My first two days in Poland I took day trips outside of the city of Krakow. My first day in Poland I visited the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. It literally takes your breath away, being in these places, looking around, hearing the tour guide talk about all the things that happened - how many people died, how they shared a small bunk with 7 people, how they couldn't go to the bathroom, how they...It was one of the more impressive locations I've been on this trip in 7 weeks now, and yet much of it lies within the mind, as with the Birkenau camp, much of it was destroyed by the Nazis before the end of the war in an attempt to cover up their attrocities - as if that were possible.
After that moving day, I visited the town of Wieliczka, where they have one
of the oldest Salt Mines in the world. It was really impressive, and I actually found out that the miners were extremely religious people, to such an extent that they built physical churches within the mines themselves!The people here have been extremely hospitable, and the hostel I am staying in is great! Except for what I assume are some bed bug bites? But they're a non-issue. Met up with the Polish guy I met on my train ride in here the other night, and his friend Magda, who happened to work at a tourist information center, so she had me visit her the next day there and gave me TONS of information on places to see, when to go, and how much it would cost me. Wicked helpful, and wicked cute. ;)
Other places I visited include, but were not limited to, Pope John Paul II's original church (in Krakow); Wawel Castle (where every king of Poland has lived, there's a fun myth about a virgin eating dragon that goes with the castle too...); and also went to a classical music concert in a church built in the 17th century last night as well which was amazing; plus many more places.. Krakow's been a blast, and I'm sad to leave. But in the morning I head to the coast of the Baltic Sea, a city called Gdansk (which used to be Danzig, in Germany).
