The last stretch

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