Adventures abroad...

There is nothing like spring! In Canada, it's the anxiety of waiting for the last bit of the snow to melt, seeing the spring crocus, and watching the leaves emerge from buds on the trees. There is joy in hearing the first chirping croak of the creek frogs at dusk. In Europe, it's more people-focused -- sauntering in the warm sunshine in the old towne square, sitting at a cafe enjoying a lemonade or iced tea made with real fruit and garnished with a sprig of mint, or walking beneath the castle by the river while watching swans diving and playing.

This year, I had the luxury of enjoying both... and because pictures are worth a thousand words (and because we're all sick of snow), let me share the European version of spring. This is Rynek Glówny, the main square in the old town of Kraków, Poland. I'll leave it to Wikipedia to describe the factual details, while my pictures capture the "feel" of the square...

The description of Rynek Glówny from Wikipedia:  

The main square (Polish: Rynek Główny) of the Old Town of Kraków, Lesser Poland, is the principal urban space located at the center of the city. It dates back to the 13th century, and at roughly 40,000 m² (430,000 ft²) is one of the largest medieval town squares in Europe. 

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) lists the square as the best public space in Europe due to its lively street life. The main square is a rectangular space surrounded by historic townhouses (kamienice), palaces and churches. 

 The center of the square is dominated by the Cloth Hall  (Sukiennice), rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance  style, topped by a beautiful attic or Polish parapet, decorated with carved masks. 

On one side of the cloth hall is the Town Hall Tower  (Wieża ratuszowa), on the other the 10th century Church of St. Adalbert and 1898 Adam Mickiewicz Monument. 

(Gail's Additional Notes: Sukiennice is  a great place to shop for amber and other Polish items. Outside, on the Town Hall Tower side, you can usually see festivals and other community activities. On the right side near St. Mary's Basilica, you will often find flower stalls and buskers).

Rising above the square are the  Gothic towers of St. Mary's Basilica  (Kościół Mariacki).

(Gail's Additional Note: If you're in the Square at the top of the hour, be sure to listen for the trumpet sounds coming from the towers of St. Mary's. The sound will stop mid-song, just as it did years ago when the trumpeter, warning residents of an impending invasion, was shot, interrupting his warning and the song.)

And at night, the Square is no less lovely...

Next time..... seeing the Square around Christmas!