Is One the lonliest number?

As I examined my calendar last weekend, I realized time was running short and I still have places I want to go. So I decided to got to Kracow this past weekend. I choose to go alone. Partly because I grew tired of the effort required to arrange my schedule based on the schedules of others and partly because I felt I needed some "Ben time". It turned out to be a great decision. I was able to accomplish a lot at my pace, doing what I want for as long as I wanted. I was able to meet some interesting people and I read a whole Dan Brown book on the train and the bus because I had no one to talk to. (Deception Point if you were wondering, which is just as predictable as the rest but still engrossing and well researched) The only downside is I noticed an increasing tendencey for me to talk to myself.

I had been told that the train from Prague to Kracow was a dangerous one, known for theft, so I was extra careful. I should give a shout out to Barry, my suitemate, who lent me locks for my backpack as well as Deception Point. I had no problems though and at 6 am Friday morning I arrived. I wandered around the Old Town for few hours and evantually I was able to find the Bling Bling Hostel and get a bed. I didn't want to waste time because I was only staying for two days. By 6pm that night I was able to tour around the Old Town, which includes a Cloth Hall, some museums, churches, etc. I also visited Wawel Castle and Cathedral. The Castle had an excellent armoury which housed the Polish coronation sword. I even made it to the old Jewish section and I must highly recommend visiting the Old Synagogue which has become a museum. Not only is there an excellent collection of artifacts and pictures but Jewish holidays and practices are well explained. Which is how it should be in a country that is roughly 90% Catholic.
Friday night, I went out with a some people I met in the hostel. There was Brit, an Aussi, and girl from Holland. We had a great time once it was decided that we weren't allowed to discuss religion or politics.

On Saturday, I got up early to go to Auschwitz. It was a lot to process and I think I was better off on my own. I spent quite some time at Auschwitz 1 and Birkenhau. If you go, join a tour and make sure you have some time. This is an understatement, but it was a very emotinonal experience.

The question everyone wants answered at this point is - What did you eat? Well, I'm sure at least my mother is curious. On Friday, I had lunch at Chlopske Jadlo (that could be mispelled) which came highly recommended by people who had already been to Kracow. Their salad bar included some health salad and the best pickle I've had since I've been in Europe. I had mixed order of pierogi which included some with potato and cheese, some with meat, etc. All were terrific. I should also mention that the bread was served with lard and I fell for it. It always looks like mashed potatos to me. (Which probably still wouldn't be good on bread, right?) In fact I once heard that lard is used on tv when they need to show mashed potatos. For dinner I ate at Cafe Ariel, in the Jewish section. It was recommended by guide book. I struggled with the menu for quite some time but I decided on chopped liver (fantastic, no regrets) and stuffed cabbage. The cabbage was good but not like Grandma's. I expected it to be more oniony but this was strictly beef and rice. Also the sauce was a creamy orange sauce, with a hint of sun-dried tomato flavor.
On Saturday night I decided to try this place called Hospoda something or other. It was on the square but cheap and serving traditional polish food. I ordered globki as an appetizer to see if it was a different stuffed cabbage, but it was pretty much what I had the night before. This one was even better, I will definitely be searching for a polish place to eat when I get back to New York. I also had a traditional village beef dish which had a great gravy and was served with kasha. Maybe I'm getting tired of food in Prague, but I have been having terrific culinary experiences every time I travel.

To conclude, for the train ride back I bought a ticket in a sleeper car. It turned out to be a luxurious three man car. It had a sink and they provided soap and a towel, and bottled water. To top it off, no one else got in the car and I had it all to myself. I locked it up tight and had great night's sleep.

Now its Sunday evening and I'm going to see a hockey game between Sparta Praha and Slavia Praha, quite the rivalry apparently.