Krakow Day 5

Mop up day for Krakow we called it. Back to the Jewish quarter. It is irresistible. The first stop was the Old Synagogue for the Jewish Museum there. They have many artifacts, but most impressive are two large paper cuts by a Polish Jewish artist, extremely ornate and intricate.  The Galicia Museum, a block further is one of the most impressive presentations I have seen in educating about a lost civilization, Galician Jewish communities. The idea, by a British photojournalist and journalist, was to capture places around Galicia (mostly southern Poland and to the east)  as they are today, and in the wall text describe what they had been. They pose thoughtful questions as well. Another Bravo. 

Knowing it was our last day, we couldn't resist the pull of the potato pancakes and liver at what we now describe as "our place." No disappointment.

One of the photos at the Galicia Museum was of our artist, Maurcy Gottlieb! Learning that he was buried in the new Jewish cemetery, not far from the main square, we took a short walk and found the cemetery, thinking it would be easy to spot his distinctive gravestone.  We were overwhelmed at the size of the graveyard. Thousands of graves, most overgrown, most from before WWII, stretched out for perhaps a half mile. We could not find it, but were fascinated by the eerie sense that our people were here. Many names familiar, and not, reminded us that Jews lived and thrived here for centuries, until the terrible time they did not. On the way out, we saw the caretaker, slipped him some zlotys and he led us on a long trail to Gottlieb's stone.

We spent some more time walking in the Old Town, Nancy and I on our own to find some hats. We enjoyed dinner at an Italian restaurant towards the student area before ending the evening early because we have a 4:30 am pick up.