02/02/2012

Krakow

We landed into Krakow at 7am. Just before we landed we were told that it had been minus 25 over night and to rug up. We were back at the snow! It was a shock to the system when we got off the train, it was freezing but thankfully there was no wind. We thought after Prague and with how cold it was and the time restraints we had, it would be easier if we caught a taxi to the hotel.

We were lucky enough that when we arrived at our hotel our room was ready to be checked in so we got to freshen up and unwind a little before our shuttle picked up at 9am to take us to Auschwitz.

Auschwitz is about an hour away from Krakow and wow what an experience that was to see. It was a real eye opener and tear jerker to see how some people were treated and lived before they were killed. The weather that we experienced really heightened how they would have survived. We had layers upon layers of clothing and were complaining but the Jews wore thin if not torn clothes and wooden clogs, never or barely to be cleaned and worked 12 hour days 7 days a week and got fed barely anything. They were striped of their identity and labelled by a number. Their heads were shaven and all belongings were taken off them.

By the end of it we were cold, wet and numb and very much so looking forward too a warm shower.

When we got back to the hotel we warmed up and got ready for our traditional Polish evening at our hotel, including a buffet and vodka shots and live entertainment. It was a great way to finish our day especially after the depressing and eye-opening day we had.

Sweet dreams,

Bree and Trav

xox