Article archive
Street Festival
06/04/2012 08:36
I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: On most days, you don’t have to go farther than the Old Town square to find something interesting. There is always a crazy thing or two there to amuse you for at least a few minutes, if not much longer. The wandering musicians and...
Pan Twardowski
06/03/2012 09:03
In one of the earlier posts—the one about pigeons on the Main Square—I mentioned a person named Pan Twardowski. I decided to write a little more about him here, as his story is one that has a strong connection with Krakow. Pan, or “Mr.” Twardowski supposedly lived in Krakow centuries ago. There...
"Ardan" Etymology
06/02/2012 21:11
I’m sure that we’ve all had to deal with many Ardan-related questions in our lives (yes, even those Wardrop kids), and have found ourselves saying things like “That’s Ardan: a-r-d-A-n,” at which point the person writing it down of course writes “Arden.” Or, I’m fairly certain we’ve all gotten the...
Wit Stworz's Woodcarvings
06/01/2012 09:05
Wit Stworz was a highly respected sculptor and, in fact, a master at the art of woodcarving. He was born in the mid-1400s in Nuremberg, and eventually moved to Kraków. Here, he completed numerous projects, including the tomb of Casimir IV in Wawel Castle, as well as the Altar of St. Stanislaus....
Milk Bars
05/31/2012 09:49
When we’re in Poland, we’ll have to go to a milk bar if for no other reason than to experience a restaurant with the authentic feel of communist times. Milk bars are the Polish equivalent of the greasy spoon, offering homemade foods at unbelievably low prices. They’ve apparently been around a...
Jagiellonian University
05/30/2012 10:23
Here is where the original student party scene all started way back in the 1300s. The name comes from one of the early lines of Polish royalty, the Jagiellos, who ruled as a powerful dynasty from the 14-16th century. The old part of the university, called the Collegium Maius, is still intact. We...
Seagulls, Rocks, etc.
05/29/2012 18:24
Ewa Ostasz, as I’ve mentioned before, is a dear friend of mine whom I have known for many years. I first met her when she was working in the bookstore at the Ukrainian Foundation in Kraków. On a day-to-day basis, she now officially manages Smak Ukrainski, the restaurant at the Foundation....
Polish Folk Art
05/28/2012 21:33
I really like a lot of the Polish folk art that can be seen all over the country. One of the most interesting themes that you frequently come across, though, is the “pensive Jesus.” The first time I saw this figure, I didn’t know what to think. I’ve always interpreted it as a weary, worried, or...
Kopiec Kościuszki
05/27/2012 13:19
A kopiec (koh – piets) is a traditional type of burial mound dating back to pagan times. After a person of note would die, people occasionally built a huge mound of dirt over the burial site. In and around Kraków, there are numerous kopiec of note. The legendary founder of Kraków, Krakus, has...
Amber
05/26/2012 11:15
Poland has been known since ancient times for its deposits of amber. In fact, the historic “Amber Road” ran through the country from the Baltic Sea and down along along the Vistula River. This was a very lucrative route that ultimately led from Europe all the way to Asia and Africa. Amber, if...
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