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I was willingly to take back everything negative that I said about Prague trainstation after emerging at Krakow station, 9.30pm to a group of young people trying to sell you accomodation as you stepped off the train.. At least in Prague that let you get in the station before bombarding you.. Trying to work out how to exit Krakow station was a mission and a half, then I finally manged to get a taxi, my hotel was within walking distance but I was in no mood to try and find it in the dark (later discovered I came out the wrong side of the station anyway) after being on a train for 7hours straight and not having eaten since 11am that morning due to the hangover caused by my dear Amanda.. (Brilliant night tho! never shot Absinthe in Czech!! They set it on fire, so therefore heating it up, the shots are about twice the size of ours and it burns the whole way down, and keeps burning for at least half an hour afterwards.. ouch!! Altho try peach vodka! very cheap and goes down very easy!! Got to have a night in a Czech club with Amanda, her mates
and the people on her Contiki! God these people party hard.. and they do it every night! I dont know how!! But a night of dancing is definatley something Ive been missing and the Czech boys arent bad either 😉 Anyway my lovely taxi driver proceeded to take 20mins to get to my hotel which is only a 10minute walk literally down the road.. Hmmm.... Oh well, finally got to my hotel where I crashed big time!
My first day in Krakow was a rather leisurely one.. Slept in, had a late breakfast cos breakfast here is served to 11am.. Finally! haha.. Then went for a wander in Rynek Glowny, the main square and main part of Krakow.. Reminded me very much of the main square in either Brussels or Prague, lots of cafes and restaurants, money changers and souvenior shops..
Tuesday was spent doing the main reason I came to Krakow, and the main reason most people came to Krakow I would risk guessing... Auschwitz-Birkeau... The notorious concentration camp of the Nazis during the second world war and the main extermination camp.. Went on a two hour guided tour through Auschwitz before moving on to the extermination
camp Birkeau, 3km from Auschwitz.. I have to admit I was rather disappointed in both of these.. After Terezin I expected so much from Auschwitz because it was THE main concentration camp but I think there were too many people there to really, I wont say enjoy, but appreciate the experience.. however as you walk through the museum at Auschwitz and see the mountains and mountains of hair that was shaved off the prisoners after being put through the gas chambers, or some even before, as you wander through the piles and piles of personal items that these people would have grabbed as they were shoved out their front doors by the Nazis, never to return.. it really is a harrowing experience.. At Birkeau you were able to walk across the railway that bought these prisoners into this extermination camp, 80-90% of which were marched straight to the gas chambers, you can almost feel the chill in the air.. The presence of those millions that lost their lives....
Now to what I didnt think was possible... I have been impressed by a catherdral!! yes thats right, after seeing how many and being totally over it, Ive been impressed by
one.. St Marys Church in Rynek Glowny, the old town here in krakow!! its incredible inside and theres a little man up in a tower who plays his trumpet everyday at 1pm.. All you see is the trumpet emerge and then a hand that waves.. Quite cool although Im not entirely sure why....
*You've changed so much that i dont know, if i can call you and tell you I care....*
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