July, 2013 - Krakow Post

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July 2013
Edition 103
ISSN 1898-4762
www.krakowpost.com
Photo: © Tim Churcher
INDIAN KRAKOW
page 10
SPYING ON POLAND
page 8
New Cracovia Inside Tyniec Abbey Cycling and alcohol

Thumbs up from Miss Polska (Photo: David McGirr)
Coca Cola Cup – football on the Rynek (Photo: David McGirr)
Contents
The Krakow Post is a monthly publication
owned by Lifeboat Ltd. and published
under license by Krakow Media
ISSN: 1898-4762
www.krakowpost.com
Managing Director: David McGirr
david.mcgirr@krakowpost.com
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New Cracovia 4
Local News 5–7
Spying on Poland 6
Hidden Jews 9
Krakow’s Indian Spice 10–11
5 Years of the Jewish Community Centre 10–11
Posted: The Month’s Events 12–13
Healthy Living 15
Get out of Town: Dinolandia 16
Krakow Jazz 17
Drop In: La Forchetta 19
Club Life: Music and Gigs 20–21
The Photography of Tim Churcher 22–23
Inside Tyniec Abbey 25
Galicia Mural 27
Kino Mania: Polish Cinema 29
Topical Polish 30
Tales from the Chalkface 30
Dear Luiza… 30
Classified Ads 31
Galicia mural (Photo: Jacek Kabziński)

4
NEW CRACOVIA
■ Anastazja Klimczyk
Alternative façades for the planned redevelopment of the Cracovia Hotel
Images: Echo Investment S.A.
Whether the recently unveiled architectural
revamp of the Cracovia
Hotel site will “revitalize Błonia and its surroundings,”
as the investors claim, is questionable.
Opponents to the recently unveiled
scheme are saying ‘no’ to “another
shopping centre.”
Built in the 1960s, and designed by Witold
Cęckiwicz, the Cracovia Hotel was
once the trendiest lodging in Krakow, but
times and fashions have changed and so
have accommodation standards. In 2011,
the hotel’s then owners – the Accor chain
– decided they could no longer justify
its maintenance and closed it down. Just
weeks before the closure, the building was
designated an historic monument.
The new owner, Echo Investment, finally
showcased its redevelopment plans at the
beginning of June. Cęckiewicz worked with
the investor to update the building he created
almost 50 years ago. The site will provide
space for shops, restaurants, businesses,
as well as entertainment, culture and
recreational purposes. Echo also wants to
construct a large public square extending
to the front entrance of the National Museum
building. An underground car park with
space for 760 vehicles is also included in the
plans and traffic flow in the area would also
be improved.
Right now, the Cracovia Hotel serves as
little more than a vast advertising billboard.
In fact, Echo Investment has taken advantage
of this function to showcase their
plans for Nowa Cracovia. For many of the
city’s residents, these advertisements and
the structure itself are an eyesore, and they
would like the city authorities to agree to
the construction plans.
Others oppose the idea: “With two shopping
malls already in the centre of Krakow,
another one is unnecessary,” said Zdzisław
Trela, a spokesperson for small business and
craft organisations in Małopolska. In a letter
to city authorities, Mr. Trela suggests that:
“the building should be renovated and modernised
to once again function as a hotel.”
Echo Investment counter that the existing
structure’s internal walls are all load bearing,
which would mean keeping the unsuitably
small rooms of the original hotel. There is
also the consideration that the crumbling
structure contains as much as 18 tonnes of
carcinogenic asbestos.
The building’s protected status means
that it cannot simply be demolished. Krakow’s
Conservator of Monuments, Jerzy
Zbiegień, has described the Cracovia Hotel
as: “an architectural icon of its period, and
worth preserving.” The fear is that this protection
could mean the building will join
the Szkieletor Tower and the Forum Hotel
as another crumbling edifice that stubbornly
resists redevelopment.
Echo Investment’s publicity department
has been in overdrive, with promotional material
for the new design appearing across
the city, in local media and on YouTube and
other popular websites. The design retains
the shape of the original building, but adds
a glass fronted extension along the road.
The new façade echoes the repetitive rectangles
of Cęckiewicz’s 1960s elevation. The
Kijów.Centrum cinema directly between
the hotel, also designed by Cęckiwicz and
a protected architectural monument of the
1960s, would remain untouched.
The realisation of the Nowa Cracovia plan
will only be possible if the area is included
in the new development plan for the city.
So far, Krakow authorities have refused to
authorise the 28,000-square-metre complex
that Echo Investment wants, agreeing
to no more than 2,000 square metres for
the development. Echo Investment insists
that their vision will improve the city and
that they have no plans to sell the site.

NEWS
■ Anthony Casey – inside-poland.com
Recycling and Rubbish Revolution
July 1 was a landmark date for Poland as
when new rules for the collection, disposal
and segregation of waste come into
force.
For residents, the biggest impact will be
on those who live in detached and other
forms of single-occupancy homes. They
are now required to contact their local
council and make payments for waste collection
and disposal, and will be charged
higher fees if they do not segregate
household rubbish. Typically, householders
must dispose of glass, plastic, paper
and metal in separate containers. Fees
and the availability of individual containers
vary according to where you live, and
your city council website will have more
information about what to do.
For those who live in apartments, or
communal housing, the responsibility for
organising waste collection according to
the new rules lies with the building manager
or housing co-operative. Segregation
of waste in these circumstances relies
of community co-operation, as there will
be still be higher fees in cases where rubbish
is not sorted – and it will only take
one resident of your block or estate to
fail to segregate to activate the higher
rate. The building manager or co-operative
also has responsibility for organising
separate containers for recyclable materials,
and for payments for the building to
the city council. Some residents may find
that the new rules result in an increase in
the service charge that they pay on their
apartment.
The Ministry of the Environment has a
web page with separate sections dealing
with the new rules, including payments,
questions and answers, and general information.
However, all single-occupancy
residents should contact their city council
for local information. Those living in apartments
and other communal buildings
should contact their building managers.
Krakow City Guard to be disbanded?
Krakow city council is to consider abolishing
the City Guard (Straż Miejska) after
more than 5,000 people signed a petition
in protest about the fines handed out by
officers.
The City Guard has powers, amongst
other things, to fine people on the spot
for drinking in public and for unruly behaviour.
But the party Ruch Palikot, and its
youth arm Ruch Młodych, organised the
petition calling for the service to be disbanded.
Organisers of the petition also said that
the 30 million złoty spent each year on the
City Guard would be better used for other
projects such as schools and community
centres.
The draft proposal must now be debated
by the full city council within three
months. Krakow City Guard has said that
it will not comment until the full draft has
been analysed.
Don’t give to beggars
Social welfare officers in Krakow have
launched a campaign urging members
of the public to donate to official organisations
rather than giving to individual
people on the street.
The campaign, called Nie dawaj
pieniędzy na ulicy (don’t give money on
the street) is aimed at channeling funds
into properly organised programmes to
help the city’s needy and charitable organisations.
Public transport across Krakow
carried the slogan and video messages
on information screens on June 15.
A survey carried out by Krakow city
council via its website found that most
people did not give to beggars in the
street. However, those who did said they
believed they could help, or that they
were ‘worn down’ by the insistence of the
beggars.
But the campaign drives home the message
that giving money can do more harm
than good, as it dissuades beggars from
seeking and receiving permanent help.
The campaign also states that some people
on the street – especially children – are
forced to beg on behalf of others.
The city council publishes a list of NGOs
to which members of the public can donate.
These include charities, sports associations,
social welfare groups and others..
Loving Krakow?
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6
SPYING ON
POLAND
■ Anthony Casey
Across the globe, one name has received
more attention than any other in the
past month. Edward Snowden, an American
intelligence analyst, leaked information
to two of the most respected English language
news outlets, showing the extent to
which the US government monitored the
internet and phone activity of its own and
other citizens.
Specific, country by country details,
emerged only slowly and piecemeal after
the Guardian and the Washington Post
published their first revelations. At the time
of writing, the latest reports suggested that
the US not only eavesdropped on private
citizens, but on the computers of European
Union institutions. The German magazine
Der Spiegel reported on June 30 that
Snowden’s documents clearly identified
the EU as a ‘location target,’ and showed
that intelligence officers in the US hacked
into EU computers in Brussels and America.
In Poland, clear confirmation that the US,
the EU and Poland work together and share
‘know-how’ in tackling cybercrime came
during the same weekend. Just days earlier,
22 government offices, hospitals and
other public institutions across the country
were evacuated after emails warning of a
string of bombs were received. No bombs
were found, and a security operation was
launched to catch the hoaxer.
On June 28, a 26-year-old man was arrested
at Katowice airport, and charged with
36 offences in connection with the bomb
threats, including sending the hoax alerts,
endangering life and property, and risking
public health. The suspect was a Pole, who
had just flown in from the UK’s Birmingham
airport, and security officers in Poland said
that the hoax emails had originated from
US security agencies made
direct requests for details
about the Internet activity
of at least 70 people in
Poland in 2012.
phone-based email accounts in Britain.
After the arrest, Police Superintendent
Marek Działoszyński confirmed that co-operation
between Polish special services and
those from the EU and the USA had been
vital in tracking down the arrested man.
Maciej Karczyński, s spokesman for the
Polish Internal Security Services, was even
more explicit. He said: “We worked with
foreign services, exchanging information,”
adding that the agencies involved had
pooled their information resources relating
to cybercrime.
Covert, international co-operation in
tracking down a suspect in such a serious
case is one thing. But the Polish, US and
British governments have also engaged in
much more wide-ranging and indiscriminate
operations, trawling electronic communications,
gathering information about
private Internet users in Poland, and attempting
to censor ‘critical’ information.
The United States
A request for information to Microsoft revealed
that US security agencies had made
requests to the company for details about
the activity of at least 70 people in Poland
in 2012, and received the names, addresses
and Internet histories of at least 55.
The security agency requests related to
some 110 accounts, and concerned information
about Microsoft’s Hotmail, Outlook,
SkyDrive, Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Account,
Messenger and Office 365 services. The
company did not reveal ‘content information’
– ie, pictures, email content, address
book information or calendar data – but
confirmed that ‘non-content information’
(names, addresses, Internet histories etc.)
was handed over.
Poland
When the Polish Agency for Enterprise
Development (Polska Agencja Rozwoju
Przedsiębiorczości) discovered that Google
search results threw up information critical
of its activities, it approached the company
asking that the data be removed.
The agency made the request in the second
half of 2011, confirmed by a statement
from Google that reads: “We received a request
from the Polish Agency for Enterprise
Development to remove a search result
that criticised the agency as well as eight
more that linked to it. We did not remove
content in response to this request.”
Google also confirmed that ‘executive
[government], police, etc’ agencies had
made other requests in 2011 and 2012, for
the removal of other content. These included
a YouTube film, deemed by authorities
to be ‘religiously offensive,’ and other information
on the grounds of ‘national security,’
‘privacy and security’ and defamation. During
the two-year period, Google received
requests from Polish officials to remove 70
items, but Google declined, saying the content
did not violate ‘community guidelines
of local laws.’
Immediately after Edward Snowden’s
revelations, Poland’s Interior Minister,
Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, announced that
new laws to govern the way that information
is monitored, accessed, collected
and stored were being considered by the
Polish government. Mr Sienkiewicz also
said the Snowden documents showed a
‘shocking picture of total surveillance.’
On July 2, Poland’s Foreign Minister,
Radosław Sikorski, said in response to a
question via Twitter: “… we will demand
an explanation regarding the activity of
the NSA against Poland and the European
Union,” but while the Polish government
has resonded angrily to the content of Mr
Snowden’s revelations, it has not shown
any inclination to shelter Snowdon from
US justice.
On the same day as Mr Sikorski made
this statement, he rejected a formal application
for asylum from the fugitive former
intelligence operative. Also via Twitter, Mr
Sikorski announced that the government
had received a document which did not
meet the formal requirements for an application
for asylum. Mr Sikorski added
that, even if the paperwork had been in
order, he would not recommend that Mr
Snowden be granted asylum in Poland
because ‘Poland and the United States are
allies’.

NEWS
■ Anthony Casey – inside-poland.com
Protestors demand Catholic channel
on national network
Supporters of the Catholic broadcaster TV
Trwam marched in Krakow in June calling
for the channel to be shown on the national
digital network.
The march drew protestors from Krakow,
and from surrounding cities and towns in
Małopolska and Śląsk. They carried banners
and flags, demanding that the National
Council of Radio and Television (KRRiT)
provide space for TV Twram.
The station is owned by the Catholic
charity Lux Veritas, which also runs Radio
Maryja and publishes the newspaper
Nasz Dziennik. It is available in Poland and
around the world via satellite, but has not
been granted a spot on the new digital
network.
Demonstrators in Krakow chanted slogans
such as ‘a free media in a free Poland’
and ‘we are on the street because we are
not in the media’. They said that KRRiT had
a responsibility to represent the 2.5 million
Polish viewers that TV Trwam claims to
have. KRRiT said that its decision was based
on the lack of transparency in TV Trwam’s
funding, not on any desire to censor.
On the same day, June 16, Jarosław
Kaczyński, leader of the Opposition (PiS),
also spoke in support of TV Trwam. At the
National Congress of Catholics in Jasna
Góra, Mr Kaczyński said KRRiT’s exclusion
of TV Trwam from the network was part of
a ‘very broad attack’ on the Church, by the
Polish government.
In his speech calling for ‘an end to atheism’,
Mr Kaczyński also said that the ruling
Civic Platform (PO) party must not introduce
laws against Catholic social teaching.
Super Expo Centre for Krakow
The largest exhibition and conference
centre in Małopolska is to open in Krakow,
in 2014.
Work on Expo Krakow is now underway,
and the centre is expected to welcome its
first guests in spring next year. The centre
will have a 13,000 square metre area, making
it the largest covered space of its kind
in Krakow.
Expo Krakow, at Plac Centralny in Nowa
Huta, will be run by Targi w Krakowie.
The company says the project’s completion
will mark the end of 17 years of careful
planning and will present a ‘modern,
multi-functional fair and congress centre’
for major congresses and one-off events.
Cracovians support Egypt protests
Cracovians came out in support of protesters
in Turkey, holding a march in the
city centre.
Marchers gathered in Rynek Główny on
June 2, and carried their banners and flags
to Wawel. They wanted to raise awareness
of the situation in Antakaya and Istanbul,
where protesters have died after clashing
with police during anti-government legislation.
But the Krakow marchers also wanted
to bring public attention to other aspects
of the Turkish government rule, such as
a proposed ban on kissing in public, and
restrictions on alcohol sales. Around one
hundred people attended the protest in
Krakow, which passed peacefully.
Machete attack leaves man dead
A man died after his arm was nearly severed
during an attack in a residential suburb
of Krakow.
The 23-year-old was found at ul. Żywiecka,
Borek Fałęcki, on June 13 at around 1pm. A
passer-by called emergency services, but
paramedics could not save his life, despite
a 90-minute resuscitation bid.
Police are currently seeking a 24-yearold
man named Wojciech L. in connection
with the incident.

18 8
ON TWO WHEELS
■ Marcin Hyła
It’s summer, and a whole galaxy of Krakow pubs beckons. Since
most of them are located downtown, it’s obvious for many of us
to think of riding a bicycle down to sit in the Rynek or Kazimierz
for a sip of beer or wiśniówka. But beware, there’s a catch – cycling
home may bring a nasty surprise. In Poland, you can find
yourself in prison if the police catch you cycling with a blood alcohol
concentration above a mere 0.5 mg/ml.
However bizarre it may sound, the law is strictly enforced. In 2012, Dutch journalist
Mr Bert van der Linden visited Cracow to cover the Euro 2012 championships.
As a Dutchman, he naturally got himself a bike and pedalled into
town. After a few beers, he set off to cycle back to his hotel. He didn’t make
it. Instead, he was handcuffed by police, stripped almost naked and spent a
night in jail after failing a breathalyser test. The affair became well known in
Poland and stirred understandable uproar in the Netherlands, where nobody
cares about cycling after a beer or three.
Mr van der Linden was far from the only cyclist to be stopped by the police.
Breathalyser test for cyclists are routine in Poland. If you ride a bike in the
evening, you can be sure you will be stopped by sooner or later – the police
seem to have a penchant for cyclists. Last year, roughly 170 thousand people
were stopped for drink driving in Poland. Incredibly, half of them were cyclists.
A recent catch was editor-in-chief of Radio Dla Ciebie and local council
leader of Warsaw’s Białołęka.
Take a deep breath
You may wonder at the number of road traffic accidents caused by drunk
cyclists. The answer is, not many and definitely not half of all road traffic accidents.
In 2012, there were a total of 2,336 road traffic accidents in Poland
caused by individuals over the alcohol limit, with 306 fatalities and 3,125 injuries.
Of these, only 206 accidents were caused by cyclists over the alcohol
limit (23 fatalities and 195 injuries) – well below 8 percent of the total, and
with almost all victims being the cyclists themselves.
Legal technicalities, penal statistics
The blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers (and cyclists) in Poland is 0.2
mg/ml. A level between 0.2 and 0.5 mg/ml constitutes an offence (wykroczenie),
punishable with a fine of up to 5,000 złoty. A blood alcohol concentration
of 0.5 or above is a crime (przestępstwo) and can land you in prison for a
year whether you are caught riding a bicycle or driving a 40-tonne truck. The
only exception – which will take a good lawyer to prove – may be cycling off
public roads, although you are unlikely to be able to tell if a road is public or
not at a glance.
Wither you have committed an offence or a crime, you will be sent to trial. In
practice, judges rarely send cyclists straight to prison. In most cases, they are
fined heavily (several thousand złoty) or granted probation. The nasty catch
is that, under Polish law, a judge must ban a convicted cyclist from riding for
at least half a year. Breaching this ban is often harshly punished. If you happen
to be caught breaking a cycling ban – even if you are perfectly sober
– you will face up to three years in prison. In 2012, more than two thousand
people in Poland were sentenced to prison time for breaching a court ban
on cycling, and there were as many as five thousand inmates serving prison
term for the same crime – significantly more than the number serving time
for drink driving.
With A major Criminal Code overhaul pending in the Polish Parliament, the
law will likely be overturned in 2014. There seems to be broad political consent
that cycling drunk should no longer be considered a crime, although it
remains unclear how it will be punished. Until then, consider a small folding
bike that will fit in a cab for the journey home, or think about exploring some
other country on two wheels if you want to do it not fully sober. ■

HIDDEN JEWS
■ Nissan Tzur
In 1999, when Mariusz Opałko was 51
years old, his mother told him a secret
that would change his life. “It was January
10, Mariusz recalls, “My mother had been
admitted to hospital just a few days earlier.
Suddenly, she turned to me and told
me that I was Jewish – and not just a Jew,
but a Cohen.”
Mariusz, who now he calls himself
Moshe Lederman Cohen, is now 65 years
old and works as a lawyer in his hometown
of Krakow. He was raised as a Catholic in
Communist Poland and, despite what he
now recognises as numerous signs that
his family was not like others, he never
questioned his identity.
“With the benefit of hindsight, I see now
that there were signs that we were Jewish.
I noticed that, whenever there were difficult
times for the Jews and many of them
were losing their jobs or being persecuted,
my father and uncle also lost their jobs
and the family had to move from place to
place. Another thing was the holidays. We
never had Christmas or Easter, but ‘March
holidays’ and ‘December holidays.’ As a
child, I didn’t pay much attention to these
things,” said Mariusz.
This all changed on that day in January
1999 when his mother finally revealed the
family secret. She died a few days later.
Mariusz later learned that both of his parents
were the survivors of Jewish families
that had perished in Auschwitz. After the
war, the fear of being Jewish in Poland led
his parents to hide their religion and to
live as Catholics. They passed this way of
life on to Mariusz, without explanation.
After learning his true identity, Mariusz
went into shock, but slowly, over the years,
he decided he wanted to live a Jewish life.
He contacted Krakow’s Chief Rabbi, Boaz
Pash, and started to become involved
with the Jewish community in Krakow.
Last April, at a meeting of so-called
‘Hidden Jews” in Oświęcim, Opałko met
Michael Freund, the founder and chairman
of the Shavei Israel organisation,
whose aim is to strengthen ties between
the State of Israel and the descendants of
Jews around the world.
“I was deeply moved when Mariusz
told me his incredible story,” said Freund,
“I told him that, since 13 years had passed
since he found out he was a Jew, it was
an appropriate time for him to have a Bar
Mitzvah”. Freund then offered to arrange
for the event to take place at the Western
Wall in Jerusalem – all paid for by Shavei
Israel. Mariusz agreed gratefully.
Mariusz landed in Israel at the end of
May, 2013. “A young woman asked me at
the airport if I was a Jew, and I proudly said
yes,” recalled Mariusz, “She was probably
from Mossad” he joked. A few days later,
Mariusz celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at the
Western Wall with Rabbi Pash, Freund and
a few guests.
“I feel like I have been reborn since my
mother revealed this incredible secret to
me,” said Mariusz, “I am not doing this to
prove anything to anyone. All I ask is to
embrace the truth about my family and
regain the identity that was hidden from
me for decades.”

Krakow’s
Indian
Spice
■ Jamie Stokes
India is not the first country that springs
to mind in close associate with Poland,
but links between the two nations are
long established and growing stronger.
Krakow’s Jagiellonian University, for
example, has been teaching Sanskrit,
Hindi and Indian cultural studies since
1894. Rapid economic development in
Poland and India, and the mutual recognition
that there is business to be done,
has also meant the slow but steady development
of an Indian community in
Krakow.
Mr Umesh Chandra Nautiyal was one
of the pioneers of this community. Originally
from northern India, Mr. Nautiyal
has been teaching Hindi at the Jagiellonian
University for 17 years now, and
has become something of a pillar of
the South Asian contingent in the city,
There are probably about
200 Indians living in
Krakow… There is a lot of
interest in Indian culture
among Poles
though his natural modesty would insist
that he deny it. What is undeniable
is that Nautiyal was the founder of the
Indo-Polish Cultural Committee (IPCC) in
2000 and has been its undisputed president
ever since.
I sat down with Umesh over a meal at
Hot Chilli (still the best curry house in
Krakow) to talk about the IPCC, India and
Poland. “I was a kind of unofficial ambassador
for India in Krakow for years. Whenever
delegations or performers from India
were coming here, they would give
me a call first. Not that I was complaining
– I got to keep in touch with India
and meet some very interesting people,”
said Umesh.
After organising a celebration of the
Hindu festival of Diwali in Krakow in
2000, Umesh decided to put matters on
a more formal footing by creating the
IPCC. The organisation became a legally
recognised NPO in 2003 and has been
organising festivals and cultural events
ever since. These have included visits
from top-flight Indian performers such
as Uma Sharma, a master of the classical
Indian dance form known as kathak, and
legendary classical flautist, Hariprasad
Chaurasia. “Most exciting for me was the
visit by kathak guru Birju Maharaj. At 75
years of age, he had more energy and
enthusiasm than I’ve ever had!” smiled
Umesh.
The IPCC is a genuinely cross-cultural
organisation, with both South Asian and
Polish members, and now has branches
in cities across Poland. One of its new
vice presidents is local politician Katarzyna
Bielańska, who has been very active
in promoting cultural and business links
between Małopolska and India.

Perfect
English}
Indian performers at IPCC cultural events (photos Leszek Górak). Bottom right: Katarzyna Bielańska and Umesh Chandra Nautiyal.
IPCC events regularly attract hundreds
of locals as well as the Indian community.
“There are probably about 200 Indians
living in Krakow, most of them
working in Indian companies or in the
large multi-nationals that operate in the
city,” said Umesh. “There is a lot of interest
in Indian culture among Poles. Hindi
courses at the university are always oversubscribed.”
Commerce between India and Poland
is not yet huge (less than two percent of
Poland’s imports come from India, contrasting
with over eight percent from
China), but that looks set to change. The
steel giant ArcelorMittal has been established
in Nowa Huta since 2005 and
is now an established part of the community.
A very large Indian embassy is
currently under construction in Warsaw,
which will include an Indian Cultural
Centre, and it is one of the IPCC’s goals
to secure the funds to build a similar
centre in Krakow. Umesh has many kind
words for the Indian ambassador to Poland,
Monika Kapil Mohta, who has been
a great support to the IPCC and Indian
businesses in Krakow.
With a man of Umesh’s circumspection,
it was never going to be easy to get
to a frank discussion of the challenges
facing an Indian living in Krakow. He
did note that Poles and Indians tend to
have very different approaches to family
and social life, with Indians used to
living an ‘open house’ lifestyle in which
friends, cousins and business associates
are free to drop in unannounced at any
time – something Poles take some getting
used to.
He also pointed out that, while both
Indians and Poles are known for their
capacity to work hard, the Indian way
of doing business is rather different.
“Indians never stop doing business,” he
said, “business is our hobby, we do business
in our space time. When we meet
friends, we talk about business! Poles like
to keep some separation between their
working and home lives.”
Umesh insists that he has experienced
only warmth and openness from Poles in
the years he has lived here. “I think Poles
and Indians get along very well. I have
lived in a small village outside Krakow
for years now, and my neighbours have
always been helpful.” Charming and conciliatory
to a fault, with Mr Nautiyal at its
head, the IPCC will undoubtedly continue
to cement Indo-Polish relations at the
personal level.
Find out more about the IPCC and its
upcoming events: www.ipcc.pl or facebook.com/ipbcc
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12
posted
Transgenic, fluorescent bunny ‘Alba’,
Lagolify at Bunkier Sztuki this month
Exhibitions
Vanity
Economics in Art
The architecture of clothing
Szymborska’s Drawer
Featuring one hundred works from the F.C.
This new exhibition at MOCAK is the third
With Krakow Photomonth taking fashion
Krakow’s beloved Nobel Prize winning poet
Gundlach Collection, the National Museum’s
in a series putting artistic endeavour in the
as its theme this year, the Ethnographic
Wisława Szymborska once said the drawer
Vanity exhibition provides an in depth look
context of everyday life. It features work
Museum has warmed to the idea with an
was humanity’s greatest invention and the
at the art of fashion photography. The pho-
from dozens of Polish and international
exhibition looking at what historical cloth-
giant chest of drawers in which she kept a
tos are by top flight practitioners of the art
artists addressing questions such as how
ing can tell us about the people who wore
weird and wonderful collection of knick-
and range from the 1930s to the 1970s.
value is created and the ethics of success.
it, and the societies they were part of.
knacks forms the centre of this exhibition.
When: Until September 1
When: Until September 29
When: Until September 29
When: Permanent
Where: National Museum, al. 3 Maj 1
Where: MOCAK, ul. Lipowa 4
Where: Ethnographic Museum, Plac Wolnica 1
Where: Szołayski House, pl. Szczepański 9
The Perfect City
A Woman’s Work
Traces of Memory
Temptress
A comprehensive history of Krakow’s most
The idea of this exhibition is to survey re-
Photographs by the late Chris Schwarz and
Belgian artist Charlotte Beaudry’s solo
troubled district – the planned Socialist
alistic, symbolic and allegorical represen-
text by Prof. Jonathan Webber are com-
show at MOCAK features more than a
paradise of Nowa Huta. The exhibition com-
tations of ‘women’s jobs.’ The exhibition
bined to offer a powerful, moving, but ulti-
dozen paintings and sculptures that pro-
prises photos, multimedia presentations
brings together some 150 prints from the
mately hopeful insight into the Jewish past
voke associations with the tools of female
and documentaries covering 50 years.
16th to the 19th centuries as well as con-
and present in Poland. The material took 12
seduction. Get drawn in, but keep your eye
When: Permanent
temporary works of art.
years to compile.
on the exit.
Where: Nowa Huta branch of the Historical
When: Until August 11
When: Permanent exhibition
When: Until September 29
Museum of Krakow, os. Słoneczne 16
Where: ICC, Rynek Główny 25
Where: Galicia Jewish Museum, ul. Dajwór 18
Where: MOCAK, ul. Lipowa 4
Lagoglify
Jan Matejko
In Hasidic Circles
Lady with an Ermine
If you’re used to seeing glowing green ani-
In the year that marks the 175th anniversary
Assigned by Reuters to photograph an ul-
Poland’s most valuable work of art, Leon-
mals after a night out in Krakow, Eduardo
of the birth of Jan Matejko, and the 120th
tra orthodox neighbourhood of Jersulalem,
ardo da Vinci’s Lady With an Ermine, is now
Kac’s genetically engineered flourescent
anniversary of his death, the National Mu-
Gil Cohen-Magen became fascinated by
on display at Wawel Castle. Tickets cost
bunny rabbit probably won’t interest you.
seum in Krakow is holding a wide-ranging
this community living strictly by the Torah.
10zl, but book in advance if you want to
For everyone else, this controversial ‘bio-
exhibition of his work and many objects
The In Hasidic Circles photos are the result
avoid queues – only 20 people at a time
art’ project is unmissable.
connected with Poland’s greatest painter.
of a decade of work among these people.
will be allowed into the room.
When: From July 19
When: Until September 15
When: Until August 30
When: Permanent
Where: Bunkier Sztuki, Plac Szczepański 3a
Where: Matejko House, ul. Floriańska 41
Where: Galicia Jewish Museum, ul. Dajwór 18
Where: Wawel Castle
cultural
partners

Film
Live Waltz
Coming live from Maastricht to Kijów.Centrum’s
big screen this month is a concert
by Dutch violinist and conductor, André
Rieu – the King of the Waltz. Featuring the
Johann Strauss Orchestra, sopranos, tenors,
and many very special guests.
When: July 13, 8 pm
Where: Kijów.Centrum, al. Krasińskiego 34
Music/Other
Summer Jazz Festival
Krakow’s 18th Summer Jazz Festival is already
in full swing, and continues to the
end of the month. Across the city, dudes
will be soaking in and putting out mellow
vibes, and some of the most experimental
music out there. See: www.cracjazz.com
When: Until July 28
Where: Numerous venues
Baranki in Diapers
Parents with toddlers looking to escape
to the cinema for a few hours are invited
to take advantage of Kino Pod Baranami’s
unique offer. Mum and dad can cosy up for
a good film, while junior snoozes in the next
room. See: kinopodbaranami.pl
When: July 11, 11 am
Where: Kino Pod Baranami, Rynek Główny 27
Street Theatre Festival
Once again, Krakow’s KTO Theatre organises
one of Europe’s biggest festivals of street
theatre. The concept is simple – to put cutting
edge theatre from around the world
in front of whoever happens to be walking
past at the time. See: ulica26.teatrkto.pl
When: July 11–14
Where: Numerous venues
Russ Meyer movies
Summer jazz
Bad Movie Night
Throughout July, Kino Kika will be offering
Cracovians the chance to see some of the
worst movies in cinema history. If you’ve
never seen an Ed Wood or Russ Meyer
movie, you don’t know what you’re missing.
More info: kinokika.pl
When: Every Friday and Saturday
Where: Kino Kika, ul. Ignacego Krasickiego 18
Festival of Polish Music
Organised by the Polish Music Association
since 2005, the Festival of Polish Music
brings the best of contemporary and historical
music from the land of the red and
white flag to an international audience.
See: www.fmp.org.pl
When: July 12–21
Where: Numerous venues
Summer Animation
The Krakow Summer Animation Days Festival
is in its fourth year and features the best
in contemporary animated cinema from
around the globe once again this month.
Screenings take place every evening on
Mały Rynek. See: www.ksad.pl
When: July 26–29
Where: Mały Rynek
Nordic Music
The Crossroads Festival of Traditional Music
continues its mission to uncover and
breathe life into ancient musical traditions
from around the world. This year, it turns
north to the Nordic countries, as well as
closer to home. See: www.rozstaje.pl
When: July 14–21
Where: Numerous venues

FREE
INTRODUCTORY
VISIT
FROM FORWARD ROLL TO ROLL OF
HONOUR
The Little Gym offers a wide variety of gymnastics-based classes that help
children aged 4 months to 12 years reach their greatest potential. Structured
lessons, unique themes and a nurturing, colourful environment build motor
skills and confidence during each stage of childhood.
The Little Gym Krakow • ul. ks. Franciszka Maja 40
30-499 Krakow • Tel: +48 12 264 94 01
www.thelittlegym.eu/krakow • krakow@thelittlegym.pl
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Healthy living
Healthy KIDS
While there is no magic formula that
will ensure your child has a successful
life, there is a proven way to help
jump-start their future: by helping them
develop motor skills. And the sooner you
start, the better.
What are motor skills?
Put simply, motor skills are movements
that use the small and large muscles of
the body. They can be divided into two
categories, fine motor skills and gross
motor skills. The former involves small
movements of the body, such as tying
shoelaces, moving a toy from one hand to
the other, stacking building blocks or writing.
Gross motor skills involve large movements
such as crawling, walking, hopping
or doing somersaults.
Developing motor skills is a more complex
process than building muscles because
it requires coordination of many
body parts, including the brain, muscles,
bones, joints and the nervous system.
How does developing motor skills influence
a child’s cognitive ability?
Motor skill development can be thought
of as cross-training for the mind.
Researchers have taken images of the
brain to learn what parts of it are activated
when children are learning motor skills
and what parts are activated during cognitive
or thinking tasks. They learned that
both activities caused the same section of
the brain – the cerebellum – and similar
neurons to activate.
This means that teaching children skills
such as balance and controlled movement
can enhance the complexity of their
brain structure. Repeated experiences
that teach new and increasingly challenging
motor skills actually help strengthen
the brain’s neurological pathways. The
more developed the brain becomes, the
higher a child’s cognitive functioning is
likely to be.
Can motor skill development help kids
do better in school?
The answer is yes, according to several
studies. Scientists have looked at the
physical activity, motor ability and schoolreadiness
of 6-year-olds and found that
those with more highly developed motor
skills demonstrated a greater level of
school-readiness and fared better in kindergarten
and later schooling than those
with less developed motor skills.
What should all parents know about
motor skill development?
1) Start young. During the first two years
of a child’s life, rapid brain development
brings with it certain time periods during
which children are most receptive to
learning new motor skills.
At even a few months old, infants can
start developing their motor skills by sitting
up, rolling, crawling, clapping, waving,
reaching and grasping for objects.
We also know that the window for
learning fine motor skills ends around the
age of 10. Once the window closes, kids
can still learn the skill, but it will be more
difficult and require more work.
2) Repetition, repetition, repetition. Like
multiplication tables or the alphabet, motor
skills are best learned through guided
repetition, to the point of where performing
the skill becomes automatic. Repetition
gives a child more opportunities to
experience success, build confidence and
develop strength and endurance.
Toddlers especially can become obsessed
with a particular skill or activity and
want to perform it over and over. Here
again, repetition is a positive thing because
the child is internalizing the skill and
developing his or her muscle memory.
3) Challenge your child. It is healthy to
present your child with new challenges
and risks, but do so with no expectations;
while you may be ready to try something
new, your child may not be.
The more that parents lead by example
in taking small risks, the more likely
the child will be to follow. Demonstrate
the physical skill, create excitement for
it, provide positive motivation, and your
child will likely want to try for himself or
herself.
The focus should be on a child’s individual
abilities: establish a baseline for what
the child can do now, and then reach beyond
it to help the child stay motivated.
Fun and positive activities foster a joy for
physical activity that will last throughout
childhood and into adult life.
Where can parents learn more about
motor skill development?
Gymnastics-based programmes, such as
The Little Gym, offer classes especially
designed to help children between 4
months and 12 years develop motor skills
and confidence in a fun, nurturing environment.
■

16
Get Out of Town…
■ Angelina Wormus
Finding a good destination for a day
out of town with the family can be a
challenge, but I sure hit the jackpot when
I discovered Dinolandia a few kilometres
from the town of Wadowice. It’s a peaceful
and rather serene location among the
rolling hills around Andrychów.
The park boasts 50, life-sized dinosaur
models standing around meandering
streams, fountains and hanging rope
bridges. The largest is an impressive 22
meters from head to tail.
Among the many attractions, the Cave
of Secrets was the hands down winner
for my two boys. Made up of a maze of
tunnels with five entrances and exits, it
features prehistoric-style cave paintings,
fake fossils and even a caged dinosaur in
the centre that makes sounds that echo
down the passageways. Parts of the Cave
are pitch black (a flashlight wouldn’t be
a bad idea) so that you have to feel your
way through – incredibly exciting for
young explorers. Adult visitors should expect
to be bent over at a 90-degree angle
as they follow their thrilled mini cavemen
through the maze.
Once you’re done with all the prehistoric
sights, you can move on to the rides
and activities. There are bouncy castles,
bungee trampolines, mini electric and
peddle boats, ATVs on a dirt track, water
walking balls, a mini train and kids archery.
A combination ticket costing 30zł gives
access to 15 rides.
For the brave, there’s an eight-metre artificial
climbing wall that you can get harnessed
up to climb and then repel down
and Crazy Tyrol zip lines high above the
park. If that sounds a little stressful, there
is also a fun mini golf course.
The onsite restaurant has outdoor seating
facing a children’s playground.
Dinolandia
Address:
ul. Wadowicka 167, Andrychów (an
hour’s drive from Krakow)
Parking:
Free
Entry:
Adults 18zł, Kids 14zł, free for children
under three.
Toilets:
Yes, near the entrance and by the
rides.
Website:
www.dinolandia.pl

Krakow Jazz
■ Dorota Nowakówna
July has been Krakow’s most jazzy month
for many years now. Jazz concerts by
world-famous musicians are nothing extraordinary
in the city, but their intensity
reaches a peak in July.
The Summer Jazz Festival at Piwnica pod
Baranami provides a musical feast frosted
with fabulous stars, but also offers young
artists a chance to learn and show off their
talents during the International Summer
Jazz Academy (ISJA), which is conducted by
a Polish and US team of experienced teachers
and accomplished performers. This year
marks the Academy’s 18th edition.
Why do these Americans keep coming
back to Krakow for a two-week intensive
commitment? The Krakow Post spoke to
some of the Academy’s teachers:
Willem von Hombracht
Bass player, Webster University of St.
Louis
We do indeed have really long days and
very little sleep. The teaching schedule
starts at 9am, and continues until 5 or 6pm.
Then the students’ jam session takes place
from about 7pm until midnight, or later.
We do have Sunday off between the
first and second week. Sometimes it’s actually
a day of rest, but some years we have
squeezed recording projects in between
the classes, or I’ve volunteered to be a tour
guide for the US students who come with
us.
Even though I’m always extremely busy,
it’s always a lot of fun. We all teach directly
from practical experience. This is very important
to me – jazz education cannot be
only academic, it must also be very practical.
We generally have very good students.
This does not mean that they are all playing
at a high level, but that they really listen
and learn from what we present to them,
no matter what their level is. I usually get a
strong sense that the students truly appreciate
the fact that we are there for them, if
only for a short time. When players from different
places come together, the resulting
music is much richer.
Gary Wittner
Guitar player, University of Southern
Maine School of Music
Cross-cultural connections through music
have been one of the most interesting
things for me in my career. I have played on
five continents with people from diverse
cultures and it is always amazing to see
how music connects people where language
cannot. That is what keeps me coming
back to ISJA.
Michael Parkinson
Trumpet player, Director, School of Music
at Middle Tennessee State University
I first came to Poland in March 1993 to present
workshops in Krakow and Katowice
thanks to an invitation from Isidore Rudnick,
an American trombonist and composer
who lived in Poland in the 1980s. From the
beginning, the ISJA has promoted an equality
and ease of communication between all
faculty members and students. Through
classes in theory and history, ensemble
rehearsals, vocal and instrumental master
classes, the nightly jam sessions, opportunities
to hear great professional artists, and
the concluding gala concerts, the ISJA continues
to be a driving force and a testament
to Isi’s original vision. I have followed the
progress of many ISJA students who now
have great careers and I am honoured to
have played a part in helping them through
the ISJA.
Having spent time with native Cracovians
Janusz Muniak, Adam Makowicz, Jarek
Śmietana, Joachim Mencel and others, I
have breathed in the centuries of devotion
to the highest levels of artistic creation and
freedom of expression in Krakow and regard
the city as my ‘distant home.’
For more information: jazz.krakow.pl

Albrecht Dürer
Rembrandt van Rijn
Peter Paul Rubens
William Hogarth
& the others
26.04 – 11.08.2013 ◆ ICC GALLERY ◆ Krakow, Rynek Główny 25 ◆ Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a. m.–7 p. m. ◆ www.mck.krakow.pl
ORGANISERS
PROJECT CONFINANCED
BY THE MUNICIPALITY
OF KRAKOW
PERMANENT PATRONAGE
PERMANENT PARTNERS
PARTNERS

DROP IN : LA
■ Jamie Stokes
FORCHETTA
ul. Józefa Marcika 27
facebook.com /
restauracjalaforchetta
19
Photos: David McGirr
Here’s an idea: how about a decent,
family-friendly restaurant that you
don’t have to trek all the way into the centre
of town to visit – a place on the doorsteps
of Krakow’s growing suburban middle
class that offers something a bit more
sophisticated than Zywiec-branded deck
chairs and doughy pizza. It’s a damn good
idea, and new eatery La Forchetta is the
first to have grabbed it with both hands.
Krakow’s dining scene has come on in
leaps and bounds over the past five years,
but it remains tied to the golden tourist
circuits of the Old Town and Kazimierz. Almost
the only eateries in the areas where
the vast majority of Cracovians actually
live are ramshackle pizza places and Disneyesque
karczma huts serving kotlets the
size of your head. La Forchetta is trying
something different.
Situated a short distance from the vast
and popular Zakopianka shopping and
business park, and, more importantly, a
few minutes drive from an awful lot of offices
and comfortable suburban homes,
La Forchetta represents a bold move in
Krakow dining.
It’s not a move that has been made halfheartedly
either. The restaurant occupies
the ground floor of a spanking new building
designed by hot, young architects Karpiel
and Steindel. It looks like an expensive
Belgian chocolate still in the wrapper. The
interior design is top notch and the food
is as good as any you’ll find in a restaurant
on the Rynek. The staff are smart, the
chefs are properly trained and floor manager
Urszula is the most delightful host
I’ve encountered in a Krakow restaurant
for a long time.
Visiting La Forchetta provides a fascinating
insight into the forces that are reshaping
Poland. The sleek building, which
wouldn’t look out of place in Berlin or Tokyo,
sits next to traditional rural cottages,
complete with head-scarf wearing grandmothers
sitting in their doorways. SUVs
and shiny new family cars stream past on
the evening commute, several of them
turning into La Forchetta’s car park for a
bite to eat on the way home. The tables
are occupied by families with young kids
and business types entertaining clients.
La Forchetta stands out from its surroundings,
but it’s no foreign import. The
restaurant was established by a family who
have lived in the area all their lives. Youngest
son and co-owner Artur Krzeszowiak
manages the place full time, while older
brother Robert and mum and dad are always
on hand to meet and greet friends
and neighbours.
The restaurant’s offer is savvy and carefully
thought out. The kids’ corner, for example,
is actually big enough for kids to
play in and features a miniature kitchen
and dining table – so much smarter than
the usual chalkboard and box of battered
toys that other restaurants provide. Nearby
is a notice board advertising pets in
need of adoption (the owners are active
supporters of animal rescue centres) so
little Julia and Paweł can develop dreams
of ponies and puppies as their unwitting
parents sample the excellent wine list.
Despite the Italian name, the food is
broadly ‘continental’ with Italian leanings
rather than exclusively Latin. The dishes
are reassuringly few and assuredly top
notch, with mains weighing in at between
20 and 50 złoty. There is a breakfast menu
(served from 9 am), a weekly lunch menu
for 25 złoty (including a drink), and seasonal
specials. Live music is provided on
the third Thursday of each month and further
entertainment and promotions are in
the pipeline.
It will be fascinating to see how well La
Forchetta fares. The sure-footedness with
which the restaurant has established itself
in little more than a month – regular, local
customers were already clearly evident
– bodes well. I suspect we’ll be seeing a
lot more following where La Forchetta has
bravely led. ■

THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF
Krakow
TIM
CHURCHER
Tim Churcher is a British photographer living and working in Krakow. He
undertakes a wide range of photographic commissions, including portraiture,
food photography, event coverage and pretty much anything else
that can be captured with a lens.
Years of experience have equipped Tim with a technical expertise that few
can surpass, but more importantly, as he himself notes: “all photography
comes down to understanding the science of capturing light and the art of
aesthetic composition, this holds true whatever the subject matter may be
and it is this marriage of science and art that is my passion.”
We spoke to Tim about his life and work in Krakow.
Post: Where are you from?
Tim Churcher: I grew up in North Hertfordshire
but have also lived in London,
Leicester, Nanjing and Shanghai.
KP: How long have you lived in Krakow?
TC: I’ve been here for five and a half years.
KP: What is your favourite part of Krakow
to photograph?
TC: I don’t have one. Actually, I do but it
keeps changing. Places look different at
different times of day and year. If I go out
on a shoot in any city, one of the first things
I look for is the direction of light, interesting
patches of sky etc., these are things that
bring life and drama to a scene and if you
give appropriate consideration to the conditions
and choose the right time, you can
take dramatic pictures of any location.
KP: Do you prefer to photograph people
or places?
TC: I really like to combine the two. If you
photograph the right person, in the right
way, in the right time and place you can
get a great shot. People and places both
have personalities – it can work really well
to match them, contrast them or even
clash them.
KP: What do you think first attracted you to
photography?
TC: Cameras, lenses and all the related
paraphernalia were shiny, and expensive
– yes, it happened that early in life. I’ve always
been interested in visual imagery and
I suppose the techy nature of photography
kind of appealed to my geeky side too –
corny though it may sound, it really is that
marriage of science and art that I describe
on my website.
KP: When did you make the decision that it
would become your career?
TC: It was something that I had wanted to
do for years but held back from it through
circumstance. Then I suppose I waited until
I had a body of work that I was proud of so
I could say “Hello world, this is me and this
is what I can do.”
them improve their results?
TC: That’s easy – visit timchurcherphotography.co.uk
and check out the beginners’
lessons on my blog.
KP: If you could photograph one person /
place / thing at any time in history, who or
what would it be?
TC: Who - Vincent Price, where – Isle of
Skye, when – before midges evolved.
What a face and what a landscape, that
would be one dramatic photo-shoot.
KP: What’s the best thing about living in
Krakow?
TC: This city is a creative melting pot, I
have met so many extremely talented artists
and musicians here and a select few
have become close friends. If you are at all
creative yourself, then being in the company
of other creative souls can be truly
inspirational.
KP: Expat Radio DJ Mike Doherty features
in your cover photo what was it like working
with him?
TC: Mike’s great to work with, laid-back
and reliably jolly with a healthy dollop of
eccentricity, that’s what I’ve tried to get
across in the cover photo – yeah, he’s a
top bloke, he’s in my tribe. Why, what’s
that Irish fool been saying about me?
KP: What has been your greatest achievement
in photography so far?
TC: Peer recognition. I’ve been fortunate
in that I’ve had a couple of photography’s
biggest names peruse my photos, and
when someone like Karl Taylor tells you
that you can take great pictures then, well,
I was pretty chuffed.
KP: What single piece of advice would you
give to amateur photographers to help
KP: What’s in the pipeline?
TC: Well there’s some exciting stuff going
on right now, I’m preparing for an exhibition
in October, I’m shooting some music
videos and I’ve been commissioned to
produce a series of corporate promotional
videos. If anyone would like to view some
of my video work or see some more of my
images, a Youtube search for ‘Tim Churcher
Photography’ will do the job. l

All photos, © Tim Churcher
23

Looking for something to do here in Krakow?
You’ll probably want to check out the biggest
english-language website about this city:
Reliable, up-to-date information written by locals.
www.local-life.com/krakow
Restaurants
Hotels
Pubs & Clubs
Shopping
Entertainment
Services
Culture
...and many more!

25
Tyniec
Abbey
■ Monika Wewiorska
Tyniec is a very popular destination for day trippers from Krakow, easily accessible by
road, along a dedicated cycle route and by river. Dominating the village, and providing
much of its charm, is the Benedictine Abbey that has stood on this site since the 11th
century. Many visitors pop into the courtyard of the Abbey, and perhaps the shop, but
what else goes on in this ancient sanctuary on a bend of the Vistula? The Krakow Post
spoke to Father Jan Paweł, one of the 36-strong religious community that lives in the
Abbey full time.
KP: What can visitors expect to see in the
Abbey itself?
JP: For casual visitors, there is an Abbey museum
with permanent and one-off exhibitions.
We also invite the spiritually weary
to spend more time with us in our guest
house (see: www.benedyktyni.eu). We are
not a hotel, but we do welcome people to
come and share our way of life for short periods
of time.
KP: Why do people come to stay at the Abbey?
JP: The most important thing the monastery
offers is tranquillity. We recommend
staying with us from Monday to Thursday,
taking part in our common meals and, most
crucially, praying with us in the church.
Throughout the year, we also organise retreats
and workshops on subjects as diverse
as marriage, midlife crises, depression and
meditation.
KP: Which are your most popular workshops?
JP: There is quite a lot of interest in all types
meditations. Lots of people are looking
for high level meditation and concentration,
which is only possible in some special
places – Tyniec is certainly one of them.
One of the most interesting forms of bodily
and spiritual training is our Lent health programme,
which is based on the botanical
and medicinal texts of Saint Hildegard. We
organised four sessions for 30 people each
year. It is based on a diet of spelt (an ancient
form of wheat) and herbal teas, which allow
the purification of the body. Our calligraphy
workshops are also popular. During these
workshops, the participants work in silence
using medieval methods of penmanship on
parchment. Of course I must also mention
Photos: Paweł Wewiorski
our speciality: Gregorian chant workshops.
KP: Are there any restrictions on women
visiting the Abbey?
JP: The rule is that only men can usually eat
with the monks in the refectory – women
eat in the parlour. Women may be invited
to the refectory during important church
holidays, or for meals in our garden.
KP: What is daily life in the Abbey like?
JP: The essence is our life is to live in the
present, in this place, in this time – as
the Rule of St. Benedict puts it: “remain in
the presence of God.” Every day has a set
rhythm. Our motto is ‘Prayer and work’ (‘Ora
et labora’ in the Rule of Saint Benedict), we
pray deeply and we work had to support
our community – the result is a joyful life.
The monks wash dishes, tidy up, manage
the retreats and workshops, serve their
guests, and manage the museum and the
Benedictine Culture Centre.
KP: What are typical Benedictine rituals
like?
JP: We pray together, and sing chorales
in particular. We always eat together, and
there is always a reading as we eat, according
to the Rule of Saint Benedict. During
holidays, we listen to music during dinner,
and invite guests. One of our rituals is washing
the feet of the fathers of children taking
communion, which happens on Maundy
Thursday every year.
KP: We’ve notices that the Abbey has a
lovely cafe serving herbal teas and really
gorgeous cakes. Which Benedictine specialities
should we try?
JP: I highly recommend our three varieties
of beer!

27
Galicia
Mural
Photos: Jacek
Kabziński
Visitors to Krakow’s Galicia Jewish
Museum on ul. Dajwór, or
indeed anyone who has been in the
vicinity, cannot have failed to notice
the huge new mural that now graces
the side of the building.
The work of local graphic artist,
Marcin Wierzchowski of HMMM
Studio, the 120 square metre mural
took first prize in a recent competition
organised by the museum to
brighten up its exterior.
According to Wierzchowski, the
design is based on traditional Jewish
paper cutting – a folk art that
once thrived in Central Europe and
has recently enjoyed something of a
revival.
“The right-hand side of the mural
contains images related to the Krakow
Jewish diaspora, the left-hand
side to modern Israel,” said Wierzchowski,
“the grapes surrounding
the menora in the centre are a symbol
of the Jewish people and ‘hamsa’
symbols border the mural on both
sides – I did a lot of research!” he
continued.
Although inspired by a traditional
art form, Wierzchowski, who has
his artistic roots in the graffiti and
street-art scene, has included some
subtly modern elements. “Paper cutting
produces smooth lines, but I
have also included some pixelated
outlines reminiscent of classic computer
games,” he said.
It took just a week to hand paint
the design on the building, a task
carried out by BLOT Design team
Sebastian Kisiel and a man known
only as ‘Urwis.’

KINO MANIA
29
■ Giuseppe Sedia
★★★★★ Go now! ★★★★ See it ★★★ Solid ★★ If you must ★ Avoid
Inny świat (Another World) 2013 ★★★★★
Starring: Danuta Szaflarska | Directed by: Dorota Kędzierzawska
Although veteran actress Danuta Szaflarska
has admitted that she doesn’t
like to be filmed in close-up, she gave her
filmmaker friend Dorota Kędzierzawska the
chance to do just that for Inny świat (Another
World). The idea for the film emerged
as the pair were on the road promoting
the acclaimed feature Pora umierać (Time to
Die, 2007), in which Szaflarska plays a lonely
but lively woman who is left in her later
life with nobody to talk to but her dog. To
a certain degree, Inny świat is a non-fiction
extension to Pora umierać. Szaflarska, now
98 years old, speaks about art and life directly
to the camera without the burden of
playing a character. Her extraordinary clear
recollections allow her personality to shine
on the screen, even more so than the many
memorable characters she has portrayed.
Inny świat is also an attempt to isolate the
components of Szaflarska’s personal elixir
of life. The actress has developed a knack
of imaginatively interpreting and softening
her sometimes harsh life. In her world,
the hissing bullets of the war were ‘singing’
and the bombs plummeting from the sky
sounded just like cows mooing. Cinematographer
Artur Reinhart keeps the camera
on Szaflarska for every second of the
film. The flow of her recollections is never
interrupted, almost as if the 20th century
itself is speaking through her.
Dziewczyna z szafy (Girl From the Closet) 2012 ★★★★
Starring: Magdalena Różańska, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Piotr Głowacki, Eryk Lubos | Directed by: Bodo Kox
Has Wrocław’s independent film scene
shift permanently to the mainstream?
Dominik Matwiejczyk recently directed
Mechanizm obronny (Defence Mechanism,
2012), a refined short feature about a Polish
soldier returning from Iraq, as his fellow
filmmaker, Bodo Kox, was also working on
his first non-underground effort. The result,
Dziewczyna z szafy (Girl From the Closet),
proves that Kox has not yet fully crossed
the Rubicon. Although the actor and filmmaker
has put aside parody for his latest
movie, he has not yet aligned himself with
the Polish mainstream. The striking confrontation
between Magda (Magdalena
Różańska), an introverted anthropologist
who sleeps in her wardrobe, and young
savant Tomek (Wojciech Mecwaldowski) is
one of the most touching in Polish cinema.
Kox has also made the best of the rest of
his cast, including Piotr Głowacki playing
Tomek’s brother and Eryk Lubos in the role
of a bashful, pencil-moustached policeman
who also featured in Wojciech Smarzowski’s
Drogówka (Traffic Police, 2013). The
sudden irruption of zeppelins and Jungle
Book-like scenarios as Magda and Tomek
daydream give the movie an irresistible
Kusturica-esque humour. The film has
earned Kox the wide recognition he has
always deserved, at least in his homeland,
and its is clear that he is more promising
than many of the celebrated Indie directors
working in Europe today.
Krew z nosa (Nose Bleed) 2004
Starring: Bodo Kox, Robert Gonera, Piotr Matwiejczyk, Dawid Antkowiak | Directed by: Dominik Matwiejczyk
Dominik Matwiejczyk has earned a
reputation as a prolific author of
spoof movies. Krew z nosa is one such, and
should be regarded as a milestone in Polish
underground film. Set in the suburbs of
Wrocław, Matwiejczyk’s film is a witty parody
of gritty films about life in the housing
projects. Shot in black and white, just like
cult French movie La Haine (1995), which
Matwiejczyk’s movie lampoons, Krew z
nosa remains the best introduction to the
Polish Indie filmmaking scene. Audiences
are provided with the chance to become
acquainted with the main faces from the
Polish circle of low budget filmmakers all
in one film, including Matwiejczyk’s brother
Piotr and Bodo Kox, both in the cast. The
narrative recounts the story of Pablo, who
believes he can drastically change his life
by recording a Hip Hop debut. Matwiejczyk’s
movie is mercifully devoid of social
messages. There are no rioting heroes, just
a bunch of low-life characters involved in
trivial brawls set to cartoon sound effects.

MOŻE NAD MORZE?
A little bit of Polish
© by M. Gałęziowska & Accent School of Polish
parasol
okulary
przeciwsłoneczne
szorty
Chce mi
się siku...
wiaderko
łopatka
Nie wracam do pracy.
Zostaję tutaj!
klapki
bikini
muszelka
Jak wyglądam
w nowym bikini?
ręcznik
kapelusz
Gorąco...
strój
kąpielowy
MORZE
PIASEK
A TY?
Gdzie spędzasz urlop
w tym roku?
................................
Co można robić na plaży?
................................
Co pakujesz, kiedy
jedziesz nad morze?
................................
Czy byłeś/byłaś kiedyś
nad Bałtykiem?
Jaka była pogoda?
................................
TOPICAL POLISH! with the Accent School of Polish
ustawa śmieciowa
the ‘rubbish law’
gradobicie (noun, n)
a hailstorm
wyjeżdżać (verb, -am, -asz)
to go (away, out of town)
rabarbar (noun, n)
rhubarb
Nowa ustawa śmieciowa wywołała duże
zamieszanie związane z wywozem śmieci.
The new rubbish law has caused a lot of confusion
connected with rubbish collection.
Burza z gradobiciem sparaliżowała całe
miasto.
A hailstorm paralysed the whole city.
Dokąd wyjeżdżasz na wakacje?
Where are you going for the summer?
Wakacyjny sezon na rabarbar, truskawki i
czereśnie właśnie się rozpoczął.
The summer season for rhubarb, strawberries
and cherries has just begun.
For more Polish visit www.polishforforeigners.com! New Polish courses starting in July at Accent School of Polish!
Tales from the chalkface Dear Luiza…
Could do better? ■ Chris Riley When in doubt, speak
the truth
One of the last tasks of term is writing reports.
This is aided or, at times, hampered
by technology. My teacher’s memory is long
enough to remember the pen and ink “must
try harder” approach to reports, which no
modern teacher could get away with.
I’m sure you imagine it’s easier and
quicker now – but you’d be wrong. Besides
writing complimentary or derogatory comments,
we are compelled to copy and paste
all of our and everyone else’s verbiage to assemble
individual report booklets for each
student. The number of emails clogging up
every teacher’s inbox is staggering. We have
instructions from on high (the management)
about which font to use, and at which
size, though a good third of colleagues instantly
forget them. Consequently, we all
spend time not only proof reading, copying
and pasting our words of wisdom into the
appropriate boxes, but also highlighting
text that needs to change font type or size.
It’s teacher technology torture.
When I was a girl, a friend of mine was
caught altering reports for our class so that
everyone got As simply through the skilful
use of whiteout and a black fountain pen.
She was demoted for her crime, spending
the rest of her school career in a B class,
though it never did her any harm. She has
led a happy, successful life with no further
forgery on her record – or maybe she got
better and hasn’t been caught again.
I hope our students, or their parents, keep
these reports over which so much energy
has been expended. In years to come, it
may amuse them to see how right or wrong
these snapshots of their school life were.
I often wonder what students would write
about us if ever they had the chance:
Maths teacher: Should think more outside
the box (or pyramid or sphere).
English Teacher: Must control her imagination.
Reading is no substitute for hands
on experience.
History Teacher: Must stop living in the
past.
Geography teacher: In today’s world sat
nav is more appropriate than a compass.
Science Teacher: Experimentation can be
dangerous, reporting results, tedious.
Games teacher: His enthusiasm and energy
is to be commended but he must realise
not everyone is as passionate about morning
cross country runs as he is.
Dear Luiza,
I’m confused. I’ve been seeing this really cute
Polish guy for the last month, and when I
told my best friend that I was holding out,
and wanted to wait to have sex until I knew
Dear Arabella,
What do you want? Summer sex, or a long
term relationship? Whereas I admire your
wisdom and have no doubt your instinct is
showing you the path that is right for you,
much depends on your goals.
Every guy enjoys a good chase, so don’t feel
pressured to jump the gun and hand out
the goods. On the contrary, stick to your
guns, speak the truth and save yourself a lot
of trouble and unnecessary hurt.
Let him know you find him really hot, but
need some time to find the place in yourself
where you are above any doubt.
To help you get there, ask yourself this question:
Do you feel comfortable with your own
sexuality? Do you know how to give yourself
an orgasm? Would you know how to guide
your partner to give you an orgasm ?
it was right, she said: “How quaint.” I’m really
attracted to him, and it’s been hard not to go
all the way, so should I give it up ?
Arabella
Unless you can answer these questions
with a confident ‘yes’ you will probably be
sitting in my office in five years’ time, crying
because your sex-life has evaporated, and
intimacy no longer exists.
Precisely because it still is a taboo subject,
I want to make sure you are comfortable
and free of guilt at that level. When in truth,
you may claim you can be self-reliant, free
of any dependency in intimacy, and free of
self-judgement, you might also be ready to
share sex with your new admirer.
And yes, there are one or two other criteria
and topics to cover, but those we shall keep
for another time.
Whatever you decide to do right now, I wish
you a glorious summer in our beautiful Krakow.
Luiza

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Alchemia, ul. Estery 5
Aloha Cafe, ul. Miodowa 28a
Amadeus Hotel, ul. Mikołajska 20
Art Shop & IT point, ul. Mikołajska 7
Auditorium Maximum, ul. Krupnicza 33
Austrian Consulate, ul. Krupnicza 42
Bagel Stop, pl. Wolnica 1
BagelMama, ul. Dajwor 10
Bell Language School, ul. Michałowskiego 4
Bomba, pl. Szczepanski 2b
British Consulate, ul. Anny 9
British Council, Rynek Główny 6
Buddha Drink & Garden, Rynek Główny 6
Buddha Indian Restaurant, ul. Grodzka 9
Bull Pub, ul. Mikołajska 2
Buma Square Business Park, ul. Wadowicka 6
Bunkier Sztuki Cafe, pl. Szczepanski 3a
Cafe Czekolada, ul. Bracka 4
Cafe Gołębia, ul. Gołębia 3
Cafe Philo, ul. Tomasza 30
Cafe Szafe, ul. Felicjanek 10
Carpe Diem, ul. Sławkowska 6A
Cheder Cafe, ul. Józefa 36
Cheers Pub, ul. Grodzka 31
Coffee Heaven, ul. Karmelicka 8
Coffee Shop Company, ul. Sławkowska 6
Copernicus Restaurant & Hotel, ul. Kanonicza 16
Creme de la Creme, ul. Mostowa 14
Cupcake Corner, ul. Bracka 4
Cupcake Corner, ul. Michałowskiego 14
Drukarnia, ul. Nadwiślańska 1
Dym, ul. Tomasza 13
Eszeweria, ul. Józefa 9
Euromarket Office Center, ul. Jasnogórska 1
Galeria Kazimierz Info Point, ul. Daszyńskiego
Galicia Jewish Museum, ul. Dajwór 18
German Consulate, ul. Stolarska 7
Grand Hotel, ul. Sławkowska 5/7
Gródek Hotel, ul. Na Gródku 4
Harris Piano Jazz Bar, Rynek Główny 28
Hot Chilli Indian Restaurant, ul. Pijarska 9
Hotel Floryan / Vesuvio, ul. Floriańska 38
House of Beer, ul. Tomasza 35
Il Calzone, ul. Starowiślna 15a
Instytut Amerykanistyki I Studiow Polonijnych,
Rynek Główny 34
Instytut Francuski, ul. Stolarska 15
Inter Book Book Shop, ul. Karmelicka 27
International Cultural Centre, Rynek Główny 25
Irish Mbassy, ul. Stolarska 3
Irish Pub - Pod Papugami, ul. Jana 18
IT point, Plac Mariacki 3
Jagellonian Centre of European Studies, ul.
Garbarska 7a
Jagellonian Centre of European Studies Student
house, ul. Piastowska 47
Jewish Community Centre, ul. Miodowa 24
Kawa pod Kogutkiem, ul. Józefa 11
Kijow.Centrum, ul. Krasińskiego 34
Kino Pod Baranami, Rynek Główny 27
Kładka, ul. Mostowa 8
Krakow Business Park, ul. Krakowska 280
Ksiegarnia Jezykowa, ul. Stolarska 10
La Petite France, ul. Tomasza 25
Les Couleurs, ul. Estery 10
Massolit Bookstore, ul. Felicjanek 04/2
Mikolaj, Hotel, ul. Mikołajska 30
Mleczarnia, ul. Meiselsa 20
Moa Burger, ul. Mikołajska 3
Nordic House (consulates), ul. Anny 5
Opera Krakowska, ul. Lubicz 48
Orbis Francuski, ul. Pijarska 13
Pauza, ul. Floriańska 18
Philharmonic Hall, ul. Zwierzyniecka 1
Piano Rouge, Rynek Główny 46
Pierwszy Lokal, ul. Stolarska 6
Pod Roza, Hotel / Amarone Rest., ul. Floriańska 14
Pollera Hotel, ul. Szpitalna 30
Polski, Hotel, ul. Pijarska 17
Propaganda, ul. Miodowa 20
Quattro Business Park, al. B-Komorowskiego 25
Rondo Business Park, ul. Lublańska 38
Roti Roti, ul. Węgłowa 4
Saski, Hotel, Sławkowska 3
Scandale Royale, pl. Szczepanski 2
Senacki, Hotel, ul. Grodzka 51
Sheraton Hotel, ul. Powisle 7
Starka Restaurant, ul. Józefa 15
Stary, Hotel / Trzy Rybki restaurant, ul.
Szczepańska 5
Sw. Idzi Church, ul. Grodzka 67
Ulica Krokodyli Pub, ul. Szeroka 30
US Consulate, ul. Stolarska 9
Wit Stwosz, Hotel, ul. Mikołajska 28
Zazie French Restaurant, ul. Józefa 34
STACJA / TRAIN STATION
KRAKÓW BALICE
Bilet w jedn¹ stronê
One-way ticket
Bilet tam i powrót
Return ticket
Bilet miesiêczny
Monthly ticket
KRAKÓW G£ÓWNY
airport
Kraków Balice Ekspres
CENY / PRICES
12,-PLN
20,-PLN
80,-PLN
KRAKÓW BALICE
Bilet dla 3 osób
3 people ticket
Bilet dla 4 osób
4 people ticket
STACJA / TRAIN STATION
KRAKÓW G£ÓWNY
CITY CENTRE
33,-PLN
44,-PLN
Przewóz baga¿u bezp³atny
No fee for luggage
Rozk³ad jazdy wa¿ny od 09.06-01.09.2013
ROZK£AD JAZDY / TIMETABLE
Kraków G³ówny Kraków Balice
CITY CENTER
AIRPORT
KRAKÓW BALICE
KRAKÓW G£ÓWNY
1
1
1
1
5.23
5.41 5.50 6.08
6.20 * 6.40 * 6.45 7.03
7.03 * 7.22 * 7.27 7.46
1
1
7.31 * 1 7.50 * 1 7.55 8.14
8.00 * 8.19 * 8.24 8.43
1
1
8.30
1
1
* 8.49 * 8.54 9.12
9.00
9.19 1 9.24 9.42
9.32
1
9.51
1
9.55
1
1
10.13
10.00 10.19 1 10.24 10.42
1
1
10.30
1
1
10.49 10.54 11.12
11.00 11.19
1
11.24 11.46
1
1
1
1
11.30 11.49 11.54 12.12
12.00 12.19
1
12.24 12.42
2
2
2
2
12.30 12.49 12.54 13.12
13.00 13.19
1
13.24 13.43
13.30
2
13.49
2
13.54
2
14.12
2
14.00 14.19 14.24 * 14.43*
2
2
14.30
2
2
14.49 14.54 * 15.13*
15.03 15.21 15.25 * 15.44*
2
2
15.30
2
15.49
2
15.54 * 16.13*
16.00 16.19
2
16.24 * 16.43*
2
2
16.30
2
16.49
2
16.54 17.12
17.00 17.19
2
17.24 17.42
2
2
17.30
2
17.49
2
17.54 18.12
18.00 18.19
2
18.30 18.48
2
2
18.35
2
2
18.54 19.00 19.18
2
19.05 19.24 19.30 19.48
2
2
2
2
19.35 19.54 20.00 20.18
2
20.05 20.24 20.33 20.51
3
21.00 21.19 21.24 21.42
2
21.55 22.14 22.24 22.42
*) pociàg zatrzymuje siê dodatkowo na stacji Kraków £obzów
this train stops additionally at Kraków Ùobzów station
1) kursuje codziennie oprócz 15.VIII, 11.XI.2013;
runs daily except 15.VIII, 11.XI.2013;
2) kursuje codziennie w okresie 1.VI - 30.IX.2013
runs daily 1.VI - 30.IX.2013