Grand Hotel - Krakow, Poland

So while waiting in Poland to meet Robyn, I accidentally ran into my parents who decided to tour parts of Europe too. I saw them across a plaza. We kind of pretended not to see each other at first, but doing that always makes it more awkward when you finally do have to talk to them. So I went over, said hello and continued on my way. They looked like they were doing well.

Okay, I'm kidding. Apparently, a lot of you who read this blog know that my parents were planning on surprising me. And it was quite the surprise. I was with Robyn and we decided to go to a restaurant where my parents planned to meet us. And it wasn't just them. My grandfather and aunt are here too!

There they all were, just waiting for me to freak out. It was overwhelming at first, seeing as how I haven't been with anyone familiar in a few weeks, but I was so glad to see them. The past few weeks, traveling alone, have been tough for an American lad who's used to talking to random people. So now I have everyone to tell my stories to. I sure hope they'll care to hear.

We had an excellent dinner and spent all of the next day (today) exploring the area around Krakow. Today started with a tour of grandpa's memories of Krakow - the town where he was born. We saw the streets that he used to play on, the home of his grandparents, and the house where he grew up, and the window through which he first saw the Nazi troops march into Krakow.

Thankfully, the topless man who now lives in grandpa's childhood apartment let us into his place to see the old home. Unfortunately, the unit has been divided and renovated so many times over the years that it made it difficult for grandpa to piece together the lay out. The effect was still powerful, though. This was the place where all of the innocence of his childhood ended. We saw the spaces where he must have hidden in from the violent Nazi storm troopers. We stood in the spot where grandpa witnessed the most vivid and unimaginable scene of his holocaust memory.

Before this, Krakow to me was a place in a black and white photo. It was distant and it was faded and it was cold. It was a bias that I think we are all vulnerable to. But its real. Its vivid and colorful. And, in a sickening way, it makes the holocaust seem all the more revolting.

From Krakow, we headed out to Bochnia, a small town about an hour outside of Krakow that is the home to a mass grave in which grandpa's mother and father are buried. In a failed escape from the Bochnia ghetto, grandpa's parents and 9 others were killed by Nazi's and buried unceremoniously in an ancient Jewish cemetery in the town. A decade or two later, grandpa and his sister returned and erected a headstone to commemorate the lives of his parents and the senselessness of their death.

The cemetery was overgrown with plants and weeds. Vines grew over the tallest headstones and insects swarmed through the grasses. A Polish man, old and alone, watched over and cared for the cobwebbed cemetery. What did he do during the war? Why does he care so deeply about this place? The mass grave has been entombed with a large, enclosed crypt or sorts, freckled with headstones by all of the different surviving family members or all those connected to the mass murder of this one group of fleeing and frightened human beings.

Grandpa told us the story of their lives and their death and then read to them a letter, a last love letter from a son to his mother and father, in Yiddish. He spoke to them in a language that I could not understand, but I did understand. I understood everything he said. I knew that when he was telling his mommy and daddy about how proud they would be of the world that now exists, of the life that he has created for himself, and the family that has come together around him - I understood. It was in Yiddish, but it was eternal. I can never forget it.

Next, after recovering from what was possibly the most meaningful Jewish and family experience of my life, we headed to the Wieliczka Salt Mine - a 700 year old (you guessed it) salt mine out side of Krakow. It was very interesting and a great break from the heat, but I think that I - and the rest of my family - were still a little stunned by the realness of the day's earlier sights.

As if today weren't enough, tomorrow we are going to Auschwitz. Another big, heavy, wonderful day is in store for us. I am so lucky, not just to have family here, but to have my grand father here to show me the sights and truly give me a deep experience. I only wish grandma and Jenica could be here to join us too.

Another heavy post, I know. I'm leaving my family tomorrow and will be back on the euroschlep circuit in no time so I'll return to my old form then. But, for now, this stuff is just too important not to write about.

-Adam  ¶ 3:30 PM