Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Off early again, long trip ahead, lovely day.....26 deg predicted, clear skies.
Just passed the tallest McDonalds sign we have ever seen....?100' high, see it for miles!
Baltic Sea 'Amber' has been very important in Polish history. Very beautiful and is plentiful in the shops here.
Currently heading to Auschwitz........long slow trip, lots of roadworks, also several days public holiday.
Becoming wearing paying for a wee! So many currencies and never seem to have the right change! Reminds me of dropping 1 penny in the slot at DJs many years ago!
Countryside very pretty, still very flat terrain as far as the eye can see. Crops mainly wheat and potatoes.
Visited Czestochowa Monastery to see the original painting of 'The Black Madonna', painted on wood. It was bought to this monastry in 1382.
There was a service taking place.....very moving...
3 million pilgrims visit this sight every May.
200000 pilgrims walk 130kms every August from Warsaw to the Monastery
(takes them 10 days)
Poles are mainly Catholics and 95% of babies are baptised, unlike Germany who are Lutheran, very few babies are baptised due to a church tax!
First people to be taken to consentration camps were communists - taken to Duchow. 1933
Auschwitz...........
There were 3 Auschwitz camps.......designed to be working camps........ Prisoners were led to believe if they worked they would freed. Lying b******s! It was in operation from 1940 - 1945.
Death camps were built for Jews, 12 million to be exterminated - killed 10000 daily, in Auschwitz.
Just been pulled over by the police - turns out the police were hoping for a payoff would you believe....... They saw the Austrian castle on the side of the bus and thought they would get some 'beer money'! Unbelieveable! Apparently the driver turned the tables on them and threatened to report them.
The graves in the cemetries Poland are all covered with fresh flowers - amazing! Apparently if they do not look after the gravesites, after 15 years they are destroyed and they bury someone else there!
Area in Poland where Auschwitz is, was chosen because of the industry and coal mining in the area.
Many industries who during the war used slave labour (prisioners of Auschwitz), are still operating....... Bayer, Siemens, Hugo Boss for example.
Auschwitz.........
Hard to put into words....... Being there it truly is hard to believe so many people died in this place..... At this stage is has not sunk in. I didn't feel haunted spirits around me in the gas chambers, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. Thank heavens they have preserved this as a lasting reminder for all humanity to see what some so called human beings are capable of doing to fellow human beings. Has to be seen to be believed!
On a lighter note...... We travelled on to Krakow past some beautiful countryside, Poland is a very picturous place.
Nearing Krakow the farms become smaller and the terrain becomes a little bit more indulating. Such quaint style homes.
Arrived at the Sheraton Krakow for 2 nights, lovely hotel, lovely dinner.
Roger's added thoughts on the day......
The main roads in Poland are very bad, all half finished, a real mess.
One story...... They contracted the Chinese to build the roads but the Poles stopped paying them so the Chinese destroyed the roads they had built and left the country!
Our guide said they pay 60% tax here would you believe....no wonder they find it hard!
- comments
Scott 26 deg is amazing weather, warmer than here now by a fair bit! It is do difficult to comprehend how horrific what happen in autswich and places like it is. Thanks for all the updates though, seems like it is all happening with the dodgy cops and the like.