On to Krakow

Today was a long travel day.  We left the hotel in Warsaw at 7:30 and headed toward Krakow.  We ran into an accident that shut down traffic on the highway and so we were late for our appointment with the nun guide at the monastery where the Black Madonna is located I can't spell the city.  They were having a mass and they cover the Black Madonna at noon so we got there just in time to see it today.  I think for some of our group who have Polish heritage, the mass and songs and other things brought back very poignant memories.  Poland is very Catholic and over 90% go to church every Sunday so it is a huge part of their culture. 
We headed on toward our next stop at Auschwitz but first stopped and got our box lunches so we could eat on the bus.  Let me just say that I felt sorry for our program director again-the sandwiches were all VERY moldy-no one could eat them because of this.  It was a weird assortment but most of us had enough to at least get through without eating the sandwich.  I do think they better find a better place to get box lunches from! We had another two hour drive then on to Auschwitz.  We had been to Dauchau and I thought I was prepared for this but I have to say this was just almost more than one can take in.  The inhumanity to man and the terror and the stories are beyond description and so much of this camp is still there for people to see. We also toured Auschwitz 2 better known as Birkeanau which killed over a million people.  There are just not words to describe it all.
By the time we left there, we were all pretty drained and exhausted. There was a lot of walking but also just the emotion of it. Our guide was great-he ended the tour by telling us his great grandfather was a prisoner there and that is why he does the job he does.  We piled back on the bus and got to the hotel in Krakow late.  We had an included dinner which was very good and then we had entertainment. The dancers and singers were dressed in traditional Polish costumes and were very good and a lot of fun.  Today was Cassandra's 18th birthday so we all sang to her and enjoyed the program. Afterwards anyone who wanted to took a walk with Yendreck to the square. Our hotel is in the middle of the Old Town so walking will be easy for us. Jim is doing that now while I am updating this.  Tomorrow we have a city tour and then we go to the Salt Mines for an optional tour and will get in late, so it will be a busy day.  I will have to post photos tomorrow as I don't have time tonight to download them.  It was an interesting day even if it was tiring.