Now I’m a a day behind on my blogging. I will catch up right now! Also, I have put together photos to upload to facebook, but the internet’s being too slow at the moment, so they will be up later. I did add photos to yesterday’s post though! Our first day in Krakow, we started with the Jewish area, Kazimierz (incidentally, the name of our hotel is Hotel Kazimierz). We started with the beautiful old synagogue on our block. Then we explored the rest of the neighborhood. There are many synagogues, and two cemeteries. We went to the smaller and less touristy cemetery.
Then we went to the Galicia museum. There is a whole (small) museum dedicated to the region from which my father’s mother’s family came. They did not have any record of or information about the small village of Gäding, but there was a great deal on Przemysl.
This is a picture of my great grandmother, Bertha, in Przemysl:
Here is a map of Galicia, on which Przemysl can be easily spotted. It appears to have been a major city.
After the Galicia museum, we had lunch at a bagel shop. We both got falafel. Then we headed to the new city.
We saw the big main square, where there was a bunch of interesting stuff including a replica of Chopin’s piano. There was also a market full of tchotchkies, and a puppeteer performing with a Michael Jackson marionette. We stopped for vodka and apple juice at a little café in the square. Vodka apple juice is a big deal cocktail here, and it’s really effing tasty.After the square, we made our way to the castle to see the dragon that is the mascot of Krakow. Turns out that back in olden times, the people exploded the dragon, so he’s gone, but the castle is still there. It provides awesome views of the city.
In the evening, we went to a great klezmer concert, featuring a Russian duo on violin and guitar. I will post a brief, low-quality clip here once the internet is working better.
After the concert, we went to dinner. I got borscht. Mom got turkey. I love borscht! There was live jazz in the restaurant. ☺
Today we did Auschwitz. It was really intense and at times difficult, but I’m glad we did it.
When we got back in the afternoon, we saw more of the city, including the cool old gate. Then we got burritos for dinner (I know it’s not Polish food. They do claim to have the best burritos in Krakow though). I also got a yummy pickle from a cart. I love pickles! And we got delicious ice cream from a cart. I love ice cream too!
We have to get up early tomorrow to go to the famous salt mines and then drive to Budapest! Good night!
Nice old shul pic - do you think that there's actually a minyon in Krakow, or Poland for that matter?
ReplyDeleteMaya, more cemetery tours - maybe you're related to the Addams family, not the Adlers --- BTW… Bertha Adler is a babe!!!!
The Jews from Galicia (Galitzianers) include the Bealskys(my mother's family) from Kiev, not so far from Przemysl. I betcha Gading is/was some obscure shtetl near Przemysl.
If you find the salt mine of interest,and have a yearning to see others, you might ck out the famous mega salt mine of Detroit, MI - no kidding----- unfortunately, it may well be the main attraction in Detroit.
I'll take a good burrito over a pierogi anyway!!!
If you think the goulash was good in Prague, ck out the original in Budapest---
xoxojdw
Eva says:
ReplyDeleteThere are way more Jews here in Krakow than I expected. We are staying right in the middle of the Jewish quarter, there is a big JCC up the block. The bakeries smell like Fairfax.
Black hats and regular young guys with kippas walking to (I assume) shabbat services last night. There was a "progressive" service happening at that Galacia museum last night. The Galcia museum was a cool place, showing the past and then continuing to the present, very interesting.
I like Poland, or at least Krakow, way more than I expected to.
Aushwitz, was what you'd expect. I just couldn't walk into that gas chamber, I sat on a shady spot on the grass and waited for them to come out. I always said, I'd never willingly walk into one of those.
Thinking about you lots here! Love! Eva
I never wanted to go to Poland. Of course Bill, who came steerage to the US when he was two, always said he would never go back. And I 'm the person who didn't take you Ann Frank's house when you were 7. Ethel, with a German father who studied at the Yeshiva in Vilna where he met her Mother(Litvak) always called Bill a Galitizaner. Bill's father renounced alligience the Emperor of Russia on his citizenship papers. But Antipolia is now in Belarus. That museum sounds very interesting. Before the war Poland had a lot of progressive congregations. Thanks for the blogs. Lenore
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