Krakow Visit
So, this last weekend, I went to Krakow (pronounced Krakuf) with my program. Krakow has been called "The New Prague" by some, and now I am likely to believe it. I don't know what preconceived notions I had about Eastern Europe, but it's fair to say that I was mostly wrong. Suffice to say that I think Western Europe can go to hell for all I care. Eastern Europe is awesome!
Krakow is a beautiful city, and a happening party town. The girls are pretty, the people are nice and the history permeates every moment. I had more fun in Krakow than I've had in the last few weeks in Prague.
The first day it was snowing, and bitterly cold. We arrived at 7 PM, and let me tell you: Poland is freezing. Still, we decided to go out anyhow, and explore the town. Got some dinner, and we were ready to get wasted.
Mark picked a bar on the main square, and we sent a runner back to the hotel to bring everyone along. The bar itself was housed in a Gothic building, which was evident by the ribbed vaulting over the dance floor. It was filled with dozens of young, very European people, and half of them were dancing to awesomely cliched pop music. It was the best.
Seeing as we were in Poland, the vodka was cheap, and it was delicious. I apparently don't remember about 1 or 2 hours of the 4 hours I was out. When I was conscious, I would walk around and pretend to be from France. It was awesome.
When I got back to my room, I had to be helped into bed by my room mates and I kept them up for a while with my hiccupping.
The next day consisted of a tour of the important sights of Krakow. The city, like I said, is beautiful. They have a very distinct style of Gothic architecture that uses red brick instead of the stone you see in Prague. It creates an interesting effect of a sort of 1800s/1300s crossbreed.
I also enjoyed the castle, which like the one in Prague, is made up of many different styles. The most spectacular area was a huge Renaissance courtyard that could have been take straight out of Italy. I think that the Polish do Renaissance better than the Czechs, but the Czechs could out Baroque the Poles any day of the week. Take that, Slavs.
In the evening, Jana, the young staff member of our program, took us to a water park. Picture this: It's 19 degrees outside, snowing and windy, and all of us are frolicking around in our bathing suits. The water park was housed in a space that is about the size of a movie complex. There are 5 awesome slides, a lazy river, a sauna and about a dozen hot tubs. I've been to a fair share of water parks, and this one was way up there. It didn't hurt that we were in Poland in the middle of winter. Anyone who didn't go from our program really missed out.
That night we went out to dinner at an American Indian themed steakhouse. It was a little odd, but about on par for the course. All the staff were dressed up as cowboys, and the food was very deliciously American.
That night, we went out to another cool club where there was a violinist playing live with a DJ on the dance floor. She was good at playing music, and also good at drinking and dancing. I didn't get as wasted that night, but I had fun meeting a Brit and his polish friends. Besides, it was Merel's birthday, so I had a duty to get her tore up. Mission accomplished.
The trip ended on a more serious note, with a trip to Auschwitz. We've all seen the camp in films and photos, but actually being there was something else.
We went to both Auschwitz I and Berkinow (Auschwitz II). Auschwitz I was formerly a Polish base, but it was quickly converted to a concentration camp. It is where most of the pictures you see come from.
Auschwitz II on the other hand, was what you probably have seen in movies like Schindler's list. It was unfathomably large and desolate. We walked along for 10 minutes in the biting wind and snow to the gas chambers, and that was probably the best way to really experience the camp. I was well bundled up, but I decided to take off my hat and gloves when we were at the camp in order to see what it might have been like, even if only in a half assed manner. I've never felt more miserable.
On the bus ride back, they decided to pop in Schindler's List. The decision may seem morbid, but I was one of the few who found it to be mostly appropriate. The movie takes place in Krakow, Auschwitz and Moravia (the south of the CZ), and it was erie to watch. Here we were, driving along from Krakow to Moravia and then onto Prague whilst on the screen there were scenes of trains transporting Jews along the same route. I could look outside, and see the same kind of scenery.
On the upside, in the movie I could tell when they were speaking Polish, and it was a good lesson in perspective on where I am and what has happened here.
Overall, I'm very happy with the Krakow trip, and I wish I could afford to go back again. But instead I'm going to Aix en Provence and Marsailles for spring break, and after that I shall go to Amsterdam for my birthday. Dig it.