Krakow Local Custom Tips by Dabs

Hejnal

Every hour the Hejnal bugle call is played from the tower of St. Mary's in the main square to each of the four sides of the tower. The bugle call dates back to the Middle Ages when it announced the opening and the closing of the city gates or as an alarm whenever he saw a fire or enemy forces.

Legend has it that during an invasion in 1241 the watchman on duty spotted the enemy and sounded the alarm but a Tatar pierced his throat with an arrow mid tune which is why the song breaks off mid tune.

Movies to watch/books to read

"A Long Time Ago & Essentially True" by Brigid Pasulka, I read this on the way back from Krakow, a delightful book which alternates between the story of two young people who fall in love during WWII and their subsequent journey to Krakow and their granddaughter who is trying to get by in Krakow in the days of Lech Walesa and solidarity.

"The Girl in the Red Coat" by Roma Ligocka, I read this before we left, I found the 1st part of the story set during WWII in the Jewish ghetto of Krakow to be very interesting but the part of the story after the war showed the author to be vain and self indulgent. She even goes so far as to say that she is the girl in the red coat in "Schindler's List" which of course is absurd as the little girl in the movie dies.

"Schindler's List" an absolute must see film about a flawed man who begins the war in Poland wanting to make a buck and ends up only wanting to save the Jews who worked for him. Brilliantly filmed, brilliant performances especially by Ralph Fiennes who plays Amon Goeth.