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Published: August 30th 2007
An overnight bus from Vilinius deposited us in Warsaw at 6am. Early morning in Warsaw's international bus station proved to be rather grim - there wasn't much activity and the money changers didn't open until 10am, so we settled in for the long wait both penniless and starving with our new Irish mate Kevin. After scouring the neighbourhood and surrounds for sign of a money changer or ATM, Kev eventually discovered a hidden ATM inside the station, about 2 metres from where our bags were piled!
Warsaw was quite a nice place actually and had the best parks we've seen so far. Parks that were full of people: lovers canoodling under the shade of big trees; kids riding bikes and scooters; toddlers playing in puddles; and frazzled mothers sitting on blankets on the grass. Well utilised parks, and well kempt.
We checked out an interesting exhibition on at the Contemporary Gallery entitled
"Block" which explored Soviet style block housing and looked at the impact of the soviet architecture on society. Basically the verdict was that it was ugly, dehumanising, isolating and led to a host of social ills.
The ''old town" of Warsaw wasn't really old, it was
the new town that had been rebuilt to look like the old town before it bombed to smithereens in World War 2. Reminders of the war were everywhere, evident in the statues erected in memory of those who suffered, and pock marked buildings bearing battlescars.
When we headed south to
Auschwitz we really understood the horrors of the war and what the Nazis inflicted on millions of people. After the German invasion of Poland, Auschwitz was turned into a concentration camp and it was here that over three million people (mostly Jews) were systematically exterminated. The first arrivals actually thought that they were on their way to a better life, having purchased properties and businesses (which were all fake), and even bought their own train tickets to get to Auschwitz. Men, Women and children arrived laden with suitcases excited about their future, a future that was brutally shattered within hours. New arrivals were split into two groups: those that would go on to work as slave labourers; and those deemed too weak, too young, or too old were sent straight to the gas chambers.
These mass exterminations were all done so systematically and efficiently; clothes and shoes, glasses,
gold teeth and even human hair were salvaged so that they could be recycled. Many of these items are on display at the museum and after seeing tiny little children's shoes and wads of human hair you're left as to no doubt about the horror that went on here, and it's sickening. When we visited it was a sweltering day and also incredibly busy with tourists so winding our way through the cells in the heat amidst the throngs of people added the heavy and oppressive air of the place. Personally I found it too much, it was way too intense, so much horror and we left there wondering how on earth something so utterly despicable could have ever happened in such recent history.
Krakow was a nice place - sort of 'old worldly", with castles, forts and horse-drawn carriages so we spent a few days there just hanging out and relaxing. We met a great bunch of people at the hostel and checked out the night life too which was awesome! Basement clubs packed to overflowing even on a Tuesday night!
Onwards to Prague!
Our Route LITHUANIA: Vilnius > POLAND: Warsaw (by bus) > Krakow (by train) > Auschwitz (by bus) > Krakow
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Johanna
non-member comment
Camps
I have a relative who was sent to a concentration camp because they listened to the BBC!