Brno to Kraków Pink Panther's Hostel Blues: Saturday, May 26th!

Shadow owes its birth to light. -John Gay, poet and dramatist (30 Jun 1685-1732)


Buongiorno Brat Pack and Arrivederci Departing Canucks! Just a quick note to thank Katarina, again, for such a wonderful bike tour, here in Moravia, and to say how much I enjoyed meeting everyone and riding with you. For those travelers returning to Canada, I wish you a safe, comfortable journey. I trust we will connect, in the Okanagan, over the summer. Again, stay well. Must away as last bit of packing to do before I head to train station. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! PS: As time allows, I'll add snapolas of Punkva Caves to this album and send updated album along! Cheers!

Kraków Diaries: Up at 6:45 am, just before my alarm was set to go off. Had dome most of my packing last night so decided I’d go down for breakfast before having a quick shower, the better to be ready for the day’s travel. First one of the group to arrive and was already sipping my first cappuccino before The Sunshine Goils arrived. They sat next to me and we chatted over the wonderful breakfast. About half an hour later, Juduth and Jimbo showed up and they sat on the other side of me so we visited while we went back and forth, filling our plates with fresh fruit or pastries or taking bowls of cereal, as each individual preferred.

The Goils left about 7:30 am and we arranged to meet back in the lobby at 10:00 am to walk over to the station together. I stayed or a few more minutes and then said goodbye to The Summerlanders, making plans to see them in July when I back in Penticton.

Went back up to my room to return immediately as I wanted to wipe down my bike chain. Donaldo was eating his breakfast by then so after I was finished cleaning my chain, (the better not to get grease all over my leg on the coming trip, loading/off-loading the bike), we chatted briefly and then made our goodbyes. Back upstairs I sent out a short album of the farewell dinner we enjoyed last night and then shut dwon my computer. Packed it, the power cord and adaptor in my camel pack as I was planning to use it on the train, hoping WiFi would be available. Quick shower and changed into my travel garb and was almost ready to go. Took my large knapsack and two panniers to the lobby first, leaving them there with DJ and Jimbo, who were still at the hotel, waiting for their respective babes.

Back upstairs to take my sandwiches out of the small bar fridge and just as I was about to leave there was a knock on the door. Judy and Danillo were there with a small air pump they’d found in their luggage. It belonged to Peter, chap who owned the bike rental shop and they had forgotten to return it to him when we were back in Brno. They were not going to see Katarina before they left for Prgue so asked me to turn it over to her. We kissed and hugged and they were off. Was ready to go, myself, a few minutes later so returned to the lobby to meet the Sunshne Babes. DJ and Jimbo were still there so I suggested we leve the pump at the hotel as Peter could then collect it at some point. I didn’t think Katarina was coming back to the hotel before meeting us at the station, [She was staying elsewhere.], and I didn’t think she really wanted to carry the pump to Poland, even if it was quite small. Wasn’t sure when she’d be back in Brno so this seemed like the best solution.

Anyway, while we were backing and forthing the very helpful receptionist had called Katarina and confirmed that she was, in fact, coming to the hotel to settle up the room bills, [We had prepaid the accommodation when we booked tour.], so I assume our Fearless Leader took care of the issue. At any rate, I was too, too busy loading my panniers to worry about it. Few minutes after 10:00 am we bid farewell to the The Lads and headed to the station.

Once there I talked to an employee who showed me how to invoke the train we wanted on one of the Departure boards. This brings up a schematic of the train so you can see which carriage your seat is in, where the dining car is and where the bike storage carriages are. This, of course, makes it far easier to be on the right platform, in the right place, not to mention at the right time, especially when burdened with as much luggage as I was muling. Had about half an hour to wait for our train to Bohumín but once it was ready to board Katarina helped me load my bike. Platform is way below carriage steps and these stepps are both narrow and steep. With to people, one inside, it is a piece of cake. With both bikes aboard, I handed up the rest of the luggage and we placed our bikes in the hanging racks provided. I left my panniers next to my bike and then found our way to our seats.

As I have a First Class Rail Pass I decided to stay there, primarily as carriage was right next to where bikes were stored and it would make it easier to disembark in Bohumín.Told this to The Sunshine Goils and Katarina and left for my own private compartment. Was actually very comfortable, espscially since I had it all to myself. Window was open and it was just the right temperature s day was already very warm and sunny. Took about an hour or so cleaning up my desktop as no WIfi. After that I stretched out on the extremely comfortable seat and had a refreshing nap for an hour or so.

Up to eat an apple and the last of the cheese I’d bought in Brno and then it was almost time to get ready to get off in Bohumín. Once in the stion Katarina climbed down onto the platform and I handed her the bikes, then the panniers and rest of baggage. Railway worker Katarina asked told us which platform the train to Krakow would arrive on so while the rest went in search of a washroom I walked my bike and possessions to the end of the platform to cross  number of sets of tracks to make my way to the platform we needed.

Train was right on time so once we could board we loaded everything back on and found seats. Train has very few passengers so we are ll in the same carriage even though not in our assigned seats. Had WiFi or the first hald hour or so but then we lsot reception so I switched to Word as I wanted to compose even if I ca’t send messages until later. Quite looking forward to being in Krakow as from everything I’ve heard, it is a most interesting city. Countryside, so far is quite similar to landscape in Czech Republic, or what I know of it. Gorgeous day so am hoping to be able to explore a bit once I’ve settled myself. Have booked into The Pink Panther’s Hostel but I’m going to see if The Ginger Hostel, (where the Sunshine Goils are staying), has any room. This place is closer to the Ibis, hotel where tour is booked into on the 28^th, so it will just be easier to stay there. Am also going to see if I can leave my bike and some luggage at the Ibis as this will make it even easier if I don’t have to lug it from one place to another! Stay tuned, Dear Reader!

Hi Kids! Easiest time getting on train, to date, in Brno, and then same for transfer to train for Poland! Just pulling out of Bohumín station as I scribe. Not sure how long WiFi will last but thought I'd see if there was connectivity. We have about three or four more hours on the train until we reach Kraków, passing through Oswiecim, (Auschwitz), en route, if I'm reading train stops correctly. Anyway, train is quite empty so The Sunshine girls are sitting a few seats back and Trina is across the aisle from me.

Have already edited most of snaps from yesterday so will now try to upload them to Flickr. If file transfer is not too, too slow, given WiFi signal aboard train, I should be able to send it out before we reach our destination!

Once we'd taken the bikes off the train we bade goodbye to The Sunshine Goils who were going to make their own way to the Ginger Hostel. Before we reached Kraków I had decided I'd stop in at the Ibis Hotel to see if I could leave any luggage there and when I mentioned this to Katarina she said I should simply stay there as she had booked a double for Matt. He was not arriving until 8:30 pm so if I could stay I'd be there ahead of him by a couple of hours. Anyway, it took us a bit to get out of the station as with panniers it was more difficult to negotiate escalators and certainly stairs. By the time we found the lift we thought our problems were over. However, they had just begun as we had a fair bit of difficulty threading our way out of the shopping mall next to the station. Finally, we found the elevator that would take us to street level and once there we rode to the Ibis.

This was no mean feat, at least for me, as I had a large knapsack on my back, my stuffed camel-pack atop my even more stuffed panniers and a small recyclable bag hanging from my left handlebar. I was wearing sandals so that was a blessing as I didn't have to worry about un-coupling from the pedals, riding as we were, on sidewalks, most of the time, through throngs of pedestrians. Cobblestones and tram tracks were omnipresent and always a danger, as everyone well knows, no matter what, so I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when we pulled into the Ibis entrance-way, about half an hour later. Certainly would have taken us an hour or more had we walked the bikes, although route Trina took, through large central park, was most pleasant when not being attacked by young children wielding ice-cream cones or small, yappy dogs intent on hurling themselves through my front wheel spokes!

At any rate, Katarina explained the situation to the helpful young woman at the Reception Desk and I was soon checked-in, after paying just under zł600, ($210), for two nights. She let me store my bike in the left-luggage room and then I thanked Trina for bringing me to the hotel and we said goodbye. [Certainly appreciated her help as it would have taken me who knows how long to find the place without her informed guiding] Up in the room I unpacked and staked my claim on one of the beds. Took a quick shower, did three loads of laundry and one basket of ironing, a bit of vacuuming, some darning and finally baked a cake for tomorrow's picnic before going back down to reception to see about logging on to hotel's WiFi. [Needed to find a recipe on the Net to find out how to cook Czech potatoes on the hotel radiators. Where is DJ when you really need him for mechanical advice!] Couldn't do it from room but same helpful receptionist, as earlier, managed to make the Internet gerbils co-operate and I was soon plugged in. Back upstairs to leave my laptop and then pop out again to hit the nearbye deli, [Great place for food and drink but not sure about gluten-free products.], literally just around the corner, for fuzzy water, (Not sure which bottles contained fizz so asked a fellow traveler, a lad from Oz!), and some tasty potatoe salad, for dinner. 

Before going back upstairs I ordered a cappucino and took it to the room. Used the spoon it came with to eat my salad and was just trying to find the channel covering the Giro, (I had noticed it in the bar when waiting for my java), when I heard someone fumbling at the door. Opened it and Matt almost had a coronary, so surprised was he to see me standing there, in his room, when he had booked a Swedish Masseuse! He had been on the go for some time, flying from Vancouver to London to Kraków. Then the TV Wars began as he wanted to watch Liverpool vs Real Madrid in the Champions League Final. I didn't mind, one way or another, so we watched soccer until half-time and then went downstairs to the bar to continue on the large flat screens there. I filled my empty cappuccino cup with rum Fiona had given to me in Zurich, [more lighten the panniers Dear Reader!], so I enjoyed that while Glasgow had a beer and wept as Liverpool's goal keeper let in two silly goals, to give RM a 3/1 victory in the end.

Back upstairs I learned that Chris Froome is poised to all but win the Giro today so I was pleased as punch even if I didn't see the finish of Stage 20. Matt took a quick shower and did some laundry, [Not quite as much as me so he used a washboard instead of "The Whirlpool" as had I!], and, after a few pages of Denise Mina's, Garnet Hill, [An author Lady Dar and I are very fond of and have seen a number of times at the Vancouver Writers Festival.], was snoring away, quite contentedly so it's almost like travelling with Lady Dar! (Who offered me ear-plugs?] Not long afterwards, I brushed and flossed and then hit the hay myself as it has been a long day for me as well. Hope to go riding along the river Vistula/Wisła, tomorrow, so looking forward to that. Cheers! 

From Lorraine: Finally made it to the Ginger Hostel. It was a bit convoluted dragging duffle through the streets and a park, then a tram. We can see the castle from our window. Pretty impressive. Wandered in the main square until 10 ish. Kraków is so different then where we came from.