Europe -2011 - # 4

EUROPE:  Europe is a continent of too many churches and not enough toilets.   In Western Europe the armies of tourists invade the empty cathedrals armed with Nikons and Minoltas.  However, in Eastern Europe the invaders must storm past the devote who are kneeling in the aisles.

POLAND:  We have four days in Poland, a flat agricultural country that appears to be very prosperous.  Apparently Poland is doing much better economically that much of Europe.  Although part of the EU they have maintained their own currency.

We are visiting two cities.  Krakow is the cultural capital of Poland and is very pleasant.  The old city was spared during WWII and is quite lovely.  Warsaw was 83% destroyed during the war but has rebuilt and is the business center.

RELIGION:  The Poles are very religious.  Yesterday we visited the site of the icon "The Black Madonna", which many Poles believe was painted by St. Luke.  Thousands make pilgramages to the icon where they believe that their prayers will be answered.  Many of them walk 100's of miles, doing the last mile on their knees.  In the Nave where the icon is shown, masses are held continuously.  Thus, our guide led us past literally 100's of worshippers during the mass itself.  We stepped around crying, and kneeling worshippers while holding our cameras above the masses to try to photograph the Madonna.  I felt a bit like Attila the Hun.

CUISINE:  Polish cuisine seems to include cauliflour, cabbage, boiled perogies and anything else lacking in colour.  Even the meat (pork) is white.  For those of us who are overweight Poland is a chance to fast.

AUSCHWITZ:  We visited Auschwitz and Birkenau yesterday.  In my slightlty tongue-in-cheek travel blog I think a description of theses places would be disrespectful.  Although we are all aware of the genocide that took place here, seeing the actual death chambers and other displays is a very emotional experience.