Hello from Krakow! I am sitting in an Internet cafe two blocks off the main square in Krakow (pronounced Kra - koof). This town in southern Poland is delightful, and full of history. Krakow was not destroyed during World War II, and thus all the old buildings have survived. Better yet, the dollar is strong versus the Zloty ... which means great meals and other value for a very reasonable price.
For instance, one full hour in this Internet cafe will only set me back 66 cents! It is hard to spend over $50 for a real nice dinner with wine. In fact, last night my wife and I dined at a Russian cafe, with two glasses of wine each ... our total bill was $30. Krakow is easily as beautiful as Prague, and there is a lot more value for your money.
On the technology front, this town in Central Europe is full of contradictions. The city is buzzing with activity as it moves into the 21st century, yet in many town squares you still find "working" hand water pumps. Yesterday we took a day trip to Zakopane, a mountain village in the High Tatras in the Carpathian Mountains. During the train ride, we passed a train yard with several working steam engines.
We head back this afternoon to Ostrava in the Czech Republic. My wife and I will spend one more weekend with our newly married "Czech daughter". Time to go have breakfast ... pastry from a sidewalk vendor. Life is tough!
Next week it will be back to software and engineering content!
