Krakow
Stunningly beautiful medieval Krakow was the site of my friends Hugo and Patrycja’s wedding. Krakow actually dates back to the 7th century. It has a beautiful square with the church of the Virgin Mary (Koscoil Mariacki) towering over it and the Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture surround the square. Wawel Royal Castle dominates the landscape and is a steep climb along the Royal route. There are wonderful cafes and restaurants in the historic centre and the Jewish quarter (Kazimierz). The Jewish synagogue is a sad reminder of the second world war with gravestones all dating around the 1940s. We visited Aushwitz-Birkenau and heard about the horrors of the gas chambers. My Polish friend Patrycja, the bride, took us to the best restaurants and, at fraction of the price back home, we had delicious meals. The Pope was visiting during our stay and we were not allowed alcohol as a sign of respect to him which was a bit unfortunate for the stag party night before the wedding. I asked for a baileys coffee cake and they would not serve it until I pointed out that the alcohol would have evaporated during the cooking..desperation!!!
