Legends of Krakow

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I never thought I would not want to go back to Paris, but I really would not mind staying here another week, a month, or who knows how long. Krakow impresses - nice architecture, old builduings, history and legens behind them. Practically everything is connected with some sort of legend, like how the city of Krakow was saved from a hungry dragon by a young cobbler, or how a Salt Mine nearby was founded by a Hungarian Princess, or how the city's guard protected the city from the Mongols with his trumpet. There is also some much more real and sad history connected with this city - only about an hour away is located Auschwitz, which we visited. The emotion that one experiences is impossible to describe - you have to see that concentration camp, a gas chamber, or those horrible barracks with your own eyes. On a lighter note, we also got to enjoy a piano performance of some of Chopin's works, which was very touristy of us, but definetely a nice way to finish the trip. After the concert, we almost died laughing listening to some old English ladies describing their emotions and their understanding of the concert (so lofty!) We also happened to encounter an Ukrainian guy Andrei in our hostel, who came to Poland to work, and felt rather lonely. The problem was that he spoke no French or English, and Ellen speaks no Russian. But he just happened to have some cognac, so with my translation and a few shots, the language barrier was easily overcome. We also did something awful - when he asked if Ellen was French, we didn't correct him, but instead went on, cause it was so much for her to assume that french identity and it was too much fun for me to translate for her. So several nights we spent together, drinking, talking, smoking sheesha, laughing like I have not laughed in a long time (it is so hard to be funny in French). Today I am so sad to leave - in Paris I have classes and hw waiting, I still have not finished the book for my book report (fiche de lecture), and Paris will just seem so dull after everything we saw here. I will try to come back to Poland with my friend Anya, though, since she has a house in the Polish mountains somewhere. Do widzenia, Polska!

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