Tak Tak Krakow

Tak is the only Polish word I understand. It has been the only word I have been able to pick out and ask what it means because it really sticks out from the rest of the language. Yes Yes Krakow!

In front of the Wawel Castle in Krakow

My first night here was quite interesting. I was exhausted from traveling but went out to eat and get a drink and I met an Northern Irish couple. They seemed to be good people and it was nice to talk to someone. Well as we were talking they started drinking more and more and the husband was basically saying the people from Northern Ireland are the smartest in the world, that's what I got from his statements at least. Apparently in Northern Ireland you have to take a crazy test when you are 11 and that test determines whether you go to grammar school (for the smart ones) or the other school (for stupid people) and it more or less decides your future. But both schools are hard and apparently other people in the UK try to send their kids there as well. Well he kept going on and on about this and by the end I was almost convinced that the people from Northern Ireland are the smartest in the world, haha. At the end of dinner the couple had shared about four bottles of wine, I had a glass or two from the four, and they were drunk. The wife fell up the stairs and was having some issues with walking. I really wanted to go to bed but they convinced me to go with them for a drink. So I had my drink and I wanted to go and that is when the wife went CRAZY! She started yelling at me and telling me that I was an old lady and that she never wanted to see my face again all the while she could barely stay on her bar stool. She continued on and I wanted to egg her on some more so I said I have your husband's email, I send you one soon. She did not like that and told me that they would ignore it and said some more nasty stuff. So at that point I had enough and just left. I bet she had a hell of a hangover the next day, haha.

Zakopane

Today I went to Zakopane which is in the Tatra mountains in the south of Poland. It was the first day that I have stepped foot in snow since I left in Chicago, haha. It was really pretty and a nice relaxing day in the mountains. When I arrived I was walking down the street and kept seeing these vendors selling something that I thought was bread. I then created in my mind that this bread would be amazing and that it was filled with delicious items like meats, cheeses, and vegetables or even chocolate and nuts so after looking at them long enough I decided to buy one. A lot of the women selling them were old and I assumed they would not speak English so I just decided to pick one and go for it. Well upon taking my first bite I got more than a surprise, it was not bread but the biggest cheese curd I have ever created (besides the even bigger ones they sold). It took me a while to get over it because I was expecting something completely different but after accepting it, I started to like it. I also felt really stupid for a while, like why didn't I at least attempt to ask what I was buying. Before arriving to Zakopane I had read that they are famous for their smoked cheese so now I know why. I somehow managed to eat about half of it throughout the day and it's about the size of my hand. Pictures to come when I get home.

Smoked Cheese Vendor (Or a dream of stuffed bread)

Biggest Cheese Curd I Have Ever Touched

Possible reenactment of my face when I found out it was all cheese

Accecptance of the Cheese Curd

On a more serious note I went to Auschwitz and Birkenau and it was of course very sad. Seeing where millions of people were tortured and murdered is something that few words can describe. It just really made me think and feel sad for what happened in the past.

I also went to the part of town where the Jewish people used to live before WWII, the Jewish Ghetto where the SS brought all of the Jews when they took them from their homes, and I found Oscar Schindler's factory.

Some people in my hostel are going "clubbing" right now including some of the girls that work here who are all really nice and very pretty. (FYI the girls in Poland are really good looking. Maybe the best country I have seen so far) Part of me wants to go but I look like a border line bum and I don't know if I can handle being in a club with a bunch of girls who look really cute. I am an old lady, haha.

Overall Krakow is great and the food could not be better and cheaper. Tomorrow I am off to Warsaw which I have heard some mixed reviews but I am still hoping will be interesting.