Krakow Day 3

Trip Start Sep 15, 2005

Trip End Mar 20, 2006

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Flag of Poland Krakow, Poland
Thursday, November 10, 2005

I set off on foot today to discover the Jewish sector, Schindler's factory remains, and the Jewish Cemetery. I never really found the wall to the Jewish ghetto built here in WWII, but I was told that I walked right past it. Since I wasn't with any kind of tour, I was on foot alone, I would have never known cause there was no one to point it out for me. I landed on quite a few synagogues and abandoned buildings, and found part of the factory but the main portion you can't reach by foot at this time of year because the path is closed off. I am not sure if it can be opened for tours, but that's something to look into if I come back next summer, right? You can't do it all.
After Kazimierz, I walked around the Wawel Castle, the main site of Krakow, had a really good time, and then head back to the hostel to pack for my train to Vienna. I think I have some decent images of Poland, not as many as I'd like, and definitely not more than 4 rolls of film, but enough to pic about 10 images from that I could use for the folio

. No worries. It was hard to say goodbye to my peeps, but we exchanged emails and are going to keep in touch. Since I have no pics (I had to buy another memory card cause mine filled up), they are going to send some to me when they get back from their travels-how nice.
Finally, I was off to Vienna. Goodbye Poland (sad, but such is life sometimes)! On the train, I met an American from Texas in my cart, Roy. Now this guy was a character. He's doing the Eastern/Central Europe thing, which I totally understand because it's so much cheaper and more culturally dynamic than Western Europe. His stories of Egypt made me so jealous! But anyway, we made out way to the dining cart-my first cart experience, yay-and ate over a long-drawn political debate along with stories about traveling, family, photography, and teaching. You see, he is about 75 now, and he taught school for about 40 years. He could not stop telling me during our conversation how impressed he was with my character and maturity for the situations I have been given to deal with. He said I have a lot of courage and he admires my strength and ability to be independent.
My favorite stories had to do with New Mexico. He went to the Balloon festival in Albuquerque this year, I am SOOOOO jealous, and he showed me pictures he still had on his camera. It was really cool-very good weather this year! It was amazing that Roy and I had so much in common and so much to talk about. We talked for the entire 5-hour train, and even after at the station. He wished me tons of luck with my travels, and stuffed my bag with left over zloty and a Prague calling card for next year that he had been trying to get rid of. It was really sweet of him! I feel fortunate to have met him-he's a great talker... thanks, Roy!
After we split up I had to figure out how to get to the hostel. Luckily enough, it was really easy to get there cause there were directions posted on the window of the information counter, YAY. I made it there in no time and with no problem. Check in was easy, the hostel was quiet, but the people in my room were really lame this time. Bummer, I got spoiled in Krakow. However, the girl on the bunk under mine was really cool-from Philly, and knew Parsippany area really well. She didn't know my Keller girls cause she's a bit younger, but we pow-wowed about the east before bedtime. Ahhhh, god convo, but didn't catch her name and I was outta there really early the next morning. The other people in the room were snoots-not even worth the time-what are girly girls doing backpacking? Go stay in a hotel chicas!