Poznan was the original capital of Poland from the 11th to 13th centuries. The first prince of Poland was baptized in a brick cathedral on an island in the river. Ten centuries later Pope John Paul II was invested in the same cathedral. This cathedral of two-toned brick and two towers still stands today, and was the setting for a moving Christmas Chorale performed by the children of Poznan for the climate conferees. At the center of Poznan is a decorative town hall. At twelve noon every Sunday, two goats emerge from the clock tower of the hall and butt heads twelve times. In December the square around the hall is adorned by ice sculptures, a manger, a Christmas market, colorful Old European buildings, restaurants and cafes, and crowds of fashionable and festive Poles. The whole scene is as priceless as a visa commercial, right down to the old woman who pinches my side and commands me to eat more.
