This has actually happened to me a few times. When telling someone about this city in Austria I'm now living in, I reffered to it as Grazów. (Yes, this is a mix between Kraków and Graz.) But why?
I have a few explanations, or maybe excuses.
First, I have to admit that I am homesick. For Kraków. Probably more often than I would like to admit. So naturally, when telling someone about this new city I'm living in now, what comes to my mind is the new city I was living in last year. And these two names just merge so easily!
Also, there are a lot of similarities between the two of them. Let's have a look.
1. Architecture
This is probably true for most of the Habsburgian cities, but I've noticed it especially here. When walking down a street in Graz, surrounded by these old houses, I could very well be teleported to Kraków and probably wouldn't notice it. I have even spotted the long-lost twin of my old Krakowian house here.
Take a look at them - so far away from each other and yet so close.
When I first noticed it, I laughed and cried at the same time, and eventually had to calm myself with some wódka. For old times' sake.
Another pair of siblings, or maybe cousins: the Herz-Jesu-Kirche and Bazylika Mariacka.
Not only do the vehicles look very much alike, the risk of getting run over by one of them is equally high in both cities. They don't stop for pedestrians, not even at crosswalks. They only ringgg their bells to tell you to better get out of the fway.
Okay, mabe those in Kraków are a little bit more dangerous, but in relation to the general driving habits in each country, they are malicious. Also in Graz. Even though cars do stop at crosswalks.
And, of course, the party-trams. A wonderful invention, although I haven't experienced them in Graz yet.
But my favourite tram ever is the Tramwaj Mikołaja. It is a tram decorated like a christmas tree that drives around Kraków in December, spreading pure happiness. I definitely hope for that to happen in Graz, too.
3. Smoking inside
It is allowed. Almost everywhere. In bars, cafés, even restaurants. Where there are usually (in Germany) seperate smoking areas, there are non-smoking areas. As if to tell people, well you don't smoke - so you can't sit with us!
No offense, dear smoke-free people, I admire your strength and willpower. It just surprised me when I first saw this in Kraków, and it still does whenever I see it in Graz.
4. Obsession with (animals that can breathe) fire
Not only the people smoke a lot and everywhere, the cities themselves are on fire. Graz, or Styria, has its fire-breathing panther. Kraków has its Smok Wawelski, a dragon surrounded by ancient myths and legends. Nonetheless has it fully arrived in the 21 century: you can send it a text message and it will breathe fire for you. (way to go, panther)
Picture or it didn't happen? Here I am as a lovely ginger (yes that is really me) in front of the dragon. The flame was of course only for me and had to be extinguished after I left. A not so eternal flame, after all.
5. Some more random similarities
- really nice courtyards
- gutters with dragon heads on their ends
- a lot of tourists and Erasmus students
- a lot of churches
- they both are the second largest city in their country after the capital if you don't count the metropolitan areas of Salzburg/Katowice -> if you do, they are both.. third biggest!
- they both have a castle, more precicely: a hill with a castle on it (yes I have been to Prague, yes I know these two cities are not the only ones with a castle on a hill)
And there sure is a lot more I have yet to discover!
Anyway, I'm not saying they are completely the same, they are both unique and special in their own way (of being a city). Maybe it's just me seeing something that reminds me of something and turning it into a "similarity" that is only obvious to me. Or to someone who's been to both cities.
They are both definitely worth a visit.
Please never ask me directly which city I prefer, I could (obviously) not give an objective answer.
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