. The buildings were half-blackened with crumbling plaster. Yet, even in this state, it had an incredible bohemian vibe. Have you seen the movie Schindler's Lis"? We walked through the places where those famous alleyway scenes were filmed. They were empty streets, decaying buildings, eerie yet stylish spots. Walking here in the evening gives one a slightly uncanny feeling.

Actually, we had intended to go to the museum that day, but we fell victim to Christmas Eve. Everywhere that appeared open online turned out to be closed. Even my friend coming from Warsaw gave up at the last minute saying: Today is Eve, everywhere will be closed. She was lucky. If she had come, she would have faced freezing weather.

Since the museum was closed, we turned our direction back to the Old town. We went up to the park surrounding it and looked at the remains of the demolished city .walls. The city is so historic that I felt like I was walking on a Middle ages film set. We bought Poland's famous milk candy, Krówka from a shop. They even had lavender and beer-flavored varieties.

Because it was Christmas Eve, everywhere started to become deserted around six in the evening. We watched in awe as musicians played instruments in that freezing cold under the giant Christmas tree. In the evening we spent our time strolling through the center.

By the time we actually got back to the house, we were honestly starving. So we placed a massive order from Panda Sushi. The 100 Euro roll set was enough to last two people for two days. There was no better way to warm up and unwind than with a massive meal inour cozy room. We closed the Krakow chapter with delicious and slightly freezing, but unforgettable memories. A longer journey to Gdańsk was ahead of us the next day.