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Jama Michalika cafe, Krakow

00 Jama Michalika Krakow

It was a cool damp fall day when my brother and I explored the King’s Road area of Krakow. We’d wandered around for a few hours and were looking for a cozy place serving something warm and good to eat.
We came across the Jama Michalika cafe, established in 1895.  It was warm and pleasant, if a little dim inside, but the decor was unusual and interesting and the café definitely had historic appeal.  The café had been a gathering place in the early 20th centuries for artists, actors and “modern thinkers”. 
The food was terrific! My brother enjoyed a bowl of borscht and I had some tasty dumplings (perogie). After lunch we headed to Krakow’s fabulous Market Square.
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“Pic of the Week”, April 9, 2021: Etoile D’or Catania, a Sicilian Cafe

03 Cafe Etoile D’or Catania

It was surprisingly cold and damp when we visited Sicily a few Februaries ago. After walking about Catania for a few hours, it was always nice to stop for a cup of coffee and a pastry, to rest and warm up some.
A most pleasant finding was this fine bakery/cafe/snack bar in Catania, which we visited daily while in that city. The place exuded elegant 19th century charm, like so many in Europe. Here we met a wonderful cafe employee who was very kind to us but whose name currently eludes me. He treated us like welcome members of his family. 
The place specialized in a large variety of fresh-baked pastries and snacks (like pizza and buns with meat). Everything looked great …

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“Pic of the Week”, March 15, 2019: Cafe Tortoni, Buenos Aires

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Situated on Buenos Aires’ busy Avenida de Mayo is a charming cafe that’s worth looking up.  Cafe Tortoni was founded in 1856 by a French immigrant who fashioned it after Paris’ cafes of that era.   To say he did a great job is an understatement.  Walking in from the busy avenue does indeed seem like stepping into Van Gogh’s Paris.

Cafe Tortoni moved to its current location in 1880.   It has remained largely unchanged since then. 

We visited for coffee and a pastry with some friends during our stroll down Avenida de Mayo.  Both the company and refreshment were excellent!  And the ambience was most memorable.

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“Pic of the Week”, February 15, 2019: Arabian Tea House Cafe, Dubai

02 Al Fahidi Historic District (53)

Just outside one of the more interesting neighborhoods in Dubai, the Al Fahidi Historic District, sits a small picturesque cafe — the Arabian Tea House Cafe.  I’d been on my feet for more than three hours and the heat of the day was ramping up, so I thought I’d take a break to rest and get a snack. 

The cafe was situated in a shaded courtyard (shade provided by both trees and canopies) with comfortable tables.  Some sofas for waiting were placed outside and inside the restaurant, so it must get busy at times, although that late morning it was not. Fans moved air around and it was quite pleasant, despite the ambient heat.  The clientele was a mixture of locals …

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