Krackow, Poland. We walked to the Town Square that had had walls around the city. Another beautiful city with so many stories to tell. We saw people praying at a statue of the Black Madonna just off the town square.
We also had rain.... We stayed in an apartment at the Florian Rooms Apartments Building just outside the city square. We had to have three codes to get into our room... Pat and George stayed in the apartment across the hall. It was a spacious two room apartment with a nice living and dining space. But did not have heat....and it was cool and rainy so they gave us a heater and had the heat turned back on!! We visited the Jewish Cemetery in Kraków. The Russian Army and The Red Army destroyed most of this city and the grave stones were in piles in some areas so they made walls around the cemetery out of the pieces of grave stones. The only color in this cemetery is the green grass and occasionally a flower someone has left on a grave. When friends or family visit, they leave stones or glass.This simple act of putting small stones on tombstones when visiting has come to be a great sign of respect of their deceased loved ones. It has come to signify that the grave has recently been visited and that the deceased have not been forgotten. To make this simple ritual even more meaningful, some bring a pebble or stone from their own garden to place on the tombstone, or select a brightly colored stone to place at the grave. Placing a stone on the grave of a loved one is a tradition that may be personalized to create meaning and bring comfort. We also visited Shindler's Factory on this rainy day in Karkow. When we came out of the Factory, we decided to take an electric golf cart with plastic on the sides back to the city as it was raining and we had walked across the bridge and thru the factory. We had not ridden in an electric golf cart so decided we should experience especially since it was raining and the golf cart had plastic sides! We went to the beautiful town Centre and Market Place for shopping and checking out the history of the walls. We had a nice dinner in a restaurant in the Centre. Of course George and Tom had their beer with dinner. They are trying to taste all the different beers in the different countries and doing a great job of getting that done!
The next day we only traveled a couple hours from Krackow to Skidzin.
We arrived in Skidzin just outside of Oswiecim, Poland where we stayed for a night. We had lunch in the little village of Psyczyna while waiting for our room to be ready. Have seen many fruit and vegetable stands on our travels. All the little stands we see are packed full of what looks like really fresh foods. The B&B we stayed in at Skidzin, just outside of Oswiecim was beautiful with the large area of grass, flowers and "country feel". The place we stayed was like an old country home with beautiful stained glass and hard wood floors. We found out from the owner that the property and the one house next to our B&B had been used to assist families who had family members who were prisoners at Auschwitz Concentration Camp just down the road. Had a traditional Polish Meal at the bar just around the corner that was also owned by the same B&B. Had a lovely breakfast in a little glassed in patio area and felt like we were outside. We also visited Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Oswiecim. The words over the entrance "Work will keep you free." However the prisoners referred to it as "Gate of Death" as 1,100,000 Jews were sent to the camp, nearly 150,000 Poles, some 23,00 Roma from several European countries, over 15,000 Soviet prisoners of war and over ten thousands prisoners from other countries were sent to Auschwitz. The majority of them perished there. Walking around the grounds was very sobering and sad...to actually walk the paths, thru the dormitories and see where the hangings, fire squads shot groups of prisoners, torture and in humane treatment and where their bodies were burned was carried out by other human beings day in and day out. I wonder how could a human inflict these horrendous tortures on their fellow man. The medical experiments on certain prisoners to include children, newborn infants, males and females. I sat and wondered how would it be if could not have the freedom to express your opinion because you never could be certain if a friend, family member or even in the confessional someone was listening and reporting ...so they could stay alive. Seeing the roses that are taken and put in different areas of the prison after all these years brought tears to my eyes. Is this what we are seeing with ISIS attacks more often now? We need to pray for our country. The past couple days we had blue skies and sunshine.
We left Krackow and went to Warsaw, Poland. We parked our car at the hotel and took public transportation around this city. We stayed in a Micro Hotel in Warsaw...energy efficient and just enough space for a ergonomic chair, closet and bed and bathroom. But it was comfortable!! We walked the paths that was around the Jewish Ghetto as walked around all the memorials to honor the Jewish people who were placed in what was called the "Jewish Ghetto". We walked this path of suffering where 300,000 Jewish people were driven in 1942-43 from Warsaw Ghetto to the gas chambers of the Nazi Extermination Camps. It is so difficult to think how cruel one human and be to another. Amazing architecture....from ultra modern to historical. The town square was beautiful with all types of colorful buildings and interesting people.
Przemyslaw Kapitula is a Polish Virtuoso organist that was giving a concert in the church of St. Anne in Warsaw . Had never seen or heard a Baroque Organ played so we attended the concert. Had always wondered how they sounded as have seen many in the churches. Amazing! There was also a demonstration against Poland breeding horses and sending them to the Orient to be used in restaurants and for food. The demonstration was peaceful but continued for several hours. We were awed by all the colors of the buildings in the square. We went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and saw the changing of the guard and also there was a memorial cross and plaques where Pope John the 2nd talked to the people of Warsaw. Interesting seeing several older adults standing and selling flowers or some type of fruits on the town Centre. Also saw mimes,children playing instruments and others doing tricks with balls etc. for gratuities. Also saw hundreds of "love locks" on the railings in Warsaw and different places in that area. This is a tradition of sweethearts when they lock these locks to a bridge, fence or gate to symbolize their love. The key is thrown away to symbolize that their love is unbreakable love.
We continue to have such great days and experiences together. When we look back at this trip, of course we will remember all that we have experienced but most of all will be so thankful in remembering all the moments of each day that we four have spent together just being "US" and having such fun in appreciating that we are blessed to have each other in our lives and have spent these days together.
"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent , in the ideas of living." ~ Martin Buber
We keep you all in our daily thoughts and prayers.
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