Yet another successful day in Poland!  It is currently 2:15p (8:15a in MA and NJ, and 6:15a in CO).  The weather has been great.  It is currently sunny and cool -- light jacket weather, which, to us is perfect.  It has rained only once on us, and for a very, very short time (while we were enjoying lunch in Warsaw, and by the time we left, it had already stopped raining).

Yesterday afternoon we took it easy.  We sat at an outdoor cafe (of which there are many - perhaps inspired by Paris) and enjoyed some coffee, a small sandwich, and some relaxation.  After our snack, we walked to the market at Rynek Kleparski. This outdoor market consists of many different stalls, selling fruits, vegetables, meats, pharmacy items, clothing, etc. This outdoor square seems to be the supermarket for Krakow. Since it was getting late in the day, most of the stalls were already closed.

Last night, we went to a great little restaurant.  We spent some time walking around the square looking for a restaurant, and on several occasions were turned away because we did not have reservations. Another busy Saturday evening in Krakow. The restaurant we found featured a combination of Polish and German food (mostly Polish).  There were only a handful of tables.  Dad had some ribs with a ton of cabbage (sauerkraut) on top -- it was great.  I ordered a sour soup with egg and kielbasa (great!) and the chicken-highlanders style.  I had no idea what it was, which is the reason I ordered it.  When our dinners arrived, I had no friggin' idea what I had gotten.  It looked like two little submarines that were deep fried.  What it actually was is deep fried chicken with a bit of cheese in the middle, and -- are you ready for this -- a pickle!!  It was fried chicken breast wrapped around cheese and a pickle.  We got a good laugh out of that -- and it was awesome.  Our waitress, who did not speak English, was a bit shy and quiet with us at first, but my butchering of the Polish language made her laugh. The only word I kept saying to her was ‘smachni’, which means ‘tasty’.  Our meals and 2 beers each stayed within our allotted budget. After dinner, we walked around the square admiring the beautiful buildings, many of which have spotlights on them.

By the way, Dad has been doing great with his Polish.  He understands a lot of what people say, and has not been shy in responding in Polish.  He is doing much better than he thought he would, and if I did not have him here, I would be lost.

This morning, we got up early and went to church (yes, Mom, we went to church).  It was a Polish mass at St. Mary’s Church, in the Rynek.  Some things were quite interesting -- many young people attended (along with the older folks). I have no idea if the mass is the same, but Dad said he understood a lot of it. It was a very traditional service (they wouldn't be caught dead with guitars and folk singers!). There was an organist and singer – certainly nothing fancy. When the time comes during the mass to shake hands with people around you, they simply look at each other and nod (Dad shook some hands, and I think it freaked some people out). The copy of the Lady of Czesthochova is very much respected in the church -- it seemed that everyone who was at the mass stopped to say a prayer at the painting prior to departing. St. Mary’s has quite a few services every day of the week, and on Sundays, they have nine or ten masses. The 10:00a mass is in Latin.

After church, we had breakfast at the hotel (actually, it is the Metropolitan Restaurant, which is attached to the hotel).  There were about 20+ teenagers there, obviously on a school trip.  I asked the waitress where they were from, and she said they were visiting from Norway.  Interesting that they have a school trip in September.  They must have a very different school schedule than in the US.

After relaxing, we walked around the square and did a bit of shopping -- nothing serious.  You would not believe how hard it is to find a t-shirt shop.  These Krakow folks really don’t know anything about tacky souvenir shopping. While walking the streets, we stopped at one of the many vendors selling a round, bread roll for .8 zlotys (about 20 cents).

While I am writing this, Dad is sitting in a cafe on the square (probably having a beer) and relaxing.  By the way, there is an internet cafe on almost every block (that is no exaggeration).  The kid sitting next to me is sitting at a computer playing a video game.  Heck, at 2 zlotys (50 cents), it’s tough to beat.

Sunday in Poland has a different pace.  Everyone slows down a bit.  People are strolling in the streets, enjoying coffee at the outdoor cafes, and simply relaxing.  Also, people dress up nicely for Sundays, making me look like an impoverished American ex-pat refugee (keeps the pickpockets away!).

I don't really want to go into too much detail, but here are some random thoughts and observations after 3+ days in Poland:

- There is no such thing as a non-smoking section.  Anywhere.  I would guess you could probably smoke in a hospital bed if you wanted . . .
- Cobblestone streets are awesome to look at but brutal to walk on.
- Its amazing what smiling and laughing can do in a strange situation.  Even hack attempts at the Polish language makes most people smile and cooperative.
- I am not sure why I had this pre-conceived notion, but there are many, many more attractive women here than I expected.  Expected a lot of grandmothers and the like.  Surprised to see how much high-fashion is here.  (and some hotties!)
- The trains in Poland are unfortunately a throw-back to the communist era.  They are a bit dated and a bit run down, and the hole in the floor, or rather, the bathroom, was pretty gross.  They did have a bar car, and they made food to order.  Didn't have the guts to try anything, as the bar car was just too close to the bathroom . . .
- Poles are serious, professional drinkers.  We have seen beer consumed in mass quantities (and can sometimes hear the after-effects, as loud revelers walk down the streets by our hotel).
- Very surprising -- I have actually only seen one person drinking vodka in a restaurant.  Beer has definitely replaced vodka as the national drink.
- Our hotel is near a movie theater, which has posters of movies, but with Polish titles.  The Polish version of the new Austin Powers movie is a riot -- I have to get my hands on a poster.
- We have watched some Polish TV.  Love the version of "Name that Tune".  Also, sometimes they show US movies, but with Polish voiceover.  It is a bit difficult to watch, because they use the same guy’s voice for every damn character!  No kidding.

Well, gotta run and check in on Dad.  Need to make sure he is not one of those revelers.  We have reservations to a nice restaurant tonight that was recommended in a Krakow guidebook.  Looks trendy and nice (but still within budget).