Peg, just for logistics, Krakow is at the south end of the country and such a long distance. Were you thinking of taking a train from Warsaw to Krakow or flying the distance? I did that long haul back in 2001. It was an overnight trip and we had a private sleeping car for 2. Much nicer and safer when going a long distance I think. Did Schindlers Factory in Krakow in 2012 with my daughter on our quick trip to Auchwitz/Birkenau before heading to Florence and school. Missed the free walking tour of the Jewish area before the (s) factory so walked around it ourselves. Poland is chock full of such painful memories. Lots of markers/memorials in Lublin and other towns I have been in, you just have to look, they are everywhere....does make one sit and think how horrific humanity can be at times.

<<Well, rats! I seem to have ordered "1939: Battle of Westerplatte." I have no idea of the quality.>>

You ordered the 2013 movie.

<<Krakow is at the south end of the country and such a long distance. >>

?? I've taken the train from Warsaw to Krakow, it was only a couple hours. The EIC trains vary between 2:15-2:30 hrs. The IC trains take 3 hrs. I just did that last summer.

In fact, I did visit Schindler's factory this trip and Nowa Huta. I really enjoyed the Nova Huta tour, as I think I've noted before. Had a wonderful guide. We did go by tram from near the center, but he planned the itinerary and lived there (and had his whole life, he was around 60). And he got us into at least one place not open to the public.

Even travelling from Gdańsk to Kraków is not that hard as it takes only 5h-5h15min. There are 5-6 direct EIP trains per day.

Indiana, et. al.: Thanks for the responses. I did know that Krakow was fairly distant from Warsaw. I have been to Krakow and thought it was wonderful, but I didn't know that there was any association with Schindler. I was going there to see Nowa Huta, but I'd love to add a Schindler component.

I have never been able to bring myself to go to a concentration camp. I was tempted to go to Sachsenhausen, which was the setting of a movie called "The Counterfeiters" that we saw in my class on German cinema. It looked too distant from Berlin, so I didn't follow up on it.

Yes, Poland is certainly full of such memorials and significant locations. Warsaw is freighted with the weight of history--so many WWII and Cold War sites. I was watching some WWII stuff on TV last week and was struck by realizing the horror of it all--including after the war. Not a lot of innocence in Europe at the time.

Christina, where did you find your guide? He sounds good. Before I go anywhere, I of course check the train schedules pretty carefully. There's often a major difference between the milk trains and the express trains.

I think I'll watch Westerplatte today. I was finishing up "Downfall" yesterday, though I've seen it twice before. It has won a lot of awards, including a nomination for the best foreign film at the Academy Awards. Some really good acting in there, especially Bruno Ganz, the guy who plays Hitler. Also Michael Mendl, who plays General Weidling.

Peg - I think that as a catholic, albeit not a mad keen one, you'd love Krakow and it would be worth the trouble getting there. Not only is there Nova Hutta to see, but also Auschwitz, the nearby salt-mines, the jewish quarter [which we did by ourselves and enjoyed a lot] the ghetto [interesting if not exactly enjoyable] and many lovely old churches, buildings and museums.

In Nova Hutta we came across two beautiful churches, the more famous one being Cardinal Woytiwa's Ark, which I'm sure you'd love to see. We also went to a concert in the church in the centre of Krakow on the 2nd anniversary of John Paul II's death which was very moving. In fact I can't remember when I've been to a more spiritual place, with the churches packed on Fridays with people, lots of them young, queuing for confession.

Annhig: I am a practicing Catholic. What I'm not is a crazy one. Like Paul Ryan or Mike Pence or any other of the nutso conservatives who don't seem to get the message that Christ gave us about helping the poor.

P.S. The church that really impressed me in Krakow was the Franciscan basilica, with its fabulous art nouveau/"Young Poland" interior. Really stunning.


It was First Communion Sunday when we were in Krakow. It was very sweet to see the little girls in their white dresses and veils and the little boys in their white suits.

Peg - I think that that was what I meant!

I hadn't realised that you had already been to Krakow - it sounds as if you saw many of the sorts of things that we did and that we were equally impressed.

Mike Pence doesn't like to help the poor??? Where the heck did that come from?? Oooops... I see now you are from Washington State.
Aside from your political interjection, your quite an interesting writer.