I realised yesterday I only told you all about Auschwitz when I wrote on here about our visit to Krakow.  That’s unfortunate really because, as much as Auschwitz is now etched in our minds, and certainly worthy of a mention here, it doesn’t define Poland as much as you might think.

I loved Krakow.  Everything about it was intriguing, exciting, beautiful and peaceful. There are fabulous urban parks, the buildings have an air of understated grandeur, the food is healthy and fresh, but it’s the people that really define the place. The women look like my sister Sarah, they are elegant and funky and I imagine they possess graceful musician’s fingers that are adept at playing the violin.  The men are geeky and skinny, the sort you’d put in your pocket and take home to meet Mum.

After Krakow we went to Prague. Prague is full of avenues lined with rows of sweet icing coloured buildings and bright green trees. Until you turn a corner and are bombarded by Americans with huge cameras talking in “outside voices.” Prague’s beauty doesn’t escape you, but it’s certainly hard to enjoy it when just walking past a building requires sharp elbows and combat gear. 

Now Berlin.  If ever there was a large city you could live stress-free, have fun and buy beer as soon as you get off the underground Berlin is it.   The man in the underground will even open the bottle for you.  Berlin is cultured, grungy, safe, and predictably, efficient.  It’s also comparatively cheap.  Even though it’s on the Euro, Berlin is still not as expensive as London or Paris. 

Next is Copenhagen.  We are on the train now, sailing past fields of bright red poppies and the first sheep we’ve seen since leaving Cardiff.  Our train has just slowed down to board the ferry.  That’s right, our train just drove on to the ferry and we are now sailing across the ocean. With our train next to all the trucks and cars below deck!

Things are looking promising!!

NB: If ever you’re looking for something to invest your life savings in, I suggest european wind farms. And ideally, do it two weeks ago. Germany have just declared “Halt!” to nuclear power, the Austrian countryside is absolutely covered in wind farms, so is Germany and as we sail through the ocean there is even wind turbines on the water.

Either that or Veolia Transport.  They do the buses in Auckland and most of the places we’ve been over here too, so they must be alright!