Cultural Observations: Schnitzel.
Schnitzel is one of the more popular bar foods in the world I believe. Easy to make. Crunchy and meaty. Can be made stupidly huge so even the least coordinated (drunkest) of us can connect knife and fork with it. Takes a wide range of sauces from lemon juice through to red wine and mushroom.
Schnitzel is popular here in Krakow as well.
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| I know several names for this, can oyu guess what I would never call it? |
Andrej and I were discussing Schnitzel. He had some weird ideas on how to make it. He claimed it starts with minced meat. I got confused. He got confused. We appealed to the Ladies for possible translation issues. Aga agreed with Andrej that schnitzel is made with mince, breaded and pan dried. Ewa agreed with me that it was a slice of meat hammered, breaded and pan dried.
Google agreed with Ewa and I. Even a search for "Krakow schnitzel" only showed the hammered version.
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| Ewa said only Old Ladies or Russian Prostitutes wear full fur coats |
Today we went searching for the elusive Krakow Schnitzel. A few of the people at different food places knew what we were talking about (especially when the phrase Kotlet Mięso was brought in, that is what the rest of Poland calls the mincemeat version).
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| Am a hunter gatherer type I am! |
In the end I think we found it, but I forgot to show Andrej and check we were correct. It was at one of the 100g/3złoty places. Lots of bain marie food of the traditional variety.
There are two interpretations open to me:
- Andrej and Aga are insane. This is possible, they have a young child and we all know what that can do to people.
- Krakow is insane but the tourist areas have had so many complaints from disappointed people who ordered a schnitzel that they have agreed to cease using the word.
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| "The bell is by the gate that doesn't exist". Maybe they are not insane but definitely in the realm of surreal I like and many associate with sleep deprivation. |
Krakow schnitzels are actually not that bad, I liked it. But if I ordered a schnitzel and got this I would be upset.
Rating: 4/10 (A Krakowian ordering elsewhere will be happy so +6 for a Krakovian outside of Krakov.)
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| Self referential signs are good too, but I need a bike to fix the photo. |
During the hunt for the schnitzel I had decided that if we failed at that we could at least find one of the underground bars. After not finding one it was kind of amusing that where I was sitting with my schnitzel there was a sign directly in front of me saying "Underground Pub, come and see".
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| And I don't think it is an ironic appreciation either |
In the background was a tele playing 80's hair metal. I was trying to get a good shot of the sign with some good "rock good with double neck guitar, bouffant hair silhouetted" background. One of the waitresses appeared to think I was taking photos of her. Polish hussies, always thinking I am interested!
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| We did more than see the underground bar, we patronised it! |
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| I would have called The Lowest Bar In The City. |
Today is Three Kings Day. This is a catholic thing which I knew nothing about until now. Three Kings Day celebrates when the 3 wise men dropped by to visit baby Jesus. Three Kings Day means there was a bunch of guys singing carols in the market place.
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| The random guy that joined in disagreed with the order of the verses |
It also meant a lot of people were wearing paper crowns.
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| Paper crowns do not make everyone happy. |
But I think Three Kings Day is just a nice way of stretching the Christmas holiday out by another couple of days.
We strolled the streets long after we had achieved our goals for the day, we are just ambitious go getters always looking for novel experiences.
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| Castle approach, arty low angle, like a ninja I was |
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| Square with singing lady. |
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| light fades, cold increases |
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| New scarf, solution to cold and any facial recognition software. |
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| My solution makes me look like I am an old Lady in need a fur coat. |
Plans:
- We have seen Krakow and probably all it has to offer, anyone staying here now is just lacking a lust for life.
- We shall head to the Mountains. Where the real extreme people are (actually this is because after three kings day everyone has to go back to work so I will be able to learn to ski without so many people laughing)
Destination Zakopane!
Promises Made:
- Hot cheese
- Hot Wine
- Sleigh Rides with Both the Above!!!
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