Day 23 - Warsaw

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Today we have another early start, bags out at 0615 for an 0715 departure. This morning we are heading to Auschwitz for an early morning visit (try to beat the crowds again).

We leave Kraków with the peak hour traffic going against us so we have a trouble free trip to Oswiecim, the town where the Auschwitz concentration camps were housed. One of the Barossa couple (John) is of Polish descent (parents emigrated to Australia in 1948) so he is a bit touchy about this visit.

We arrive on time and as we get off the coach, the hairs start to prickle a little. Quick toilet stop and then we are in and broken into 2 groups for ease of viewing, etc. We are group no.1 and also have John in our group. I tend to leave him lots of room, but quite a few times he stops and tells me how creepy it is for him (not Robinson Crusoe there...). We wander through the buildings and then into 3 of the barrack rooms which have been setup as museums. Pictures, story boards and lots of memorabilia (not all good either). Lots of pics, lots of heavy thoughts and wondering how this ever happened. The last Barack room was the cells where they experimented with killing the prisoners in various ways, along with the masses of personal goods gathered by the Germans - up to 2 tonnes of female hair, shoes, suitcases, combs, hair brushes and shaving brushes, spectacles, etc. etc. Then into the shooting yards and on to the crematorium. Creepy, creepy place.

It was good to start walking out. John was very strong but said it was exactly as he had expected following all the stories he had been told by his grand parents. We left and then quickly went past the other camp, called Auschwitz 2 (Birkenau), a much larger camp that has been partially removed (many of the wooden huts have been sent to other countries as a memoriam of the holocaust). The main gate was used in the movie Schindlers List (where the train goes through the main gate). We get a quick pic chance then off again.

Our next stop is lunch at Czestochowa. After lunch we go the the Monastery of Jasna, where they have a black Madonna. Lots of pilgrims come here to visit this painting and we were told that many even crawl the last km on their knees in prayer. We get into the church where there are lots of people in the middle of the church trying to get a view. A feed of us see a side way and go down there. This actually takes us past the main altar, around the back and then back past the altar again (like a horse shoe). Get a good pic of Madonna in black and then get hassled out by security. Into the basilica next door and wow, talk about over the top. Gold leaf everywhere, not just a little but a LOT. Photos probably will have reflections because of the brightness of this gold. Outside and wander around the buildings, very opulent.

Now we are off to Warsaw for the night. Along day in the coach once again. Stiffness and many sleeping beauties today.. Arrive in Warsaw and go straight to restaurant. This is a traditional Polish place where they serve you dumplings for entree and then you get to make some as well. John and I team up and do a pretty good job at it. Lots of laughs which is good to see.

Quick drive to our hotel. We are told on the way as we pass the soccer stadium that AC/DC are playing there tomorrow night, but better still, they are staying at our hotel.... As we pull up there is a really flash Ferrari at the front door. Get out and ogle this then notice a few roadies out having a smoke also ogling the car. Get chatting to them (they are techs who do sound and lights). Nice guys who pick us as Aussies straight away. We do the obligatory ask for free tickets, bugger, none available. Pics of the Ferrari then into the rooms before a quick walk and drink with the Barossa couple. Find a cafe and order a drink while watching the passing parade. Lots of flash cars in Warsaw. Heard a Maserati, Porsche and lots of others as well. Drinks done, off to bed.

We get a sort of sleep in Tomorrow, 0830 start.

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