After spending over a month only in Germany, I decided it was time to venture out once again. Last weekend I travelled to Krakow, Poland—a country I never thought I’d visit before this trip. I can honestly say I’m so happy I did! I’ve never thought much about it nor do I have any ancestry there, but when other Pitt students expressed interest in going I thought- why not! So, on Thursday right after work, we quickly collected our suitcases and boarded a very long Flixbus to Poland. The bus had delays, but I think we finally boarded around 7:30 PM and arrived around 5 AM, so you can imagine that it was quite the trip. After a few sleep-deprived mishaps involving finding and utilizing the keys to our Airbnb, we went to sleep for a few hours
We woke up and set out for the day, grabbing lunch at an Italian restaurant because it was close. Ravioli on the menu was deceivingly advertised as pierogis, so I was fairly confused for a couple minutes- I haven’t eaten pierogis in a while, but it was not the deliciousness I remembered. We later toured Wawel Castle, located in the old town square. We saw some old paintings and neat architecture, but it was a bit difficult to appreciate everything due to the lack of English descriptions and my own familiarity with the place in general. I must admit I was more interested in the Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg, but that could be because I had an audio tour and more of a connection to the area. Regardless, any time you’re in a castle is a good time, so I liked it. Afterwards we went across the river to visit the Oskar Schindler Factory, only to find that tickets were sold out for the day. So, we decided to visit a modern art museum that was next to the factory. I was nearly cheated out of 50 zlotys, which is about $15 US dollars, when paying for my ticket. I was compensated, but not after a drawn out searching of all the receipts to add up the total. We saw quite a bit, and I think I was most interested in the sections on modern Polish culture (which I didn’t really know anything about), and the exhibit on American culture, which was extremely interesting to see how a somewhat minor country such as Poland sees us. We afterwards visited a couple of old- fashioned churches in a quiet residential area, until we journeyed to the Jewish District for dinner. I tried potato pancakes topped with sour cream and a side of mushroom soup. I can honestly say I fell in love. Afterwards, we walked around the main square at twilight, which was gorgeous.
On Saturday, we woke up early to be picked up by a tour van which took us to Auschwitz-Birkenau, which is about an hour and a half drive from Krakow. Our driver played us a film about the liberation from the camp, which made me realize how difficult the visit would be. We reached the site and first toured Auschwitz I, and were led around by a tour guide into former buildings that housed prisoners, and horribly, the last surviving former gas chamber. When we were in the basement where people were starved, and the gas chamber, it was hot and cramped and I had an overwhelming urge to get out. It was difficult to realize that so many victims lost their lives thinking the same thing. We later went to Birkenau, which is about ten minutes away, on a much larger plot of land. I was getting quite hot at this point, because I hadn’t had water or food in a while, and it was a hot July day with the sun beating down on us, because there was no shade at the site. We additionally went inside another building where people were housed, and after five minutes I was again nearly overcome by the heat. I cannot imagine how people lived there every night, five to a single bunk. By the end, I was thankful to leave the site. I’m grateful to have gotten the opportunity to visit, and I think it is something everyone should do, but it is not an easy experience.
Later that evening we focused on lighthearted things, and ate at a restaurant with pierogis consisting of cheese, onions, and potatoes. They played lots of fun music in the main square, and I loved the vibe. Afterwards we enjoyed Polish doughnuts and more of the main square. We followed this up with a classical music performance at the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which was a peaceful way to end the evening. Beyond the mysteriously damp sheets at our Airbnb, I can honestly say that I had few complaints about Poland!
The next day, Sunday, we took a bus back to Berlin. We encountered a fellow American college student who is staying at the same hotel as us. This was cool, until my opinion of him soured when he asked to Google something on my phone (long story, his was stolen) and used it for ten minutes, and gave me attitude when I asked for my own bloody phone back. Can assure you that the students of Baylor are just as disappointing as their basketball team in the NCAA bracket.
Overall, enjoyed a fun, tasty, and emotional experience in Poland. As for the coming weeks, I’m taking another four-day work week this week. I might just stay in Berlin and enjoy it- I’ve been working and traveling a lot so it will be nice to see the last of the city!