On the road again ,day 3 : Auschwitz I & Auschwitz II – Birkenau

Yesterday I went to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II – Birkenau. This was one of the most fascinating, amazing places I’ve ever visited (and I’ve seen the Pyramids, Petra, most of the popular European capitals,etc). Of course, I am a WWII/Nazi  history enthusiast so I was visiting a place very relevant to my interests but even if you have little idea about the 2nd World War as a whole, it should be an incredible experience !
I am not the very sentimental type and since I’m interested in the history that the place is part of, I looked at it more from a historical point of view than an emotional one but you do feel that you are in a special place, a place where many people lost their lives and suffered and where some of their ashes and remains are mixed with the soil.
It’s probably a good idea to have some knowledge of the place and the war before you go though cause I feel that is the perfect place to learn about respect and equality and the value of each individual and their lives but it can just as well promote hatred towards a group of people (germans alive in the 30s-40s and, thus, part of the Nazi regime and war) which is not fair either because not everyone was a monster. One must learn to only accuse people truly involved and separate them from the rest, otherwise it’s just like racism.
Ok, moving on !
How you get there, you might be wondering ? Well, from Krakow you can take a train or a bus. I would like to advice everyone to go without an organized group,don’t book a day trip, just go on your own, it’s easy . There are 2 places : Auschwitz I (the “Arbeit macht frei” one) and Auschwitz II – Birkenau (the famous train tracks image and the wooden barracks one).
If you take the train (and probably the bus as well but I suggest the train, it’s comfortable) then you get out of the station at Oswiecim and go to the right, you’ll soon see a sign for Auschwitz. You can walk to both Auschwitz I(a little further away) and Auschwitz II – Birkenau(the first one as you leave Oswiecim). If you’re going on your own and want to be free to visit at your own pace ,you should first go to Birkenau(at one point you take a right,there’s a sign,cross a bridge,walk a bit and you’ll see it). Birkenau is HUGE, I spent 4 hours there. It’s ,for me, the most interesting one and the one where you really get a feel of a concentration camp . It’s also quite a beautiful place (aesthetically), it’s all green with trees and grass and open spaces ,the buildings are made of red brick or wood. You can see a lot of things there and just walk around, feel the immensity of the place .
Then you can take the free shuttle that runs every half hour or so, from Birkenau to Auschwitz and back. At Auschwitz I I suggest ,if you go during the summer, to go after 3pm because before 3pm you have to join a guided tour but after 3pm you can walk just as you do in Birkenau. Oh and they are both FREE, it’s all FREE.
Auschwitz I, with its Arbeit Mach Frei sign, is smaller than Birkenau, all the buildings are multiple story red brick structures ,it’s also aesthetically nice, I think they weren’t built by the Nazis(at least not all). Inside some of the buildings there are exhibitions about the HOlocaust and WWII (including the famous hair and confiscated stuff).
Anyway, as I said, it was an amazing experience, everyone should visit it at least once in their life to learn about history and life and the human nature.

Now pictures !

Mai tarziu scriu si in romana

Entry to the rebuilt crematorium in Auschwitz

Barracks at Birkenau

 

On the road again : Krakow Day 2

English :

Today, day 2 in Krakow, is/was the 22nd of June. You know what happened on the 22nd of June ? Well, in 1940 France capitulated on the 22nd of June and in 1941 Operation Barbarossa began. Yup, stuff like that ! Apart from that, on the 22nd of June 1987 I was born ,that is the most important event to happen on the 22nd of June. Oh and Meryl Streep was born on the 22nd of June as well. Factbook,that’s what they should call me !

Anyway, today ,for my bday, I walked for about 9 hours straight with 2-3 breaks to have a drink and eat and rest my legs.

I visited the Jewish quarter , Kazimierz(I might be butchering the spelling but Polish is horribly hard, sorry!) ,Schindler’s factory museum ,streets from where I guess the ghetto used to be and the area where the nearby concentration camp was that is now basically an open field/park. Then I ate at a Jewish place back in the Jewish quarter.

Tomorrow if it doesn’t rain I’m going to Auschwitz. Hopefully it will be sunny like today .

Romana :

Azi, a 2a zi in Cracovia, a fost 22 Iunie. Stiti ce s-a intaplat pe 22 Iunie? Pai, de ex, in 1940 Franta a capitulat in fata Germaniei, in 1941 a inceput operatiunea Barbarossa si in 1987 m-am nascut eu ! Da, a fost ziua mea (si a lui Meryl Streep haha) , am aparut si eu pe planeta in 1987.

Eh, azi, de ziua mea, am mers vreo 9 ore aproape non stop cu ceva opriri pentru a ma adapa(cu bere), a manca si a-mi odihnii picioarele putin.
Am fost in cartierul evreiesc, Kazimierz(daca scriu gresit imi pare rau si probabil ca scriu gresit dar e grea limba asta de numai pot), la fabrica lui Schindler, prin zona pe unde cred ca era ghettoul si la fostul lagar de concentrare din apropiere (din care nu a ramas mai nimic, e un loc ca un parc/camp/deal)cu verdeata,carari si vreo cateva monumente pentru cei ce au murit acolo).

Mi-a placut tot ce am vazut, Cracovia are un aer pitoresc si prietenos, cladiri vechi ,unele renovate altele nu dar locul per total ingrijit si numa’bun de plimbat. La fabrica lui Schindler e acum muzeu ce tine de muzeul de istorie si e frumos organizat, inventiv ( e o camera unde pe jos podeaua e cu model….zwastici…mi-a placut maxim haha)

Maine daca e frumos ca azi , ma duc la Auschwitz !

Now pictures/acum poze !

 

On the road again ! This time….Krakow ,Poland . Day 1

I’m away on a trip again YAY ! This time my destination was Krakow, Poland . This is like my bday present ,my bday is tomorrow, the 22nd and I prefered going on a trip alone than just doing the same thing I do every week at home (aka go out with a couple of friends).
So here I am , in Krakow ,after a very busy first day.
I left BUcharest at 6am when I boarded a LOT flight from Bucharest to Warsaw. This meant I didn’t sleep at all last night since I left home at 4am . Anyway, once in Warsaw I needed to get to the train station so I took the 175 bus from just outside the terminal and this bus passes by the train station (around 20 min from the airport to the train station).At the station I already had a seat reservation and an Interrail pass so I found the platform and waited for the 8:27am train to Zakopane via Krakow. Three hours later I was in Krakow, it was 11:35am.

Couldn’t check in until 2pm so I went and ate in the center, then came to the hotel ,checked in and left my luggage in the room so I could go walk around town comfortably.

I walked for hours on most of the streets that make up the so called Old Town city center. It’s very beautiful ,especially the large main square and the Cathedral. I didn’t go into any museum or anywhere except inside the Cathedral and another Church so I won’t get into details.

Now I bought something to eat and came back to the hotel because I am a bit tired after 30+ hours of no sleep.

Romana

Am plecat iar in excursie ! De data asta destinatia principala e Cracovia , Polonia. Excursia asta e cadoul de ziua mea ,practic si e bine ,am preferat sa merg singura in excursie decat sa stau acasa si sa facem acelasi lucru pe care il fac saptamana de saptamana.

Daca e cineva intersant de datalii tehnice si de organizare …sa va povestesc pe scurt ! Am luat avionul de la Bucuresti la Varsovia. Acolo am luat autobuzul 175 pana la gara centrala de unde trebuia sa iau trenul spre Cracovia. LA 8:27am eram in tren iar la 11:34 eram la Cracovia.

Nu m-am putut instala in camera pana la ora 14:00 asa ca m-am dus sa mananc in centru ,m-am plimbat nitel si m-am intors sa imi iau camera in primire ca sa-mi pot lasa actele si alte chestii ,sa merg mai comfortabil. Asa ca de pe la ora 3 pana pe la 7 m-am plimbat prin centrul vechi. E foarte frumos, mai ales piata centrala si catedrala dar nu intru in detalii ca n-are rost.

Mai multe date maine ! Pana atunci…..poze

 

Leapsa : Daca eram ……………. as fi fost……………

Bun, am vazut leapsa asta pe un blog al unei prietene si am zis sa “fur” si eu idea . Enjoy!

Daca eram un anotimp, as fi fost toamna.
Daca eram o luna, as fi fost Decembrie.
Daca eram o zi a saptamanii,as fi fost Joi.
Daca eram o parte a zilei, as fi fost dupa masa.
Daca eram un animal marin, as fi fost delfin.
Daca eram un animal de uscat, as fi fost cal.
Daca eram o virtute, as fi fost cunoasterea/curiozitatea.
Daca eram o planeta, as fi fost Jupiter .
Daca eram un lichid, as fi fost bere.
Daca eram o piatra, as fi fost smarald.
Daca eram un metal, as fi fost aur alb.
Daca eram o pasare, as fi fost o bufnita.
Daca eram o planta, as fi fost floare de colt.
Daca eram o stare a vremii, as fi fost furtuna.
Daca eram un instrument, as fi fost pian.
Daca eram un sentiment, as fi fost exaltare.
Daca eram un sunet, as fi fost un tunet
Daca eram un cantec, as fi fost Keane – Nothing in My Way
Daca eram un film, as fi fost Inglorious Basterds
Daca eram un serial, as fi fost LOST
Daca eram un oras, as fi fost Londra.
Daca eram un gust, as fi fost dulce-acrisor.
Daca eram o aroma, as fi fost caramel.
Daca eram o culoare, as fi fost aquamarine.
Daca eram un material, as fi fost bumbac.
Daca eram o parte a corpului, as fi fost ochi.
Daca eram un drog, as fi fost marijuana.
Daca eram un accesoriu, as fi fost ochelari de soare.
Daca eram o expresie a fetei, as fi fost zambet.
Daca eram o materie, as fi fost istorie.
Daca eram un personaj de desene animate, as fi fost personajul Scooby Doo.
Daca eram o forma, as fi fost sfera.
Daca eram un numar, as fi fost 22.
Daca eram o masina, as fi  fost Jaguar.
Daca eram o haina, as fi fost camasa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Children’s Day / Ziua Internationala a Copilului

ENGLISH

Today, the 1st of June,  in some countries around the world ,most of them from the Eastern block (aka former communist countries) or related, we celebrate the International Children’s Day.

A quick search on the mighty and holy Google reveals the following about the origins of this day

The World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland proclaimed June 1 to be International Children’s Day in 1925. It is not clear as to why June 1 was chosen as the International Children’s Day: one theory has it that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in 1925, which happened to be on June 1 that year, and also coincided with the conference in Geneva.

Other countries celebrate Universal Children’s Day on November 20th and others on various other days, according to their own customs.

But all this isn’t really important, the date and month are irrelevant ,it’s the significance we’re interested in after all !

So, what is Children’s Day? It’s a day to celebrate children, of course , but when does one stop being a child ? Is it when they are physically and mentally considered to have reached maturity? What about those of us who can be mature but also children at heart? Should the playful ,childlike enthusiasm/curiosity/energy of people of all ages be celebrated as well? I think it is a great thing to keep the child in you alive and that should be celebrated.

This Children’s Day is normally and conventionally a celebration of the young members of our society and I’d say it’s important because they are the future and also because ,as children, they are defenseless and dependent on us, grown ups, on society . Has anyone ever stopped to truly ponder on just how much influence we adults have over the little ones? Some parents ,many parents, take this lightly . Usually it’s considered that taking care of the child and giving him/her “all that they need growing up” equals the best food, shelter ,education ,toys/activities and safety measures one can provide and if the parent is able to provide those things then the job’s basically done. Well, I think that is incomplete , very incomplete and yet rarely do parents think of that ! Sure, a good ,safe environment, proper nutrition and education are all very important and essential but there are other things that are also essential but are being overlooked for lack of time or visible effects. I’m talking about affection , real displays of affection ,physically showing the child that you care ,that he/she is not alone and that he/she is loved and taken care of.

You see, when children are small and even up until the teenage years, they can’t properly realize and understand those indirect signs of affection and care like providing the best in terms of material things and education, they are in need of physically being shown that affection ,being comforted , having the people around them spend time with them , things like that . So , there are many children who grow up with emotional problems that are not always visible and that have a subtle but very important influence on the choices they make in life, their self esteem and the way they relate in society, their romantic life and their social life.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that there should be more Children’s Days because this is a day when adults are supposed to pay attention and spend actual time with their children ,learn to really value and enjoy them as individuals not just as their offspring or cute little boys and girls.

Romana

Astazi e Ziua Internationala a Copilului , zi care se serbeaza pe 1 iunie mai ales in tarile ce au facut parte din fostul bloc comunist. In Vest si in restul tarilor Ziua Universala a Copilului se serbeaza pe 20 Noiembrie (dar exista tari unde Ziua Copilului are loc in cu totul alte zile).

In fine , ce este Ziua Copilului? Cine se incadreaza in aceasta categorie? Oare adultii care-si pastreaza o parte din sufletul de copil ,din entuziasmul ,curiozitatea si bucuria de a trai specifice copilariei, nu au si ei dreptul sa fie inclusi in categoria celor sarbatoriti in aceasta zi? Pana la urma e un lucru minunat sa nu lasi copilul din tine sa moara !

Daca e sa vorbim despre insemnatatea traditionala a acestei zile , o zi pentru si despre copilarie in forma ei pura si conventionala, cred ca e important sa reflectam asupra rolului ei important in viata unui copil inconjurat de adulti.

In ziua de azi (dar si in trecut) , a avea grija de un copil si a-i oferi toate sansele/conditiile inseamna in special ,pentru parinti si societate , a-i oferi copilului lucruri ce tin de material si pragmatic : hrana , adapost ,educatie, siguranta ! Daca acestea sunt asigurate la un nivel cat mai ridicat (hrana de cat mai buna calitate si o dieta cat mai sanatoasa, o casa cat mai spatioasa, moderna, dotata si confortabila/salubra/sanatoasa ,educatie de un nivel cat mai ridicat) se considera ca parintele si societatea si-au facut datoria fata de copil iar acesta are toate conditiile si sansele de a reusi in viitor, de a se maturiza si de a deveni un adult responsabil si fara probleme de adaptare. Intradevar, cele mentionate mai sus sunt mai mult decat importante ,necesare, esentiale insa multi uita ca mai exista un aspect la fel de esential legat de partea emotionala.

In general un copil si chiar un adolescent in ultima faza de maturizare, are nevoi emotionale, e influentat la nivel emotional de cele mai mici lucruri . Un copil nu percepe emotional ,constient sau nu , lumea si actiunile adultilor din jurul sau in acelasi fel in care o face un om matur. Un copil poate sa aprecieze eforturile parintilor de a-i oferi cele mai bune conditii material si fizic dar emotional nu le va percepe la fel de puternic precum percepe o dovada fizica si concreta de afectiune si atentie. Un bebe, un copil mic ,un copil ce abia a inceput scoala inca nu este destul de matur emotional sa perceapa aceste dovezi indirecte de dragoste si atentie la nivelul la care parintii lui si-ar dori, el are nevoie de o mangaiere, o imbratisare, o ora de joaca, un zambet, o jucarie, un pupic de noapte buna. Din pacate in multe cazuri aceste dovezi de afectiune lipsesc cu desavarsire si nu din rautate sau nepasare . Lipsa acestor lucruri poate duce ,din pacate, la probleme emotionale care il vor afecta pe copil de-a lungul vietii. Este de ajuns sa ne uitam in jur ,sa citim despre anumite personaje din istorie ,celebritati ,etc. Depresie, oameni incapabil sa-si exprime emotiile chiar daca le au, incapacitatea de a socializa corespunzator, lipsa stimei de sine si increderii in propria persoana ,lucruri care nu sunt vizibile dar care afecteaza de multe ori “pe ascuns” deciziile pe care viitorul adult le va lua ,felul in care va interactiona social ,romantic si in familie, calea pe care o va apuca si capacitatea de a se bucura de viata.

Deci, ce vreau eu sa spun este ca aceasta zi a copilului ar trebui poate serbata mai des pentru ca este o zi in care se presupune ca cei mici sunt in centrul atentiei ,o zi in care adultii petrec timp cu ei si le arata fizic si direct afectiune si pretuire ,lucruri de care orice copil ,orice om are nevoie si e pacat ca multora le trebuie zile ca aceasta sau cliseul dezgustator care e Valentine’s Day, pentru a-si arata direct sentimentele .