Day 8 - Poland

November 28 -

I finally got a good night's rest and an amazingly full breakfast. I was prepared for walking Krakow this day. I had made friends at the hostel and palled around with one of them for the day as we walked most of the main area of the city, called Old Town. The main square is gorgeous. We walked further out of the main area and found Oskar Schindler's factory, albeit in a very dodgy area of town. Kazmeirez was cool to explore. Krakow's Jewish quarter is fairly intact, considering the viscous history visited upon the area and its residents during the Nazi regime. Virtually nothing remains of the Jewish population, and those visiting must piece together their fateful lives through the buildings and temples that still stand as a testament to their past existence.

We ate at Ariel, laughing at the menu options. A lot of the dishes were preceded by the word "Jewish" - as in "Jewish roast beef", "Jewish stew". Otherwise, is was a nice dining experience, though naturally, a bit touristy given the area. Afterwards, with night falling around us, we checked out the Christmas market in the center of the main square. I did a bit of shopping in the old textile hall and finally called it a night.

I loved the hostel I stayed in and met some great people. Greg & Tom was an amazing place to hang out. The staff was top notch. Snacks and drinks were provided non-stop and they served an amazing breakfast. They have a no bunk beds policy, which is always nice. Close to the train station and Old Town, it was perfect, especially since I had an early morning flight and didn't want any problems getting to the train.