740am - Wandered Krakow and got bored yesterday. But found Empik. Great bookshop with a coffee shop. Bought Haruki Murakami's After Dark, which I enjoyed reading over two large lattes... whiling the time away.
Two young women sat on the same counter, a little down and opposite me. Finally I plucked up the courage to speak a little with them. One had sensuous lips and wanted to engage with me. She spoke good English. They were, perhaps, young nineteen year olds.
Later, I went to Kitsch to look for some night-life. It was dingy, liberal, air of the night type of place. But few people. All these bars and clubs but little activity, other than I'm told at the weekend. Some lesbians fondled each other and danced, between bouts on the sofa. A couple pairs of girls danced, heterosexual looking and classy. A few guys sat or stood.
Walking back to my bed I was met by some Norwegian guys looking for somewhere to go. I took them to Carpe Diem Klub and we danced a little. Krakow has some great and confident young dancing folk. But I ended going back to bed feeling despondent.
330pm - Hitched a ride from a woman called Annetta, who I'd met at breakfast, and a guy called Paul, to the Salt mines. A nice day. Good to be in the company of wholesome people. The old time religion in me does spark a connection with "godly" people. They were devout Catholics.
At the salt mines the English speaking tour guide was incredibly adept in his role. After the tour of two and a half hours and another hour tour of the museum I sat outside and he came out to smoke and we chatted a little. Pleasant and decent chap.
Annetta and Paul dropped me off to get a minibus back to Krakow, as they were going to see a shrine.
"What more happiness can a man have than to be healthy, debt free, and with a clear conscience?" - Adam Smith
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
7th Dec '08 - Memories and musing
4am - Up again before the crack of dawn. The disco beats have finally stopped and the young drunks ended their shouts. In the corridor one lad is sleeping with his bottle. And I'm listening to snores of my fellow dorm occupants. It smells rough in here - all men!
The fear up on the snow yesterday made me look to "God" and wonder why I want danger. It was a glorious view and exhilarating but I thought, "I want to live". My heart went upwards. And all my foolish pretence of knowledge was insignificant.
Back in town, Damien Rice on my MP3 bringing me in the last few miles, I felt good. The happy tourists to look at. Almost all Polish. Healthy women in their shiny boots - high-heeled power symbols but practical in cold Poland. Some dancers in a shop window, advertising Puma and trying to seduce costumers. I sat in the low afternoon sun before walking up the street and settling on a bar to spend a few hours. Time to drink 19zl worth of Zywiec, yet again the foreigner without the wonderful hospitality of Asia that I've come to expect when I travel.
Many memories come to mind on this lonely holiday... of Aon, Fon, Dad and much more. My sins and failings and longings and happy times. Glorious memories, some.
Read some more of Suzuki's informal talks on Zen while I was drinking in the afternoon. Never quite seems to add-up. Sitting in the correct position is enlightenment, or Buddha mind. Well, I suppose I can kinda grasp it. The focus required means that to do it right brings you in that state - to be one-hundred percent doing something. Wonderful! To be lost in a moment, a task. I like that. Though Buddhism requires faith in it's karmic rebirths and what not. The practice of presence of mind, Buddha mind, if that's the same thing, seems blessed. I love the calm acceptance of it - the joy and resignation.
10am - On the bus, soon to depart for Krakow. The snow falling gently passed my eyes and onto the wet ground. It settles in parts. Branches, roofs, crooks and crannies, car windows. An artist walked with me from the hostel on his way to get coffee. He shook my hand heartily as I walked onto the station. Calm pleasant morning. Looking forward to the city.
The fear up on the snow yesterday made me look to "God" and wonder why I want danger. It was a glorious view and exhilarating but I thought, "I want to live". My heart went upwards. And all my foolish pretence of knowledge was insignificant.
Back in town, Damien Rice on my MP3 bringing me in the last few miles, I felt good. The happy tourists to look at. Almost all Polish. Healthy women in their shiny boots - high-heeled power symbols but practical in cold Poland. Some dancers in a shop window, advertising Puma and trying to seduce costumers. I sat in the low afternoon sun before walking up the street and settling on a bar to spend a few hours. Time to drink 19zl worth of Zywiec, yet again the foreigner without the wonderful hospitality of Asia that I've come to expect when I travel.
Many memories come to mind on this lonely holiday... of Aon, Fon, Dad and much more. My sins and failings and longings and happy times. Glorious memories, some.
Read some more of Suzuki's informal talks on Zen while I was drinking in the afternoon. Never quite seems to add-up. Sitting in the correct position is enlightenment, or Buddha mind. Well, I suppose I can kinda grasp it. The focus required means that to do it right brings you in that state - to be one-hundred percent doing something. Wonderful! To be lost in a moment, a task. I like that. Though Buddhism requires faith in it's karmic rebirths and what not. The practice of presence of mind, Buddha mind, if that's the same thing, seems blessed. I love the calm acceptance of it - the joy and resignation.
10am - On the bus, soon to depart for Krakow. The snow falling gently passed my eyes and onto the wet ground. It settles in parts. Branches, roofs, crooks and crannies, car windows. An artist walked with me from the hostel on his way to get coffee. He shook my hand heartily as I walked onto the station. Calm pleasant morning. Looking forward to the city.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)