Krakow

Bratislava was great, for the short time I was there. The Communist influence in the city was so palpable. And yet they were also so proud... a very interesting mix of people. A little dirty, a little run down, but all part of the charm.

Now I am in Krakow, Poland (I know, I don't know how I ended up here either!). It is giving a good fight for one of, if not the, favouritist (making up words is fun!) city in Europe. It is a lovely city, with lovely people, all so dramatic, loving, sad. The past two days I have spent seeing Wawel castle and cathedral (I LOVE tombs. Is that strange? I find them cozy...) with MEgan and Chrissy (Aussie girls... naturally) and wandering around the town square (which is all of - literally - 15 seconds away from my hostel) and watching live Polish music and dance and visiting the Jewish quarter.

Today I finally worked up the never to go to Auschwitz. I really can't even describe what it is like. There is so much horror and sadness in the place. Even sixty years later it saps every last piece of you. I went on a three hour tour. Most everyone in my tour group was under 25. By the end, no one was talking, no one was touching, holding hands, kissing. We plodded forward, dragging one foot in front of the other, heads down, hearts heavy.

I have seen displays showing tonnes and tonnes of human hair that was cut off of women after they were murdered in the gas chamber and then sold to make blankets. I have stood in a room, not an arm span across, where they would cram 4, 5, 6 people for days as punishment, no light, barely any air, pissing, sleeping, shitting, standing breast to breast. I have looked at the certificates that were paid for by Jews for homes and land in Poland after their Nazi "relocation". I have touched the furnaces where hundreds, thousands of bodies were burnt after dying from the gas chamber. I have a pebble in my pocket from beside the Killing Wall where anyone who opposed the Nazis was executed.

I would go again, without hestitation.

So..... next is Czechy Krumlov! It is a little town in the south of the Czech Republic. It is supposed to be beautiful and fun and relaxing. I need it....