I had to take some pictures of the souvenirs I bought on the trip.  I got a beautiful Russian style fringed shawl and used it as the background for this picture.  It is a taupe colored fabric with brilliant colors.  I'd even use it as a table cloth.  I bought 2 pairs of gorgeous amber earrings for around $20 each and a large-ish amber pendant $35ish.  Compulsory patch?  Check.  I love visiting grocery stores and chemists overseas too and always pick up bars of soap.  I got 5 at the grocery store for about 50 cents each and a tin of diaper rash cream (for our non-existent baby stash) in a tin.  I love anything that comes in a tin!  More magnets for my already magnet congested fridge:  a Lipowa #4 (Schindler's factory address), a Pope John Paul II, and an obwarzanek.  I also got a fabulous machine embroidered felt purse with a design similar to the paper cuttings we saw everywhere and a Polish pottery egg ornament and a small pottery pot I intend to use for toothpicks in my china cabinet-$1.25.  

We visited Wadowice where Pope John Paul II was born and the church next door where he was baptized and had his first communion.  Krakow is where he lived and worked as a priest and later bishop.  I am Lutheran but have always loved Pope John Paul II.  He is the pope I grew up with and was truly a great human being.  He was admired in our household too.  I was 3 years old during his attempted assassination and my parents are fond of reminding me that I went around telling everyone, "Someone shot the Post!"

This may sound silly, but I worked in gerontology for the first third of my nursing career and seeing him age and struggle and continue in his ministry was particularly poignant to me.  The museum in Wadowice was worth every penny and so moving because they brought up that very point that as he aged, he showed us how to endure our human suffering with dignity.  We also visited St. Francis' church in Krakow where he was priest.  I bought 2 rosaries and each had a Pope John Paul II medallion as well as a replica of the Christ from his staff.  I got a card rosary with a lovely prayer on it as well as a scapula and several  olive wood crosses for my nieces and nephew. 

The icon you see is that of The Black Madonna which is the protector of Poland.  Legend says she warded off Swedish invaders back in the day.  There is a replica of her at the Barbakan gate but the real one is 2 hours away from Krakow but we didn't go see it because it was a production to use public transportation to get to it.  We later found out that our guide to Auschwitz also took people to the Lady on another day tour offering.  Maybe next time. 

I bought a beautiful mezuzah for our front door.  We wandered around the old Jewish quarter and saw all the gouges in the doors where the mezuzahs had been dug out just before the resident Jews were driven out.  Even though I am Lutheran, we have the Old Testament in common with the Jews and so much in common with the Catholic church so I don't find it strange to identify with either.

We visited the cathedral on Wawel Hill and it was the only church I'd ever visited that had tapestries for decoration.  I bought 2 folio folders with plates of the tapestries on them as well as one with a folk embroidery photo.  I will use these for errant knitting patterns instead of them slamming around inside my knitting bag.  We also saw Da Vinci's Lady With the Ermine there.  She was gorgeous, and unlike the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, we were the only ones in the room to look at her.  She was maybe 6 feet behind a rope and just glorious.  I bought a little canvas copy of her to hang in my sewing room.  I also got 2 blank books at the ethnographic museum with a folk embroidery on one and a painted trunk on the other.  I was born and raised a full blooded Norwegian and love and appreciate all forms of folk art.

I know I mentioned my Polish pottery that I ordered earlier but I did buy and bring some home with me.  Here are 2 platters, the smaller one cost $18 and the larger was $23.  I got this lovely wooden nativity for $15.  I was able to pack the platters in my suitcase (surrounded by the hostess napkins I bought!) and the nativity made it home safely in my carry on bag.

Here is a baker and a bowl Mother bought for me as an early Christmas gift.  These also traveled with me in my carry on bag and survived the the trip home.  The colorful eggs are painted wood and cost not quite $1 each.  I love decorated eggs whether they are painted or dyed or whatever.  I have yet to post pictures of them, but this summer we bought a china cabinet and sideboard from the estate of Dave's sister's in-laws.  I have waited my whole life for a china cabinet, but more importantly, somewhere to put it!   I've had dishes sitting in boxes for over 10 years and they finally have a home and I have a place to put these beautiful dishes!