Krakow Part 5 ... Weddings/ Paper Lanterns

As we were walking around on Saturday night we saw lots of lanterns in the sky just like on the movie Tangled.  It was so cool as we kept walking the number of lanterns kept growing and we realized so many people were setting off lanterns for a wedding.  I was talking pictures as we walked of the sky and we met a guy who was with the wedding, he asked us if we had a lighter.  We didn’t but he told us that if we could find one we could light a lantern too.  Ilona had matches in her purse but they didn’t stay lit long enough to work so she went to a local store to get a lighter.  

In the meantime we talked to the guy.  He was excited that we were from the United States and he introduced us to the Bride and Groom.  When Ilona got back we lighted our lantern.  It actually took a long time because the lantern needs to fill with hot air first.   IT WAS SO SO COOL when it finally took off.   

Krakow Part 4 ... Florian’s Gate

This is Florian’s Gate, it is the only one left of the cities original eight gates.  Through this gate is a circular building built to protect this gate.  It has 3-meter thick walls and seven turrets.  This building was once connected to Florian’s Gate by a narrow passage over the moat.  It is one of very few of its kinds still standing in Europe.  

Krakow Part 3 ... The Church of St Adalbert/ Cloth Hall

This is The Church of St Adalbert.  It is one of the oldest churches in the Old Town dating back to the 11^th century.  During the day you can go inside and see the impressive organ and original foundation.  Guess we will have to add that to the list for next trip!

      

This was one of our favorite buildings at the Old Town Square.  It is located in the middle of the square and is called Cloth Hall.  It was originally the center of Krakow’s medieval clothing trade.  Created in the early 14^th century it started as a roof put over two rows of stalls.  Then later it was extended into a 108 meter-long Gothic structure.  The hall was rebuilt in a Renaissance style after the fire of 1555.  The arcades were added in the late 19^th century.   

Today it is a busy trading center for crafts and souvenirs.  We thought it was so pretty at night so we took lots of pictures with this building.      

Krakow Part 2

When we got to Krakow is was gloaming and so nice outside so we headed to Old Town Square.  I will just give you and overview here of the square and my following posts will be more details. 

There were lots of horse drawn carriages, amazing architecture, sculptures, flowers and performers.  

Florian Gate

St Mary's Church

Church of St Adalbert

Town Hall Tower

Cloth Hall

Krakow Part 1

We arrived in Krakow on Saturday evening.  The weather was so nice so we decided to head to the city center to take some pictures and walk around.  I will tell you a bit about that in my next post.  This post is to tell you the legend of Krakow. 

 Krakow was supposedly founded on the defeat of a dragon that lived under Wawel Castle.  It is said that the dragon that lived in this den so long ago was nasty and would take off across the countryside eating people and livestock.  King Krakus wanted to put a stop to this and promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to whoever could defeat the dragon.  Knights came from all across the land and all failed.  A cobblers apprentice named Skuba decided to try but knew that he didn’t stand a chance against the dragon when so many others had failed.  So he thought of a plan to outsmart the dragon and took a lamb, stuffed it with sulfur, and left it outside for the dragon’s den.  The dragon ate it up and soon got a stomachache.  He went to the Vistula River to drink some water.  He drank and drank but it didn’t help.  His stomach kept expanding until it exploded.  Skuba soon married the King’s daughter and lived happily ever after.    

Today you can visit the dragon’s den and see the fire-spitting dragon.  We went to the dragon’s den and just outside was the dragon! I was so excited. Of course we had to stay a while so everyone could get their picture with the dragon.  It only spits fire every once and a while and the intervals didn’t seem to be very consistent so it was exciting every time. 

Sunsets from our Flat

Fresh Food

All of the food here seems to be really fresh, which is amazing!  Once you buy something you need to eat it rather quickly because otherwise it goes bad.  So this is an adjustment for us, so we grocery shop probably twice a week and just get a few things each time.  This is also good cause we have yet to figure out the bus system and so we have to carry everything we buy home on out backs.  Recently we bought a new carton of eggs when we opened them this is what we found!  HAHAHA.  

Immediately this song popped into my head … One of these things is not like the others.  One of these things just doesn’t belong.  Can you tell me which thing is not like the others by the time I finish my song?  Thank you Sesame Street!!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FClGhto1vIg

Also see if you can see what else is different about these eggs compared to the ones in the United States.

Hint: Count the number of eggs.

Answer: 10 eggs not 12!