Last weekend CEA took us to Poland. We took an overnight train Friday night and arrived in Krakow on Saturday morning. They put us on a bus and after a quick breakfast at our hotel we went to Auschwitz. As we were boarding the bus I realized I didn't have Rick Steves with me. So I jumped off the bus but they had already locked up our stuff. So I got back on the bus but as I was walking up the stairs my flip flop got caught on a step and broke. And, being the brilliant packer I am, I didn't have any extra shoes with me. Luckily, three of my four roommates have the same size feet as me and two of them had packed extra shoes. So we went to our luggage, got me some shoes, and I got my Rick Steves!
Auschwitz wa
s very cool. I'm glad I got the opportunity to go. We had a tour guide that led us all over the camp. We started at Auschwitz 1 and saw different cell blocks that had many of the things found when the camp was liberated on display. Things like hairbrushes, shoes, luggage, and hiar. Lots and lots of hair that was shaved off the heads of people from the camp after they had been killed. We also saw some of the cells in the "Death Block" and we saw one of the shower areas and crematoriums. We then went to Birkenau and had a brief tour of one of the barracks and "bathrooms" that they had there. This is where the less than amazing part of the trip came. We had a very short tour of this huge camp and had close to no time afterwards to explore it on our own. But otherwise, it was still an amazing experience and well worth it.
s very cool. I'm glad I got the opportunity to go. We had a tour guide that led us all over the camp. We started at Auschwitz 1 and saw different cell blocks that had many of the things found when the camp was liberated on display. Things like hairbrushes, shoes, luggage, and hiar. Lots and lots of hair that was shaved off the heads of people from the camp after they had been killed. We also saw some of the cells in the "Death Block" and we saw one of the shower areas and crematoriums. We then went to Birkenau and had a brief tour of one of the barracks and "bathrooms" that they had there. This is where the less than amazing part of the trip came. We had a very short tour of this huge camp and had close to no time afterwards to explore it on our own. But otherwise, it was still an amazing experience and well worth it.After Auschwitz we got back on the bus and went to Krakow to check into our hotel. We got settled in there and then I headed to Old Town Krakow with some other girls from the program. We got separated pretty quickly so I toured around with two friends. We saw a few different churches including St. Francis Basillica. We also saw the Archbishop's Palace where Pope John Paul II lived while he was archbishop and while he was the pope on his visits to Krakow. We walked towards the Old Town Square where the Main Market Square was and lots of other shopping. We wandered around there a little bit and then decided to go find some food for dinner. On our way we got convinced by someone named "Ice-Man" to take a golf cart tour of the Jewish quarter with him. He was quite the character. It was very fun. After the tour we told him we wanted to find some dinner so he dropped us off at a Polish restaurant that he said he goes to all the time. It was mighty tasty. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and met back up with people from our program to go check out the Polish nightlife. It is not so hoppin'. Although, we didn't dance to the YMCA twice as well as a nice medly of other oldies. But no one was doing the YMCA except for us. It was still fun.
On Sunday we had our official tour of the city. This started with going to Wawel
Castle and going inside the cathedral as well as part of the castle itself. It was very pretty and full of artwork. We then wandered through the streets hearing little bits here and there about things and ended at St. Mary's Church. This was absolutely beautiful. The altarpiece was completely carved out of wood and was stunning. I could have sat in there for hours. At this point the tour had ended and so we were left to do whatever we wanted. So Katie and I wandered around Main Market Square some more and then headed back to our hotel to listen to a speaker that our program had arranged for us.
Castle and going inside the cathedral as well as part of the castle itself. It was very pretty and full of artwork. We then wandered through the streets hearing little bits here and there about things and ended at St. Mary's Church. This was absolutely beautiful. The altarpiece was completely carved out of wood and was stunning. I could have sat in there for hours. At this point the tour had ended and so we were left to do whatever we wanted. So Katie and I wandered around Main Market Square some more and then headed back to our hotel to listen to a speaker that our program had arranged for us. Mr. Bernard Offen lived in the Jewish ghetto of Krakow and survived 4 different concentration camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was a very interesting guy and we were able to spend two hours sitting with him and asking him questions. He lives in California but spends 4-6 months each year in Krakow to help with his healing process. He also makes films about his life. He, along with his two brothers, were the only ones from his family to survive. They both also live in the US and are both writers.
After hearing Bernard we got on the bus for the last time and went to have a traditional Polish dinner. We had some mushroom soup; Polish rice; chicken cutlets; a "mixed salad" that consisted of a pile of shredded carrots, sauerkraut, beets, and a pickle; potato pancakes; and pierogis. After dinner I got the best gelato since I got to Europe and then we headed to the train station to take an overnight train back to Prague.
Poland was great. I really enjoyed Krakow and I'm glad my program took us there because otherwise I don't know that I would have gone on my own.
A normal person, after taking an overnight train and spending a weekend out of town, would have gotten on th
e metro at 7 am and gone home to sleep. I on the otherhand have never been all that normal. I got on the metro and went the opposite direction of home so that I could get on a bus and go to Stara Boleslav. Why, you may ask, did I decided to spend my Monday off from school going to a small town 30 km from Prague? Pope Benedict XVI people! That is why! Monday September 28th was St. Wenceslas Day in the Czech Republic so all schools were cancelled and The Pope decided to take a trip to the Czech Republic for the holiday weekend. He flew in on Saturday and spent some time in Prague with the president and his wife. On Sunday he went to Brno and on Monday he went to Stara Boleslav, where Wenceslas was murdered by his brother, for a special mass. I went to the mass in this giant field along with hundreds of thousands of people from all over. I didn't understand any of the mass because it was all in either Czech or Latin but it was still very cool. And I got to see the Popemobile! It was pretty sweet and a great way to end the weekend.
e metro at 7 am and gone home to sleep. I on the otherhand have never been all that normal. I got on the metro and went the opposite direction of home so that I could get on a bus and go to Stara Boleslav. Why, you may ask, did I decided to spend my Monday off from school going to a small town 30 km from Prague? Pope Benedict XVI people! That is why! Monday September 28th was St. Wenceslas Day in the Czech Republic so all schools were cancelled and The Pope decided to take a trip to the Czech Republic for the holiday weekend. He flew in on Saturday and spent some time in Prague with the president and his wife. On Sunday he went to Brno and on Monday he went to Stara Boleslav, where Wenceslas was murdered by his brother, for a special mass. I went to the mass in this giant field along with hundreds of thousands of people from all over. I didn't understand any of the mass because it was all in either Czech or Latin but it was still very cool. And I got to see the Popemobile! It was pretty sweet and a great way to end the weekend.Sorry this post is so late. School got the better of me this week. If you are part of the Zuelke or Fraine family you probably got the email/facebook message about my homework assignment. I turned it all in Thursday night. Six pages of facts covering over 100 people. If you need a way to kill a tree or two, just borrow my family for a family tree assignment. You could wipe out a rainforest with us!
No comments:
Post a Comment