Olomouc - Auschwitz - Krakow [07-06-08]

It was a super comfortable night all the way till morning. I would say that the hotel has been the best lodging i had so far. The morning was spent battling with the Singaporean kids at the breakfast buffet table. Then it was followed by crossing the border into Poland and onward to Auschwitz.

I've always wanted to go to Auschwitz concentration camp after learning so much about the Holocaust during World War 2. At that moment, i just couldn't believe that i was standing and treading on the actual site of such atrocities and brutality witnessed in the historical photographs. The atmosphere of the place was just so surreal, accompanied with the video of the testimonies of the live witnesses who has been through the Holocaust in Imperial War Museum (London), it was thought-provoking. Walking through the empty barracks, the hanging gallows, the execution compound, the gas chambers and crematoriums, I could vividly imagine what has actually taken place here during then. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

"Work brings Freedom"
The shooting compound
Gas chamber
Barracks
Birkenau
The familiar train stop where the Jews were gathered and selected to either to go to work or to the gas chambers

After the camps, it was on to Krakow. We arrived at the hostel and the bus had to park illegally to let us off for there was no space on the road for us to alight with our luggages. I bunked in with Damien, Sunny and Carlos. The room had a tall ceiling with really high double decker beds that would require a skilled gymnast to ascend to the second level and familiar army-style lockers. the towels were too small and the bedsheets would not fit the mattress. But all in all, it's pretty not bad actually.

We walked to the town to have our dinner at a local pub. It was amazing to see old-style horse carriages at the town square but i have not the slightest idea why they kept looping in circles. Oh well. Anyway, i ordered pork chop and a light beer at the pub. Not a good choice to order the beer for i felt really bloated after the main course. It was a good thing our table ordered early and we had the meals delivered to us fast because some of the other tables waited nearly 2 hours for their food to arrive. That's insane man. Rachel, Kat, some other lady and me decided to retire early for the night. It was drizzling and we passed by this concert playing some really strange music.

I did something really stupid that night. Thinking there was no heater, i took a freezing cold shower. It's not until later on that i realised i have turned the knob the wrong way. Great...