Krakow Trip

[Fisherman]

Had a great trip to Krakow. We visited Zakopane and the Tatra mountains. Then we went to Auschwitz which I found harrowing. Then we headed down the salt mines which were quite spectacular with a chapel being formed 400 ft below ground level. Definitely well worth a visit. Did not see a lot of motorhomes possibly due to time of year.
I decided not to take photos at Auschwitz.

 

[runnach]

"I decided not to take photos at Auschwitz."

While I have never visited Auschwitz, or Poland, Bill. I would imagine a visit there will be etched on your mind, that images are not required to remind you of your visit to what was hell on earth during those terrible and horrendous times of our modern history!

 

[korky]

Can concur,Krakow is a fabulous place.Visited in the early 90's with a mate. Is the real fire breathing dragon still at the foot of the castle by the river? That's real fire not real dragon by the way.
Went to a biker bar in Zakopane and did all the vodkas.Each one out of the freezer, in it's own dedicated glass, also out of the freezer.
You couldn't feel it go down.We should have been in hospital the next day but decided to go up the Tatras on the cable car still pissed. In the supermarket that morning buying a picnic for the trip,national radio was playing the Frank Zappa classic, Bobby Brown.We were drunk and singing it as we ordered some smoked sausage, it made the holiday. It's those little moments.

 

[The laird]

We're hoping to visit nisa near Bratislava this is where my dil is from but like you we want to visit auschwitz but I don't think I could take pics also
Rip all them people

 

[Fisherman]

"I decided not to take photos at Auschwitz."

While I have never visited Auschwitz, or Poland, Bill. I would imagine a visit there will be etched on your mind, that images are not required to remind you of your visit to what was hell on earth during those terrible and horrendous times of our modern history!

It’s a personal choice, but one couple did annoy me smiling and posing whilst having their photo taken outside the iconic Berkenau gate where 1.2 million were taken before perishing. But some of the stories from the guide were most harrowing. I have read extensively on both world wars and about the holocaust. But when you are standing where people arrived in cattle carts it takes on a whole new dimension. Would I recommend a visit, absolutely.

 

[Fisherman]

Can concur,Krakow is a fabulous place.Visited in the early 90's with a mate. Is the real fire breathing dragon still at the foot of the castle by the river? That's real fire not real dragon by the way.
Went to a biker bar in Zakopane and did all the vodkas.Each one out of the freezer, in it's own dedicated glass, also out of the freezer.
You couldn't feel it go down.We should have been in hospital the next day but decided to go up the Tatras on the cable car still pissed. In the supermarket that morning buying a picnic for the trip,national radio was playing the Frank Zappa classic, Bobby Brown.We were drunk and singing it as we ordered some smoked sausage, it made the holiday. It's those little moments.

Yes the dragon is still there and he still fires up a flame every few minutes. We spent over two hours on a bus to Zakopane and ran out of time trying to see what we have planned. It’s a gorgeous place with the highest property prices in Poland. The views heading up the cable car are breathtaking, but unfortunately we got cloud at the summit.

 

[runnach]

But some of the stories from the guide were most harrowing. I have read extensively on both world wars and about the holocaust. But when you are standing where people arrived in cattle carts it takes on a whole new dimension. Would I recommend a visit, absolutely.

And many forget (or do know of the first holocaust) by the Ottoman Empire cleansing of the Armenian people during WW1.Then onto WW2 and the numerous groups, including infirm, during the rise of the National Socialist Movement (NSM). And right now the same is happening within the ME, perpetrated by offspring of those who survived the horrors under the NSM.

 

[Fazerloz]

We went last year for a week for the start of the Christmas market. Its a great place with great friendly people.
Did you bother doing the Ghetto walking tour Bill.

 

[korky]

Yes the dragon is still there and he still fires up a flame every few minutes. We spent over two hours on a bus to Zakopane and ran out of time trying to see what we have planned. It’s a gorgeous place with the highest property prices in Poland. The views heading up the cable car are breathtaking, but unfortunately we got cloud at the summit.

Nice to hear about the dragon. We had exactly the same on the cable car, so no view at the top. A few years later I tried the same mountain from the Slovakian side. Got up early, clear and sunny then minutes from the summit, down came the cloud. Must get out that way again but in the van this time.

 

[Fisherman]

And many forget (or do know of the first holocaust) by the Ottoman Empire cleansing of the Armenian people during WW1.Then onto WW2 and the numerous groups, including infirm, during the rise of the National Socialist Movement (NSM). And right now the same is happening within the ME, perpetrated by offspring of those who survived the horrors under the NSM.

There have been many holocausts Terry and some did not involve war or violence against the victims going back millennia. You could argue what happened in Ireland during the potato famine when we exported what little they had over here whilst letting around a million Irish peasants starve to death, whist millions immigrated to the new world to escape the famine, was a form of holocaust. But the depravity and the scale of the depravity meted out by the Nazis is what puts it right up there with the very worst. And sadly it goes on today and in more recent past. Sadly holocausts of varying size and levels of depravity seem to be a feature of human history. It’s ironic that those who themselves were sub human, reckoned that those they murdered and persecuted were sub human. But with regards to the Armenian brutality, the Turks to this day deny what happened. And sometimes holocaust’s are carried out against your own; people such as what Stalin did in the USSR, and Paul Pot in Cambodia.

 

[Fisherman]

We went last year for a week for the start of the Christmas market. Its a great place with great friendly people.
Did you bother doing the Ghetto walking tour Bill.

No Chris we did not. After Auschwitz I had enough. But we did visit the square with the chairs.

 

[Fisherman]

Forgot to show this photo of St Joseph’s

 

[runnach]

There have been many holocausts Terry and some did not involve war or violence against the victims going back millennia. You could argue what happened in Ireland during the potato famine when we exported what little they had over here whilst letting around a million Irish peasants starve to death, whist millions immigrated to the new world to escape the famine, was a form of holocaust. But the depravity and the scale of the depravity meted out by the Nazis is what puts it right up there with the very worst. And sadly it goes on today and in more recent past. Sadly holocausts of varying size and levels of depravity seem to be a feature of human history. It’s ironic that those who themselves were sub human, reckoned that those they murdered and persecuted were sub human. But with regards to the Armenian brutality, the Turks to this day deny what happened. And sometimes holocaust’s are carried out against your own; people such as what Stalin did in the USSR, and Paul Pot in Cambodia.

Our own Highland Clearances is another example, Bill.

Back to your lovely pictures. What has always struck me when touring various EU countries, is how clean the various towns and cities are compared to here at home.

 

[davep10000]

Thanks for putting the pictures up, Bill. We are heading to Krakow in a few days time (flying...not in the van).

 

[Fisherman]

Thanks for putting the pictures up, Bill. We are heading to Krakow in a few days time (flying...not in the van).

Enjoy a great city.
The young Poles all speak English, and most older Poles speak English to varying degrees. It always makes me feel a bit ashamed saying this, when the vast majority of us only speak one language. They are a stern lot, but they’re kind when you bring it out of them. Very proud of their country flags everywhere. We arrived there on Monday and the Tuesday 11 November was their Independence Day. I am sure you will have a great stay, and go through all of the emotions we went through.

But when travelling home get through passport control asap. We queued for 90 minutes and we were late for our jet2 flight. Thankfully they waited and everyone made it on the plane.

 

[RoaminRog]

We found Austwich harrowing as well. We had a guided tour with an English speaking guide,
We came out at 4pm and couldn’t speak to each other until later that evening.

 

[Fisherman]

We found Austwich harrowing as well. We had a guided tour with an English speaking guide,
We came out at 4pm and couldn’t speak to each other until later that evening.

Yes, some may say that you go on holiday to enjoy yourself, we did enjoy ourselves, but not that day. But going to Krakow and not showing respect for what went on was simply not on our radar. We spent seven hours first at the small camp, and then we went to Berkenau where over a million innocent people including over 200,000 children were murdered by those sub human thugs who thought they were the master race.

I don’t think anyone standing at the railway siding where those people arrived, could not be affected. RIP.

 

[Trotter]

This item is a reminder of the conversation we had at Hereford, following the Armistice parade in the town.
If the other mob had won, my dad’s family probably wouldn’t have survived.
Harrowing indeed. My Nan was of the faith.

 

[Fazerloz]

Thanks for putting the pictures up, Bill. We are heading to Krakow in a few days time (flying...not in the van).

Try not to go to Auschwitz over the weekend queues are off the scale and it does spoil the experience.You have little time to ponder and reflect.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

I loved driving around Poland in our van because there is so much to visit and see. Where else would you cycle through a rural village and see a Mig 15 in someone's garden?

As a boy, I remember watching a series of programmes about the Teutonic Knights in b/w TV, and to finally camp adjacent the Vistula beneath the Fortress of Malbork was emotional.

For those who are wondering about Cracow's fire breathing dragon beneath the Wawel, it's not as spectacular as something from Game of Thrones, every 5 minutes this is what you see:

In the main square, read up on the abrupt ending to the trumpet call from the Heijnal Tower, and why:

I found Zakopane a bit too "touristy" for me, but the surrounding countryside is really lovely.

I would love to go back and do it all over again.