Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia

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Hello everyone,

Sorry we've been so slack at updating. We've been busy motoring around to try and get down South well ahead of the wedding so we can begin to slow down near Greece and enjoy the weather and unwinding after the hectic whistle stop tour.

Czech Republic was beautiful. We really enjoyed the pretty spa town Karlovy Vary, were we swam in a thermal pool on top of the only ugly communist looking building in town, overlooking the valley, filled with beautiful georgian looking buildings, a bit like Bath but in colour! We tried the spa water, fizzy and mineraly and not at all like mucus as the guide book suggested!

Prague was crazy busy, but well worth going to for a wander about. One of our highlights was climbing up to the castle to see Prague lit up at night and the beautiful Charles Bridge. The gothic architechture is amazing, there are so many incredible buildings, that you almost stop noticing them!

We stayed next to a lake nr the town of Brno and enjoyed a bit of down time and a BBQ, then onto Auschwitz in Poland. We're glad we saw it, but for me it's something I will never forget and never want to repeat, it was a painfully sad and horrific place. The 2 tonnes of human hair in a display case was one of the most harrowing sights as well as the rows of empty bunks in one of the barracks. I felt for the tour guides, surely it must be bad for your health to work there everyday. I was very glad to leave and be on the road again to Krakow.

We managed to catch the summary programme of the Olympics and the closing ceremony and felt suitably British again after missing most of the Olympic action!

Krakow was a lovely city, we explored smok the dragon's den under the Castle. Sadly he had already flown away and legend has it exploded after drinking half of the river to quench his thirst after a knight fed him a posioned sheep! Still he is the prized mascot of the city with many cuddle dragons for sale in the tourist tack stalls! We also visited Schindler's factory which has been turned into an amazing museum, where we learnt more about the incredible story and the awful realities of WWII in Poland. Not to forget to mention the incredible salt mines nr the city. There is a ballroom and many cathedrals more than 100 metres underground! (pics to follow soon).

We then drove up the the Tatra moutains on the border with Slovakia and found an amazing but the busiest 'secluded' spot next to a crystal clear alpine river. Half the town comes there to sunbathe and drive their 4 by 4s through it! The mountain walk was so pictureseque it almost wasn't real.



We're now in Slovakia, where the scenery is still stunning! About to go an explore a castle and enjoying the beautiful cobbled hillside town of Banksa Stiavnca.



Off to Hungary later, we will definitely have to come back to Slovakia for another visit, but with over 1000 miles to go before we get to Athens, it's time to get some more miles under our belt!



Over and out Lorze and Andy xxx

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Comments

[Don Kent]

Profound Experience of the Horrors
I recall reading about the concentration camps in the 50's and found it hard to believe. Seeing the reality of the actual places now must have been a profound experience for you. How does mankind ever sink to such depths? Let's hope lessons are learnt so such depths are never plumbed again.