the corner

minding the store

Souvenir vendor near the castle

snowy nap

The river is frozen. Layers of ice were drifting by,

steam is rising from the water.

castle grounds on Wawel hill

I went to the post office on the castle grounds yesterday,
it is quiet there this time of year.
There is a small music shop there and the sound
of classical music made the scene even more calm.
The stacks of reeds are covers to protect the plants
from the cold temperatures.

dogs grow on trees

magpie

first day of spring

Walking up to meet Keith for lunch
I stopped just long enough to take a picture
of the pigeons, since the sun was so bright.

And the crocus are up. Finally some color.

Then a cloud drifted over and the snow swirled!


The snow was gone by the next afternoon.

Hoefully 'real' spring is just around the corner.

For two months we have had snow on the ground here in Krakow. That doesn't mean it has snowed a lot, but it has stayed cold enough that the snow doesn't melt. I've never been anywhere that after a couple of days the snow doesn't melt! Here it has worn away. The city will throw sand along the walkways, and that leads to a strange mixture of snow and sand, not slush, but snowy-sand. And since the sun never goes very high there are areas that just never get sunshine, and stay packed with snow. Keith and I have acclimated very well! We tell each other that all the time! Kind of reassuring each other that we will be in warm weather again! These photos and videos were taken along the frozen river near our apartment, yesterday Saturday the 5 of January. It was a particularly cold day, maybe 21 F, was the high for this day. With bright sunshine! Do you see my point! And we get out in the cold everyday! Unbelievable!

As I write, on Sunday evening, it is 34 F with a drizzle of rain, so the snow will melt away by morning. We're having a heat wave compared to the past few weeks. We keep track of the temps back home, and Katie really has been in the deep freeze, so we aren't complaining. The snow has been beautiful. In fact if you haven't checked out the little slide show feature of the first snowfall, do so. It's just to the right of this entry. Maybe click on the pictures and the images will be larger. The video window is at the end of this entry.

Christmas Market in Krakow

Being away from home during the Christmas Holiday, might have been depressing, but so far we have been immersed in a winter wonderland like we have never experienced. The snowfall and lights have been beautiful, and we are hoping that the snow will stay long enough for Katie to see Krakow in this atmosphere.

Tonite we walked up to the square for supper, and these photos are of old town and the Christmas Market. I thought my fingers would freeze off before I could get these shots! The vendors are outside with these little booths all day and until 21:00 (that's 9pm) So if any of you want Polish pottery or those beautiful Polish glass handpainted Christmas ornaments, or maybe the folksy straw ornaments, you have until 25 December. There is a lot of shopping going on, but it doesn't seem as frenzied as it does back home...St. Nicholas has already visited the children in Poland. He leaves a present under their pillows on 5 December. Some of the favorite treats sold at the Market are gingerbread and poppyseed cookies, and many kinds of chocolate Santas, and candies. We'll have a more detailed description when Katie arrives and we sample all of them!!