Article archive
St. Stanisław and Skałka
05/25/2012 09:08
When it comes to saints from Poland, St. Stanislaus (Stanisław) is one of the biggies, if not the biggest. When I was growing up, there were St. Stan’s churches all over the place, but I never really gave it any thought as to where they got their name. It was only when I lived in Kraków that I...
Smingus Dyngus
05/24/2012 10:18
We’re not going to be in Poland on the annual "Smingus Dyngus" day. I did want, however, to let you see why it's probably better that we planned the Krakow trip for July instead of April. On the Monday after Easter, Poles carry on an ancient tradition of dousing each other with water. We used to...
Obwarzanki and Zapiekanki
05/23/2012 08:30
Obwarzanki and zapiekanki (obwarzanek and zapiekanka, singular) are two Polish treats that I like to think of as a marvelous carb-laden way to start the day, as well as finish it. In the AM, if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of the schedule ahead, there’s nothing like two doughy...
The Ukrainian Foundation
05/22/2012 08:23
I always like to think of the Ukrainian Foundation as my home base whenever I’m in Kraków. The official name, in Polish, is the Fundacja św. Włodzimierza Chrzciciela Rusi Kijowskiej, or The Foundation of Volodymyr (Vladimir), Baptiser of Kievan Rus. I have been coming here since my first visit to...
The Kazimierz District Today
05/21/2012 11:32
This district, as I have mentioned in the past, was traditionally the Jewish quarter. After WWII and the concentration camps, the district was left pretty much empty, and soon became one of the poorer parts of town. When I was living in Kazimierz in the mid-1990s, the area was really run down,...
iPhone Apps
05/20/2012 12:40
Since we all use iPhones, I thought that I’d pass along some Kraków-related apps that might come in handy. I have these loaded on my phone and use them almost everyday. Many of the apps related to Kraków in the App Store are free. Do some searching for “Poland” and/or “Krakow” and see if anything...
Gypsies
05/18/2012 22:17
One of the more exotic things that I loved the most when I first started coming to Kraków was seeing real gypsies. It sounds a little strange, but I was fascinated by the boys and men who wandered around town playing accordions, guitars and violins; as well as by the women who frequently came up...
Copernicus
05/18/2012 08:24
Copernicus is one of Poland’s big claims to fame. While I personally think that Kraków is the center of the universe, Copernicus did some calculations and decided to put the sun there (well, he didn't really say it's the center of the entire universe, just our little solar system). No wonder...
The Town Hall Tower
05/17/2012 10:22
The big tower that stands at the other end of the main square, opposite the Mariacki cathedral, is what remains of the old city hall. It’s called the “Ratusz,” or “Ratush.” Of all the times that I’ve been to, and even lived in, Krakow, this building is something about which I know very little....
Polish Folk Dress
05/16/2012 10:59
In Poland, each region is known for its specific type of folk dress. Here’s a link that gives you some samples: https://www.polskiinternet.com/english/info/folk-costiums.html
In Kraków, you will sometimes see street musicians dressed in the costume most associated with the region. The men...
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