Jagiellonian, Soplica, Piwo and so much more...

Here we are, again, my dear Krakow.

I don't know if you remember me, but I clearly remember you, even now, that I'm writing this letter lying in my bed, listening to Hungarian Dance n. 5 in G minor, by Ivan Fisher, during my second Erasmus in Madrid. Yes, my second Erasmus. Because thanks to you, my dear little huge city, the necessity to live another experience was indispensable. And now I feel the need to talk a little about you, and let that all the guys who have some doubts about your beauty, your food, your clubs, your castle, your cold and, obviously, about your Soplica, starting to know you.

I will try to count briefly my experience without trying not to forget anything, thing that it might be so hard.

Everything started the 21st of September, 2016, when for the first time my feet touched the Polish ground and my skin felt the amazing Polish cold.

I used to live in Ulica (= street) Westerplatte, so close to Galeria Krakowska, the biggest shopping center of Krakow. My home was simply huge, cheap, old and incredibly beautiful. Beautiful exactly like my three flatmates, David, Javier and Etienne who made my Erasmus amazing. It was very close also to the center, just 4/5 minutes by walking, and not so far from my Univeristy, the Jagiellonian University.

To describe you, I would like to start talking about the cultural part, with the University, through the museums, until the Castle.

About the University there is a lot to say, but I will just say a few words. The most ancient Polish University and, of course, the most important. I've been going there for five months attending different courses and I've never felt bored about anything. I was just enthusiastic. A little bit less enthusiastic during my visits to the museums, most of them about the holocaust. During these visits, anything seemed to appear to another age, so far from us. It's something indescribable, something that everyone should live at least one time in his own life. I won't mention Auschwitz that I take for granted, but Shindler's factory museum has to be mentioned and, most of all, visited.

Of course, Krakow's museums are not just about the bad part of the history, there are a lot of amazing pieces of art all around the city. The most important, the Castle in the south of the old town. Ah, the Castle, my favorite place with the sun, the rain, the snow, but incredibly poetic during the sunset.

I remember the days were with my friends used to enjoy the sunset and then go to eat in a typical Polish restaurant. You are such an amazing city because, even if it appears so modern, keep your tradition, also with the food. In every street, everyone can find a typical restaurant, of course, if they know where to look for: like Koko and Bordo. The cheapest restaurant in which I have been in my life; with just 3,50€ you can have lunch or dinner and never get out from one of these places disappointed.

And now, finally, we are in the best part, the magic part, maybe because of the alcohol in the veins, maybe because of the celebration, or the clubs, or the friends, or simply because every night was different and never was the same. Impossible not to talk about Banialuka, the Erasmus Pub, that surreal place where one Piwo (= beer) was 1€, just 1€, exactly like one shot of the best vodka in the world, the Soplica. Here everyone knew each other and here always used to start and, sometimes, to finish the party. And the discos: Prozak, Teatro Cubano, Lokal, COCO, Baccarat... where never remember how your body could go inside or, in the end, how he could reach his own home safe and sounds, keeping dancing and singing in Stare Miasto (the main square) on the way home at 5 a. m. And then, there were Mondays and Goraczka; and Goraczka and the Mondays. They were our Mondays, simply amazing and indescribable. Unfortunately, not easy to remember! In Goraczka we had a huge problem: beers and shots cost only 3.50 zloty, so 0,80€. I let you imagine why the memories of my amazing Mondays are no so clear.

So why you, Krakow?

It's easy to answer. Cheap, incredibly cheap, with an amazing University, culturally and traditionally unique, with a different party every day and with the incredible opportunity to travel almost without spending nothing thanks to your awful and amazing buses. Thanks, Polskibus and Lux Express to have brought me in cities such as Prague, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Tallin, Riga, Vilnius, Zakopane and thanks to Krakow, my lovely Krakow, for giving me the opportunity to know, to grow up and to talk about you, one more time.

Thanks for everything, my dear city.

You will always be part of my life.

A nostalgic friend who will never forget you.

With love, Fabio.