2) First night in Kraków

 Part 2 of my diaries from my trip to Kraków. Read them in order!

 

Check in at Nathan's Villa hostel was straightforward, enjoyable even, with the assistance of the friendly receptionist who spoke perfectly fluent English, albeit with a noticeable accent. I settled into my room, repacked my bag to take out with me that evening, locked up my stuff and headed out into the centre. I got some złoty at a "Kantor" (Bureau de change) and flicked through my pre-read Lonely Planet guide to Kraków to find a place to eat.

 

It was past 10pm by the time I got to the restaurant. I'd decided on "Kawaleria", as establishment with an equestrian theme. Perusing the menu outside, I observed that the prices were a little higher than those indicated in my guide. They were still acceptable to my budget, however, so I made my way inside. I requested a table for one in Polish, but once more, I was unable to understand the reply that came. Stock phrase no. 1 was wheeled out again (Sorry I don't understand. Do you speak English?) and the waiter explained in English that the kitchen was closed for half an hour. Giving up on the Polish, I said that was fine and took a seat at the table by the window to which I was guided.

 

I had a look through the menu when it arrived, but stuck with the dish that had caught my eye when I'd glanced at the menu outside: Babeczki z królika w sosie rozmarynowym y bobem i pieczoną cykoria, or rabbit flans in rosemary sauce with broad beans and baked chicory to you and me. Trying to remember whether I'd had rabbit before, and if so, what it tasted like, I sipped my Tyskie (lager) while I waited for my dinner and hoped that my choice would be as tasty as I imagined it would.

 

My heart sank ever such a little when the main course arrived, because despite the genuinely interesting presentation, I couldn't help but notice that the actual food on the plate seemed a little sparse, and I hadn't bothered with a starter. My disappointment was quickly forgotten as I tucked into another scrummy Polish treat - not that I've any idea whether the recipe was Polish or not. The bitter chicory added an interesting exotic quality to the dish that complemented the rest of the meal very well indeed.

 

When a waitress came over to ask if I'd like to see the desert menu, I said yes, even though I'd already chosen something. Joanna, my Polish friend in Coventry had told me before I left that I had to try Szarlotka (apple cake) whilst in Poland, and when it arrived I could see why.

 

Quite satisfied with my meal, I found that the proportions had turned out to be just right. I paid and left after scribbling down some notes about the first few hours of my little adventure. Where to next? A bar? A club? Back to the hostel? I walked out to Rynek Główny, the main market square in the centre of the old town, as it was only a few yards from Kawaleria. Admiring the Sukiennice (cloth hall) and Kośćiół Mariacki (the Basilica church of St Mary) as they stood majestically illuminated in the dark, I thought that perhaps I'd just walk around the old town.

 

I started walking but quickly began to shiver, despite being able to tell that it really was a very mild night, warm even. On the assumption that what I was feeling was my body protesting at the sleep deprivation I'd put it through, I headed back to the hostel. The beer garden for the hostel's own bar, which only a couple of hours ago had been alive with loud English, Irish and American voices, was now empty and silent. Tiptoeing my way up to the top floor and into my room, I used the feeble glow from the screen of my mobile phone to guide me to my bed.

 

Several bodies moved in the other beds in my dorm. For some reason, I was expecting the room to be empty. Having never stayed at a hostel before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I suppose I'd assumed that at 12.15am, everyone else would have been out drinking. I became very aware that I might be, to my room mates, the very person I had feared might trouble my stay by making lots of noise late at night when I was trying to sleep. Getting my things together for a shower, the deafeningly loud rustle of the plastic bag containing my toiletries reverberated around the room. The silence had the effect of amplifying the sound that it seemed so loud I almost expected it to blow out the windows.

 

Creeping to bed after my shower, I wrote down the rest of the day's events in my scrawly hand, again by the light of my mobile phone. More discreet than my Maglite, which I'd failed to locate before packing my bag, it was proving to be just the thing. An hour or two after closing my eyes, I was no closer to falling asleep despite being exhausted. A key wriggled noisily in the lock of my door and three more folk arrived. I hadn't realised there were any beds still unoccupied after I'd tucked myself in for the night, so their arrival came as quite a surprise! I made no signs of being awake and they got into bed fairly quickly and quietly.

More to follow...

Szarlotka. Yum, yum, yum.