Hostel Hocus Pocus Krakow

Last week was a flash from the past! The first part of the week was devoted to celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 (same year I was born! Wall-less democratic Germany is as old as ME!) and then that weekend Lizzy and I visited Krakow. What interesting contrasts in one week--re-living the excitement as Berlin (and subsequently Germany) was freed from Communism and also witnessing the ruins of the Auschwitz horrors. 

Krakow, Southern Poland, Poland nelsons5

... of Sydney. He took us in a backyard used by the youth movements, and told us of their Zionist efforts, and their activism in telling the other Jews, largely to no avail, what fate they were awaiting in the east. Meeting with a Righteous Gentile I was so moved to be in the presence of someone to receive such an honour, that I was in tears even before this elderly and humble man began to speak. Cry #3. He told us (through a translator) how ...

... berth of three on the left side of the compartment. There were six beds total, three on each side. I walked up to the door for my compartment and it was locked of course. One of the already sleeping through passengers from Budapest unlocked it finally with a lot of angry fanfare and motioned me in. She slammed it behind me and gave me the universal signal to keep it quiet. Yes ma'am, I am NOT messing with you tonight. Keeping it quiet is ...

... the star entrant to the E.U. in 2004, has suffered financially in the recent past. Folks blame political instability. Nevertheless, Hungary now appears to be the poor cousin in comparison to Croatia and Slovakia. We drove across the Danube to Slovakia's capital, Bratislava. Its historical centre is very picturesque. Some wine tasting in Modra followed. The Slovakian wine can be as ...

... to big men boots and even wooden clogs, in a mound that was bigger that half of a house. And that was just the beginning. There were masses and masses of suitcases with people names on them in hope that they would be returned to them that was in a display that was at least 15 metres long and 4 metres high. And it gets much worse as they was a display of human hair that stretched the length of the building. After we ...

... stuff". He then lit it on fire and poured it burning into another glass, making sure he sealed the brandy glass with a coaster as he empty the last off it. Took the shot, then he pieced the coaster with a straw and got us to breathe in the vapours left in the brandy glass. After, we did stuff, went somewhere, then did more stuff, maybe got a kebab, maybe talked to people and then were suddenly at the hotel. Good stuff! (Jas - I ...

So, we got to Krakow at 7:30 in the morning, and we wanted to catch a bus to Aushwitz (the concentration camp). So we did that... And We saw it, and im sorry... but this is going to be very short, because it's one of those things that you cannot really explain. It was horrible. Not going to lie. I mean a good experience in General, but the things you see...its just amazing how one ...

... years citizens attend church in droves. We get attached to our home neighborhood. On the corner is a market where we get our daily bottle of water. Round the corner is one of many small green weedy spaces tucked away through the city. A tiny bar is sandwiched between the Bernina sewing machine repair shop and across from the vegetable vendor. A regular at the bar is an older woman walking her dog and when they stop, the bartender ...

... is more remarkable is that so many historical buildings in the countries we visited were destroyed and have faithfully been restored to their original grandeur. There are lovely parks through the centre of the city and the area where Jagiellonian University is located. Established in 1364, it is the third oldest university in Europe. Collegium Maius is the university's oldest building and was declared a museum in 1964; Copernicus attended this college ...

... was our main trouble. I have brought my ipod and I am calmly listening to Thelonious Monk hammer away. Today is an unfortunate days because we have been kicked out of our residence building because they are fumigating before the studenci arrive later on this week. I have 12 hours to wander the town with Maia's laptop and my other valuables on my back; this is why I choose the library as a choice destination. I have realized the convenience of having a laptop though and one day ...