When: 05/08/2012 – 08/2012
Where: Krakow, Poland
Stayed: Crystal Suites Apartments
Apart from finally getting to see some summer sun (yes I’m aware of how sad that statement is), probably the biggest surprise of Krakow was just how friendly and helpful the people were. From the moment our airport transfer bus driver insisted on showing us where the best gelato could be found on the map (at midnight), we knew this was going to be a cracking trip.
We stayed at some lovely new apartments in the Kazimierz district called Crystal Suites. Our host’s name was Martin (aka Millhouse from the Simpsons according to Justin) and you couldn’t have scripted better service. Martin went to such great lengths that he even booked us a trip to Auschwitz at 1am for 9am pick up the next day – impressive!
Spotlessly clean, modern, comfy and on the main square in the Jewish quarter our apartment far surpassed our expectations. Complete with a breakfast of champions at the alfresco downstairs cafe there wasn’t much to complain about.
Beck outside our apartment in the Jewish Quarter
We’d been slightly apprehensive about visiting Auschwitz but knew it was something we had to experience in our lifetime. Auschwitz I is now set up like a museum but despite this slightly artificial experience and the volume of tourists, there was certainly no absence of sadness permeating the air. The stories and visible remnants of the travesty were so overwhelming and unfathomable that at times it felt very much like a movie set. The devastation and ugliness of humanity at it’s worst is worlds away from what most of us will ever even come close to understanding.
Auschwitz I
The first thing I noticed on arrival was the train tracks through the centre of the camp. Knowing that hundreds of thousands of prisoners were transported under inconceivable conditions kick started the little stabbing pains of sorrow in my gut. ‘Work makes one free’ stands eerily above the gates and is a reminder of how insane the premise for this camp actually was.
In an environment almost impossible to relate to, not surprisingly it was the more personal items in some of the rooms that affected us the most. A pile of hundreds of suitcases with handwritten names written on the front prompted us to think about what the prisoners were actually expecting on arrival in Auschwitz. You can only imagine the feeling of disbelief and complete and utter desperation followed by most likely anger and then heart break when the reality of their new existence set in.
Berkanau (Auschwitz II)
At first I felt a bit numb trying to wrap my head around what we were seeing, but as we saw and heard more and more evidence of survival, torture and death at Auschwitz I was overcome with a sense of sheer hopelessness. Thousands of pairs of shoes and incredibly personal items such as razors and hair brushes that were confiscated haunt my memories. The pictures on the walls of the prisoners with their hollow eyes and empty stares were chilling – but it was the room with pictures of children that shook me to the core. I won’t even mention the day to day torture that was the norm or the human experimentation. It’s enough to know that even surviving the camp was utter torture in itself.
The barracks at Berkanau
Similar to most people, we found Berkanau (Auschwitz II) to be even more confronting. Very little remains of the original site following Nazi destruction but it is the lack of restoration that makes it even more difficult to swallow.
As the scene of mass genocide unlike anything the world had ever seen, the confusion and panic that would have ensued as the ‘unfit’ were led into ‘showers for sanitation’ – aka gas chambers – is incomprehensible. Those who were kept alive had their own battles to fight with living conditions that could only be described as impossible. It is true testament to the human spirit and drive for survival that anyone made it out alive.
Needless to say our drive back to Krakow was a quiet one as we tried to make sense of the insanity we’d heard about and seen over the last few hours.
De-briefing post Auschwitz
Several reflective beers later, it was like a breath of fresh air to join the 3 hour free walking tour in Krakow. Greeted by the tour guide who stared at our footwear (thongs) and proclaimed ‘you must be Aussie!’ got us off to a positive start. Within 60secs we were rolling with laughter at the hilarious anecdotes and stories the guide relayed in outstanding english. Extremely well informed and passionate about the city, the time few and we came away significantly more educated on the culture and history of Krakow. Our education even extended to Australia’s very own Mt Kosciuszko which we’ve apparently been mispronouncing for years given it’s the name of a Polish explorer and should be pronounced as ‘Mt Kush kosh ko’. Hmmm pretty embarrassing moment in front of the tour group…
Our hilarious free walking tour guide
There was a definite theme to our trip to Krakow – pierogi, vodka and beer. Massive surprise. Fortunately we managed to find what is touted as some of the best pierogi in Krakow in the back street of the city after some valuable advice from Millhouse.
A little hole in the wall family run place called Pierogarnia served up some simple but delicious dumplings that had our tummies swollen and our brains malfunctioning as we did battle over navigating the backstreets on the way home. (yes ok so I was the one who got confused by the map..) In exasperation Justin complained ‘what’s worse than one Prior female trying to read a map? Two of you!’ My cousin (Beck) and I still don’t know what he’s talking about…
Pierogi – yummo!
Our introduction to local vodka at Wesele was just as memorable but for all the wrong reasons unfortunately. Beck and I selected cherry vodka which was a safe but solid option. Justin’s vodka made our eyes water before we even saw it. A tentative first sip resulted in some serious heat on throat action. Is this even legal Justin asked? At 70% alcohol we felt a tiny little warning might have been served up with the drink…perhaps the joke was on us?! So ensued a team effort over a good hour to finish the single glass of vodka that was pretty close to lethal. Thank god no matches were lit in our presence.
Getting into the local culture with vodka
Over the 2 days we had in Krakow we made our way around the local bars, lapping up the sunshine and what seemed to be criminally cheap drinks. Our favorites included Alchemia for sidewalk people watching and a little outdoor gem that sat next to the setting from one of the all time greatest movies – Schindlers list. Turns out its also popular with the locals as some new Polish friends we made in a ridiculously long line for Zapiekanki (cross between pizza and baguette with a range of toppings) informed us.
Party time underneath our window
Our trip to Krakow rounded out with the Jewish festival which was held in the main square in Kazimierz – under our window as luck would have it. Some serious dancing and singing with smiles ear to ear shouted nothing other than ‘pure joy’ to us. Unaided by alcohol it was an absolute pleasure to be reminded of the simple things in life that should be cherished and appreciated. Apparently every year the festival takes place with 10,000 people busting moves together in a celebration of love and life. Fantastic.
Incredibly friendly people, food to add kilos to your waistline in mere days, cheap drinks and a city steeped in fascinating, harrowing and important history – definitely one to tell the kids about.
Cathy & Justin Abroad 