Morning in Krakow

The old town is a UNESCO world heritage site, and a beautiful example of old architecture.

Sunday in Kraków

Eat Away is a worldwide dining concept in which a cook serves a traditional meal to paying guests around his or her table at home.

Here our tour group is in the home of the originator of this idea. It started informally when our host advertised on social media, and now it has mushroomed.

Check the website. Other cooks have joined and are holding events in their homes from Africa to South America and beyond.

Marta Bradshaw forages for mushrooms, grows her vegetables and otherwise uses local ingredients coming from or near her farm outside the city. Her passion for cooking is evident while she prepares some of the food while talking with us.

We all helped make the pierogi, although some of us fell short on the skill level. Extra wine helped to laugh off our ineptness. Cheescake originated in Poland, and this salted caramel one was my favorite part of the meal. I can never pass up a slice.

Our group enjoyed getting to know each other around the table,too. It was definitely better than a restaurant meal and more personalized for us.

Live: Kraków, Poland

Indian summer showed it’s face in Kraków, and I took advantage of the warm afternoon to get my bearings near the hotel and rejuvenate with fresh air. I wasn’t alone and the streets were packed with a mix of young working people and tourists celebrating a gorgeous October day. There were numerous cafes one after the other packed with customers doing a typical European daily activity.

The fall leaf colors are not as vibrant as at home, yet there is a rusty golden shine to the trees here framing the scenery.

I mingled with the locals at the grocery store - a favorite thing of mine while traveling - walking the aisles and buying my water supply. I wasn’t hearing very much English spoken, and therefore, I muddled through the checkout as a result. Smiles worked and a shrug of the shoulders.

The money exchange is about four to one ( $25. US to $100. Polish zlotys) if that gives you a point of reference.

The pictures will come tomorrow when I tour the old city, a place never destroyed during World War II like Warsaw. I don’t expect much of myself after a long airplane trip the first day.

Orienting to your location is a best travel practice.