Day 10
June 20, 2006
Krakow
Continuing to stay in Krakow, we visited the Wawel Castle. I guess I got maxed out on castles because I have nothing in my notes about it! LOL! The Royal Residence was near a courtyard, but I didn't walk through it.
The nearby Cathedral was the seat of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla before he became our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. It contained the tombs of saints, Polish aristocracy, national heroes and many bishops. We did not hear the hourly trumpet tap,Hejnal Mariacki however. We descended to the catacombs of the cathedral to an altar where Pope John Paul II said his first two Masses. Being in the exact room where the Pope had said his first Masses was one of the most moving encounters on the entire trip for me.
It rained during the morning and we sought shelter in a little cafe and had coffee, iced coffee, etc. So charming. My friend Willie Jane and I took a 30 minute carriage ride behind two beautiful dapple grays. Wonderful expressions on the faces of the people as we passed by waving. We returned to the main square and walked to our bus about two blocks away.
We dressed for dinner at a (black-tie restaurant) in the heart of Krakow and enjoyed Polish music, polkas, singing and dancing as well as the cabbage rolls, mushroom soup, green salad and ice cream.
Wawel Castle: http://www.wawel.krakow.pl/emenu.htm
Wawel Cathedral: http://www.krakow-info.com/katedra.htm
Wawel1.jpg (79KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)