"KRAKOW" Krakow by naruto

I LOVE KRAKOW.

The moment I stepped off the train from Warsaw, I knew I am in for something very special.

Even though it was wet and snowing....and I spend the next half hour wandering around in the snow looking for my guesthouse, I felt excited to be finally in Krakow and can't wait to put my bags down and explore.

Even though the weather left much to be desired the first two days I was there, it didn't dampen my fascination for Krakow. And the weather became bright, sunny with blue skies my last two days, so all's good.

My favorite bits about Krakow are the Wawel Cathedral and St Mary's Basilica. There is something to be said about entering the quiet, peaceful sanctuary of a church's interior from the madness of the outside. The ornate and beautiful interiors are also sights to be admired. I also enjoyed very much, wandering around Rynek Glowny and exploring the Jewish Quarters.

Coming from Warsaw where I didn't really enjoy, Krakow was a breath of fresh air, and renewed my excitement about travelling through Poland. I also met some unexpected people who treated me, a stranger from the other side of the world and don't speak Polish, with small gestures of kindness that I really appreciated.

- Jack, from my guesthouse, who said the first thing to me when I entered, "Let's get you out of the rain."

-The kind elderly gentleman manning the entrance to the Zygmunt Bell at the Wawel Cathedral, who asked me where I was from. And upon hearing that I was from this miniscule island-nation on the other side of the world, patted me on the head as a gesture of thanks (and amazement, I think) that I would come all this way to visit.

-The young security guard who walked his rounds near the English Literature section at Emprik Bookstore. I know it is not easy shooing people off the floor every 20 minutes, And even though I don't speak Polish and he don't speak any English, he managed to make me understand that it is ok with him that I am sitting in my corner reading Life of Pi while killing 6 hours til my next train ride.

-Artur, a nice Polish student, who helped me find my way back to Krakow after one of my insane excursions out to the rural suburbs where I got lost...hek hek

Thumbs Up! :)

More travel tips will be added as soon as possible.

• Pros:Charming City, Fascinating History, Beautiful Architecture, Friendly People
• Cons:Didn't have more time to spend in Krakow