Photos of Krakow (a must see), including images of Wawel Castle, the Dragon's Lair, Auschwitz/Birkenau and the Salt Mines will be posted on the next blog.... read more

I can't seem to add photos to an already published blog so am adding them to their respective countries now. Got home yesterday - took me 48 hours almost exactly to get from Krakow to my door step and I am very glad to be home! Back to work and real life tomorrow, but with an amazing experience behind me!... read more

Today we visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in the nearby town of Oswechiem (sp). The tours were well done and very informative, and I am forever grateful for having the opportunity to visit the sites. The tour only covers a fraction of the information and research completed and currently being compiled about the site of one of the biggest mass extermination camps in our history. You can't help but become emotional when you walk into a room with 2 tons of human hair - hair that is from actual prisoners of the camp - its heartbreaking the atrocities that were committed there. My hope is that the millions who visit the concentration camps will take their visits to heart and not allow for injustice in their own lives. Yesterday we footed it over to the Jewish Ghetto, where Jewish ... read more

Latvia is very nice, it feels genuine, like people are going on with the business of living in a regular way, not sure how to say it, but people seem REAL here. We have been recouping from our last week or so of adventure and enjoying the day. Doing some shopping - or I should say some looking - because the US dollar is incredibly weak, you really wouldn't believe just how expensive it is to travel throughout Europe. In Latvia of all the countries I have thought about, we have encountered prices as high, if not higher than they were in Finland. And the terrible thing is there is just so much cute clothing - I want it! But, will instead be happy strolling the streets, seeing the sites and the people. Have learned a ... read more

We have arrived in Riga, Latvia and just getting our bearings around the city. The city already feels more authentic, more real then the city we left, which I appreciate. The bus ride over was very nice, they have gone quite luxurious with their buses and the 4 hour trip passed quickly. We've had our fill of caviar, bread, butter, nutella and other good things we have come to have the taste for while on the road. Not sure what the next couple of days here will hold, we haven't got too many plans, and instead hope to go at a bit slower pace, to recoup from our running over the past few days. More later, love, A... read more