Wednesday 18th August mileage 5775 Krakow Poland

Up early, breakfast of toast and jam (again), and then off to Pawiak Prison.  On the way saw an old motorbike locked to a stanchion at the side of the road.  I could not identify what it was it had twin horizontal cylinders like a BMW boxer, but had no markings whatsoever on the engine or the bike,  One for Martin Hincks to identify I think.

Here is an example of a war time BMW that I took in the National MUseum later.

In the hostel there was a poster on the wall explaining all about the fact that Warsaw was virtually completely destroyed in World War II and the architecture now consists of soviet "socialist realism" or post soviet modern multistorey glass buildings.  The "socialist realism" is meant to be demonstrate solid, dependable concepts and if adorned with decoration champions the working class or the state.  Here is a good example.

For completeness here is a modern building that looks like someone spilt a load of molten glass from about the 5th floor!!

Pawiak Prison was very good.  It had a quiet atmosphere that made you reflect heavily on the events that had taken place there.  There is a bronze cast of an old elm tree.  The real tree was about all that was left standing after the Germans left in 1945.  There are plaques attached to the tree commemorating the people who died in the prison.

I took some photos in the cells etc and at one point an official came up to me and told me "no photos"  I felt awful, and apologised and said I had not seen the sign. I felt like a youth who was climbing a monument  (Ninth Fort in Lithuania!!)

Went to the National Uprising Museum and it was a huge disappointment.  It was too organised, and superficial.  It seemed to be focused on getting people through the doors rather than telling them a message.  The displays were comprehensive, but the crowds of people and youngsters interested only in collecting the pieces of paper at each location to make sure they get a full set made it somehow detract from the message!!

I did learn a lot especially from the video footage which had english subtitles, and realised that I knew precious little about the Uprising and the role of the Resurrection Free Army of Poland.  Actual footage of people being led up a scoffold and a noose put around their neck to be hanged is strong stuff.  There were loads of still images of rows of people who had been hanged by the Nazis and then left on display in rows!!

Set off for Krakow at about 3:15 and when I put the address in tomtom it said 395km.  I thought "Shit that will take me 5hrs + on the road !!   It then took me an hour just to get 10km out of Warsaw !  Tomtom then tried to direct me off to the right on the road to Wroclaw when the signpost clearly said Krakow straight ahead.  I stayed going straight ahead, and then thought tomtom has been right more times than me so I followed it's instructions and it took me on a dual carraigeway all the way to Krakow via Katowici.  So doing 110-120 km/hr it only took me 4.5hrs in total to get to Krakow.

No incidents on the road except I saw another plane converted into a cafe, and for a 5 mile section of dual carraigeway just west of Katowici prostitutes were working the side of the road.   They were dressed in very bright colours and cars were pulling over into the sideroads ( they have these on Polish motorways) and the girls were leaning into the side windows in the way that only prostitutes seem to know how to do !!

Checked into Nathan's Villa in Krakow ok, again in a dorm for four but no other people in dorm yet.  Bike has to be left outside on the street, but has two locks securing it and nothing that can be taken off without breaking a lock.

There is a bar at Nathan'sVillas and there is a bunch of about 6 guys drinking there.One was a particularly uncouth canadian who liked the sound of his own voice. There was a nice Scottish guy who had bought a huge pizza and was offering pieces to anyone. He was from The Tartan Army (and was wearing a kilt!) and had been to Sweden to see Scotland play football.  This group of testosterone charge young men were all trying to be super cool in front of the two bar women.  These women had the complete measure of them all.

I thought thank goodness the canadian git is not in the dorm with me !!

Off to see if I can get my bike it's 7500 mile service tomorrow morning at the Suzuki dealer here in Krakow, then on to meet Savi and four days of exploring Krakow, Salt Mines then Auschwitz, but also luxury in four star hotel!!!

More later

TOR