Touring Europe :)

[Debs]

I am having a relaxing day today, because it is raining and I have sunburn... 

I have just been thinking of my next days on baby. I'm supposed to be heading back towards UK on Tuesday, stopping at Nuremberg again for 3 nights, but I may take a detour. I really want to go and visit Auschwitz, so a ride up to Krakow, Poland for a few nights may be the plan 

I've not decided yet... Need to find somewhere to stay first 

This may be my new route home.. 

[Bryn]

Debs, I can recommend this place in Krakow   

Hotel Royal

http://www.booking.com/hotel/pl/royalkrakow.en-gb.html?aid=311076;label=hotel-16517-pl-x7golwVcWw%2AtVXJWRYQUWQS11110747500%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg;sid=4aa37b37fbefaab1139e858c0f781cf8;dcid=1;checkin=2013-08-25;checkout=2013-08-26;srfid=4b16953b723ca615da04b9ecade58580552beed6X1

Make sure you ask to put your bike in the yard at the rear.. nice and secure. Within walking distance from the main square and wawel castle... Been there twice up to now... and there's a really nice bar/restaurant below the hotel, its where they serve breakfast... sometimes live music at night too

Auschwitz is 40km away.... nice distance for a day trip.. free parking for the bike , and there's a cafe at the Birkenau site 



Glad to see you're avoiding Bielsko Biala.. the armpit of Poland    (I managed to get lost even with the satnav but blame the crap road signs)

Another point... why not check out Stalag Luft 3 at Zagan on the way up to Berlin?  Very interesting place... only take you an hour or so to look round .. We stayed over in a hotel at Zary.. can't remember the name.. but the Polish Vodka was about £2 a bottle 

Just checked booking.com and there's a few places in Zagan   

[Rusty]

Debs .. It's nice to see you are having such a good trip .. I love the way you are just wandering about and " may stay for 3 nights " or change your plans ! This is what I hope to be doing in a few years ... Just get over to Europe with a return ticket stamped up for 14 days time and go ?.... Be a bit nomadic and just go and stay where you fancy and for as long or as little as you like !
Great stuff ... Keep the updates coming.

[BigAlan]

Debs, if you do this next year will you take me please? This is the sort of trip I dream about.

Her indoors would love it if I cleared off for a few weeks, so would I.

Alan

[pistole]

will you take me please?

hoi !

.

[Charlie747]

Debs .. It's nice to see you are having such a good trip .. I love the way you are just wandering about and " may stay for 3 nights " or change your plans ! This is what I hope to be doing in a few years ... Just get over to Europe with a return ticket stamped up for 14 days time and go ?.... Be a bit nomadic and just go and stay where you fancy and for as long or as little as you like !
Great stuff ... Keep the updates coming.

 

Debs, will you take me please?

hoi !

.

ORDER  ORDER  Order 

Would the Honourable Gentlemen of this House please form an orderly queue for this sort after dream of freedom featuring the open road and Baby 

[Rusty]

 

[Debs]

I have had another lazy day today. The weather wasn't so great so I just sat by the lake and watched the yachts out on the water, and also my little sis doing some windsurfing.



She's a real sporty girl.



I have booked up for 2 nights at a hotel in Oswiecim, Poland (Auschwitz Birkenau)

The hotel welcomes bikers and is in the area I want to be... http://www.hotelgalicja.com.pl/

I will be able to spend a whole day there looking around and paying my respects to the victims.

Once I leave there I will be heading off to Berlin.. I have not yet found a place to stay but there are a few to choose from. 

[Rusty]

Let us know how you get on at Auschwitz .. I am sure it will be very moving. Another place that needs "ticking off" when I have more time .........

[Debs]

Yesterday I spent my last day in Hungary with my little sis down by the marina at Lake Balaton.

There were some lovely yachts berthed up, but the marina could have done with a clean.




Even though it wasn't the best of days, the view was lovely.



On the way back out we noticed some Cygnets with their mother. They looked so cute 



This morning I was up bright and early. It was bright and too early.. 

I wasn't in the mood to get on baby today. I had not been on her for a week and just wasn't in the mood for the long ride north. I opted to stick to motorway as much as possible just to get to my destination asap.



I stopped a few times to get fuel, and when I got to the border of Hungary & Slovakia I popped in to ask if I had to pay a toll fee. The motorway through Slovakia is free for motorbikes as long as you don't have a sidecar fitted.

I looked up to see if it was going to rain and decided I would be ok for another hour or so.. As soon as I had left the services I noticed a few drops appear on my visor. Within the next few miles the heavens had opened up and I was getting soaked. I stopped under a bridge to get some shelter while I climbed into my waterproofs. I made a very small hole by the zip for my headphone lead to go through, so I could still listen to the satnav and some tunes. This was a mega mistake as, it  peed it down for the next 10 mins... The rain run down the lead and I could feel it going through my leathers and down to my white bits...   

Once it had stopped I pulled off into a service station to now do the reverse and try and dry out..

I eventually arrived at Oswiecim (Auschwitz Birkenau) after another 8 hours on baby..

The hotel is really nice.. I have sent some washing off to their laundry service and will get it back tomorrow afternoon.

Baby is all tucked up nice and snug in a secured garage 


My plan for tomorrow is to visit the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. I will take lots of pictures to remind myself of the special place where so many innocent lives were lost and should never be forgotten. 

[Debs]

Visited Auschwitz - Birkenau today..

The pictures speak a thousand words. One of the rooms I went in had bundles and bundles of hair.. You are not allowed to take a picture of this out of respect for those who perished. I wouldn't have wanted to anyway because it was too overwhelming 

Auschwitz I






Childrens clothes and shoes 




Adults Shoes



Some of the victims.




The Wall of Death where "Political" prisoners were executed.



Gas chamber.



Auschwitz II-Birkenau






The remains of the gas chamber



Only 1 of the sleeping huts is open to the public due to 'Modern Graffiti' being scratched into the walls and wood beams.

The sleeping bunks



I found this place very upsetting and disturbing 






 

The survivors wanted the place destroyed, but two years later they decided it should remain as a war grave to those who died. in 1947 it opened to the public.

[JohnnyTh]

Thank you for your report! Makes me wana go on a tour again.

The salt mine is worth a visit.

[O.C.]

Thanks Debs, I hope the  Auschwitz visit wasn't too distressing...I've never been but can imagine that it leaves you feeling very humbled.

[FLIP TOP]

Makes your blood boil when you listen to some of the prats who are doubtful of the figures given on the dead during the holocaust.
These pictures say it all.
very sad.

[winnsworld]

I visited a few years ago whilst staying in Krakow which is quite close. It's a very humbling experience and probably the best educational experience to be onsite and attempt to consider what happened. It will stay with me. Debs' photos say it all but being there in person...

PS - The salt mine was a much better experience if you get a chance to go!