Just found this and am enjoying it immensely. Thank you for the information--and the entertainment. How lovely that you all travel so well together.

Exactly Tom, I get the same comments about remembering details from trips. It is because of the time you spend before the trip and the anticipation. Then, it is reinforcing it all with your photos for years after the trip. It is all so vivid.

<b>DAY SIX – BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, BEAR WITH ME, IS SHE ALIVE OR IS SHE MEMOREX, WHERE IS EVERYBODY, THE RESTAURANT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD AND THE WEDDING CRASHERS </b>

There was less than hour left for us in Prague, but that did not deter me from one last goal; two chocolate-filled croissants down the street. Fortified by those incredible treats and a double espresso, I was ready for the drive to Cesky Krumlov.

Pasquale met us at the apartment, gave Tracy and Mary a little parting gift (boxes of chocolates) and we took to the streets of Prague, heading out of town. Thankfully, there were no mishaps, and driving out of Prague was quite easy.

Lady G had been programmed, and she was on top of her game (except for the time she wanted me to make a sudden U-turn as I was barreling down the highway toward CK). I had toyed with the notion of stopping at one of the many castles that dot the landscape (Hrad Karlštejn, Konopiště, Orlik or Zv&iacute;kov), but decided that it would be best to get to CK and enjoy what had been touted as “one of Bohemia’s prettiest towns.” The castles would have to wait for another trip.

The Czech roads were great and, especially for a Southern Californian, the traffic was non-existent. In exactly two hours and twenty minutes we were driving over the bridge and parking in front of our home for the evening, the Hotel Konvice.

When I booked Hotel Konvice, the only space available was an apartment/suite with two bedrooms on the top floor. I had decided that since we would only be six days into the trip by the time we arrived, the four of us would still be on speaking terms, so I took a chance on it.

When we got up to the room, there was one large bedroom and one small bedroom. The larger room was appointed nicely and had a big bed with down comforters.

The smaller room contained two single beds. Kim and Mary volunteered to be Rob and Laura Petrie for the evening and sleep in the single beds.

Our balcony looked out onto the Krumlovsk&yacute; Z&aacute;mek (Krumlov Castle). The bathroom was new and large, even by U.S. standards. It had a shower with a separate tub, and much to Tracy’s pleasure, fluffy towels. It would be our best bathroom of the trip, for what that is worth.

After depositing the luggage, we parked the car on the other side of town, but CK being a pretty small place, the walk back to the hotel was only about ten minutes. That walk confirmed what has been stated by so many; Cesky Krumlov is, to quote my friend Kim, “felony cute.”

The weather gods shone down upon us again this day, so we searched for a lunch spot outside and found a place by the name of U Dwau Marii. By coincidence (or perhaps fate), in English it translates to “At the Two Marys”!

“Wow, how about that Kim, now you have three Marys?” I said. I don’t believe he answered.

We sat at an outdoor table along the riverbank looking up at the castle. You could not draw up a better scenario than what we were experiencing…and it would just keep getting better.

Our waiter, decked out in peasant attire, explained some of the more interesting dishes on the menu, and we were about ready to embark on our first of what was to be two great Cesky Krumlov meals. Our lunch would be a feast that featured traditional, Bohemian cuisine that was popular during the middle ages. Since we are all middle aged, we felt this would be perfect.

Every dish was tasty from Kim’s trout to Mary and Tracy’s chicken with tarragon potatoes.

Since the beginning of our trip, we had marked down “Wow” dishes, and I was the lucky recipient this time. I ordered the “Old Bohemian Feast.” As I watched the ducks swimming on the river and people canoeing under beautiful, blue skies, I devoured roasted chicken with a millet and ham casserole. I really wanted to try the Žahour (sweet dumplings in a blueberry sauce), but my stomach said “no.”

We shed some of those calories on our walk up to the castle, which was turned over to the state in 1949. It was in beautiful condition, as were the four of us by now from all of our walking in Prague.

As we headed into the castle area, down in the moat surrounding it was a sight that might enthrall some, but to me, was a sad sight. There, on a very warm day, were Katrina, Maria and Kov, the castle brown bears, munching on some unidentifiable foodstuff. They have been there since 1986, which must be tough for them to bear.

The only method to tour the castle is with a guide (about $17 each), so we bought our tickets and wandered the grounds for a while before it started.

The tour lasts an hour, and, unfortunately, ours was lead by a young woman who came straight out of the movie “Invasion of The Body Snatchers.” There was no emotion as she stated the facts about the castle and warned us not to touch anything. She constantly reminded us that if we took pictures we would be turned into huge pods (ok, I made the last part up). Her voice never changed pitch for the entire hour.

In her defense, as it turned out, this was the only English she knew, because when someone asked her a question, she could only shrug her shoulders. Granted, she knows a lot more English than we know Czech, however I would think at a tourist sight like this, the castle could do a little better job in hiring.

As we walked through the castle, there were ominous signs for the future of Katrina, Maria and Kov. In many of the rooms, the floors were partially covered by bearskin rugs. I wanted to warn the three bears on the way out, but figured they didn’t understand English.

After the tour, Tracy said, “Hey, they have gardens here, too.” I had created a monster.

Tracy, Kim and Mary hiked up to the gardens, and after taking some photos for about ten minutes, I hiked up to meet them. They were nowhere to be found. Six days into the trip, and they were already trying to ditch me. It turned out they had just left the gardens by another exit, so the team was still intact.

I was the only fool to climb the 162 steps to the top of the tower (about $2). The last three flights were a little more precarious than I like, but I lived to tell the tale.

For the rest of the afternoon, we just walked around Cesky Krumlov. Had we had just a little more time, it would have been fun to canoe, raft or kayak on the river that weaves itself throughout CK.

Because of a post I had read on Fodor’s before we left, when we got to the main square I searched for a Chinese restaurant; not because I wanted to dine there, but because nearby was a set of stairs that I wanted to explore.

Sure enough, as I walked closer, there was the sign for Pivna KataKomby, and the door was ajar. I told Tracy that I would be right back and started to descend the dark, spiral staircase that lead to, well I didn’t know where I was headed.

At the bottom of the staircase there in front of me was another world. There was a beautiful bar with tables in one room and then I entered another room, and another, and another, all in a surreal, cave-like setting (the bears would have loved it). In the back, there was a large wood-burning pit where the restaurant’s grilled specialties are cooked.

As I neared the staircase to go back up, I heard a voice from above (no, not that one, it was Tracy). “Tom, are you ok?” she asked.

I told her I was more than ‘ok’ and that I had found the spot where I wanted to have dinner.

On the walk back to the hotel, we stopped by the Church of St. Vitus.

We decided on an early dinner, so Tracy and I made our way back to Pivni KataKomby a little before 7 p.m., with Kim and Mary joining us a short time later. We were seated next to the dumbwaiter, which for some might be vexing, but for us afforded the opportunity to get a closer glimpse of how a place like this functions.

Our two waitresses spoke no English, which just gave a more authentic feel to the restaurant. The grill was fired up in the back, and we were fired up to try some of the unique menu items.

Now, we are no foodies by any stretch, but as the evening progressed, we all realized we had stumbled upon something very special.

We shared an appetizer of crispy, fried bacon and onions that was delicious. It contained fried chunks of pork with white onions (al dente), seasoned with lots of black pepper. It was served with gherkins and salad.

I had ordered goulash soup, but it didn’t come, so it was on to the main courses, and every dish was plated so nicely that Kim took pictures of each culinary delight (you’ll have to wait for the blog to see them) before we started eating. As spectacular as they looked, they were even more terrific to consume.

I had the grilled skewer of chicken, pork and beef with fresh peppers and salad.

Mary had the specialty of the house, which was called a “Krumburger.” It was a huge hamburger patty that lay on a bed of fresh cole slaw. She also had a side dish of a baked potato with herbed cr&egrave;me fra&icirc;che.

Tracy ordered a pork tenderloin served “English-style.’ It came with asparagus, artichokes and peppers.

Kim’s grilled lemon chicken on a bed of arugula, peppers, tomato relish and grilled garlic bread was good, but his side dish, “gratin au potatoes,” garnered the evening’s “Wow” award.

These potatoes were absolutely amazing, and we all know because we all tried them. We figured there had to be about 50 thin layers of potatoes, with a touch of garlic and Parmesan cheese. It had a golden, crunchy top.

After we finished, I said, “Thank God they forgot the goulash soup. I can’t eat another thing.” As if on cue, our waitresses showed up with, you guessed it, my goulash soup. Being the consummate guest and a glutton for punishment (not to mention just a plain, old glutton), I ate all the soup and some of the rye bread, too.

All that food including five beers, one glass of red wine, two Campari, plus two bottles of 2005 Modry vino from Portugal (no driving tonight kids), came to 2,316 Kč., or about $150 plus tip.

As we ended our meal, two couples from Canada who were on a two-month holiday (and we thought we were slackers) stopped by the table and we chatted for quite some time. There was an easier exit than the way we had entered, which was fortunate due to our expanded waistlines.

When we wandered Horn&iacute; Street (just doesn’t sound right, does it?), we heard a band blaring from the terrace of the Hotel Ruze. “Let’s check it out,” Mary said.

It seemed there was a wedding reception going on with free food and free booze for any interloper who stumbled in from out on the street. I looked at Kim. Kim looked at me, and we decided not to partake of the free goodies. Maturity does have its downside.

We could hear the band just as well from the bar located a short distance from the Ruze, so we made our way to the patio overlooking the river, and there were those friendly Canucks again.

As you could tell by our dinner choices, one more cocktail was more than enough for all in our group. Back at the hotel, we opened the door to our balcony and there was a stunning view of the Cesky Castle, a perfect ending to what was a perfectly great day.

But there would be no rest for this weary group of travelers. Tomorrow we would once again hit the roads of the Czech countryside that would lead us to Olomouc and an ever-so-slight confrontation between a rental car and an immovable object.

<b>COMING UP: DAY SEVEN – THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, WATCH OUT FOR THAT POLE (AND WE’RE NOT EVEN IN POLAND YET), FINDING MAGIC CREAM, KIM’S DEPARTURE IS CONFIRMED AND THE DINNER SHUT OUT </b>

I've always regretted that we didn't make it to CK (time didn't allow) and now I'm really sorry!!

The description of all the wonderful food has me almost drooling. Every mention of a dumpling, some wonderfully prepared pork and the pivo, pivo, pivo takes me back to my childhood, and the meals my Hungarian grandma cooked and my Czech grandfather who worked in breweries all his life.

Thank you Tom.

Great stuff Tom, You have to love CK. We were there in 1999 and I think we paid about $12 for dinner for two---that was before the Euro and 9/11.

Bob:

once again....we were in CK in 1993 and were pleasantly shocked at the ridiculously inexpensive (and not too edible)meals...and lodgings. This was long before CzRep was descended upon by hordes of tourists from the west. I told you, we seem to cross paths everywhere.

stu T.

I went back through some old trip reports and I would be remiss if I did not thank both turnip and shandy, who gave me the heads up in their reports on the place that would turn out to be the fantastic Pivni KataKomby in CK.

((H))

OMG, I thought i'd bust a gut when I read about the CK tour guide turning you into pods if you took pictures. What a great post! Keep writing. I'm going to Czech Republic and Cesky Krumlov.

<i>Our lunch would be a feast that featured traditional, Bohemian cuisine that was popular during the middle ages. Since we are all middle aged, we felt this would be perfect.</i>

:-)) :-)) :-))

Thank you for a great read!!! Truly the editors should put all these trip reports in a book...

As an aside, both in the Czech Republic and Poland, most places are not very keen about dispensing change. If you think that Tracy gives me &quot;the look&quot;, you should have seen the look I got from one of the places in Prague where we purchased coffee, and I tried to give her more than what we owed (and it wasn't even outrageously extra).

Unfortunately, many of the &quot;Bank In The Boxes&quot; do not give you small bills. On a couple of occasions, we stopped inside a bank to get smaller bills.

((H))

What a fabulous trip report. Thank you so much for sharing and making it OH so enjoyable to read. I cant wait for more.

(looking at watch) tick tick tick! It's been days since another installment, we are all waiting impatiently! :)

I've really been enjoying your quirky humor and fantastic narrative, maitaitom. I absolutely love the 'vortex of unwanted calories!' And the middle ages food :)

Oh, boy! Oh boy! another Maitaitom saga! Please keep it coming!

Love your inimitable writing style and you've brought back so many memories!

It's easier to get into Prague Castle from the other side - no steps. We attended a concert in the Spanish(?) Room, an absolutely gorgeous room in the Castle and we got there through the back.

Kutna Hora - what memories! There are no road signs that could be understood and we were kindly led by car by a Chinese restaurant owner to the boneyard church. We stayed in the &quot;best&quot; hotel in town, which turned out to be next to the boneyard church. When asked if they had secured parking, they said &quot;yes, of course&quot;. Turned out it was the backyard of the hotel with weeds as tall as the car and there was a vicious dog hiding amid the weeds. Well, it certainly was a secure spot!

Sorry you missed Zhikov Castle, which ranks as one of my favorite castles in Europe.

Soo looking forward to your next installment! :)

&quot;It's easier to get into Prague Castle from the other side - no steps. &quot;


shh. Don't tell Tracy.

Yes, the report is coming slowly. This darned work thing really cuts into my travel-reliving time. I'll try and do the next installment after work today. Thanks.

((H))

Perhaps we need to contact maitaitom's boss and let them know he simply needs enough paid leave to finish his report ! :)

Seriously, do as you can, we are all looking forward to every tidbit!

<b>DAY SEVEN – THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, WATCH OUT FOR THAT POLE (AND WE’RE NOT EVEN IN POLAND), FINDING MAGIC CREAM, KIM’S DEPARTURE IS CONFIRMED AND THE DINNER SHUT OUT </b>

Despite staying out late the night before and (perhaps) consuming one too many glasses of wine, I was up at exactly 6 a.m. I was trying to be quiet, but the floors were a tad creaky, which in turn made my wife a little cranky. “You’re going to wake up Kim and Mary,” she said.

As I made a few more fateful (and loud) steps she added, “Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you wait in the car?” I think she was being sarcastic.

Eventually everyone awoke, we had a nice breakfast at the hotel and started on the road to Olomouc, our next stop, which is roughly about half way between CK and Krakow. About an hour outside of Cesky Krumlov, Lady G put us on the “road less traveled.” It was a little, two-lane road that took us into scenic, green rolling farmland.

We then went through Dvorce, which I hoped wasn’t some kind of evil foreshadowing. Then came my first driving faux pas.

In one little town, I attempted to pass what I thought were some parked cars. In reality, they were a group of polite, local drivers who were trying to allow a semi truck (that was now directly in front of me) to pass going the other direction.

Chagrined, I backed up from where I had come. The other drivers were looking at me like Tracy did earlier in the morning at the hotel.

Soon, the farmland turned to lush forest, and as we made our way through many cute towns, we all had one thought, “Where the Hell are we?”

But Lady G was right on and soon we were back on a major thoroughfare and, in less than four hours from leaving CK, we were in the heart of Olomouc. I made a right hand turn, and in about 100 yards, Lady G said, “You have reached your destination on the right.”

“Show off,” I thought.

Of course, she was correct, because on our right was the V&iacute;tejte v Penzionu Na Hradě, our lodging in Olomouc. Kim and Mary went up to their room, and Tracy went up to ours. As I was about to follow her, the man behind the desk said I had to turn the car around because I was headed the wrong way on a one-way street. I then made a fateful decision.

I could have driven around a few blocks and come down the street the correct way, or I could make a few sharp little turns, and just back up the street and park the correct way in front of the hotel. Sadly, I choose Option Two.

I made two little turns perfectly, but as I backed up toward the hotel, the car suddenly stopped and not by its own volition.

Meat Loaf might think that “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad,” but when it comes to parking, that phrase doesn’t work out so well.

In trying to not run over any of the local Olomoucan population, I instead had backed directly into a pole. In hindsight (something I obviously did not have while parking), I should have waited for one of my troop to help me, but I had thought, “What harm can I do while just parking?”

Tracy came out and saw that I was a little perturbed, but she was still on a Lady G high. Her first words were, “Wow, that Garmin was amazing. She knew exactly where we were.”

I replied, “Yeah, it would be nice if she knew where stationary posts are located, too.” Tracy looked at the car and shook her head in disbelief.

In an attempt to make things go quicker, I said, “I am an idiot.” Kim and Mary were now at the car, and sadly no one refuted my words.

Fortunately the damage to the car was minimal. The damage to my ego was slightly more.

We wandered through the Horn&iacute; n&aacute;měst&iacute; (Upper Square) and saw the Sloup Nejsvětějš&iacute; Trojice (Holy Trinity Column), which is the tallest plague column in Europe, and also walked by a couple of the many Baroque fountains that are in Olomouc.

Before seeing any more Olomouc sights, we needed food, and found a covered patio next to the Miklice Church. Lunch at the Potrefen&aacute; Husa, which turned out to be a chain, wasn’t spectacular, but we didn’t care, and, hey, the pivo was good.

We wandered over to the Astronomical Clock, but alas the only time its tiny characters do the crazy little dance is at noon, so we missed it. The original astronomical clock had been damaged by retreating Nazis and was rebuilt by the early 1950s.

It was very hot, and we were all a little tired, so we meandered our different ways for a while, ducked into a couple of churches and stopped by a pharmacy. In a Paris 2006 Christmas flashback, there on the counter was a big sign that said, “Magic Cream,” the ointment that helped save our vacation two years ago.

Well, the sign really said “Voltaren” and it was only 167 Kč, so we bought a couple of tubes in case disaster struck on the trip. Fortunately, we never had to use it. We then returned to our comfortably air-conditioned rooms.

The Na Hradě is a clean, modern and no-smoking lodging option that is in a great location (well, except for that damned pole). It has a garden terrace, with a view of a church and a beautiful ivy, covered wall. It also had, as were soon to discover, its very own wine cellar.

After a nap, we told Kim and Mary we would meet them in the cellar, and the girl at the front desk walked us outside the hotel.

You enter via a small doorway entrance, which I, of course, became momentarily stuck in as I nearly stumbled down the stairs. I assured the girl that I had not been drinking, and we were lead inside. It was a peaceful and cool (both in look and temperature) oasis.

The prices of the wines we consumed were in the 200 - 450 Kč range. Our hostess/desk girl had also brought us some cheese and salami to go with our vino. Tracy and I toasted that it had been 18 years ago to that very day that we had met each other (not bad for an idiot, huh?). Tracy wrote down the names of the two wines we drank, but in looking at them, I don’t think my computer has enough memory to spell them completely.

As we sipped the wines with the unpronounceable names, Kim gave us some bad news. In two days, while we would be in Krakow, he would have to fly back to Los Angeles for a meeting (this guy will do anything for frequent flyer miles).

He would miss the last two days in Krakow and an afternoon and evening in Vienna, but if everything (including all his airline connections) went perfectly, he would meet us at the Vienna airport in time to catch our flight to Dubrovnik. It was enough to make us buy another bottle of wine.

We wandered back by the Potrefena Husa, and although we could sit down at the patio, they had more than an hour wait to get food service. Well, we really don’t like eating at the same place twice anyway, and since we found out that this was a chain, we were glad we got shut out there.

Kim and Mary weren’t that hungry and were pretty tired, so they went back to the room, but the Bottomless Pit Family (aka Tom and Tracy) needed some dinner.

We found Viktoria, a place filled with hip, young locals, and now, us. I had a delicious strip sirloin with onions and lots of hot red peppers. The Campari was going down easy on this night, too.

In what I thought was an uncommon fit of indecency, Tracy then blurted out, “Those sure are mini balls.” I was about to get very angry until she told me she was referring to the mozzarella balls on her Caprese salad. If you decide to eat at this restaurant, I also highly recommend the roasted potatoes.

Our week in the Czech Republic was almost over, and we would definitely like to return one day to do some future exploring of the countryside and drink pivo in Prague.

We decided to turn in early so we could get an early start to Krakow since Kim only had a couple of days to see the city. Plus, there is only so much Campari you can drink in an evening.

<b>COMING UP: DAY EIGHT – CRACOWDAYS, A SHOT OF COUGH SYRUP PLEASE, HERE COMES THE BRIDE, WHERE DID THE OLD PEOPLE GO AND HIP TO BE (AT THE) SQUARE </b>

Tom,

You will simply have to take a day or two off to finish the report for the rest of us. I'm glad that you share my enjoyment of the cellars, both in Cesky Krumlov and at the Na Hradě. Sorry about the pole at Na Hrade, we avoided that but Olomouc was the town where we managed to drive around the roundabout the wrong direction with the police watching :) Fortunately they were very lenient with us.

Loving your report.

Tom, As always, enjoying and savoring your report. Lots of laughing, thanks! You chould compile your reports into a book!

Tom, you and Tracy are invited to dinner any time you're in my neck of the woods (Dallas/Ft Worth)! Please don't disappoint me- I really need as much entertainment as I can get. :-D

And I'll supply the pivo...

:)

Shandy - thanks for the info on Na Hradě. We really liked that place, and yes, those cellars are terrific.

Irishface - I might just do that, although it might make War and Peace seem small by the time I end.

And sarge, you never know when Tracy and I might just show up for a pivo, so have that Urquell ready.

More later today (he said hopefully).

Thanks.

((H))

<b>DAY EIGHT – CRACOWDAYS, A SHOT OF COUGH SYRUP PLEASE, HERE COMES THE BRIDE, WHERE DID THE OLD PEOPLE GO AND HIP TO BE (AT THE) SQUARE </b>

We were up at seven and were greeted by a young man in the lobby of the Na Hradě, who was setting up a breakfast buffet. There was cereal, lunchmeats, cheese, sausage links, delicious pastries and he made us some very good egg dishes. Yes, this was breakfast heaven.

I asked Tracy why she didn’t do this for me every day, and she replied, “Because I work harder than you do.” You can forget a lot in just one week of traveling.

By 8:30 we were on the road to Krak&oacute;w after filling up with Diesel (you can’t fool us every trip). It only took us a little more than three hours to drive to Krak&oacute;w and our home for the next four nights (for almost all of us), the Cracowdays Apartments.

After parking on the street (and deftly avoiding every pole and Pole), we walked up to a set of big doors. There was graffiti in the area, but we had stayed in Trastevere before, so we are not quick to judge a book by its cover.

After meeting the Cracowdays’ folks at their office, they took us to our rooms, which were very nice, and there was also internet in the hallway for the guests. The rooms are very secure, the beds comfortable, the showers good, and we enjoyed our stay here.

The Cracowdays Apartments are located only about a ten-minute walk to Rynek Gl&oacute;wny, the largest medieval town square in Europe. The sky was a beautiful blue (as just about all our days had been so far) and the square was bustling with people, both walking and being taken around town by horse-drawn carriages. There were also lots of booths selling wares and many pork, food items.

At the time, I remember thinking how young the population looked. It would be a reoccurring theme.

Another reoccurring theme was this group’s capacity to eat…and eat often. Kim and Mary went off to find some food (Kim was forever searching for pig on a stick, and this was certainly a place to find one).

Tracy and I plopped down at a table overlooking Rynek Gl&oacute;wny. I was in my “when in Rome” mode, so when the waitress asked for my beverage choice, I immediately said, “W&oacute;dka.” In fact, I ordered cherry vodka.

“Yuck! It tastes like cough syrup,” Tracy said

Robitussin, straight up, baby!

The restaurant was named Grill 15/16, and when I ordered my second vodka, Tracy said, “Just because the name of the restaurant is 15/16 doesn’t mean you have to drink 15 or 16 vodkas.”

Boy, what a spoilsport.

As we sat there, the sound of a lone bugler started up from one of Kości&oacute;ł Mariacki’s (St. Mary’s Church) towers. Like an unfinished symphony, the song abruptly ends.

Tracy reminded me about the legend of the town watchman who sounded an alarm to warn Krak&oacute;wians of an impending Tatar invasion. Unfortunately, for the town watchman, as he played the bugle a Tatar arrow zipped though his neck, thus prematurely ending his song.

Today, the bugle can be heard every hour, and believe me, you hear it from just about anywhere.

Lunch was fine, and we met back up with Kim and Mary to take a stroll though old Krak&oacute;w. We began at the Barbakan, the town’s old fortification, and walked through the Brama Floriańska (Florian Gate).

We walked a few blocks down Ulica Florianska to the large St. Mary’s Church. Tickets to go inside are purchased across the alley. The interior of the church is very lovely, and we spent about 20 minutes or so wandering through it.

Another thing we noticed during our first few hours in Krakow, besides its youthful population, was that virtually no one was speaking English (although most of the Krak&oacute;w locals we met certainly could). As a matter of fact, we had run into very few Americans so far on the trip.

We then walked by St. Adalbert’s, the oldest church in Krakow.

In the middle of the square is the Sukiennice or cloth hall, which was once a place where traveling merchants met. Today, it is a place where traveling vacationers can pick up a gift that nobody will really ever want.

Since Kim only had one more full day here, the group pressed on. We walked down Ulica Bracka, which to me sounded like one of “The Godfather’s” hired killers. But instead, this church led us to a man of the cloth, none other than Krak&oacute;w’s favorite son (or I guess that would be father), Pope John-Paul II.

We stopped into Bazylika Sw. Franciszka (St Francis Basilica), which was John-Paul’s home church when he served as archbishop of Krak&oacute;w, and then headed over to Grodzka Street, or as I called it Kebob Street. It seemed like you could get a kabob in every shop, but amazingly no one was hungry.

We walked down to Mary Magdalene Square, and thought we would look inside the The Church of Saints Peter and Paul. There was lots of construction in the area, and by the time we started heading in the direction of the church, out came a beaming bride and groom (well, the groom looked a little shaken).

We waited for them to all exit and then took a quick look inside. When we got out, and after trying to get in the wedding pictures, I started to cross the street.

“Where are you going?” Kim said.

“St. Andrews,” I replied.

Kim quickly retorted, “Well, you forgot your clubs.” I started counting the hours to his departure.

We wandered many of the arteries off the Rynek Gl&oslash;wny and on one of them spotted a little Italian restaurant, Del Papa. We made a reservation for later that evening, and went back to Cracowdays to freshen up.

Back at Cracowdays, I ran into one of the managers who had helped set up the reservation with me, and she was just as nice in person as she had been in all our email correspondence. She apologized for the graffiti in the area, and since she did not look like a tagger, I told her she had no reason to apologize.

The area was not sketchy at all, with plenty of restaurants and shops lining the street leading back our street where the apartments were located. At no time did we feel unsafe, and I would highly recommend this as a place to stay.

On our walk to Del Papa that evening, we all commented on the youthful locals of Krakow. “Where did they put all the old people?” Mary joked.

I replied, “Maybe that Cesky Krumlov tour guide turned them all into giant pods, and they came back as young people.”

Kim was now counting the hours to his departure.

It was on to Del Papa. We had a very lovely, young, redheaded waitress, and Kim uttered his favorite line, “You know, she is felony cute.”

I had to remind Kim that anything he thought about her might also be construed as a felony, and we moved on to dinner.

The dishes at this restaurant were terrific as was, once again on our trip, the plating. I had tomato soup that was served in a bowl with basil lining the bottom, and the actual soup was poured from a teapot.

Tracy’s velvety, green pea soup was also poured from a teapot over a mound of pancetta and dill. Although Tracy said it looked lovely, green pea soup always reminds me of “The Exorcist.” I turned away before my head started spinning around.

All the dishes from ravioli stuffed with veal and mushroom sauce to a beef filet with balsamic reduction on a bed of arugula to gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce to grilled salmon with roasted shallots and balsamic reduction were delicious. Oh yeah, I topped it off with a nice panecotta and strawberries.

After Del Papa, we walked over to the square, which was packed on this Saturday night (and I’m guessing every Saturday night). Outside of us and a few other rumpled tourists, everyone on the square was young and good looking, with no one looking more than 35-years-old.

“Maybe there’s something to your pod theory,” Tracy said.

Kim and Mary walked back to the apartment, while Tracy and I made a quick stop at the Metropolitan Restauracja, where I am sure you are shocked to read we had a martini nightcap. The Metropolitan also was supposed to have a good breakfast, and we put that in our mental notes.

The next day would be Kim’s final full day in Krak&oacute;w, and tomorrow would also be the day we made another interesting (well, I guess you’ll be the judge of that) observation about the local residents.

<b>COMING UP - DAY NINE – THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, FOOLS ON THE HILL, MY LEGS ARE DRAGON, GOT MILK, FREE ART AND OUR POLL OF POLES </b>

Tom,

I agree with the others, you should put al your reports into one book.

Also, you have had some great lines in all your reports. But I think my new favorite was in todays

&quot;And after parking the car (and deftly avoiding every pole and Pole)&quot; Too funny. I look forward to more sir.

Tom

Tom, terrific report, as always, thank you!

Appreciate the report on Del Papa in Krakow since it's on our list for our Christmas trip.

http://www.delpapa.pl/

&quot;Appreciate the report on Del Papa in Krakow...&quot;

That hot soup will taste very good on a cold Krak&oacute;w night. I would suggest you make reservations when you get in town, as it got very crowded as the evening progressed.

((H))

No, I'm not dead yet.

<b>DAY NINE – THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, FOOLS ON THE HILL, MY LEGS ARE DRAGON, GOT MILK, FREE ART AND OUR POLL OF POLES </b>

As you have read, we (and especially me, the dessert king) had done a lot of eating the past week. For many months before the trip, I had been on the Jenny Craig diet (well, the modified Jenny Craig, which includes martinis, mai tais and the occasional chocolate flourless cake that Jenny doesn’t tell anyone about in her literature).

I had lost a little more than 30 pounds, so before the trip I had to get some new travel clothes because I was down two sizes from nine months before.

Well, when I tried on my new “Svelte Pants” on this beautiful Krak&oacute;w Sunday morning, I came to a quick realization. “I think I’m dying,” I told Tracy.

Even though I had eaten like a pig for the last week, my new pants were now almost too big. I was shrinking like that guy in the movie. By the time that we reached Croatia, I surmised, I would be small enough to be eaten by a Dubrovnik mosquito.

Even Tracy was amazed. When we told Kim and Mary about my pants (on the way to finding some breakfast), Mary said, “Maybe you’re losing weight because we are walking ten miles a day.” I think she was still a little miffed over the first day in Prague.

To try and bulk up, we had some croissants, jelly filled pastries and some great espresso at a little place just about a block off Rynek Gl&oacute;wny. We were then on our way to walking up to Wawel Hill, home to more tourists than any other sight in Poland.

Before we hit Wawel Hill, however, I told the gang I wanted to stop at the Bar Mleczny. Looking at her watch, Tracy asked, “Isn’t it a tad too early for a drink?”

I said, “No, but don’t worry this is a milk bar.” I just wanted to stop in to see the place where Poles and tourists alike can get a cheap meal. The milk bars are supposedly subsidized by the Polish government. It was the cheapest bottled water we bought on the entire trip.

We walked through the Heraldic Gate and passed Wawel Cathedral. We couldn’t go in to the cathedral until 12:30 because they were having Sunday Mass, so we toured the beautiful grounds and took pictures of the unique exterior of the cathedral, with its two domed chapels.

After wandering around the grounds, we saw the entrance to Smocza Jama (The Dragon’s Den), a route that (for 3 zloty) would take us through some caverns down to the Vistula River and the monument to Smok Wawelski, whose name sounds like a jazz musician, but is really a famous dragon in Polish folk history.

Supposedly this dragon liked devouring girls and was only happy if the townspeople left a young girl in front of the cave every month. This didn’t go over too well with the townspeople, especially, I would assume, young girls. Finally, some guy stuffed a lamb with sulpher and left it outside the cave.

Smok the not-so-magic dragon ate the lamb, which, of course, made him thirsty. No matter how much water the Smokmeister drank, he could not get full, so he started to drink from the river. After drinking about half the river, Smok did what most dragons do after drinking half a river…he exploded. Coincidentally, I felt the same way after my panecotta from the night before.

After 135 steps down to see the dragon monument, we were a little draggin’ ourselves, but we made it and were instantly approached by a beautiful Krak&oacute;wian woman. I thought she was going to commend me on my new, buff body, but instead she started shilling for a boat ride on the river. Being the tourists that we are, we took her up on the offer.

Actually, since it was a hot day and there was still an hour until the cathedral opened, the boat ride turned out to be the perfect call.

By the time the boat ride ended, and we walked up to the entrance of the cathedral, it was 12:18. Why do I know that? Because there was no one yet in line for the cathedral, which seemed odd to us, I asked the girl at the entrance if it opened to the public at 12:30, and she said, “Yes, it will open in ten minutes.”

In five minutes the line that had been non-existent only minutes before had swelled to way more than 100. Once again our timing had been impeccable (and fortuitous).

If you are into Baroque memorials and tombs, Wawel Cathedral is your place. Kasmimierz the Great and St. Jadwiga are two of the tombs with a view here.

We walked around for about half an hour and then headed back toward Old Town, bought a Pope Paul Gold Coin and looked for a lunch spot, which we found a little off the main square. Across the street from the German Embassy, we lunched at The Tram Grill.

Although supposedly open at 1 p.m., no one was there to greet us and the area was roped off, but as soon as we arrived a head popped out, and we were shown to our table on the terrace. First we get the head of the line at the cathedral, and now the restaurant magically opens once we arrive.

After downing some goulash soup and salads, the group was back on its way to seeing more Krak&oacute;w attractions like the Wyspianski Museum. We wanted to see some of the stained glass from the man who had created the stained glass in St. Francis Basilica.

Personally, I found this place to be boring. This is always the first symptom of “Museum Overload,” but that did not deter us from attempting to find the Muzeum Czartoryskich after leaving.

Guidebooks showed the museum would be closed by the time we arrived, but Kim really wanted to go, so we gave it a try. We had been lucky to be first at the cathedral and the restaurant opened for us, so maybe the museum would stay open late for us since we were on a Krak&oacute;w roll.

Well, not only was it open; it was free on Sunday. This museum was supposed to house a Rembrandt and a Da Vinci, but only Da Vinci’s Lady With Ermine was on display. Although not an art aficionado, I found this oil painting quite spectacular, as did the rest of our group.

By the time we left it was after 4 p.m., which means…martini time. We had walked by the Bunkier Caf&eacute; in the Planty with a nice outdoor patio, and it was the perfect place to plop down for a bit.

Being a product of the 60s, I had to try a drink made from Vodka, Blue Curacao and limeade called The Aquarius, and it certainly put me in the Fifth Dimension. The place was packed, and outside of us, there was no English to be heard anywhere.

As we downed our libations, Kim and I started commenting on the women of Krak&oacute;w. We were very effusive with our praise of the statuesque beauties of Krak&oacute;w, perhaps too much, because then Mary and Tracy started waxing eloquently about the men of Krak&oacute;w.

In our very unofficial poll about Poles, although we are from the land of the beautiful people, Southern California; the real beautiful people were right here in Krak&oacute;w. I told Kim, if were 30 and single, this would be a nice place to live.

We needed a little nap before dinner, and then headed out to the Bodega Marqu&eacute;s at Slawkowska 12. Since Kim and Mary had just built a house in Bodega Bay, California, we thought the kismet of the thing would work…and it did.

It was a gorgeous, warm evening, so we dined on the street patio. The waitress took me to the back cellar to pick out some vino for the evening, a 2004 Sumarroca Syrlot (a Spanish Syrah/Merlot blend that was so good that we had to buy two bottles).

The wine went very well with my Spanish sirloin steak with gorgonzola and roasted potato. Mary had a spiced chicken grilled with sliced roasted potatoes while Kim (Caesar salad with chicken) and Tracy (salad with goat cheese, bacon and pine nuts) took the healthy route.

After a walk around the square, Kim and Mary took off for the apartment, while Tracy and I headed back to the Metropolitan for (in unison) a nightcap. An espresso martini and a Polish cocktail of cherry vodka and grapefruit juice later, we followed them back to the apartment.

Tomorrow, we would bid farewell to our friend Kim, yet Mary, Tracy and I had two full days together left in Krak&oacute;w. As I drifted off to sleep, I thought, “What could one guy do with two women?” Hmmm.

<b>COMING UP - DAY NINE – GOODBYE KIM, GIVE ME YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY, JEWISH QUARTER &amp; THE NEW MRS. MAITAI, “YOU CAN’T GO UP THERE” AND THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA </b>

((H))

Glad to have you back and writing again!

&lt;&lt;...only Da Vinci’s Lady With Ermine was on display. Although not an art aficionado, I found this oil painting quite spectacular, as did the rest of our group.&gt;&gt;

I wholeheartedly agree! We had the pleasure of viewing this painting at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, as part of a temporary exhibit.

We've not been to Poland, but you're making it sound very tempting.

&quot;Glad to have you back and writing again!&quot;

Slowly, but surely. At least I've narrowed down our picture selection to less than 500 from the original 2,000 or so photos we all took.

&quot;We've not been to Poland, but you're making it sound very tempting&quot;

Krakow was cool. I hope to return some day to see even more changes that will take place there and to explore the Polish countryside.

((H))

Waiting for more Tom. You guys sounds like a fun group.

I hope you don't mind if I ask, but are you still on Jenny Craig? I am thinking of joining for about a month.

Tom,

Waiting for more and looking foward to the photos.

Off subject, WTF is wrong with the Padres?

Tom

cafegoddess, yes still dabble with Jenny on occasion, just to keep stable at weight I am now (food is good, actually). I've kept the weight off for one year. Good luck!

Tom, it was nice being away for a month to not have to follow the stikin' Pads. I was much more into Croatian World Cup Soccer team, and now wear their hat instead of the Padres.

Finish Krakow and on to Vienna later today.

((H))

Looking forward to the next installment! Hope you had a great weekend, maitai :-)

&quot;Croatian World Cup Soccer team&quot;

I meant Euro Cup team, but watch out for Croatia in 2010 World Cup. I will keep their hat in good shape.

((H))

<b>DAY TEN – GOODBYE KIM, GIVE ME YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY, JEWISH QUARTER &amp; THE NEW MRS. MAITAI, “YOU CAN’T GO UP THERE” AND THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA </b>

I awoke with a start remembering that the free parking on the street ended on Monday, and even with a mini-espresso martini hangover, I remembered that today was Monday. The apartment manager had told me that I should ask a man in a yellow vest about getting the necessary parking passes for the street. Instead, I ran into someone who looked much more interesting than a guy in a vest.

I asked a local (well, she was tall, young and really good looking, so I figured she was a local), where to buy the street parking ticket to put in my car. She was quite nice, spoke perfect English and, after coming to the sudden realization that I was still married, I quickly hurried to a little kiosk across the street where she said I could purchase the parking pass.

I proceeded to buy nine, one-hour slips that I had to fill out and put on the dash of the car. Speaking of dash, I had to dash back to the rental car and got there only minutes before I would have received a ticket.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kim headed for the curb to catch a taxi. He was about to set off on his own version of The Amazing Race.

Kim would fly to Chicago, change planes, fly to Los Angeles, sleep, then drive to Orange County, get his laundry done, work during the day, make an important speech that night, sleep, drive back to L.A., fly to New York, and change planes in order to get to Vienna by Thursday morning, where he would meet us in the nick of time to catch a flight to Dubrovnik.

It made me hungry just to think about it, so I said goodbye and grabbed a chocolate croissant and espresso.

Kim had made us think about our own laundry. It had been pretty hot during the first part of our journey, and we were going though clothes faster than Obama and McCain go through potential vice presidential nominees. Since we pack light, we were down to our last shirts. We could have done our own washing, but we gave ourselves a treat and took them nearby to the Betty Clean (the name of a place, not a person).

It wasn’t cheap, but the clothes would be ready in 24 hours, and this way we had more time to explore Krakow.

Tracy, Mary and I walked to Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter), about 20-30 minutes from Rynek Gl&oacute;wny. It was getting really hot, and we stopped at the High Synagogue, the Old Synagogue and the Old Cemetery. Then Old Tom said, “I think it’s time to eat.” I could see the gang was a little “churched and synagogued” out. We ate outside in the courtyard of Magma Restaurant. The food was nothing to write home about, but it is where I met the first of a few new “Mrs. Maitais.”

It is kind of a running joke that when Tracy sees me be a little more flirtatious than usual (hey, I’m not dead, yet!), she refers to that unfortunate woman as the “New Mrs. Maitai (not our real last name).” She is then quick to add, “And if she wants you, I am sure the two of you will be happy living in the back of your Honda.” Tracy has a way of spoiling the moment sometimes.

I had wanted to climb the Town Hall Tower in Rynek Gl&oacute;wny, so we walked back after lunchtime only to be informed that it would be closed this week. After Tracy and Mary completed the “Oh Boy, We Don’t Have to Climb The Tower” dance, we wandered the square, which was very crowded on a Monday afternoon.

We window-shopped for a short time, and Mary decided to head back to the apartment, while Tracy and I plopped down on the square at Da Pietro to have some late afternoon nourishment. We split a crostini misto and sipped some wine, Prosecco and a little Campari.

We actually got in a nap for about an hour back at the apartment, but since I was still shrinking, we headed out for dinner. We found a Brazilian place called Ipanema on Tomasza that had been recommended, and that stupid song started going around in my head for the next hour. (Damn, it’s in my head again).

Our waitress, dubbed the “Girl From Ipanema,” was a little off on this night, bringing a wrong dish to our table and forgetting my drink. As she kept going by the table without my drink, I kept obsessing on those stupid song lyrics, “Each time she passes, I go Aaagh!”

The food was not bad, but we had been pretty spoiled by the food throughout the Czech Republic and Poland, so it was a bit disappointing. However, the Blue Rio, a concoction of rum, blue Curacao, coconut milk and pineapple juice was pretty darned tasty.

We checked our watches, and by now we surmised Kim was running to catch his flight in Chicago, which turned out to be the truth. He made it with only seconds to spare.

Meanwhile, back in the Land of Travel, we meandered back to the apartment, via the Metropolitan, our new nightly hangout. The three of us had a decision to make for the next day; either travel to the Wielicza Salt Mine or visit Auschwitz. The vote was unanimous.

<b>COMING UP - DAY ELEVEN – BREAKFAST IN AMERICA, SALT OF THE EARTH, A SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT AND A DINNER FOR THE AGES </b>

<b> DAY ELEVEN – BREAKFAST IN AMERICA, SALT OF THE EARTH, A SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT, THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT AND A DINNER FOR THE AGES </b>

I don’t usually pass on places of historical significance, but we decided to forego Auschwitz in favor of the salt mines. The three of us have all been to concentration camps (I have been to a couple), and although Auschwitz is definitely deserving of a visit, on this day we opted for a more cheerful experience.

It was just like being in Los Angeles, as we sat down to our breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast while looking at U.S.A. Today. However, we were still in Krak&oacute;w and eating at the Metropolitan, our late night drink rendezvous spot. I have to admit, a little home cookin’ tasted good.

After picking up our clothes and depositing them at the apartment, we walked over to the bus to take us to the Wielicza Salt Mine. The preliminary reports I had read online made the salt mines out to be a very touristy thing to do, but on this blazing, hot day, we were happy to go under the earth’s surface for a few hours. Plus, damnit, we are tourists!

Obviously, chivalry was dead on this day, because as I started to get in the bus, I turned around to see my two companions trailing me by almost 100 yards and the bus getting ready to leave. I looked like a mixed up football referee waving my hands and arms around in a disjointed manner that neither Mary nor Tracy could quite comprehend.

Fortunately, the bus waited and, as Tracy got on board, I heard the phrase that all husbands worldwide can relate to, “What the hell were you doing?”

“I was waving you both to hurry up,” I replied.

“Did you not see we were stuck at a red light? Did you want us to get run over by a bus? Don’t you know the damned bus runs every ten minutes?” Tracy said.

Looking at her not-so-happy countenance, I decided not to give the flip answer flittering precariously at the end of my tongue. Mary just watched, now missing her husband more than ever.

Tracy was a little hot under her collar, but soon Mary and I joined her, because on this scorching day the bus was a makeshift sauna. By the time our 25-minute bus ride had concluded, the sardines inside were fully cooked and ready to be served. I only weighed 90 pounds by this time (okay, I made that up).

The English tour cost 65 zloty, and we had a blast. First, we walked down 800 or so steps, with our tour guide making sure none in the group croaked before we reached the bottom. Although an English speaking tour, most of the group were not Americans. There were Swedes, Germans, Dutch, Aussies and Brits, but I only counted seven Americans.

Our tour guide was terrific, and her banter with all of us was entertaining. The temperature in the salt mine was a constant 57 degrees, which made it incredibly comfortable, even though I was in shorts.

I had paid the ten extra zloty for photo privileges (I don’t think they enforce that rule, but I never have a problem shelling out money to help these places keep preserved).

I took pictures of chandeliers made of salt, a salt Last Supper and a salt Pope John Paul II. I couldn’t figure out why, but suddenly I had a desire for a margarita.

Fortunately, we did not have to walk 800 steps up to leave. That was taken care of by an elevator that swiftly (and I mean swiftly) transports you back to the surface.

Somehow, Mary, Tracy and I got in a grouping with a bunch of Polish school children. These second and third grade kids all spoke English, and they were a bit on the precocious side.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw one of the boys offer Mary a piece of gum. Another kid warned her that it would give her an electric jolt.

Always the kind traveling partner, Mary whispered to the kid that I would be happy to take a piece of gum, and then she surreptiously asked me to be a “volunteer” as the “unsuspecting” foil.

The boy reached over and asked me if I wanted a piece of gum. Playing dumb (one of my easier roles), I took hold of the “stick of gum” and, sure enough, I was presented with a very good shock.

In an act that Curly of The Three Stooges would have been proud of, I went though my fake gyrations much to all the kids’ amusement. It was only a moment later that I thought, “Geez, I really have no feelings in my fingers.” I don’t know the voltage of the gum, but that kid has a future in a Correctional Center somewhere.

We got in the elevator with about ten of the kids, and when it started its ascent to the top, the kids screamed at the top of their lungs. Their teachers tried to look angry with them, but even they could only laugh at their funny antics.

We were glad we chose this Unesco site. It was fun, it was educational and, thankfully, it was cool.

Back in Krak&oacute;w after a much more comfortable bus ride, we had an afternoon snack at Caf&eacute; Botanica, just off Rynek Gl&oacute;wny. Mary had chicken curry in a tortilla with a small salad. Tracy’s eyes lit up at the coffee with ice cream, while I, being the real man that I am, enjoyed my quiche.

As we walked, we saw a restaurant that piqued our interest. It looked cute, and the menu looked great. I went in, asked for eight o’clock reservations, and they pointed at a table near the door, “You have the last table,” he said, and I am so glad we got it.

Guliwer, ul. Bracka 6, turned out to be one of the best restaurants of the trip. When we arrived, we were shown to our table, and true to his word, it was the only empty table in the house. As we sat dining, many were turned away.

This is one place where I will describe the dishes. They were that good!

Mary started with a wild mushroom soup (Polish specialty) and went on to Provencale-style chicken liver with onions and red peppers along with roasted potatoes.

I had a scrumptious veal cutlet with herb garlic butter, fried apples paired with some delicious pan-fried potatoes. It received a “Wow” rating. This would be a night for “Wows.”

Tracy’s first “Wow” dish was a refreshing, cold cucumber and watermelon soup. Her duck filet with a pepper sauce and celery salad with raisins and nuts was great, too.

With dishes like these, we could not stop. On to dessert!

I had a terrific Crepe Suzette, which was fabulous, but Tracy’s second “Wow” of the night came in the form of vanilla and chocolate crepes filled with ice cream, an orange-chocolate sauce, whipped cream and lots of orange zest. We were told the orange-chocolate sauce is made in-house.

All this and a bottle of 2004 Chateau Pertignos Bordeaux made this dinner most memorable.

I highly, highly recommend Guiwer for dinner. Simply tremendous!

We walked over to the Rynek trying to shed a few of the calories. Before Mary headed back, we found a small bar where the three of us had a final drink together to toast Krak&oacute;w and its charms. After Mary departed, Tracy and I bade farewell to the Metropolitan bar and its array of martinis.

Over one last round of cocktails, Tracy and I tried to figure out where the “old people of Krak&oacute;w” reside, and we decided we could turn this in to a Stephen King-type novel. The plot: “People over 40 are locked in Krak&oacute;w basements all over town while their good looking, tall children roam the streets at night dining on great food and drinking potent libations.”

We all decided that Krak&oacute;w would be a fun place to visit in ten years to see the further renovation of the city. If anyone is planning a trip to Poland, Krak&oacute;w is well worth your time.

We needed to get to bed, because tomorrow would be the driving day from Hell. In order to get to Dubrovnik, we needed to catch a flight from Vienna, about a six-hour car ride from Krakow. Can a guy drive and survive six hours with two women and no other guys in the car? I would find out in only seven hours.

<b> DAY TWELVE – THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO HELP A TOURIST, THE SHOWER DEATH TRAP, CHURCH OR SAILBOAT AND DINNER AT THE GROCERY STORE </b>

tom, your reports are always a blast to read....filled with details but lots of fun as well. Can't wait for the Croatia installment!

Tracy

Such a great report, thanks, Maitai.
Are you going to have a blog with this report? I would love to see it consolidated.

Following your report avidly. We liked Cafe Botanica too and even my gay friend noted that Krakow was home to a lot of appetizing young women.

Taking a guess here that your next dinner (in Vienna) will be at Meinl am Graben...