Hey peeps,
Well after the train journey of many emotions we landed at Krakow station, in one piece safe and doing fine, both wishing/dreaming for showers and desperate to find our hostel t give us some sense of stability...
The hostel is lovely we have excellant facilities here, hot showers the bathroom is hotter than mine at the flat so im in luxury to be completely honest, comfy bed and large airy room, great living space and cheap calls home if we wish....a real gem of a hostel well done miss pascoe (and Stu) for seeking this one out!
We then proceeded to Auchwitz camps 1 and 2....well words cannot describe what the camps are like......a complete and utter shocking place to go.....it was cold and rainy making the atmosphere/outlook bleak like it was for the jews....it really is a place of complete horrors.....we viewed 2 tons of human hair cut from the victims of the nazi's toture, their shoes, childrens clothes and their luggage bags they were stripped of on arrival, whilst they were thinking they were heading for potentially better lives, they certainly had no clue to begin with what their fate was to be, the true cost of life felt whilst walking around the camp really brought home many things, the building themselves are red brick and look somewhat inviting however the conditions within are horrific, at times they had straw for bedding, sanatory conditions were inhumane and the cells in the prison block were worse than ever......by far for me the most moving parts had to be viewing the human hair and the shoes, both of which belonged to real human beings who were horrifically destroyed in mass. As if the conditions werent bad enough the gas chamber, their final resting place is a horrendous scene, as you go in the feeling within you overcomes you, i didnt see one person come out of there smiling, the gas chamber itself is dark, dingy and pure concrete with a memorial in the middle (obviously wasnt there during the gassings back then) you then go through into where the ovens are to, where the cremations take place after the Nazi's have taken anything which has value like gold teeth etc which would be torn out..... where the cremtions took place is all left in one piece, i honestly cant describe what it feels like to be in there......its somewhere i have always wanted to go but i can honestly say would i go again....no it really is shocking what the Nazi's did and how well the camp was structured in the way they had to the place so well organised it was quite literallya military operation at the expense of the jews human lives.....the liberation of the camp certainly came to soon for to many....
Saying both Colonel Pascoe and i enjoyed Auchwitz is something we cant say but it is an experience i dont think either of us will ever forget.......
Once back at the hostel we decided to have some food and then head to bed after a LONG 24 hours all experiences taken into consideration.
As for today we have been in the old jewish quarter of the town and visiting the old part of the main town....lovely place to visit and fantastic shopping i was smiling....yes mum i managed to walk away!!!! JUST!!!!!
anyhow gotta dash we are back tomorrow....all things considering we are fine and getting there, its certainly been an experience an eye opening one at that.....Mum, Dad see you tomorrow, Mum hope you have tea ready when i walk in ha ha ha (had to add that in)!
take care love to all from both of us, xxxx
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
argh...
Hello all, H here
hmmmm...so we're in Krakow and the hostel is great and we escaped the train without any goats!!!
The train was cool, 6 berth couchette and 2 Brits on the top bunks, 2 german girls and Nina and I on the bottom, I was amazed to find that the train went through The Czech Republic aswell-how cool is that!!!!
So we chatted to the peeps for a bit and then we went to bed, train very loud and hectic and hard to sleep but eventually drifted off....then awoke with people popping out the door to the loo etc and then someone shone a torch in my face....
Then I kinda woke up..all a bit of a blur really, was about 3am I think and my brown bag was outside the door-basically my bag had been taken and they had taked both my phones (both payt) and about 100 sterling and about 50 sterling in zloty...ggrrr...
Am fine though apart from being peed off.....I still have my cards and passport etc so could have been a lot worse, so dont bother texting or calling.
Anyhoo...Krakow looks nice....think we are gonna do Auschwitz today which will be cool :)
Update again soon.....
Take Care
H xxx
hmmmm...so we're in Krakow and the hostel is great and we escaped the train without any goats!!!
The train was cool, 6 berth couchette and 2 Brits on the top bunks, 2 german girls and Nina and I on the bottom, I was amazed to find that the train went through The Czech Republic aswell-how cool is that!!!!
So we chatted to the peeps for a bit and then we went to bed, train very loud and hectic and hard to sleep but eventually drifted off....then awoke with people popping out the door to the loo etc and then someone shone a torch in my face....
Then I kinda woke up..all a bit of a blur really, was about 3am I think and my brown bag was outside the door-basically my bag had been taken and they had taked both my phones (both payt) and about 100 sterling and about 50 sterling in zloty...ggrrr...
Am fine though apart from being peed off.....I still have my cards and passport etc so could have been a lot worse, so dont bother texting or calling.
Anyhoo...Krakow looks nice....think we are gonna do Auschwitz today which will be cool :)
Update again soon.....
Take Care
H xxx
Monday, 9 March 2009
The metro, Buda and a wee lil bit of SHOPPING!!!
Heya peeps...well day 3 consisted of an 8am alarm followed by an hour and a half of snoozing....Colonel Pascoe and I were showing no signs of motivation early this morning.... sleep was more important!
Finally with motivation at 10;30 am off we set....
We headed over the chain bridge from Pest and into Buda, today we were able to walk on the bridge without being blown along, we did meet a random tramp on route but talking in Hungarian to us was not alot of use to the poor chap we couldnt understand a word....so off we trotted
to our dismay the cable car up the hillside was closed due to maintenance so time to start the climb up the steps.....one heart attack and the feeling we were in africa where we were so hot later we reached the top....view amazing and heard some engish people by the palace, bless thr obviously as mad as us...
we visited the lil hungarian market and the shops in the old town on the Buda side, full of history the views were amaxing...Helen managed to find the Marzipan Museum.very nice it was to!
Then back to the Pest side it was back over the bridge and time to play dodge with yet more 6 laned traffic hurling towards us....St Peters church was fantastic...Mum i even managed to find a spag bol here in a similar place to our Pizza Expresses in England, very tasty and im full! No danger of starvation here at all YET Poland could be a different story if i see a goat on my plate or a horse im off....
We managed to navigate the Metro...well Helen managed to navigate i had other ideas like shoe shopping was rather funny Helen with head in map Nina with head in shop he he he had to keep the standards up hey Niki!!
Ended up by the Holocaust Museum which was closed but at least we tried to see it....it was in a rather "different" part of town didnt appear to be as "nice" as the part we are very lucky to have stayed in...so back to the Metro we waltzed.... into the underground and onto the "sweep you off your feet escalators" no joke peeps none of this slow moving may break down escalator, this was high powered jump grab and hold on for dear life, Niki NO Stiletto's should ever be worn on these!
Right peeps......... we are off to Slovakia in a mo, and into Poland by day break...thats the plan so from now on internet usage may be to a minimum...but we are both fine...still not coming back and eager to see more....i may be seeing my goats in a mo ha ha ha!
Love to all from both of us,
Corporal Bartlett xxxx
Finally with motivation at 10;30 am off we set....
We headed over the chain bridge from Pest and into Buda, today we were able to walk on the bridge without being blown along, we did meet a random tramp on route but talking in Hungarian to us was not alot of use to the poor chap we couldnt understand a word....so off we trotted
to our dismay the cable car up the hillside was closed due to maintenance so time to start the climb up the steps.....one heart attack and the feeling we were in africa where we were so hot later we reached the top....view amazing and heard some engish people by the palace, bless thr obviously as mad as us...
we visited the lil hungarian market and the shops in the old town on the Buda side, full of history the views were amaxing...Helen managed to find the Marzipan Museum.very nice it was to!
Then back to the Pest side it was back over the bridge and time to play dodge with yet more 6 laned traffic hurling towards us....St Peters church was fantastic...Mum i even managed to find a spag bol here in a similar place to our Pizza Expresses in England, very tasty and im full! No danger of starvation here at all YET Poland could be a different story if i see a goat on my plate or a horse im off....
We managed to navigate the Metro...well Helen managed to navigate i had other ideas like shoe shopping was rather funny Helen with head in map Nina with head in shop he he he had to keep the standards up hey Niki!!
Ended up by the Holocaust Museum which was closed but at least we tried to see it....it was in a rather "different" part of town didnt appear to be as "nice" as the part we are very lucky to have stayed in...so back to the Metro we waltzed.... into the underground and onto the "sweep you off your feet escalators" no joke peeps none of this slow moving may break down escalator, this was high powered jump grab and hold on for dear life, Niki NO Stiletto's should ever be worn on these!
Right peeps......... we are off to Slovakia in a mo, and into Poland by day break...thats the plan so from now on internet usage may be to a minimum...but we are both fine...still not coming back and eager to see more....i may be seeing my goats in a mo ha ha ha!
Love to all from both of us,
Corporal Bartlett xxxx
Sunday, 8 March 2009
The Danube, the metro and thermal baths..
...rar, greetings from Pest!!! Ansum me ansum, yes its H writing this one this time!!
Well 2 all Nina's pals, she has been great, her bag is smaller than mine and she is doing great, even when we got lost finding the apartment.
Bim, Charles, Charlotte and Alice have been excellent hosts and just made us a huge roast dinner and crumble! Woohoo!! :)
We dont wanna go home.....
So after a good sleeps we headed off after tea n toast and a smoke shuffle to the Danube via Parliament. Very windy today-hellish-almost blew off the bridge!! ;)
The Parliament building is gorgeous and is full of lil triange shaped windows up at the top and really reminded me of the red building on the red square in moscow that looked like a biscuit that you could just snap off and eat!! Mad seeing the Hungarian flag with the hole in the middle (eliminating the hammer and sickle)!
We then walked on by the Danube and saw the metal shoes from where the jews were shot and thrown in the river-really really awesome to see. A lovely tribute to those guys and girls.
We then crossed over the chainbridge into Buda (we staying in Pest) and went on (dont know the proper name) a tram that goes up a cliff up to the Castle district and saw some nice builings, almost got run over and had a coffee!!!
Then back to the apartment for a nice lunch of cheese, bread and erm chocolate and grapefruit and cherry tic tacs.
We then hopped on the metro which is sooooooooooo cool and clean and really quaint (the carriages dont interlink) for a few stops and got to the thermal baths. One is a hot pool-38degrees and then a big swimming pool (about 20 degrees I guess) and then a whirlpool that was 34 degrees all in the open freezing cold air-oh what a laugh that last one was!! They have jets that bubble up the water vertically and then in the middle there was a big circle-the jets are so powerful they carry you around in a circle and you just float but it really is quite fast!! And it was packed...I ended up practically on top of some bloke and poor Nina had a few issues with the top of the bikini I leant her...
What a great day, yyyeehhhaarrr and tomorrow is the overnight train through Slovakia (8pm til 6.30am). In the day Nina and I are going to go back up to the Castle district and also we think to the Holocaust museum.
Geddon innit!!
Hi to everyone reading this, Nina and I are fine and loving it!!
Take Care y'all
H xxxxx
P.S. Stu-pop pop pop
Well 2 all Nina's pals, she has been great, her bag is smaller than mine and she is doing great, even when we got lost finding the apartment.
Bim, Charles, Charlotte and Alice have been excellent hosts and just made us a huge roast dinner and crumble! Woohoo!! :)
We dont wanna go home.....
So after a good sleeps we headed off after tea n toast and a smoke shuffle to the Danube via Parliament. Very windy today-hellish-almost blew off the bridge!! ;)
The Parliament building is gorgeous and is full of lil triange shaped windows up at the top and really reminded me of the red building on the red square in moscow that looked like a biscuit that you could just snap off and eat!! Mad seeing the Hungarian flag with the hole in the middle (eliminating the hammer and sickle)!
We then walked on by the Danube and saw the metal shoes from where the jews were shot and thrown in the river-really really awesome to see. A lovely tribute to those guys and girls.
We then crossed over the chainbridge into Buda (we staying in Pest) and went on (dont know the proper name) a tram that goes up a cliff up to the Castle district and saw some nice builings, almost got run over and had a coffee!!!
Then back to the apartment for a nice lunch of cheese, bread and erm chocolate and grapefruit and cherry tic tacs.
We then hopped on the metro which is sooooooooooo cool and clean and really quaint (the carriages dont interlink) for a few stops and got to the thermal baths. One is a hot pool-38degrees and then a big swimming pool (about 20 degrees I guess) and then a whirlpool that was 34 degrees all in the open freezing cold air-oh what a laugh that last one was!! They have jets that bubble up the water vertically and then in the middle there was a big circle-the jets are so powerful they carry you around in a circle and you just float but it really is quite fast!! And it was packed...I ended up practically on top of some bloke and poor Nina had a few issues with the top of the bikini I leant her...
What a great day, yyyeehhhaarrr and tomorrow is the overnight train through Slovakia (8pm til 6.30am). In the day Nina and I are going to go back up to the Castle district and also we think to the Holocaust museum.
Geddon innit!!
Hi to everyone reading this, Nina and I are fine and loving it!!
Take Care y'all
H xxxxx
P.S. Stu-pop pop pop
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Day 1 the mission to get here
Heya peeps, all fine and dandy here... todays events include losing my car keys before we leave Bford!!! Managing to navigate M25 with a lil assistance...flight went well slightly rough Miss Pascoe was glad to find her feet firmly on Hungarian soil. I was hit by a sudden desire for sleep probably due to my lack of sleep on Fri 2.5 hours is not enough to get me through a day!!
Once arrived we managed to navigate the train station whilst gawping out of the window trying to figure out exactly where the hell we were to and also where the hell we were meant to end up.
Found the station next was time to find the apartment....
two blondes, a map and Tom Tom back in the UK meant navigating the way to the apartment was slightly interesting. Nearly had to use my non existant health insurance the trams here move very fast and creep up on you as we found out!! Colonel Pascoe has won the prize for the blonde comment of the day whilst in a subway lost she says "lets try and not look like tourists" ha ha ha yea right slightly impossible at the time!
Found the apartment after traffic dodging..and wow what lovely people Bim and Charles are...they are so relaxed and great hosts...we had a fantastic dinner in a restaurant in the city and now preparing for bed!!
Niki- would you survive the train, language issues, traffic dodging and back pain from rucksack...oh and map reading....mmmm NO!! BUT i have got a pair of straighteners sat by me!
Love from both of us to you all particularly Mum, Dad, Paul and Stu, we miss you lots but arent ready to come back yet!! so much to see and do!! update you all soon watch this space for further events....
xxxxxx
p.s Dad we even have a lil popper here staying just like kim bob! xxx
Corporal Bartlett xxx
Once arrived we managed to navigate the train station whilst gawping out of the window trying to figure out exactly where the hell we were to and also where the hell we were meant to end up.
Found the station next was time to find the apartment....
two blondes, a map and Tom Tom back in the UK meant navigating the way to the apartment was slightly interesting. Nearly had to use my non existant health insurance the trams here move very fast and creep up on you as we found out!! Colonel Pascoe has won the prize for the blonde comment of the day whilst in a subway lost she says "lets try and not look like tourists" ha ha ha yea right slightly impossible at the time!
Found the apartment after traffic dodging..and wow what lovely people Bim and Charles are...they are so relaxed and great hosts...we had a fantastic dinner in a restaurant in the city and now preparing for bed!!
Niki- would you survive the train, language issues, traffic dodging and back pain from rucksack...oh and map reading....mmmm NO!! BUT i have got a pair of straighteners sat by me!
Love from both of us to you all particularly Mum, Dad, Paul and Stu, we miss you lots but arent ready to come back yet!! so much to see and do!! update you all soon watch this space for further events....
xxxxxx
p.s Dad we even have a lil popper here staying just like kim bob! xxx
Corporal Bartlett xxx
Monday, 2 March 2009
Heya Colonel Pascoe,
Well here goes......4 days until the flight (i will be sober he he), 5 days until our night out in Budapest celebrating bdays and 7 nights until the overnight train through Slovakia arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! An experience it shall be ohhhh my, he he a crazy fool im starting to think i may well be BUT here goes chickadee we shall soon be up, up and away! CANT WAIT!
Hairdryer is staying at home :-( as too are the straighteners :-( instead backpack living here i come.....OH MY GOD never even owned one let alone lived outta one, the whole concept of my life being in a back pack is quite concerning but ill cope he he just!
Cant wait to see ya saturday to start our lil trip of some great highs and no doubt some tough moments to.....
Love to all Corporal Bartlett xxxx
Well here goes......4 days until the flight (i will be sober he he), 5 days until our night out in Budapest celebrating bdays and 7 nights until the overnight train through Slovakia arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! An experience it shall be ohhhh my, he he a crazy fool im starting to think i may well be BUT here goes chickadee we shall soon be up, up and away! CANT WAIT!
Hairdryer is staying at home :-( as too are the straighteners :-( instead backpack living here i come.....OH MY GOD never even owned one let alone lived outta one, the whole concept of my life being in a back pack is quite concerning but ill cope he he just!
Cant wait to see ya saturday to start our lil trip of some great highs and no doubt some tough moments to.....
Love to all Corporal Bartlett xxxx
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Itinerary
Yo yo yo so yes I'm off AGAIN!! Am actually in Ireland as I write this....:)
So Nina is coming with me (crazy fool) and here's our itinerary:
March 7th-fly to Budapest and make our way on the train to Bim and Charles' place
to celebrate Charlottes b'day!!
March 8th-recover and sightsee
March 9th-get overnight train through Slovakia (comedy scetch ahoy in 6 berth open couchette hehe)!!
March 10th-arrive in Krakow and go exploring in the Jewish quarter
March 11th-AUSCHWITZ!!!
March 12th-afternoon flight home
Sorted!!!! :)
So Nina is coming with me (crazy fool) and here's our itinerary:
March 7th-fly to Budapest and make our way on the train to Bim and Charles' place
to celebrate Charlottes b'day!!
March 8th-recover and sightsee
March 9th-get overnight train through Slovakia (comedy scetch ahoy in 6 berth open couchette hehe)!!
March 10th-arrive in Krakow and go exploring in the Jewish quarter
March 11th-AUSCHWITZ!!!
March 12th-afternoon flight home
Sorted!!!! :)
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