Walking through the Main Market Square, it's impossible to miss places that are universally known and deeply embedded in Polish culture. One such place is "Piwnica pod Baranami."
"Piwnica pod Baranami" has already reached such an age that it could easily find its way into the Guinness Book of Records. Just think: it was there under Gomułka, outlived Gierek, flourished under Solidarity, held its breath during martial law, and then plunged back into democracy, into its rather tangled repertoire – feeding alternately on absurdity, politics, history, and art (all these fields so closely related). It also fed on censorship, feeding on every kind of silliness that individuals and nations can muster. How many have passed through this small underground artist's lair! (...) Piotr Skrzynecki led the longest cabaret in the world, a cabaret (...) that was one of Krakow's magnetic points – anyone who entered and stuck around here knows this perfectly well. The basement is still going strong… it's celebrating its 68th anniversary.”
Volumes could be written about Piotr Skrzynecki – it's best to read Wikipedia, because there are facts about his life, not just paeans to his praise.
I believe that extraordinary people of culture are often controversial, but they are forgiven more because they inspire other creators when they themselves create less… One of them was Piotr Skrzynecki.
And then there's “Klub pod Jaszczurami”, a former student club, now known for its successful karaoke sessions.
Today, for dessert after breakfast, we went to the "Wife & Husband" bar (two doors down from our apartment).
Worth mentioning, because the hot apple pie with ice cream and the pistachio tart with matcha were hearty and delicious. Anyone who doesn't know what matcha is should look it up online.
Apparently, young customers don't go to places that don't serve such thing…
