Birthday in Krakow

12th December

An early start to my 61st birthday @ 4.30 am, in order to catch the 7.25 flight to Krakow in Poland. J gave me an MP3 player as a present at the airport, to give me something to play with on the flight……I’d not anticipated having an MP3 player in my lifetime.

Uneventful 2 hour flight to a grey and cold Krakow (0° C), and caught the bus into town to the bus station. Walked through a huge modern Mall (The Galleries), where one could have been anywhere in the world. Quite a long walk to the Royal Hotel just outside the Old City near the Wawel Royal Castle , and settled in.

After lunch of a delicious local soup, we spent the afternoon and early evening exploring the Main Square (Rynek Glówny) and the Christmas markets, sampling the gluwein, sold from large barrels housing a person, dispensing the hot mulled wine. Listened to children singing carols on a stage in the Main Square. We enjoyed my birthday meal in one of the many restaurants located in the cellars around the main square.