Kleparz welcomes me with the globe

My guide book tells me that Kleparz once was called Florencja. It was a separate town next to Krakow. Many universitiy buildings are here. Coming from the Stare Miasto, I enter Kleparz under the globe of the Dom pod Globusem. (Guidebook: Krakau, Michael Müller Verlag, 2011).

Following the Ulica Dluga

The Uilica Dluga is the nerve of Kleparz for me… with all its small (and less posh, but friendly looking) boutiques, and the shops offering romantic white wedding dresses make me dream. I stop in front of the Dom Turecki with its minarette like towers on the roof.

The market places of Kleparz

From the Turkish towers, I turn right to find the busy Rynek of Kleparz. It is like an open air super market. Vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, meat, fish, bread and cakes – everything looks fresh and enticing. I buy a sweet mak (poppy seed) roll and an apple roll.

And then the Krakówians can get here whatever I may need for a household: Shoes, cloths, kitchen equipment or curtains etc.

On the Plac Nowy there is a second busy market. In addition to all the basic material needed in a common household, it also sells beautiful flowers.

I buy three roses in my favorite color – dark red- for Monika.

North towards the industrial space along Ulica Kammienej

Now I am heading to the vast industrial area north situated between Kleparz and the Rakowsky cemetery, along Uliza Kammienej. Monika has installed her studio of Patynowy here. Monika gives me a hearty welcome. Her studio sells the Platynowy color palette to repaint furniture, giving it a slightly antique look. She also renovates and sells furniture.

The clients handover the door handle from one to the next, and the phone continues to ring. The colors and services of the newly founded studio are in demand. And the table in the middle of the room shows the signs of the latest workshop that  recently has taken place here. Wonderful that your business took off so well, Monika.