“New born residents”, said my handy little tourist guide to Warsaw. “a llama”, it continued. I gasped a gasp of “oooh, a new born llama”. The tourist guide had apparently run out of things to say, because it didn’t respond any further. That, and it was made of paper.

So Warsaw Zoo has a new baby llama. I could hardly resist going to check that out now, could I? No - I tried and I couldn’t. So I did.

The zoo is on the opposite side of Old Town and across the river - which gave me plenty of time to go and do some last minute sightseeing on my way, though as my last day in Warsaw, I did want to take it easy and relax as well. It’s not like I’ve been doing very much of that, of course.

There are large areas of sandy banks on the River Wisla at the Warsaw end, which I hadn’t quite expected. Sunbathers and fishermen were all out in force, enjoying the absolutely gorgeous weather. I really have been extremely lucky to enjoy bright and beautiful sunshine throughout my entire trip. Well, except for that day and a half of thunderstorms and rain. But that was ages ago now Regardless, it must have stayed at a constant 20-25 degrees or so, which is how I’m managing to pull of this incredibly healthy looking tan. Off-white, they call it.

As if being a zoo, and rather green isn’t enough, it is situated like so many of Poland’s greatest assets, within the middle of a park. The park also boasts at least one very large metal giraffe structure. I didn’t stumble across any other exciting metallic animals. But maybe they’re there hiding in the bushes.

As far as Zoo’s go, Warsaw’s really quite nice. Rough Guides describes the place as “run-down, yet attractive” , but it wasn’t really in evidence today. Maybe a lot has changed since the publication date of July 2005. Or maybe I have very different standards. Regardless, a large proportion of the animals are thankfully not confined to the traditional “cages”, but in the more modern-zoo style of Oklahoma and Whipsnade, opting for pits filled with spikes and electric fencing to keep the animals where they should be. If you’ve been to a few like it, you probably know what I mean - but it’s essentially the idea of not using a 40cm thick iron cage encased in concrete and buried in sand to keep the bunny rabbit where it should be. Speaking of, I didn’t see any rabbits! I’ve spoken of the zoo in Cyprus, and amazement anyone would want to see the cute widdle bunny wabbits at the zoo when there are lions and tigers. And I didn’t see any in Warsaw. Maybe they don’t have them!

So, I’ll stick briefly to the highlights. Briefly. Yeah. Because I go to Zoo’s every chance I get, and you’re probably all very very sick of hearing about them. Many animals were sponsored by local and international companies. The Puma’s for example, sponsored by … Puma. There’s a sign. I took photos.

The Panther cubs (though not quite cubs any more, I suspect) were extremely entertaining as they played around in the water, chasing and attacking each other. Spring is in the air so many animals were … erm … ahem … having fun. Which was highly entertaining to watch as the group of school kids screamed and laughed I at the elephants, while the teachers turned their heads in shame

There were pygmy marmosets! Enough said, I think. If you don’t what I’m talking about - you’re probably not aware of my trip to London Zoo earlier this month. So I’ll continue to leave you in the dark. And a baby giraffe. But s/he didn’t really come out to play, which was a shame.

As of last night, I also have the first guests in a room at a hostel. A family from South Korea have joined - and only the father speaks English - but they are stopping for two nights, before heading to Krakow, Prague, Budapest, Split and Dubrovnik.

So I’m just, like, Mr Knowledge King on four of those. I am not so sure this rumour about young people staying in hostels is true though. I think they’re all at the hotels, because they’re certainly not here.

The hostel meanwhile has been very helpful in its so-called bookcrossing. If you’re not familiar with the concept, you drop off a book - you take a book - everyone walks away happy. The Elephant on the Moon had the same thing and whist I didn’t like the look of any of the books - I dropped one off because they’re just too cool.

In Nathan’s Villa Hostel it works a little differently. “Tired of paying for overpriced English books?” announces the poster. It’s like it was reading my mind. “Only 20 zloty”. About 4 quid. So I’ve finished very book I brought with me - I go take a look. And they’re all second-hand, which is fine - and really poor condition. Like you’d pay 20p for in a charity shop for. Nothing interesting, either. So I went to a shop and paid for an overpriced English book. Tired of it. Yes. But not THAT tired.

So, there’s my Poland experience. I doubt there willl be another entry, unless I do one from the airport and something interesting happens between now and then.

If you’ve made it this far, then you really should have been working - not screwing around reading this garbage

I was just reading the Rough Guides book for ideas for tomorrow and I came across something that made me chuckle enough to post a blog entry about it. Traditionally, on Easter Monday in Poland - girls are doused in water by boys to make them fertile. As the guide book describes it, “a marginally better procedure than in the neighbouring Czech Republic where they’re beaten with sticks”. Genius.

It’s with a heavy heart that I’ve now left Krakow, a really really beautiful city that I have really grown to love over the past week. If my flight had not been from Warsaw, I would have most likely stayed. But then think of everything I’d be missing out on! Which wasn’t really very much for my first hour or two in Warsaw. I set all my stuff down at the hostel - which is much more of the stereotypical hostel I had imagined. Bunk beds, IKEA furniture, common rooms and kitchens far more akin to the Big Brother house than the warm homely surroundings provided by Elephant on the Moon. But it’s still not a bad thing by any means and I have still been won over from the every-night-at-a-hotel holidays of the past.

As I was saying, Warsaw is a stark contrast to the romantic city of Krakow. There are far less tourists, and more Poles who are going out to work, building careers as you would expect in a capital city. Life seems a lot more “fast-paced” and everyone appears to be heading somewhere. I am no longer greeted with benches, wide pavements lined with trees, and a healthy scattering of parks on every corner. There is most certainly a reduced amount of festivals, casual sellers, eateries, drinkeries, street entertainers, music - and you really notice. Many of the buildings are large, square, grey and functional - as a city recently rebuilt during Russian “partnership”, Warsaw can appear stark and unwelcoming. But at least it has a Subway.

I opened the guide book in the first park I came across. Far sooner than I would usuallly resort to such measures, usually preferring to get a feel for a city without prejudice. Well - my prejudices were already set, they weren’t good and I really didn’t have anything to lose. I had already started daydreaming about what trips I could go on to get out of here for the next three days.

And then everything changed.

Warsaw was almost entirely levelled in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. It was one of the most bloody and destructive battles of World War II. The Nazis were already being pushed west by the Red Army and their withdrawal from Warsaw seemed a strong possibility, which is still greatly debated by historians today. With over 400,000 soldiers, the Polish Home Army was the largest resistance force of anywhere in Europe. Advised by the allies to cooperate actively with the advancing Soviet forces, the arrival of the first Soviet tanks across the Wisla in the Praga district of Warsaw prompted the Polish forces to launch a single handed attack on the Germans. On August 1, 1944, 50,000 poorly armed troops sprang an assualt on the city centre and manage to capture large areas of land from the Nazis. The successes were short-lived and the Nazi recapture of the Wola district on August 11 was followed by the massacre of 8000 civilians. Women and children were tied to the front of tanks and rows of civilians were marched in front of German troops to deter sniper attacks. 63 days after the fighting began, the Polish forces surrendered - but not before 20,000 of their soldiers had been lost, and 225,000 civilians killed during the fighting. Nazi demolition squads under orders from Hitler levelled the city, destroying all but only 16 buildings from the centre of Warsaw - compounding the damage already carried out by the German bombers.

The city has since been rebuilt, including the cobblestones and the Stare Miasto (Old Town) is modelled upon Baroque-era drawings by Bellato. Some older residents even refer to these replacements as improvements on their pre-war counterparts which contained a number of 19th and 20th century improvements. Well, I was fooled. Exploring Old Town today was a vast improvement over the skyscrapers of the new Warsaw I had arrived at. St Ann’s Church, the Royal Castle, Old Town Square and The Barbican (not to be confused with the cement-tastic monstrosity of London) are all beautiful structures that bring the city somewhere towards the same life that Krakow has. The Palace of Culture and Science is quite stunning, even though many Poles have incredibly mixed feelings about it. Provided as a gift of friendship from Stalin, it is apparently the tallest building in Warsaw (I’m not sure, some of those skyscrapers are BIG - I’ll check tomorrow). With a surface area of over 80,000m(3), and 234.5m high, it is not the sort of gift you can ask “Gee, thanks Stalin. Hey, did you keep the receipt? You know, in case there are any breakages or I need to take it back to the store or anything?” Which I kind of get the impression they’d like to

But still, it’s here to stay and the symbol is represents to the people of Warsaw of different, more unpleasant times is slowly being forgotten by every passing generation. It’s definitely helpful in finding your way around, anyway

And lastly, food. Today’s dish of the day was Pierogi domowe z kapusta I grzybami, okraszone skwarkami z boczku, from the Restauracja Barbakan, or in English - Homemade pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, cracklings. Pierogi is something of a celebrity in Poland. It’s a kinf of flour-based pastry / pastery pocket thingy filled with meat or cabbage, potatoes with cottage cheese and onions, or fruit. Not totally unlike that pasta stuff I can’t remember the name of. But they’re really good The same restaurant also sells the Zurek soup inside the bread, as recommended by Gregory. So if I find myself in that area again in the next few days - I may stop and try it out. It’s just so crazy, it might even work.

But that’s all for the rest of my trip. Which I’m certainly feeling a lot more uplifited about, after the ropey start. Come to Warsaw - but keep your eyes closed until you’re in the old town. And maybe visit Krakow AFTER, as I had originally planned. That probably would’ve helped

After my trip to Auschwitz, I leapt into the nearest bar that would serve me beer and food. It’s a necessary extension to the trip and one that should by all rights be included in the ticket price. But before we get there…

I arrived at the Elephant on the Moon Hostel. As I’ve said before, it’s the first time I’ve stayed at a hostel and the experience cannot have been better. Gregory and Kate are both fantastic and very friendly people who have been both informative and helpful in my stay around Krakow. The more I think back, the more I regret not just coming here in the first place, with the hotel and its building site next door, the room next to the lift, being 5km from most things of interest and seemingly nowhere near as knowledgeable staff. Still, not much I can do about that now

Upon arriving I was given the run-down of things to do and see in Krakow, a map (ye gods - 3 days without a map until now), a list of upcoming clubs and concerts, and a tour brochure with the helpful advice that they could happily organise a tour to Auschwitz, it left at 9.20 in the morning and all I had to do was hand over some cash. And that’s the last I did about it until 9am the next morning, 20 minutes before I needed to be at Hotel Novotel for the coach.

Gregory even packed up some breakfast for me into a bag since I was in a bit of a rush while Kate phoned for a taxi. By around 1 o’clock on the Auschwitz tour with no break, he had quickly become my favourite person in all of Krakow. Or, to put it another way - I was being well looked after. I’ve mentioned I don’t really have a point of reference for hostels, but the Elephant on the Moon is clean, tidy, with friendly people, perfectly comfortable and a fine breakfast (add some slices of ham and it’s exactly the same as the hotel, to be honest). I’m pleased with my choice, yes. I’m repeating myself and I get the point, I’ll move on.

Following the frankly appalling diet I’ve had over the past few days of hamburgers, steaks, mixed grills, pizza, hot dogs and kebabs - Kate took it upon herself to make sure I spent my last day in Krakow eating decent, proper Polish foods. Well, all I’ve seen people eat so far is all of the above, so it’s not really my fault - is it? Yes. Apparently it is. So, armed with my new map and a marking on it where to find a good cheap student hangout I was on my way. I was on a roll - straight down Al J. Slowackiego, turn right onto Krupnicka, and it’s on the corner of Garncarska. I say these names only to wow and impress you of all of their extra unnecessary letters. The Polish have a love for the latter half of the alphabet that we just can’t ever hope to replicate.

As I bounded into the restaurant with a massive grin on my face, pleased with successes of finding the place as well as the opportunity to eat some real food, everyone stopped eating, and talking to stare up at me. I walked up to the group of 5, yes 5, attractive waitresses and grinned.
“Uuuuuh, anyone speak English?” They all looked at one another, then back at me, eager for someone else to take charge.
“Yes”, replied the one in the middle “only reservations. No tables”.
“Oh right…” my big grin slightly fading. “Well… can I make a reservation then?”
Blank look.
“Or….should I come back?”
“Yes, yes”, responded the waitress. “Come back later”, a little too enthusiastically. “About four”.

I assumed that they closed at four. Or that maybe there was a shift change. Either way, I knew in my heart that I probably wouldn’t be returning at four. It would be a terrible inconvenience to walk twenty minutes out of my way. Whichever way that way might have been.

“Okay”, I replied, by huge grin returning. “Four o’clock”, as I bounded enthusiastically back out the door.

So, I didn’t partake in the recommended cuisine. But, my map had more. Kate had also written the names of the dishes I should be trying as well. This would be easy. All I needed to do was find another restaurant selling “Zurek w chlebie”, and “Pierog ruskie”. how hard could it be, really? Not as easy as you’d think apparently. The first one is a soup, the second - I still have no idea. My suspicion is that it contains cabbage though.

So, long story short - because it’s really long enough already. I didn’t find either. But I came close. Oh yes I did. I found Zurek polski z ziemiakami. Which is the same soup, but with potatoes and without the rather interesting method of putting the soup inside the bread (???). I didn’t understand either. But it sounded fun. It’s a traditional sour polish soup, and really quite nice - with bits of sausage, and in my case, chunks of potato as well (that’s the z ziemiakami part, I’m told).

Not really knowing what else to look for, I also went with Kotlet schabowy, or as we like to say on the English side of the menu … “Polish chop”. It had the word Polish in the name so I naturally assumed that maybe it contained something to do with Poland. It wasn’t as good a choice as the soup and that’s not a testament to the fantastic flavourings flourishing past my taste buds. I also doubt I’ll ever get to use that phrase again, will I?

It could have been better. It basically consisted of mashed up, breaded pork chop with chips and salad. Or as we like to say on the REAL English side of the menu. Tesco’s value meal - 2.49.

I have three days now, to find this magical Pierog Ruskie. But I am leaving Krakow tomorrow morning, and heading to Warsaw for my final stop at another hostel - Nathans Villa Hostel.

It’s annoying when you don’t bring your instructions to the Track Stick and you forget what the colourful blinking lights mean since the last time you’ve used it. If it flashes red first, does that mean it’ll record every two minutes? Or every 16 seconds? I really wish I could pay an extra 15 quid for the helpful LED display.

Of course, I got it wrong - and instead of every two minutes, the every 16 seconds recording managed to fill its vastly unimpressive 1MB memory within the first day of use. Last year when I tried to install the software in an Internet cafe, I managed to shut down their entire business for a few hours. So I’ve obviously learned from my mistakes and tried again on this trip. Well it went a lot smoother - I was able to successfully get all of the data off the Track Stick and saved to an ftp site at home where I can play with it later. On the other hand, the big button that says “Delete all data” wasn’t working - so I’m really no better off.

Trying every couple of days whenever I found myself with a spare 5 minutes near a net cafe, I’ve managed to now trick / crash the trackstick into deleting all the data - and I can start recording those all important GPS co-ordinates to pair up with the photos later. And the ones I’ve missed? I’m looking forward to many grueling hours on Google Maps trying to match up aerial photographs with my photos. Maybe I won’t bother

Maybe the technology needs a little UAT improvements, or maybe I just need to research some different models - it’s not quite perfect, but the results are still fantastic when it works

And I’m only writing this now, because after filling one SD card with photos … It’s time to back them up to the spare ultra-huge card, just in case one gets lost. Maybe I should have bought a faster one of those, too… The iPAQ / keyboard / mobile phone blogging combo though. That’s down to a pure completely successful art form. So hopefully the rest just takes practice, practice and practice again.

I’m so glad the Internet cafe’s in Poland are so cheap. Good coffee too!

It’s incredibly difficult talking about Auschwitz in an uplifting way, but maybe that’s the point. Between April 1940 until the liberation of the camp in January 1945, it is estimated that somewhere between one and a half million to two million people were tortured and murdered at the three Auschwitz camps. Between 85-90 percent of these were Jews - a staggering number of lives to have been needlessly taken in aid of Hitler’s Final Solution.

The gates to Auschwitz display the mocking slogan “work shall set you free”, but only death would free the inmates who were brought there. The mood around the camp is that of pity, shock and horror for the suffering that these men and women endured, but there are scattered stories of more positive achievements as well. St. Maximilian, who offered his own life so that another could live. The man he sacrificed himself for went on to live a full life after being among those liberated by the Soviet forces. The inmates who smuggled in explosives from a nearby town and destroyed one of the furnace rooms is great testament to the human struggle for survival, as well as the very few but successful escapes from the camp. Also, the liberation from Soviet forces in January of 1945 preventing Hitler and his SS from torturing their captives any further. Yet their final act in their legacy of pain was to take any prisoner that could walk on a final death march from Auschwitz. Endlessly marching prisoners away from oncoming liberation forces so that the maximum possible would perish.

In the words of the German philosopher Theodor Adorno, “No more poetry after Auschwitz”. The gas chambers, the hangings, standing cells, furnaces, the huge mountains of shoes, hairbrushes and briefcases which represent only a tiny fraction of those collected from prisoners, all add up the memory of a terrible time of Polish and European history. All of the brave men and women who were killed in World War II, whether fighting or struggling to survive the tortures thrust upon them all add up to the world we live in today. There is no sense in exploring endless “what-ifs”, but whilst imagining the terrors inflicted at Auschwitz you cannot help but feel incredibly grateful for the life you now have and how lucky most of us really are - all of which is due to in part, to everybody who took part in this and all other wars throughout history - no matter what role they had. It is impossible to find the good in the needless death of millions - but the world that leaves behind is still something that should be cherished and celebrated.

So there we have it - that was essentially my trip to Auschwitz which, whilst wasn’t exactly jolly, I can recommend as a must-see to anybody. Now I sense it’s time for something a little lighter for the next post…