Roadtrip 2018 dag 4

8 augustus 2018 - Krakau, Polen

After a good night's rest we woke up and slowly prepared for breakfast. There was no need to rush to the motorcycle, so we had some extra hours of sweet sleep, but not too long, because there was so much waiting to be explored! After breakfast we went out and started looking around our hotel. I thought it was weird that we're not leaving to the city centrum (everything's a surprise for me). Soon enough the reason of our wait appeared - a little bus with a friendly driver and a group of tourists. We joined them, and as we drove off, the driver explained that we're going to visit the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau and the famous Wieliczka salt mine! I looked at Marcel with eyes full of surprise, and he answered with a big smile. Soon we were in Auschwitz - after going through a check point and receiving headphones to be able to hear our guide all the time, we entered the camp. We were led from one block to another, taking a look at various pictures, items hearing about the stories behind them on the way. We saw the things people have brought with them, not knowing what was waiting for them - suitcases, clothes, kitchen tools....we saw shoes, glasses, even cut off hair - a chamber full. We were led through places where these people have met their horrible end - chambers deep in an underground floor, a shooting wall and a gas chamber. The dark clouds gathering in the horizon reflected well the way we felt. When the tour around Auschwitz was over, we returned to the car and in a moment stepped out in Birkenau. There were so many barracks.....out of many just the foundation and fireplaces were left. As we walked through the camp towards the gas chambers, it started to rain lightly. We took a look at the ruins of the gas chambers and went on to have a look at the inside of one of the barracks. On our way the rain started to pour. We were all soaked in no time, but I didn't mind at all. it just added up to the precious feeling of being alive. Being inside of the barrack and seeing the conditions those people were forced to live in is difficult to describe. That was the end of this tour, and we returned to our car for a long ride to the salt mines. At the place we could take a break, so we went to a restaurant nearby for a tasty lunch. We also received a gift - pieces of salt crystals :) Afterwards we went to check in and soon enough were climbing the stairs down to the mine - 54 floors! The air inside was cool, and almost everything around us was made of salt. The walls, sculptures, even a huge chapel! We tasted salty water, watched beautiful presentations and took pictures of countless mesmerizing sightings. The deepest point that we've reached was 135 meters below the ground. When it was time to go back,....I mean, up, we got in a powerful lift and soon were back at the warm and sunny surface. Then our driver brought us back all the way to our hotel. We decided to have a quick, but really tasty meal at a gas station nearby and had a radler next to the river, enjoying the warm evening air and the view. Now we're busy with our story-material, but also take it easy - tomorrow's one more day in Krakow!

  • Kms made: didn't count, but I think a whole lot. On our feet of course!
  • Weather: hot and cloudy, an hour of heavy rain

Foto’s

2 Reacties

  1. Riek:
    9 augustus 2018
    Zo verschrikkelijk wat daar gebeurd is, geen woorden voor alleen maar tranen.
  2. Doetze:
    9 augustus 2018
    Indrukwekkend!