Snaps from the North

After a couple of weeks of drought, here comes the flood. I appologise in advance for anyone trying to view this week’s page who doesn’t have a broadband connection.

Rather than spend the time between Christmas an New Year doing nothing I decided to book a short trip to Krakow in Poland. I’d never been before, didn’t know what to expect, and found a very pleasant town where most points of interest can be reached on foot.

I stayed at the Hotel Pod Wawelem a three star hotel situated by the castle and a 10 minute walk from the main town square. Highly recommended!

Onto the photographs.

Main

Krakow has lots of pigeons, and pigeons in winter get hungry. If you’re going to feed them expect scenes like this.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

Alternatives

In addition to pigeons there are also lots of horses. Pigeons I don’t like, horses I can put up with. Especially when they are as photogenic as these.

M8, 24mm Elmarit

It was cold while I was in Krakow, it didn’t snow, but what snow there was on the ground didn’t melt as these next couple of photographs show.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

The main square was being set up with a huge stage and sound system for the New Year celebrations, so I don’t have many decent photographs of that, but the square also contained a very attractive old cloth hall, which is where the following photographs were taken. Nowadays it’s given over to selling tourist souvenirs.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

The main square is ringed with restaurants cafes and bars. Here’s one of them from the outside and then the inside.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 15mm Voigtlander

In addition to the bars and restaurants, there were also lots of churches. The first shot was taken at the cathedral on the main square, the other at churches around the centre of the town.

M8, Noctilux

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

Naturally since there are tourists there are also musicians trying to earn some money. This seems to please some more than others.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

The river that flows through the city isn’t the prettiest that I’ve seen, not in December at least. The important thing seems to be to control it and avoid flooding. Still the grassy banks give people the opportunity to walk the dog.

M8, 90mm Voigtlander

The castle on the hill is in fact a collection of buildings, largely restored at the begining of the 20th century. Entrance to the various building is by ticket, but wandering around the outside is free.

M8, 24mm Elmarit

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

M8, 15mm Voigtlander

Some of the housing has seen better days, but this does provide photographic opportunity. Even something as simple as a series of letter boxes takes on an added interest.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

The next photograph is an architectural detail. As someone remarked when I showed them this photograph, perhaps the stonemason misheard the architect and thought he had to carve lion cloths rather than loin cloths (I wish I’d though of that!).

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron

And finally onto what must be the saddest part of the town, the old Jewish quarter. A memorial in the quarter’s main square tells how 65,000 Jews from the greater Krakow area perished in the concentration camps during the second world war. Auschwitz is only 50 kilometres away. There are still lots of signs of the previous Jewish nature of this part of town.

M8, 35mm ASPH Summicron