November is usually a terribly depressing month. There are the grey skies, the rain, the endless crows going awk, awk, awk.... Yet this years Zloty Jesien (Golden Autumn) seemed to stun everyone. On and on it glided, like an Olympic medallist running continuous laps of honour. When would it finally drop...?
But this time there was no miserable assault from the Rain Gods. Instead, Autumn passed the baton straight to Winter and the obligatory drenching was skipped - if only it could be like that every year....
As we type away in our cybercabin, Cracow is enjoying her first snows. Right on cue, the Christmas Market has popped up - the stalls are in place, and the giant wooden barrels are set to open for business.
That's right, Cracovians once more have an excuse to drink potent booze at odd times of the day. It's mulled wine after all - it would be unfestive not to have a tot.
So in the meantime, dig out that mad woodcutter jacket and that funny woolen hat - Winter has arrived. If you're flying out to Cracow this weekend, you're just in time. The market opens on Saturday morning, which just so happens to be the 150th anniversary of the passing of Adam Mickiewicz, Poland's national poet. All hail the bard!
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