DRINKING WITH A LEGEND!

Travelling can be really tiring, especially when you are doing the daughter/tour guide job. After walking all day, figuring out the local money, finding places to visit and learning a few words in their language, you are exhausted by the evening. But I have been forcing myself to go out at least once every few days. It is important for me to hang out sometimes with people close to my age, have a solo moment -a break from my parents -, and since we are in East Europe, try the beer!

Having heard that Krakow is a cool city full of students, I decided to face the night life. After asking a few girls at the hotel reception, it sounded like the the Kazimierz neighborhood is the place to enjoy good bars and clubs.

It took me about 15 minutes to walk (fast) from the hotel to my first bar. It was called The Colours, and even though I was under dressed for Polish standards, I didn't feel out of place there. This was a French theme bar, with pictures on the wall of intellectuals smoking and picturesque places in Paris, like a street market.

I sat there and just watched people. It looked like everyone was having a good time, just hanging out with friends - or strangers - who knows. While I sat at the bar, I was wondering what the conversations were about. I tried to pick up some meaning from people's body language and sounds of words. But in vain.

From there I was off to the next bar. I can't remember the name of it - probably because it was in Polish. For some strange reason, I chose to seat right beside this older man, with long hair and also long grey beard. He immediately started to talk to me, in Polish. I told him I don't understand. He showed me a couple of magazine articles and a book with his photo. At first I thought he was a writer, but my bar friend on the left, came to help me as a translator.

Here is the scene: I am seating in the middle, with this older man talking to me in Polish, grabbing my arm every time he was excited to say something and sometimes putting his arms over my shoulders. On the other side, this young man called Wojciech, was translating and being part of the conversation.

As Wojciech confirmed in a minute, the man seating on my right was the "legendary" Mikolaj. He explained to me that he is a local character who doesn't work, but lives a bohemian life, going to bars every night and drinking with people. Apparently he is quite famous in Krakow, at least for people who frequent bars.

The evening was quite pleasant, especially because Wojciech is also a media person, like me. He works for a news website. We had commom things to talk about, but still Mikolaj was the big star of the evening. He invited me to go out with him afterwards to meet someone, but we agreed that he was just going to send me an e-mail in order to keep up with our just made friendship.

Next day, still a bit hang over from the beers with fruit syrup that are quite popular at the bars here, I told the hotel reception girl about my encounter with Mikolaj. She smiled and said: "of course, the legendary!"

It is too bad I didn't bring my camera, but if you are ever in Krakow, go to the Kazimierz and look for Mikolaj. If there is one person in this neighbourhood that you should have a drink with, this person is him. And it happens that he was seating right beside me. Lucky me!!! Cheers to Mikolaj!!!