As promised / threatened in an earlier post, here are some photos of Wawel and its surroundings. Wawel is a fortified complex situated on a limestone outcrop on the bank of the Vistula river in Krakow. The complex has lots of beautiful buildings and fortifications within it. These include the Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral. TheContinue reading “Wawel and its surrounds”
Monthly Archives: July 2013
Neatening up old posts, laughing at myself, Johnny Depp and SEO . . .
So, taking a brief break from narrating my latest exploits in Eastern Europe I have had a quick scan back through the past three years (!!) of blog posts. As I did so I’ve been tidying up posts. Partly because a random picture of Johnny Depp as a vampire has started appearing on all myContinue reading “Neatening up old posts, laughing at myself, Johnny Depp and SEO . . .”
Colourful shopping to be had
Here’s a few colourful pictures of some of the traditional handicrafts up for grabs in the Cloth Hall and other shops across Krakow. The oldest and most traditional Polish fast food is obwarzanek. These bread rings have been baked in Krakow since the thirteenth century. Painted eggs known as pisanki are a pretty souvenir toContinue reading “Colourful shopping to be had”
A pictorial tribute to the Wawel beer man
A short, photo tribute to the coolest and cutest (and most resiliant) person in Krakow. The Wawel beer man!!! In 30 degree heat this little trouper gamefully kept on walking around the park in his heavy foam padded outfit, just occasionally drooping a little it has to be said, or stopping to pensively loiter underContinue reading “A pictorial tribute to the Wawel beer man”
Random facts about Krakow and some street scenes
Following on from our difficult day at the concentration camps we wanted to see another side to Poland so set off on a wander around Krakow old town. Here’s some interesting (and not so interesting) facts about Krakow and some random photos from our aimless sauntering. 1) Legend has it that Krakow was founded by and namedContinue reading “Random facts about Krakow and some street scenes”
Rememberance in stones
As you walk around the camp you will see at the side of the tracks a railway carriage. It is the same as the carriages that transported the camp inmates to Birkenau. The carriage is there thanks to Frank Lowy, a Holocaust survivor and son of Hugo Lowy — a Hungarian Jew who was beatenContinue reading “Rememberance in stones”
Degredation and dispair
Birkenau started to be constructed in 1941. Its scale dwarfs Aushwitz 1, it is said to be around ten times bigger. Many of the original buildings were destroyed in an uprising in 1944 and as the Nazis fled in the face of the Soviet army, but you can still see where the chimney stacks were,Continue reading “Degredation and dispair”
Birkenau – the final solution
From Auschwitz 1 we took a short shuttle ride to Auschwitz 2 – Birkenau. One of the largest camps in the complex, it had one main, overarching purpose – the extermination of the Jewish nation. It was Hitler’s “final solution to the Jewish question in Europe.” In total it is estimated that around 1.3 millionContinue reading “Birkenau – the final solution”
Haunting faces and abandoned cases
Once inside the imposing brick buildings that seem so innocent from the outside there are several devastatingly simple displays. One room is completely empty except for a glazed section that runs from one end to the other. Behind the glass, from floor to ceiling, is an immense mountain of human hair. Another room houses pilesContinue reading “Haunting faces and abandoned cases”
Inhumanity and revisionists.
As you pass under the infamous metal archway that serves as the hideously iconic entrance to Auschwitz 1 you begin to notice the barbed wire that winds its way around the perimeter and the watch towers that are positioned about the camp. The lines of brick buildings are neatly spaced and perfectly preserved. Taken out ofContinue reading “Inhumanity and revisionists.”