Today I was reminded of the beautiful and second largest city in Poland next to Warsaw. Krakow is remarkably around 1200 years old! And even though I only spent about 24 hours there, I consider it one of my favorite places I’ve been.
During our trip to visit family in England in December, we took a trip within a trip to Poland and the Ukraine to visit some of the family that still resides in the Ukraine. (Remember, I married a man with the last name Drozdowski.) It was one of the most fascinating trips I’ve ever taken having never been to Eastern Europe (though always having wanted to go) and not knowing that much about Poland or the Ukraine.
I was reminded of my time there today, because today was the first day I opened up the bag of tea I bought at the Krakow airport just before we flew back to London. I had some more zlotys left that I didn’t just want to have in my wallet once back in the UK or the US. The tea doesn’t come with individual bags but just loose, well concentrated tea leaves and bits of dried fruit that you pour hot water over. It’s cherry flavored, and smells divine. I had it both hot and over ice with a little sugar in it today, and it was lovely.
Shortly after returning home from our trip, I was at the library. (You must realize that we go to the library several times a week when we are off-shift.) And I was browsing through some of the Newbery Award winning books. I found one that won in 1929 that was called THE TRUMPETER OF KRAKOW. Immediately interested, I checked out the book.
After reading the book, I did a little research and learned about how there really is a trumpeter in Krakow that sounds the trumpet every hour. I remember my father-in-law mentioning it when we were in the market square. I took a picture while we were there and didn’t realize what it was until after the fact.
This is the church, St. Mary’s Basilica, where the heynal is played.
The other amazing thing about Krakow was the apartment we stayed in while we were there. They were called old-style apartments not very far from the old part of the town. I called the decor “retro-chic,” and I loved it. Would actually like to decorate a room like this in my house one day.
I randomly miss different parts of our trip at different times. Today, I was thinking of Poland, rich with history, style, and intrigue.
I’ve inherited my great grandmothers china (and china cabinet). Albeit incomplete, I adore having these 4 teacups and 5 plates in my possession. I have an affinity for roses and tiny things. (I wonder where I got that from?)
