I went to the Terror Museum with a relative, and another cousin of mine visited it on her own. All 3 of us were disappointed. We found the museum layout confusing, and the English explanation (those papers you mentioned) was too lengthy and verbose. I tried my best to read it all, but after reading 2 pages of single-space explanation (and that's for every room), I just got tired of it. And in some rooms, even reading the English explanation didn't help - we still didn't understand what we were looking at. Most of the videos shown were in Hungarian without English subtitles. I felt the museum was a great idea but it could be so much better (for non-Hungarian speaking tourists) if it were better organized with more succinct translation.

I know many people raved about the Terror Museum here and elsewhere, but it just didn't do it for me (and my other 2 travel companions).

Interesting report bringing back memories of places visited a few years ago. No stop at Czestochowa shrine en route to Krakow? Only one sentence for Auschwitz? Yes, I know you were moved as you stood in the gas chamber as well as viewing collected remains like luggage, eye glasses, etc. We came back for dinner that day (my birthday) in the Kazimierz area of Krakow in Hotel Alef's cafe where Schindler dined with family and also later Spielberg hang out (famous factory not far away).

Indeed Budapest, Prague, Vienna all have wonderful sights. And you saw a few things we didn't, also didn't get to Cesky Krumlov which many have liked. But we also had some wonderful side trips: concert at Chopin's country house, Zakopane in Tatra Mnts., Dvorak tour to Vysoka u Primari village, Nosalov and a polka party, down the Danube Bend to Szentendre, Holloko UNESCO Heritage site, into Vienna woods to Baden spa. town.

Ozarksbill [email protected]

Thanks, Fadoinka, for your kind words. Ozarksbill, it sounds like you went on some really interesting side trips. Did you have a car? We didn't on this trip; maybe next time.

I really did enjoy reading your report and revisiting places...and some we hadn't seen. Once again (being a little older) we went with Grand Circle Travel which provides a well informed program director plus local guides along the way...and for the side trips mentioned. You can see earlier comments about Eastern Europe.
Our PD Agnes was raised in Poland and parents did well under Communism but now are suffering due to no pension. So now many older folks are stressed while many younger ones are successful in various enterprises. Agnes was able to critically analyze past and present...which GCT encourages in also providing lectures along the way. Once there was repression but security; now there has been economic growth but crime in the various former East block countries. You did well getting guides because I am convinced that helps in an understanding. We also had free time to explore as did you.
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The Polish postal system is alive and well! I had mentioned in my report that after six weeks, postcards we had mailed from Krakow had not yet arrived in the US. Well yesterday, 2 months after they were mailed from inside the Krakow post office, 3 of the postcards arrived. The funny thing was, I had read on a previous post a suggestion not to mail things from Hungary because it would take a month for mail to get to its destination. I guess Poland takes the prize!

Janet

You're right, Janet. Poland does take the prize. My postcards from Hungary took about 3-4 weeks; postcards from Austria took under 1 week. For a while, I was joking with DH that my postcards were probably confiscated by the Hungarian government because there were one or 2 complaints I wrote on the postcard.

How many more postcards are you missing?

We still have 5 postcards to go but yesterday 3 arrived at once (to 3 different addresses), so there's hope!

Allow me to add a somber note: today marks the 70th anniversary of the German invasion of Poland which led to so much suffering and among much else the complete destruction of Warsaw (hard to believe today standing in Old Town Square). My friend Harvey, then a 10 year old in Frankfort, remembers his father saying, "Now I know where Hitler will put the Jews." Harvey BTW is a Holocaust survivor immigrating to the U.S. thanks to Truman's orders, not speaking a word of English...went on to achieve an education including PhD in journalism Univ. of Missouri and taught journalism. He still corrects my grammar!

Ozarksbill [email protected]

Thanks for the update, Ozarksbill. Yes, when I was in Warsaw it was hard to believe all the devastation that went on there. By the way, Newsweek has a list of their "Top ten books about Poland during World War II": www.newsweek.com/id/214584.

jrjcollins, thanks for such an detailed account. The devastation of WWII, particularly in Poland, can not be overestimated. I just finished THE THIRD REICH AT WAR by Richard J. Evans which catalogues the slaughter. A fascinating account of the Polish aristocracy’s plight during that period is THE LAST MAZURKA: A Family’s Tale of War, Passion and Loss by Andrew Tarnowski.

It is appropriate that your observations coincide with the 70th anniversary of Germany’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. Representatives of Germany, Poland, and Russia are gathering today to mark that event.

Thanks again for your report….

Jrjcollins, just had to add this to the mix - one of my favorite poems "September 1, 1939" by W. H. Auden - a premonition of the devastation to come which your post so poignantly evoked.

http://www.poemdujour.com/Sept1.1939.html

Thank you for the poem, latedaytraveler.