From Vilnius to Warsaw, Poland – once again by coach – with a detour around Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave.
In Warsaw, Keith discovered this old USSR switch block still on display in the basement of one of the city buildings.
Our walking tour was about the Holocaust – the tram-lines on the left of the photo came to an abrupt halt – the start of the ghetto.
Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all the Jewish ghettos in German-occupied Europe during World War II.
From the Warsaw Ghetto, Jews were deported to Nazi camps and mass-killing centers.
From the Warsaw Ghetto, Jews were deported to Nazi camps and mass-killing centers.
The Warsaw Uprising monument commemorates the thousands of heroes of the 1944 uprising who gave their lives for their homeland, having fought against the occupiers for 63 days under woefully uneven odds.
Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland, cathedral of the Polish Army.
The city walls (mainly re-built 1950-1963) with the Royal Castle in the background.
Warsaw’s Old Town Market Place is the center and oldest part of the Old Town of Warsaw. Immediately after the Warsaw Uprising, it was systematically blown up by the German Army. After World War II, the Old Town Market Place was restored to its prewar appearance.
From Warsaw we took a train north to Puck (near Gdansk) to meet up with sailing friends Cam, Arni and Nancy.
Navigating the train stations was interesting!
We met up with Arni, Nancy and Cam of Jade. Nancy was competing in the Junior World Optimist Championships
We took a local train from Wladyslawowo to Gydnia where we changed trains…
Arni and Cam’s caravan.
Puck, a popular dinghy sailing venue with flat waters, little tide and good winds.
We drove out to Hel on the 40 km spit jutting out into the Baltic Sea.
The town square in Puck…
Puck was the only Polish harbour until Gdynia was built in the 1920s and served as the main harbour of the Polish Navy until the Second World War. Puck was bombed by Nazi Germany at 5.20am Polish time on Friday September 1, known thereafter as Grey Friday.
On our way back to Warsaw we caught a local train to Gydnia…
… where we changed at Gdansk…
Then a high-speed bullet-nosed pendolino InterCity Express all the way to Krakow (637km)
The countryside as we headed south across Poland to Krakow.
Our apartment in Krakow…
Our apartment in Krakow…
Our apartment in Krakow…
Our apartment in Krakow…
Church of St Michael the Archangel and St Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr and Pauline Fathers Monastery in Krakow.
City hall tower and Cloth Hall in the main square of Krakow.
Inside the Cloth Hall.
A beautiful building on the corner of Jagiellonska – on our way to the Jagiellonian University.
The Collegium Maius built as part of the Jagiellonian University is a research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by Casimir III the Great, the Jagiellonian University is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe, and one of the oldest surviving universities in the world.
The beautiful courtyard of the Collegium Maius is one of the best examples of 15th-century Gothic architecture in the city. It has a magnificent arcaded courtyard…
At 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm, the 14th-century replica clock on the south side chimes and its cast of characters go through their paces.
Notable alumni include, among others, mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish king John III Sobieski and Pope John Paul II.
… The collection of astronomical tools is amazing.
… The collection of astronomical tools is amazing.
The building houses this magnificent timber spiral staircase.
The tower of St Mary’s Basilica. On every hour, a trumpet signal (called the Hejnal mariacki) is played from the top of the tower…
The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate the famous 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city. All the trumpeters are active firemen!
Wawel Castle – this enclosed fortification, which includes palaces and a cathedral, overlooks the Vistula river on a raised rock outcropping.
Arcade galleries of the Renaissance courtyard Wawel Castle.
Sigismund’s Cathedral and Chapel as part of Wawel Castle.
View of the River Vistula…
We hired a car and driver to take us to the Wieliczka Salt Mine opened in the 13th century. The mine produced table salt continuously until 2007, as one of the world’s oldest salt mines in operation.
One of the immense chambers in the Mine…
One of the tunnels…
Showing the shoring in one of the chambers.
Chapel of St. Kinga, Wieliczka Salt Mine – entirely carved of salt – including the chandeliers…
… including the Last Supper.
Then it was off to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp…
Our guide tells some of the history – in view of one of the guard towers.
Endless rows of the barracks blocks…
… separated by electrified fences.
… separated by electrified fences.
Inside one of the domitories…
Up to six women per shelf…
Artificial limbs removed from the corpses…
One of the carriages which brought the victims to Auschwitz.
Inside one of the Gas Chambers.
The crematorium.
Looking across Birkenau towards Auschwitz camp – the sheer scale of the place is mind-blowing.
On the left you can just see the chimneys that remain of the rows of timber barracks…
The endless rows of barracks…
The endless rows of barracks…
“Forever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity…”.
After Auschwitz we decided that we needed some cheering up and shared a bottle of wine and a traditional Polish meal…
…followed by a classical music concert in one of the small concert halls.
