Our Polish family came over this morning and met my family through Skype. There were huge smiles across many thousands of kilometres. Then Gabriela, Basia and Tyberiusz left to do a tour of the castle, and then they would go and catch the train back to Rybnik. Again hugs and some tears as they left.
Paul and Kasia walked around with us through the old town, into the Jewish quarter and then into the heart of what was the Jewish ghetto during WW2. An area of the city that was walled and where Jews were herded to live until their deportation to places like Auschwitz.
Walking through aged and often crumbling, but still beautiful streets.
Coming to the "Heroes Square" - a large grey tiled square just over the river. At one end is a grey flat roofed building, which was the Gestapo HQ for the ghetto. across the square in rows and columns, are large metal chairs. These signify the empty homes as people were removed from their homes. Around the sides of the square are rows of small chairs, and the impact of these are so powerful. It puts the suffering and death of children into your face.
People were routinely shot in the square. Walls were also put up in the ghetto to divide families, women the old and children in one area, and the other had those who could work.
I don't understand how such mass insanity could take root and be allowed to fester and grow.

We headed back to the apartment as it was time for Kasia and Paul to take Mum to Rybnik so she could visit her sisters and cousins grave. She also wanted to meet up with her other cousin Marian and his wife Helcia. I really appreciate how Paul and Kasia flew over from England this weekend to see us. It was so good to see them and I hope they come over to Australia some day.

We wandered around the old town- grabbed a lunch - had a Krakovian pretzel served in exquisite way with wild boar meat and venison sauce. Then we had some time to ourselves. Romas headed back to the apartment so the rest of us decided to meet in the square at a set time.
I would highly recommend spending time walking around Krakow whilst listening to "There will Be Blood" by Johnny Greenwood. It is just so amazingly perfect for this city.
I walked into a Franciscan Cathedral
And discovered the end of a wedding ceremony. There were lots of tourists in there and I sat down. Next second I heard violins and organ- and an Orchestra that was high up at the back of the church started playing. All truth and air and truth busting through.
Then back to the square to meet Lauren and Audrey. Lauren and I thought it might be a good time to climb the cathedral tower. A densely tight stone spiral staircase with crowds climbing down and Lauren and I hanging precariously onto the slim centre column. By fingernails. Edge of the precipice.
And then we met this ancient wooden structure, each beam the size of an enormous tree, and the whole structure independent of the brick tower that surrounds it.
And up we went - suddenly becoming our English alter egos, 'erbert and Jinny. An up we wint. Some times beams reached out over the stairs and you had to put in a bit of an effort to get over them. After climbing these wonky, sometimes ladderesque stairs we got to the crowded top. As we looked down at the square through windows that would allow your whole torso to be out over the city, the people below were the poppyseeds on the Kracivian pretzels. So small were they!
Our death defying viewing ended when we stopped defying death and climbed back down. For a coffee.
And then dinner plans.
We decided to eat in the Jewish quarter but first to the Jewish market square to a cool pub that served Aperole Spitzers. Then we found the place Geoff Fox would love. I could almost see him sitting opposite me at the table, salivating over gefilter fish and broth. It was called Chajim Kohan and had the decor of old Jewish stores, with the music and food and feel and all.
We felt comforted by food and warmth as we meandered back to the apartment.