After almost 2 weeks in Poland, we finally reached one of our favorite cities: Kraków! From the train station, we hit the streets, stopping first for pączki: big fat Polish donuts. As we headed towards Market Square, we delighted in the views. Cobblestones, spires, steeples, shops, street musicians - all these things charm us and draw us in. Next stop: Magia Cafe for coffee, of course! The open air courtyard in the center combined with all the plants created such a peaceful and relaxing space to enjoy lattes & tea. From there we continued meandering, stopping to look at paintings and souvenirs and finding a new favorite shop where the shopkeeper sold his photos on everything from shirts to puzzles. Next stop: dinner at a traditional Polish restaurant. Roast duck, chicken liver with mushrooms, pierogi, compote... All good things. 

We were off to a strong start, and we still had the evening ahead. Let me tell you, Kraków at night is a wonderful thing! The vibe is unlike any of the other European cities I've visited so far. In the square there are many streetside cafes, iconic St. Mary's Church with its very own trumpeter that plays from the highest tower every hour, Cloth Hall and all the treasures to be found there, vendors and shops galore, children big & small throwing glowing "helicopters" in the air, and the ever-present flock of pigeons. If you want to venture further, visit Wawel Castle. It's a 10 minute walk from the square and it's a good chance to enjoy more of the old architecture of this city. On the way back, you could and should make a stop for lody: Polish ice cream. It's a good way to end a hot summer day in Kraków.  -Rhonda

On Monday a good-sized group of us went on a guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau. We spent probably two hours going through the displays at Auschwitz. There were many belongings left from people who were processed at the camp. Several things hit me at Auschwitz. First, people here were treated so shamefully; they were forced to strip in front of others and were shaved over their whole body. Second, these people lost so much identity and purpose; they were simply turned into a number. 

We spent another hour or so at Birkenau, more properly a concentration camp, and it was actually difficult to catch a picture of what life was like for the people. The barracks were small and far apart and we tourists were hot and tired after spending an hour in the heat; how can I compare that to being forced to work in the heat and cold, and that on starvation rations?