Bonjour de la Suisse: In searh of chakra

We had heard so many wonderful things about Kraków and hey, we hadn't been to Poland yet, so we booked a cheep flight and headed out for a long weekend. Well, all those folks were right, it's a beautiful city, full of great sights and buzzing with a great vibe. It is even the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. G liked it so much that he would consider moving there!

The only problem was that when we arrived it was drizzly and cold and I hadn't packed too well so one of the first orders of business was to buy a warm coat. I think that was the best money I've ever spent because the rest of the weekend was pretty darn cold (yes, I've learned my lesson). The rest of the day we spent getting our bearings and just wandering around town. We saw some of the sights and ate at a great local place that a Polish gal from G's work had recommended. I didn't realize how big fresh squeezed juices are in Poland, but after tasting one glass of the peach-apple I was hooked... I think I had four glasses that night!

The next day we decided to visit Auschwitz, the biggest and most notorious concentration camp. We knew it wouldn't be an easy day, but we felt it was important to go. But getting there was tough. We read that there was a bus that left the main bus terminal and made the hour and a half journey to the camp. The bus turned out to be really small and we almost didn't get a seat... the people that came after us ended up standing for the entire way.

But once we arrived at the camp, saw the film and started the tour, I started to realize that little things like being cold or having to stand on a bus really wasn't that big of a deal. The camp really affected me and it really puts things into perspective. There are actually two camps at the site, Auschwitz I and Birkenau. We spent and hour and a half at each site and it was intense, but I'm really happy we went. I think it's something everyone should experience.

So cold and emotionally drained, we got back on the little bus (we managed to get a seat again) and headed back to Krakow. Walking back to the center of town we ran across a trabant car show (the old cars made in East Germany and popular during the communist era). It was really cool... there were over 50 cars and lots of enthusiastic collectors. The place we really wanted to see, but ended up deciding not to is the factory where Mr. Schindler helped to save countless people from the concentration camps. It still exists outside the city, but another company bought it and now it is just a factory and there really isn't much to see.

The next day we decided to venture to the Wieliczka Salt Mine where they have been mining since the 11th century. This time we took a public bus, which was bigger, but not very clear as to where to get off. We missed the stop and ended up walking for about a half hour, but I guess it could have been worse. When we arrived we were given the option of taking the Polish tour in 10 minutes or the English tour that started an hour and a half later. We opted for the Polish tour. We walked down a winding stairway 64 meters (210 feet) deep. Then we walked for about a mile and a half, eventually ending up 135 meters (443 feet) deep.

Whenever the guide spoke I gave her my undivided attention and smiled when I thought appropriate, although I couldn't understand a word she said. We had a little English guidebook, so we got most of what there was to see, including the enormous Chapel of the Blessed Kinga, carved out over 30 years and full of sculptures, including one of Pope John Paul II. We didn't run into any translation issues until it was time to leave.

We were still far underground and we had to catch an elevator to escape to the surface, but it only goes every half hour. We waited in what we thought was the line, then a mine worker started to lead us down a long corridor that was labeled "Mine Museum". We read that the museum takes an additional hour and a half to tour and we had had enough, so we bolted back the way we came. Soon we found ourselves alone (besides the one Polish speaking guide) and were told to get back in the same line we had been standing in. Oh no... now we had to wait another half hour!! But a few minutes later they caught on that we just wanted to leave and a very nice mine worker escorted us down the 300 yard corridor to the elevator and all of our fellow tourists. We made our escape!!

Back in Krakow there was only one major sight left to see, Wawel Castle, the most visited sight in Poland. A castle has stood on this hill since recorded history began and even though there were a lot of tourists, it is still a lovely place to stroll around. Most fascinating to me is that this is the place of the seventh Hindu chakra line that comes from a sacred stone that emits a cosmic healing energy.

According to legend, there are seven points on Earth where the chakra energy is most concentrated; in Rome, Jerusalem, Mecca, Delhi, Delphi, Velehrad, and right here at Wawel Castle. The spot is in the corner of a large courtyard and as expected there were several peaceful people leaning against the wall trying to absorb some of the energy. According to our guidebook, the administration of the castle tries to discourage folks from hanging out here (you would never know it was here unless you knew what you were looking for) and the tour guides are forbidden to talk about it. We stood by the corner for a bit, but really didn't feel much. I figured since we aren't going to be in Mecca anytime soon, why not give it a try while we were here?

It was time to head to the airport to catch our flight back to Geneva. We were flying Lufthansa through Munich. Now it was Sunday evening and it was imperative that we make our flights because I was on the 9am Continental flight to the US early the next morning. So of course our flight to Munich was late. With only an hour connection and landing only 15 minutes before our Geneva flight took off, I was sure there was no hope. But as we walked down the stairs off the plane, (we were supposed to get on a bus that was to take us to the terminal) there was a man holding a sign that said "Geneva"/"Zurich". We approached him and he took our boarding passes for our next flight and drove us in a little van straight to our awaiting plane! We were the first people on the plane, and most importantly we made it back to Geneva that night. Now that is good customer service. (Are you reading this Continental?!?)