Hi all,
This is Rynek Główny w Krakowie (Main Market Square in Kraków).
I witnessed a beautiful sunset this evening. The colour of the sky is pretty much how I saw it.
The first image is of Wieża Ratuszowa (Town Hall Tower) with a vapour trail/contrail (something that is ever present in European skies).
The second image is looking towards Anny Street. The square is lined with an assortment of wonderful restaurants, cafés and bars. This image captures some of the movement and liveliness present in the evenings, yet, is still somewhat subdued.
It wasn't all that long ago that Poland was in the grips of communism. I have a few Polish friends, and they would recount to me what life was like living under communism. Things that we take for granted, like, bananas or strawberries, would be a once-, or twice-, a-year treat, shared amongst the family. With that in mind, it was great to see this place a hive of activity full of happy people. They've come a long way.
In the main courtyard of the market square, youth would come out at night and engage in dancing, typically breakdancing and firebreathing/dancing shows. Of course, if you didn't tip at the end of the show, you'd get roused upon by the kids accusing you of being a cheapskate.
The last image is looking down the Grodzka, which is full of nice restaurants and kebab stalls. I went strolling down Grodzka late one night with a Canadian that I was travelling with and smoked a hookah in the basement of a restaurant. It was decked out in full Arabian furniture and was an experience I'll never forget.
Lastly, I have to say, that I could quite easily live in Kraków. Every single woman that walked past in the market square on their way to the train station, was the most beautiful woman I have seen in my entire life.
There is something definitely in the water there. It's not a homogenous beauty, either; the women all have differing facial structures, body type, height, eye colour, hair, skin, yet they're all stunning in their own right. I don't understand why all the men looked like brutes, though.
Edit: All images are 5-image HDR (tonemapped) compositions. Canon EOS-350D with the Nifty Fifty (50mm f/1.4). Shot between 5 PM and 5:30 PM.
Comments and critique, most welcome.
Regards,
Humayun
The countryside of Poland is so green, it's delicious.
