So! How about the last leg of our Spring Break adventure?
Let me just tell you something about Krakow. There are Catholics, Catholics, E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E. Everywhere! I mean, I guess if your city produces one of the greatest popes the world has ever seen, you might be tempted to join the club, too.
On Saturday night, we wandered around the city center and probably came across ten different churches within a few blocks of each other. The coolest part, though, is that they were positively bursting with people there to celebrate the Easter Vigil. We stopped and watched a few different congregations as they lit the Paschal candle outside and processed back into their churches.
But if we thought that Saturday night was super-Catholic... well, we just didn't know what was in store on Easter. First we woke up bright and early to attend morning Mass at the cathedral where John Paul II had been bishop before becoming Pope. 
Then back to the roots... we spent part of the afternoon wandering around the Jewish quarter and visiting one of the old Jewish cemeteries.
And finally, when we thought that nothing more beautiful or magical could happen... well. We were proven wrong in the most wonderful way possible.
As we strolled around a little park, we heard music and naturally gravitated towards it. We finally found ourselves in a little church courtyard full of darling Polish families dancing and singing along with a band. Imagine my excitement when I saw two really cute nuns dancing with a little girl! But as we ventured closer to the band, I realized that this was even better than I could have imagined. The sweet rock band on a platform in the middle of this courtyard-- complete with electric guitars, rockin' bongos, a hardcore drummer, and a recorder player, for heaven's sake-- was completely composed of monks. Monks! They were so cool.
We naturally stayed for the rest of the afternoon, occasionally dancing or singing along (but only when the words were something like "la la la" and not "oxnnjjjaoeoejj Polish crazy talk fjdfjdfdfjjjjjjjx") (I truly do not understand that language). The music only got better and better, and more and more priests and nuns and cute babies arrived every minute. Everyone was so joyful and smiley and it was just the very best way to celebrate Easter.
Wish you were there? Well, you're in luck. Because there is no way I could have left without capturing the party of the century on video:
Do you see why I never wanted to leave? And this is not to mention the deeeelicious food,
really cute Old Town and Easter market,
pink beer (raspberry???),
and loveliest views EVER (more lovely pictures here).
Hallelujah!
From the video I can see that Nikki has a long career as a Polish Nun.
ReplyDeletesimply amazing.
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