Volume 17 - Day 172/195, 2025 - Saturday

We have been in Krakow less than 24 hours, but we have done a lot, seen a lot and eaten a lot. We got up eary this morning, and caught a transport at 6:30 to Auschwitz and Birkenau. I had an internal fight tonight trying to decide what kind of photo to include with this journal entry. My three choices were: A photo representing Auschwitz/Birkenau, a photo of one of the many beautiful buildings I have seen here in Krakow, or a photo of me and the group eating eather lunch or dinner, or just a photo of us eating. Period. A representation of Auschwitz/Birkenau won out, and it not to be sensational, but I think it is something important that we should not forget. I learned a more about that frightening and deadly period of time, and I just want to put it out there, maybe just to make you feel uncomfortable. If the photo accompanying this journal entry makes you uncomfortable, then my job is done. If you have a specific question, et me know, and we will see if I can help with the answer. After we returned from the camps, which is at least an hour drive, most of us went down for naps. We got up later and did a little shopping, had a lovely lunch, and then met up again this evening for a lovely dinner. It has been great getting to see Krisa again, and this trip introduced me to her daughter (Maya) and her fiancee Nicola. I also met Paulina's mother, whose name I can neither pronounce or spell. But it has been another busy visit. Tomorrow in the late morning, we head to Amsterdam for a couple days, and the journey continues.