On Sunday we explored the Old Town and was surprised how busy it was. The p
lace was jam packed - tourists, vendors (arts/crafts and food), kids activities, street performers, etc. It did not take us long to realize that we were in the middle of the 750th Annniversay celebrations of the founding of Krakow. Visited possibly the worst information booth ever - no phone or phone book - in an effort to find a bicycle shop and purchase the necessary inner tubes and a new pump. Souvenir store next door was more helpful, ripping out the relevant pages of the Yellow Pages and we were able to locate the nearst two shops.
Savoured 'red borscht' and tuna-stuffed dumplings at a 'locals' bistro. Climbed the tower in the main square, which was not entirely what the knees needed, but did offer a good view of the city. Visited the castle on Wawel Hill briefly and located
one of the bike shops. It was closed, but we would return in the morning ahead of our day excursion. All I wanted to do was sleep. Following a 2-hour nap the day was rounded off with a massive kebab 'Polish style'. Krakow is a wonderful, historic city and I was sorry not to have more time or energy to explore it further. Will definitely plan to return.
The following day we were at the bike store shortly after opening and the requisite supplies purchased. Our timing was perfect as we reached the bus station as our transport to Oswiecim was leaving in two minutes. The name Oswiecim probably means nothing to anyone except the Poles reading this. However, its German moniker has consigned it to the darkest chapters of history - we were going to Auschwitz. Now a 'city of peace' Oswiecim houses the Auschwitz Muse
um in honour of the 1.5 million, mainly Jews, who were murdered.
Two things struck me: how small Auschwitz camp was and how sterile/'soft' the museum was. I had expected to leave traumatised and although the hard facts are presented and leave you wondering about the psychosis of a regime that exterminates 56,000 Hungarians in 7 days, gassed 2,000 at a time, it seemed too clean. Personally I would have tried to bring the history to life by having visitors enter a railway carriage and being 'locked in' for 3 minuted followed by a mock 'selection' (who lives/who 'showers') process in an effort to convey what went really went on. The elements that do bring the horror to life are the mounds of human hair and the piles of suitcases, shoes and spectacles that remain. Birkenau, less well known in name, but where most of the murders took place is massive and certainly more horrific - even if based solely on the scale of the place.
Two quotes remained with me: 'Arbeit macht frei' - the inscription over the entrance gates to Auschwitz which perversely translates to 'work brings freedom' (for most, freedom only came through death), and 'those who do not remember history are bound to live through it again' - George Santayana. This had me reflecting on my conversations in Sarajevo.
lace was jam packed - tourists, vendors (arts/crafts and food), kids activities, street performers, etc. It did not take us long to realize that we were in the middle of the 750th Annniversay celebrations of the founding of Krakow. Visited possibly the worst information booth ever - no phone or phone book - in an effort to find a bicycle shop and purchase the necessary inner tubes and a new pump. Souvenir store next door was more helpful, ripping out the relevant pages of the Yellow Pages and we were able to locate the nearst two shops.Savoured 'red borscht' and tuna-stuffed dumplings at a 'locals' bistro. Climbed the tower in the main square, which was not entirely what the knees needed, but did offer a good view of the city. Visited the castle on Wawel Hill briefly and located
one of the bike shops. It was closed, but we would return in the morning ahead of our day excursion. All I wanted to do was sleep. Following a 2-hour nap the day was rounded off with a massive kebab 'Polish style'. Krakow is a wonderful, historic city and I was sorry not to have more time or energy to explore it further. Will definitely plan to return.The following day we were at the bike store shortly after opening and the requisite supplies purchased. Our timing was perfect as we reached the bus station as our transport to Oswiecim was leaving in two minutes. The name Oswiecim probably means nothing to anyone except the Poles reading this. However, its German moniker has consigned it to the darkest chapters of history - we were going to Auschwitz. Now a 'city of peace' Oswiecim houses the Auschwitz Muse
um in honour of the 1.5 million, mainly Jews, who were murdered.Two things struck me: how small Auschwitz camp was and how sterile/'soft' the museum was. I had expected to leave traumatised and although the hard facts are presented and leave you wondering about the psychosis of a regime that exterminates 56,000 Hungarians in 7 days, gassed 2,000 at a time, it seemed too clean. Personally I would have tried to bring the history to life by having visitors enter a railway carriage and being 'locked in' for 3 minuted followed by a mock 'selection' (who lives/who 'showers') process in an effort to convey what went really went on. The elements that do bring the horror to life are the mounds of human hair and the piles of suitcases, shoes and spectacles that remain. Birkenau, less well known in name, but where most of the murders took place is massive and certainly more horrific - even if based solely on the scale of the place.
Two quotes remained with me: 'Arbeit macht frei' - the inscription over the entrance gates to Auschwitz which perversely translates to 'work brings freedom' (for most, freedom only came through death), and 'those who do not remember history are bound to live through it again' - George Santayana. This had me reflecting on my conversations in Sarajevo.
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