Day 6 our tour started in Kazimierz which is the Jewish Quarter. We saw areas where Schindler's List was filmed and the main square of the area. We saw the front of the Schindler factory. As it was Corpus Christi most everything including the museum was closed. The pictures and names of the survivors are the windows on the front. It was a special place to see after the difficult day at Auschwitz. We also went the area where the Germans organized people for transport. It now has 65 chairs and each one represents a thousand people who were deported. There is a pharmacy next to it and the owner helped as many Jews as he could.

As we walked up to Wawel Hill we saw a Corpus Christi procession which was quite a sight. Hundreds of people on bended knee in prayer. We saw Wawel Cathedral first which is Krakow's Westminster Abbey. Famous writers, poets, and all the kings of Poland are buried there. It is also home of the Archbishopric of Krakow thus Archbishop Wojtyła lived there before moving to Rome. The castle was also very interesting and beautiful. We made our way to the Old Town Square where we heard the bells on the hour at Mariacki church. We had pierogi for lunch, a stop for cash, and then off to the salt mine at Weliczka.

The salt mine was amazing not only in its intricacy but also in what they've done to make it accessible. There's a church there made entirely of salt including the chandeliers. They even put a couple students to work down there. The lakes there were beautiful, but you wouldn't swim in them. We were told the story of some German soldiers during World War I who died of suffocation after their boat capsized on the lake. The kids and adults were very impressed by the size and intricacy of it. We also bought plenty of salt.

We found a restaurant on the square to eat at and I had pierogi with meat, another group member had a pork dish that was excellent.

We made our way back to the hotel and had a wrap up meeting discussing Auschwitz and Krakow. The kids were very impressed with the salt mine and left Auschwitz with indelible memories of the depths of humanity and the hope of survival.

Jmoo