Yesterday we got up early to tour Oskar Schindler’s factory. No longer the enamel factory that it was during the war, it is now a museum depicting the history of the war: beginning, middle, and end, with a special focus on the workings of the Schindler factory and the countless other people who assisted the Poles and Jews.
I was naive to think that this would be a ‘pick me up’ after the horrors of the concentration camps the previous day. In reality the people in the factory still lost their identities, freedoms, homes, friends, and families and had to suffer through horrible working conditions for no pay and almost no food. The glimmer of hope that Oskar Schindler provided is that they weren’t starved, beaten, and tortured in the process.
We wandered the Jewish Getto where the Jews were forced to live during the war, then eventually evacuated to concentration camps. There is a memorial in a main square.
We then crossed the river to the Jewish Quarter, where the Jews prospered prior to the war’s beginning. It’s now filled with neat little cafes and bars.
In the afternoon we took advantage of the cloud cover and rented bikes. We cycled on trails along the river and, after about an hour, arrived at a monastery that has housed monks for over 900 years. Over the years they have been perfecting the craft of beer brewing.
This morning I woke up to be 39 (and holding). Don’t mention it to RobO, but it’s his official half birthday and 39.5 rounds up!
Our last day in Kraków was centered around food and drink! I ran around the parks this morning, then we relaxed in a coffee shop. As many of you Facebook followers know, I went ‘wodka tasting’ in the afternoon. The breaks were filled with people watching, enjoying patios, and loving the culture of Old Town Kraków.
Tomorrow we’re looking forward to travelling to the center of Poland to visit my Camino brother Maciej.