Poland

On to Krakow where we were hoping to catch a bus to Kiev. The office at the bus station did not open until 10 am and the person who opened it didn't arrive for another half hour. He didn't care enough to be helpful so we threw a dart at the map, so to speak, and hit on Budapest instead of Kiev. We spent one night in a hostel and did some exploring. Not much help here, not many smiles.

There was a festival going on in the big square. One booth had a whole pig turning on a spit. Some musicians were playing traditional Polish music, a nice change since every other tune I've heard the whole trip came right out of the US oldies rock scene. We also explored a big cemetery full of extravagant monuments and statues. They treat their dead well here. The Catholic church situated in the midst of all those dead called a service and everyone stopped to take part even though they didn't go inside.

Inside Krakow's castle walls

Auschwitz. Nobody can go to Krakow without viewing that grim reminder of mankind at its worst. There were many barracks set up with wall-sized displays, one of nothing but shoes, another of human braids shorn from the victims, another of eyeglasses...you get the picture. Then there is the heavily pockmarked wall where some prisoners met with the firing squad, complete with a little makeshift shrine of pebbles, pictures and flowers strewn about. Then the oven and the track where they laid the body and shoved it in. Once again, someone laid a flower in tribute. Grim. Grim. Grim.

The ovens. No flash, no tripod but you get the idea.

 

Finally, at the train station we met a friendly, smiling ticket agent. She was young and very pretty, long black hair and all that. When Adam pushed the money through the window, I slipped a magnet in with it. Her smile turned up in a funny little way and she ducked her head, made up the ticket and passed it back, still with that funny little turn to the corner of her mouth. It was almost as though she felt really special. I suspect she thought it was a gift from him.