Schindler's List

Day 20 - Krakow, Poland:

This morning we left at 7:15 am to catch the bus to the train station and then our train to Krakow. The train ride was about 3 hours long so I just passed out. There wasn't really any scenery anyways.

Once we got there our rooms weren't ready, so a bunch of us headed to Old Town and walked around. It was never ending. Of course I got some gelato, as it was insanely hot out, but really I don't need an excuse. 

I headed back to my room once it was ready and got settled in before heading out on a Jewish walking tour around the city. It was very intense and informative. We saw the oldest synagogue, apartments that were inhabited by Jews but then left completely unoccupied afterwards in the Jewish Ghetto, the main square in which the fate of the Jews was determined by the Germans (which camp they go to), as well as Schindler's factory and places where scenes from the movie were filmed. We also saw the house of a German pharmacist right off of the main square. The pharmacist would sneak drugs to the Jews to help them with medical problems. He also kept a diary of the horrible things he saw out his window everyday, which is now a book.

One of the bridges we crossed during the walking tour had locks all over them like in Paris and other places. People trying to seal their fate with love...not sure if that works though.

After the walking tour (3 hours long) I was ready to pass out from heat exhaustion so I had a cold shower before meeting the others for dinner. I had potato pancakes with stewed beef and it came with a sort of coleslaw and puréed beets. So yummy. 

Now it's off to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day...

Mcdonalds always ruining everything (Old Town):

Graffiti pointed out on walking tour done with the message that we should 'never follow'. 

Monument in main square where Germans decided the fate of the Jews (the empty chairs represent the fact that their should be Jewish people to fill them. They were also taken from a photo of a young Jewish girl carrying a chair - holding on to the only property her family had left). The house of the German pharmacist is the 2-storey on the far right:

Lock bridge: