Yesterday, was an interesting day-slow in the morning, but busier in the afternoon. The first thing I did was go to the police to see if anyone turned in my phone. So I went to the station in the market square in the old town.
The police we're helpful-not. They told me that lost and found we're at a different station in another part of the city. The policeman gave me a phone number to call and told me to have someone who speaks Polish to call, so they don't speak English. Why couldn't the policeman call? I didn't ask him, as he could arrest me.
I then went to buy tickets for an Auschwitz tour for Tuesday, and then a camera store to buy a new camera bag-they we're too expensive so I decided to hold off. My bag is wearing out and the zipper is broken from three months of multiple zipping and unzipping on a daily bases, and the bag itself has some holes in it. Afterward, I had lunch at a place recommended that has great pierogi.
My plan was to go on a Communist tour, which started at 2. By this time, it was maybe 12:00-and it was a nice day-so I took a nap on a park bench in the Planty gardens-which is a garden belt surrounding the old town. I enjoy taking off my sandals and taking a nap on a park bench, with my camera bag as a pillow. I may look homeless but I don't care as it is relaxing.
At 2:00, I went on the Communist tour. We actually took the tram to a different part of the city called Nowa Huta. Nowa Huta was a planned communist community started in the late 40's, as a place for steelworkers to live in the new Lenin steel plant in the cities. The community was supposed to be self contained, and eventually people from the countryside moved in. The original plan was to have no houses of worship in Nowa Huta-as religion is contradictory to communism ideals-but Catholicism was too strong in Poland (particularly Krakow, where Pope John Paul II was from), and after protests from the community communist leaders relented, and a church was built. We saw the church, which was large yet simple, and had a large steel cross to commemorate the steel workers. We were also shown a communist propaganda film from the 50's, which showed the virtues of Nowa Huta, including schools, gardens for kids to play, etc. Honestly, Nowa Huta, particularly in the propaganda film, looked sort of like an early version of one of many planned communities in Florida, such as Tradition in Port St Lucie-a self contained area-minus the houses of worship.
After returning back to town on the tram, the tour ended, the tour guide, Pawel, went with some of the people to eat or something, and the rest of us went separate ways. I went back to the hostel to check in to a new room (since I originally booked for only three nights, and this was my forth night which I added later, I had to change rooms). I then went for dinner in the old Jewish district. I chose a place on the map given by the walking tour company. Upon finishing my Greek salad and cider, I ran into Pawel, the tour guide, and some of the others from the tour They coincidentally sat at the table next to mine, so I moved to their table. They we're hungry (and the Greek Salad wasn't too filling), but the kitchen happened to close-so we went to a bar serving herring and had some vodka and herring-we then went to another bar for some final beers. By this time, it was about 1:00 am or so and I (and some of the others) we're tired, so I walked back to the hostel. And once again, I felt it this morning.
