Krakow, Poland

I'd be lying if I said my overnight, 3rd class passenger train ride from Prague to Krakow went swell. Highly recommend splurging on the upgrade or sleeper cart for this route. Also, since the stops were unannounced, I was terrified of sleeping through Krakow and had to be on high alert of my surroundings so as not to awake in the final destination of Warsaw. I arrived to the snow draped, desolate, Polish town around 6AM and stowed my carryon at the train station.

Be sure to use the lockers rather than the checked luggage area which is more costly and shuts down. You must have change though.

My pre-booked Auschwitz tour (what drew me here) wasn't until 10:15, so I had a few hours to acquaint myself in the sub freezing temperatures.

Here, every hour on the hour, trumpeters continue the tradition of playing their tune out of each cardinal direction from atop the church tower. I desperately wanted to enter (to both admire the inside of the famed basilica- a noted mecca, of sorts, for Polish Catholics) and escape the cold but, alas, a sign was posted that only church goers were welcome.

St. Mary's Basilica

 Finally, I met up with my tour group and embarked upon the two hour ride out of the city to our first stop, Auschwitz.

"Work Will Set You Free"

 Auschwitz was first used as a Polish Prisoner of War camp. Also, here highly educated and influential Poles were held as to allow for takeover of the country.

 Next, we traveled to Birkenau, where the mass termination of Jewish people all over Europe were brought and murdered. I was, by far, the most ill prepared dressed out of my group and could barely immerse myself in the experience (that I'd longed to have since I was a young child, first learning of these atrocities) due to the cold. This, however, put even more into perspective the harsh conditions and suffering that those housed and executed here endured. It was 12 degrees F, lots of walking in the snow, and emotionally draining (you can feel the weight of death when stepping inside the crematoriums).

 The Auschwitz- Birkenau tour lasted all day between the extensive tours at each camp along with the commute to and from. I had hoped to visit Wawa Castle as well as the Oscar Shindler Factory while in the city, but by the hour I was returned, I did not have enough time to travel across the river into the other sect.

I stopped for traditional Pierogi at Pierogarnia Krakowiacy back near the square. There's only communal seating at this literal hole in the wall, but it's worth stop.

Back in the town square, I perused the market halls to pass the time before my departing train.

Overall, my first time in Poland was wonderful. It was much different from Prague in that nearly everyone was quite friendly and well-maintained. I headed back to the train station which was attached to a mall and picked up my luggage from storage. The station even had showers which was great as I had another overnight train ahead, this time, to Budapest. As I awaited for platform announcement, I sat near the public piano where passengers and homeless alike took turns keying out beautiful music. It was all a dream.