September 29, 2014: Second Day in Krakow

September 29, 2014

Got up at 6:30 to get ready, have breakfast at 7:15 and to work on the trip log and pictures before meeting the group at the museum site at 10:15.  Breakfast had a lot to offer and would mean that lunch would not be needed today.  The weather is gorgeous and the walk to the square was very nice.  The underground museum was so informative of the history with artifacts of the city dating back to the 11th century.  The excavations within Rynek Square for the artifacts took place from 2005 to 2010 and the museum was constructed on the site of the excavations.  Much of the museum was done with multi-media and holography to enrich the exhibits.  The section that included movies of the various periods was so extensive and could not be completed within the 2 hours spent in the museum.   Krakow history is very rich and greatly affected by the fact it lay on several trade routes dating back to early medieval times.  After a short break, I headed to the Wawel Cathedral tour that included the Sigismund Bell, Crypts, and Museum.  This time, I rented an audio guide and it was so helpful to explain and give so much historical background.  The climb to the Sigismund Bell was winding and very narrow on steep wooden stairs, but the view was very nice.  What a Bell!!  In the chamber, they had a recording of the bell playing -- a Big Ben sound!  The crypts were very interesting with all the notables entombed in their caskets and a walk through the Romanesque church on which the present day cathedral stands. From there I walked to the Cathedral Museum, but had very limited time to see the exhibits, which included a number related to Pope John Paul, who had been the archbishop of Krakow.

At the end of the day, I relaxed on the hotel's rooftop bar with exquisite views of the Vistula River, a hot air balloon, and the countryside to the west.  What a fabulous sunset!!  Naturally, this relaxation was accompanied by a small carafe of red wine.  Ahh, what a great way to end such a strenuous day of walking.  Next comes dinner.

My roommate for the trip, Marc LaVarn, arrived today.  He has participated in many previous ChemSource Study trips and is also looking forward to what lies ahead for this trip.  At 19:30, we gathered for our walk to the restaurant, Morskie Oko - Plac, where we had a Polish dinner that included a Polish soup; a main course of pork schnitzel, cabbage, and boiled potatoes; and ice cream with blue berries.  During dinner, the adjoining group had hired Polish dancers and we had the opportunity to enjoy the entertainment, which I captured on video (included in the slideshow).  We had a nice refreshing walk back to the hotel for a good night's rest to be ready for tomorrow's walking.