Krakow

Sun is shining, the city is full of people.

I visit the state bank. Zloty celebrated its 100 year anniversary last year. 70% of the Polish do not want to move to euro zone. The exchange rate has been stable and looks like the loans are not tide to euro (as is was in Estonia). The transfer itself would be expensive. Why.

Then I hassle two tourist information centers in order to signal that tourists do not only want to shop, eat and visit the work-makes-free-camp. Some of them want to hike. Some hiking maps are available in a book shop. The information people know nothing of any long distance hiking trails. Weird, with so much forest still standing.

The next target, Czartoryski museum contains more items and less paintings than I expected. Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Lady with an Ermine’ is shown is a separate room like some kind of holy item. Ermine is actually a stoat, or weasel.

With a guide it is possible to have a look into the Jagiellonian University that was founded in 1364, or in its oldest part: library, lecture room and treasury. In the group are a Kyrgyz young lady and me. It is hard to tell who is more surprised: the guide to have such a combination of visitors, or Nurzat to meet in a Copernicus-age university a person who has been riding from Son Kul lake to Issyk Kul lake. In the university everything is real, starting from the matriculation certificate of Copernikus to the Oscar statue. The rooms are still being used during festive occasions.

I walk to Kazimiers, the Jewish part of town to eat. ‘Schindler’s List’ was filmed here. I recognize nothing but then again, it was long time ago when I saw the movie.

In the evening is Chopin. Because Poland, it is Chopin. No?