Day 17: KRAKOW AND WROCLAW
Chase was feeling a bit better, but was a bit tired. I let him sleep and showered and went downstairs to get some breakfast. I brought some tea and toast upstairs.

TRAIN ISSUES & UNEXPECTED GOOD DEED

I told Chase we needed to leave by 11:00 to get the 11:30 train. But I was mistaken on the time. I double checked online.

I told Chase to get a move on. I paid for the 5 nights and brought my luggage downstairs. He soon followed and we got into an elderly taxicab.

It was 10:48 and the train was to leave at 11:15. The taxi took every side street he knew to get us there. We waited five valuable minutes at one side street. The cab driver was bored and pulled out a small notebook, which he started reading.

Don't worry about us, buddy!

We finally got to the train station at 11:05. We had 10 minutes to walk to track 4. When rushed to get to the platform. When I got there I realized I was missing a bag!

My beer for the train! Kurwa!! Also in the bag, was my Old Navy scarf. Oh, well. It'll be a pleasant "tip" for the taxi driver. A goodwill gesture to the man that took the long route to get the most money from us. I bet those beers will be gone by noon.

So, it was 11:08 and the train had not yet arrived. Although it was possible to buy a ticket on the train, the conductor people hate this and often will charge you a fine for this. We had 7 minutes, so I thought I'd try it. I ran past some ticket booths with 4-6 people in line. No chance.

Finally, there was one line that had only one person. The booth was apparently only for information. I acted a bit dumb, even though I had an idea that it was.

I made a disappointed look, pointed to my watch and said "Wroclaw."

Much to my delight, the woman that was standing at the back of the booth decided to open up a new window just for me, apparently feeling bad for me. Thanks, honey!

It took a few minutes for her computer to boot. I ran back to the platform where Chase was waiting with my baggage, getting ready to board the train. It was 11:14 am and we lifted our heavy baggage onto the train and found a compartment with two men in their 60s.

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

On the train ride, I blogged, then turned off my computer and listened to the audible.com version of Brokeback mountain on my iPod, while watching the snowy landscape fly by.

Powerful stuff.

I can't wait to see the movie, but I'm a bit afraid to watch it. Amidst the rugged picture in my mind, there was a certain tenderness and subtleness in the book, which I would be hard to transfer to the big screen. (Many times filmmakers make things very obvious to suit the lowest common denominator of the general American moviegoer. Said differently, if things aren't obvious, people won't understand it, and it'll flop.)

Not to be overdramatic, but it's been a long time that a story has touched me so profoundly.

Meanwhile, back in Poland...

ARRIVAL IN WROCLAW

We arrived at the bustling train station. Damn you, heavy suitcase! Since I had left my beer in the taxi in Krakow, both Chase and I had nothing to drink on the 4 hour ride. We had nothing to eat either. My blood sugar level was really low.

Chase wanted to stop and get a Sprite. I was a bit rude and asked him if we could wait and get something back at the hotel. He agreed.
- posted by Matt @ 2:43 PM 0 comments

 
Day 16: Chase Sick, Laid Back Day
Chase was sick and I tended to him in the morning. I have to give him credit. He never complained, although, in the same circumstance, I probably would have. Did I tell you I'm an attention whore?

Anyway, when I came back from breakfast, he asked me to drop by the Apothecary (Apteka) to fetch some pills for him.

Chase took his temperature. It was 38.3 degrees at one point. An hour later, he was up to 38.6 degrees (whereas 37 degrees is normal.) He was feeling like crap and insisted that we find a doctor's office.

I warned Chase that if we go to hospital, it would be an hour or two wait, at minimum. He was insistent, so we asked the concierge where we'd find a hospital. He said he could have a doctor come directly to the hotel. Even better. After a few calls, he got Chase and appointment for 2:00 pm that afternoon.

Having sat with him for a while back in the hotel room, I decided that I was hungry, so I went to get a bite to eat for lunch.
JEWISH LUNCH & (YET MORE) SHOPPING

I walked in to a Jewish restaurant not far from the hotel. As mentioned, before WWII, the quarter had had a large Jewish population.

The two waiters were 6 foot with dark features. Honestly, they looked like they were right out of a fashion magazine, despite the fact that they were in a simple black waiter uniform. One dropped off a menu and muttered something in Polish, with a large, bright, camera-ready smile.



I smiled back considerably and ordered a glass of Kosher wine with Yankiel Soup with Beef Knedlach in Dill Sauce. Have to ask friends back home how authentic this food is.

After lunch, I struggled to think of an excuse to capture the guys' pictures. Right as I was leaving, one was in the kitchen, the other on the phone. So, I just left.

THE DIAGNOSIS

I had an hour before Chase's doctor's appointment, so I taxied it back to Galeria Kazimierz. Yes, I know, third time in three days. But Chase was out of under garments, so I surprised him buy purchasing 3 pairs that were a small departure from what he normally wears.

The doctor was dressed in a full suit and had a leather doctor's bag. He asked about the condition and examined Chase a bit.

"It was food intoxication, or possibly salmonella," he said somberly, after a few minutes.

He then prescribed an antibiotic, Imodium and another drug. I went back to the Apteka and shortly returned to Chase with the meds. He was not a happy puppy. I hung out with him for a bit, but then decided to go out. I made a quick visit to Spartikus again, before showering.

THE CONCERT AND KLUB 7

I had two tickets for Vivaldi at 7:00 pm. Since Chase wasn't available, Marcin volunteered to go with me.

After scarfing down a Kabab/flatbread sandwich at my favorite place, I met Marcin in front of the wrong church. We hurried along to the correct church and got a nice seat in the front.



It was damn cold and the wooden pews were terribly uncomfortable. Still, the music was fantastic. They played excepts from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi, as well as some other lesser known Italian music. A couple of parts were truly moving.

The portly female flute was extremely talented and I loved the way she moved as she played. Her motions were almost a dance. The male trumpet player was also talented, but was in need of a haircut. His dumb, foofy hair did nothing for me. I thought about seeking him out and telling him, after the concert, but alas, he was nowhere to be found.



Afterward, Marcin called a cab and we went to Klub 7. It was a quiet night at the bar. Not too many bar patrons.

We had a couple of beers, then a shot of Zubrowka, my favorite bison grass vodka, which is ever so slightly sweet tasting. Then Marcin suggested that we drink some "U-Boats." This is a glass of vodka sunken to the bottom of the glass of beer. If it's done right, you don't taste the vodka until you get to the bottom.

I met a snobby, unfriendly woman from Belgium with whom I spoke in French. She was happy to hear French, but had a bitchy little attitude, but then, I struggle to find an example of a putain de Belge that wasn't a bitch/jerk.

"U Boats" get you drunk and loud. Marcin and I were both making a lot of noise and at one point I dropped the younger brother (cell phone) and he went flying about 6 feet across the stone floor, under the bar stools. The Belgian woman picked it up and passed it to me. Younger brother was still in perfect shape. Now, why can't the iPods be engineered like this?

I was feeling the effects of the vodka and took pictures. (Andrew is saying, "duh.")

Sidenote: So, who likes aLASKA anyway? So much snow and misery. If it were my choice they'd be closer.

POEM
Oh tram 34
You lovely girl of 5 years
You cost just 2.50 zl
Or just 80 cents

You glide past Klub 7
Past the Barbican and opera house
Through the Planty and across Dieta

You choose direct, main streets that
Taxis do not seem to know

You quietly woosh me
Through the snow covered streets
You take my drunken self to my hotel

Oh tram 34,
I love you so

----------

Chase was just getting ready to sleep. I turned off the lights. I had a beer and some mineral water, before going to sleep myself.
- posted by Matt @ 2:42 PM 0 comments

 
Day 15: More Kraków
The breakfast room was virtually Russian-less, much to the delight of Chase and me.

While waiting for Chase, I cracked open a beer. He got ready.

We walked to Wawel castle. It was Monday, so there was not much happening and we couldn't get inside.




We then walked along the Vistula (i.e. "Wisla" river, in Polish) to the Galleria Kazimierz yet another time. This time to do some shopping!
This place was super modern. It had European stores in an American Mall setting, which was kinda cool.



I bought some underwear, a shirt and some silverware, Norwegian made, on sale. Agreeable people:



We managed to find taxi that returned us to the hotel. I got some bubble bath and red wine and I took a nice hot bath while listening to some classical music on my iPod Nano.

Went to a French restaurant in city center, which Chase had made the night before. Nice ambiance, although F*** obnoxious Italians. Chain smokers and loud.

I had rabbit in Thyme potatoes with a beer.

We went to Spartacus, across the river. It was dead so we headed back to the hotel. Chase was not feeling well, the same way I had not felt well the night before. Early night for him.
- posted by Matt @ 2:25 AM 1 comments

 
Day 14: A Bit Hung.. Over
At 9:30 am, I woke up and I was hungry. We went downstairs and the restaurant was again very busy.

Over breakfast, we decided to have a laid back New Year's day. We slept in, had breakfast then I crawled back in bed.

About 1:00 pm, I was ready to finally get out of bed. My head hurt. Something about mixing different things from the 3 alcohol "food groups."



We went to the town square, where there was a Christmas market. Chase found a very nice little indoor café. I had a beer (with ice cream. I love that combo!!) while he sipped some water and had some ice cream.

I blogged for two hours at this café. This stuff takes time :)



We then took a taxi across town to the Kazmierz Galleria, a brand new mall. Although the stores were not open, the movie theaters were playing movies. We got tickets for King Kong. For this particular theater, you are assigned a row and seat number.

We had an hour to spare, so we went to "Jeff's," an American chain. Apparently, there is one restaurant in Florida, one in Warsaw and one in Kraków. Chase speculated that this was an interesting investment for the Americans. I told him this place is up and coming and Polish people are slowly getting more buying power.

He had a Reuben, while I had a large greasy burger and a beer.

Like the mall, the theater was super modern, not more than 3 years old, I would guess. It had stadium seating.

After the commercials in Polish, "King Kong" came on, with the original voices, with small Polish subtitles underneath.

The movie had very good special effects, but a light, predictable plot. The heavy burger meal combined with the heat was killing me. I must admit that I slept through several sections of the movie and I was uncomfortable for sitting for 3 hours in once place.

We didn't see any taxis outside the mall, being such a quiet night, so we decided to hoof it back to the hotel, a route we didn't know 100%, but just 20 minutes later, we were back.

I fell like total crap and went straight to bed.
- posted by Matt @ 12:05 PM 0 comments

 
Day 13: New Year's Adventures in Kraków
The breakfast room the next morning was infested with Russian tourists and kids, both of whom had their hands all over the food. Kevin and other germophobes would not do so well in Poland.

Chase took about 2 hours to get ready, so I decided to leave his ass in the hotel. I took my camera and did a photoshoot. The city is absolutely photogenic. It was somehow even more so with 4+" of snow.

I loved the apostles at the one church:



I ducked briefly into an empty café, on the way. I had a beer. Then another. Some Russians came in. They were so obnoxious and dressed so scummy. They wanted vodka drinks. How people can drink so early in the day amazes me.

They were loud. I think these were the same people that sat next to me at the classical music concert in Prague last year. At the time, I commanded them in German to shut up. The German language works great for these type of situations.



After taking dozens of pictures, Chase and I met up at 2:00 pm and had a late lunch at the Kabab place across from the Kabab place that I like. Scrawny bitch picked this particular restaurant. My kebab had two thin pieces of chicken. Probably the only "bad" meal that I have had on this trip. I mean, it tasted fine, but just was not the best.

We walked around some more.

BREAKING STUFF

I was wanting a beer and to get out of the cold. So we ducked into a bar. The woman waitress did a longwinded soloquay in gibberish, or in Polish. Not sure which.

I explained we spoke English and she apologized that the bar was closing.

No problem. We packed up our stuff, put on our coats then went to the door. The door was locked with the key on the door.

Although Chase is a high falootin' Wall Street tax lawyer, he is a bit "Glenn Doyle"ish when it comes to things like locks. He couldn't get the door to unlock.

I tried it. No dice.

We asked the woman to help us with the door. She tried and tried.

"Let me try again," I said.

I forced the lock hard to the left and it gave.

"F***," I said as I realized that I was holding the broken key. Two cuties in a nearby table thought this was terribly funny.

The woman was not happy with me. The door was now useless. She went to get the manager and we sat and waited patiently. The manager came and inspected the door. Yep. Still a fragment of the key in the door. She gave us a dirty look as she walked by.

After 10 minutes, the original waitress led us through the kitchen and out the side door to the cold air outside.

LATER THAT AFTERNOON

We found another tiny café and I had a couple of beers there while we wrote some quirky postcards to the boyz back home.

We bought some small groceries and champagne to drink at midnight.

Neither of us were really in the mood for going out into the cold, so Chase suggested I go down and ask if we could eat in the hotel's restaurant. One waitress spoke English. She told me that we could eat there. The 5 year old, daughter was adorable. The mom encouraged her to say "hello" in English. The girl timidly spoke the word, smiling.

About 20 minutes later, Chase and I took a seat and the waiter sat us and told us he was only serving desserts and salads.

Smiling, I told him that I had just talked with Mom Waitress and she said it would be ok for us to eat. I was not bitter about it. I just stated the fact. He went to check with her, and agreed that we could eat anything on the menu. Thanks, buddy. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to eat at your establishment. Appreciate it. Really.

"Mały chuda suka" (Chase's new Polish nickname) and I split an inexpensive bottle of Chilean wine. I had stuffed chicken with potato thingies. Very good.

We relaxed a bit in the hotel room, before Chase took another 2 hours to get ready. He's just like a woman.

NEW YEAR'S EVE FESTIVITIES

Our reservations for Klub 7 were at 9:00 pm, but we got there a bit later than that. Fortunately, the woman in the coat closet allowed us to check in the bottles of vodka and champagne, despite the fact that the bouncer said "no bottles." He wanted to "claim them" probably for his own usage.

We danced a bit then at 11:30, we left to walk to the main square.

Thankfully, it was not as busy as the year before. We stood in a nice place. Moments before midnight, we did a countdown, in Polish.

Then it was midnight. The sky filled with fireworks as we got splashed with champagne. Chase troubled himself with the champagne bottle for a few seconds before I grabbed it and pulled the top off.

With no other alternatives, I gave Chase a quick peck on the mouth.

We gulped down the entire bottle as the fireworks continued and people danced to the live rock music.

They make bottles of champagne increasingly smaller and smaller and before we knew it, it was gone. I promptly dropped my bottle of vodka, on accident. The glass was at my feet. I picked up some shards and discarded them.

BACK AT KLUB 7

We walked back to the club and there were more people there. We danced and drank. A crazy-dancing dark haired guy danced with me for a bit. Chase, being a nelly little man wanted to go home. Go for it!

Dark haired guy brought me a beer and we embraced a bit and danced more. I must have been inappropriate at some point, as he suddenly left, frowning. He didn't speak a lick of English. I was fully drunk and it was past 2:30 am, so I decided to grab my coat and hit the road.

There were not so many taxis, so I decided to walk the 3 miles or so back to the hotel. People were walking about, even at 3:00 in the morning. Some Italian tourists wanted me to take a picture and I got a picture with the pretty Italian woman.

I managed to stagger back although I didn't find the hotel at first search. I woke Chase up at 3:30 am and was very obnoxious.
- posted by Matt @ 12:04 PM 0 comments