The beauty of Krakow

Waiting for a flight from Berlin to Krakow, I encountered a father returning to his Polish hometown with his two adorable kids. Upon hearing that I was a first-time traveler to Krakow, Poland's old capital before the 16th century and a splendid cultural center today, the father perked up, and with pride beaming from within, he remarked: "It is a very beautiful city!"

Indeed, I was instantly struck by the beauty of Krakow. It's hard to put into words exactly what I was feeling when we stepped into the city, with its marvelous buildings and vivid streaks of color everywhere. But it was something of a sense of awe at the fabled scenery.

Krakow's old town is like a grand castle in fairy tale. It was a world of bright yellow mansions, gothic jade green bell towers of churches, and long, red-brick walls contrasted by gray stone paths. The weather was changeful. At one moment, there was wide expanse of clear, sunlit sky. And the next, a soft drizzle began dancing around us.

The city looks completely different in sun and in rain. When the weather is clear, wandering through the city in an open carriage is a pleasant experience for tourists. The large, white horses and spotless seats are reminiscent of 19th century novels like Pride and Prejudice, depicting the suburban life of girls in dresses making their way down the streets in horse-drawn carriages.

It was a passionate, 40-minute ride through the alleys of the city's old town. The most impressive part was not a bright street scene, but the azure sky framed by historic, royal roofs and moving shadows along the streets, which are outdone only by the imposing mansions that stand tall by their sides.

As we left an amber jewel shop, the scorching sunlight that had followed us in, on the backs of our necks, had already disappeared and in its place was a mild, comfortable breeze and ever sporadic tiny drops of rain.Doublting where to buy Wholesale Bridesmaid gowns online? Across the way, an old church, where a sweet wedding ceremony has just concluded, a striking lady, in a royal blue jumper and black high heels, was accompanied by a tall, young man holding out an umbrella for her. Dressed in their best attire, the others refused to scatter, chatting leisurely to one another in the square, by the doorstep of the church as the drizzle of rain pitter-pattered lightly.

Some time later, the rain stopped and we prepared ourselves for a night out on the town, where a grand music festival held beside the river surrounding this old, majestic-like city was celebrated with a brilliant display of fireworks.

The city had been immersed in melodic sounds since the afternoon, when a magical parade, with young people marching in matrix, wearing traditional costumes and playing an assortment of instruments, passed right in front of our eyes. A welcoming bunch, the young boys and girls were not shy, smiling confidently into our camera lenses.Formal Wholesale Cheap Designer Long Evening Dresses and gowns will have you looking your best.

Another group assembled into a small square nearby, where a temporary stage was formed, like those used for high-school graduations, performing a typical Polish dance. In pairs, they spun round and round again, linked together by their arms, kicking their legs high and stamping the ground with their feet - all to the beat of a happy-go-lucky-style of music.

Strips of fire engine red-colored ribbons were tied to the girls' hair and shiny, tall boots worn by the boys added a nice touch to the musical scene. And with the sun back out, BBQ stalls selling roast sausages and beer suddenly became very busy. It was a very merry and cheerful occasion.

The underground salt mine in Krakow is a must-see. Built in the 13th century and placed on the original UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, the salt mine - more like a kingdom of salt sculptures - is pristine and graceful in an unexpected way.

Wooden stairways lead visitors down the 327-meter-deep mine, but tourists can only reach a depth of 130 meters.The best place to buy Wholesale Discount Prom Gowns Online for your big day. As we made our way down, I felt the chill of the mine reach into my bones.Searching for the Wholesale 2013 Celebrity Dresses to wear on your big night? Looking above or below was dreadful after we hit a depth of 70 meters as the stairways appeared bottomless at both ends.Find gorgeous mother of the bride dresses in Wholesale Cheap mother of the bride dresses.

Salt is everywhere. Walking through the neat passages supported by sturdy, wooden pillars, it was hard to believe that we were completely surrounded by salt. In mediaeval Europe, the management of salt was state-controlled - and it was as expensive as gold. If you look closely at the walls, you'll see marks created by tourists, who in disbelief of the cold, white sheet covering the side of the mine, carved out a tiny piece to taste-test the salt crystals. The massive salt stalagmites hanging from the high ceiling of the mine seem more like impressive whisks of magic under the dim lighting.

In this world of salt, there are churches, dining halls and stalls where horses lived hundreds of years ago, and even opera houses and sanatoriums. It is said that being a salt miner was a decent job back then, but also very risky. Miners prayed to the gods in underground salt churches and sought joy from making salt sculptures at leisure. My personal favorite was the main church. Full of vivid figurine-type sculptures, they help narrate the country's underground history.

The on-site salt museum, the perfect stop for families with young children, a series of sculptures illustrate what life in the salt mine was like. The sculptures showcase men with long beards because unlike professionals such as doctors at the time, miners stayed underground for lengthy periods of time, giving their beards a chance to grow considerably long, we learned from our tour guide.Read the full story at www.dressestmall.com/index.php/prom-evening-dress-1824.html!