SEE WHAT YOU LIKE, LIKE WHAT YOU SEE

I have always had mixed feelings about Kazimierz. When I came to Krakow, everybody used to tell me that Kazimierz is so cool, trendy and unique and I definitely should go there. So I did. But frankly saying, I wasn't delighted.  The narrow streets were dark and dirty and I didn't feel the atmosphere of the place at all. But I gave myself another try. I discovered a really great ice-cream place with people waiting in a long queue outside the building to get their serving. But it was worth it! For me, the best ice-creams in the city. What is more, much cheaper than in the Old Town District. It reminded me a bit about People's Republic of Poland times when long queues were nothing spectacular. I used to think to myself that that queue couldn't be longer. But every time I came there, it exceeded my expectations.

Another place highly recommended is Santori Cafe. But don't get me wrong. Coffee served there is not the best in Krakow, but I like the place for the atmospehere. First time I decided to come in because of the music. I was a big fan of swing and jazz music then. What made me even happier were board games. I remember that I used to visit the place just to play Scrabble with a couple of friends. The great advantage of the cafe was the window view. I fell in love with it immediately. I used to come there, take some photos and dream that I would be an artist in the future. I was on cloud nine. That's for sure. The story ended when I got my own Scrabble and moved to Nowa Huta District.

The photos you can see in this blog are new. And I don't know if it is good or not. Really. I know that the place doesn't look good. It is dirty, neglected, full of commercial pubs and restaurants. The abandoned buildings look as if they were going to collapse in a minute. You can experience there very strange blend of poor native citizens, Jewish people and drunk foreigners. It is fashionable because of the street art, beer prices which are lower than in the city centre and some uniqueness which is hard to describe. These factors attract both locals and foreigners.

To be honest, as a citizen I can't stand the dirty streets and poverty, as a photographer I adore the place and I wouldn't change anything there. And where is the sense in that?

CHASING THE DWARFS...

There are over 250 such little inhabitants spread all over Wroclaw, all with their own rightful name, pointed hat and charming personality.

Some of them are easily spotted and others are more difficult to find. You may not be always successful because the dwarfs are sometimes willing to play hide and seek with you. 

Search high and low carefully and finally you'll spot them. Then keep a record of them to know how many have you found, just to realise how far your craziness goes.

Grab a map in your hand, your enthusiasm is catching. Make new friends. The dwarfs will get you off the beaten track into the unexpected. Immerse yourself in chasing them. Get aware of the surrounding, admire it and keep on searching.

And then think to yourself, if it weren't for your little friends, you wouldn't have seen so much of Wroclaw, right?

IN THE WORLD OF ICONS...

The Art of Icon-Painting had its beginnings in the Roman Empire after Constantine the Great had converted to Christianity in 312. He not only made Christianity the state religion but also moved his capital to Byzantium, which was renamed Constantinople in 330. 

It is believed that icons had their beginnings throughout the Empire. Their development was influenced by historical events and cultural circumstances. The most difficutl time for the icon art was the Iconoclasm (726-843). It was a 100-year long conflict between opponents and proponents of icons. Many of them were destroyed. However, they came to flourish in the Eastern Orthodox Church in the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.

After having looked at some icons, you may notice that icons only appear to have a width and a height. The "third" dimension of an icon, depth goes beyond what the eye can see. It is spiritual. Because of their profound spiritual meaning, they are often called "Windows into Heaven." 

It is important to point out that an icon is not a work of art only illustrating the Holy Scriptures but it also constitutes a confession of religious truths. Everything shown in an icon is symbolic.

If you have never looked at icons before, it is a good opportunity to visit Museum of Icons in Suprasl, in the south-east of Poland. I can highly recommend it to you.

LITTLE COFFEE HEAVEN...

Have you ever tried to survive a day without drinking some coffee? David Lynch claims that: “Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all."

Coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. It is said that the coffee plant orginated in Ethiopia. But propagation of coffee began in Yemen, from where "the favorite drink of the civilized world" travelled worldwide. In scientific documents dating from AD 900 to AD 1000 the numerous benefits to "the stomache, the members, the skin" were described. It was also noted that the drink "gives an excellent smell to the whole body".

According to an Arab legend, the exiled Sheikh Omar found coffee berries growing wild and when he was hungry, he boiled them and drunk the brew. When he returned home in Mocha, he carried some of the beans with him. 

It is also believed that coffee existed in the time of Homer and that it was the "wondrous drink" that beautiful Helen took with her to Troy.  

In Mecca the first coffee houses were established. They were called Kaveh Kanes and orginally they had a religious purpose. But very quickly they became centres of gossip, chess, dancing and singing. 

Why did coffee houses become so popular? Simply because nothing like them had existed before and what is more, before the advent of the coffee house, there had been nowhere to enjoy a pleasant, not too expensive drink in nice company. 

Coffee derives from Italian caffe, from Turkish kahveh, and from Arabic qahwah. It is said originally to have meant wine but perhaps it refers to Kaffa region of Ethiopia, a home of the plan.

How about you? Have you had your coffee yet?