Charming Prague (Eastern Europe Part 7)

Travelling out of Poland we made our way by coach on a six hours journey to the Czech Republic right into the capital Prague. Being a historical city untouched by the fiery of war, everything was left intact. 

Our walking tour that cold rainy day brought us first to the city's infamous Prague castle which is a simple stone strong hold. In one of the courtyards stands the St Vitus Cathedral which takes me away with its immense facade. 

The beauty of the facade deserves a selfie moment for sure!... 

The chapel houses the remains of saint John of Nepomuk in the silver tomb. 

Sheer beauty of stained glass depicting biblical tales...

We also visited the Vladislav Hall inside the Royal Palace. Its ribbed vaults is an architectural standout, which makes it one of the highlights in the city today. 

Moving on further at the eastern sector of the castle lies the Golden Lane which is lined with quaint little cottages from the 16th centurty. They were first occupied by craftsmen and goldsmiths (hence the  name- golden lane). Today the cottages which facades have been exquisitely conserved, are homes to sourvenir shops.

 The one which caught my eye was the store selling handmade puppets. The craftsmanship is impeccable.

Gorgeous flowers i saw along the way, as spring makes way for summer ... 

Walking out of the Golden Lane, we were treated to the picturesque view

of the old Praha city. 

Had to grab one of these on the way, absolutely delicious with a warm soft doughy texture coated with cinnamon sugar. Perfect for a cold day!

Even though it was arduous walking down the steep hill, the view made up for it!

The slow walk down the hill brought us to the start of the infamous Charles Bridge, also the perfect stage set for romancing couples.  

The romance factor of the bridge didn't quite work for me with tons of people crossing over.

Maybe at sunrise we might have better luck.

I met the legendary lucky charm of the Charles Bridge and couldn't resist giving it a rub at the hope of having my wishes come true!

The bridge leads to the Old Town, right into the commercial heart of Prague. 

Before moving along, we were treated to one of the Michelin star recommended restaurants- Mlynec. My vegetarian three course lunch included a salad as a starter... 

Main was a ravioli served with asparagus in a cream sauce... 

And to end off, a poached pear dessert with strawberry ice cream. It was refreshing!

Prague's Old Town Square does live up to its name of being an architectural delight, having buildings inspired from medieval to baroque eras. The square was once the main market place and 

ground to where the Astronomical Clock stands. 

The clock is a masterpiece which captures time in various ways. It accounts time by the seconds to the cycles of the sun and moon. At every hour, eager visitors are also greeted by a ritual of pop out figures from the clock dancing to a catchy tune. 

Of all the sights i saw in Prague, I personally love the Astronomical Clock the most. 

The Old Town Square, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site... 

The rainy weather did dampen my spirit a little, as I wanted to see the city against a clear blue sky;  but maybe she is calling me back again - on a brighter, sunnier day! 

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 1

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 2

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 3

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 4

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 5

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 6

Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Eastern Europe Part 6)

Before leaving Poland, we also visited the Auschwitz Concentration camp, which was a network of concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Nazi Germany during the WWII. This place is very significant as it is an important event which took place in the history of mankind.
The solemn feeling looms in the air.

A reminder... 

Jews were the main targets...

Jewish people on their way to the camps not knowing that they were walking into "DEATH". 

Memorial of all the people who were gassed. Real ashes found in the monument. 

Pictures from the past... of people being extradited to the camps..          

Upon arrival at Auschwitz, the seperation process began. Seperating those who will fit and able to work apart from those who were old and weak. The later were then sent to the gas chambers.

This was just a small sample of the amount of cyclone B used in the gas chambers.

The dark side of man.

The museum also showcased the belongings left behind by the people who lived in the concentration camps after liberation.

Praying shawls of the Jewish not burnt by fire.

The old and handicap were made to strip off all their clothes and prosthetic limbs and aids before they were gassed to death. 

More evidence of the number of people gassed ...

More evidence of the amount of people killed. 

even babies and children were not spared of being thrown into the gas chambers. 

There was also a room which showcased heaps of hair that were cut from the Jewish ladies before they were brought to the gas chambers. These hair were being sold to German factories to be made into brooms and various textures. Out of respect for the dead, we were not allowed to take pictures of the hair. That was indeed a revolting sight. The heaps of hair stretching about 3-4 metres width and about close to 2 metres high was quite a revolting sight. 

Seems decent but can you imagine 700-1000 people sharing a few WCs?!

And washbasins.. 

This is actually how the barrack looked like in the past...

and this was where they slept. 4-5 people on each level and since they were not allowed to use the toilets at night, many urinated and defecated where they slept and the people on the lower level would get the urine on their bodies. That was how the conditions were. 

The watch tower...

The prison cells... 

The wall where many were being executed at. 

This premise where we were at was the first concentration camp.

Many were hung, tortured and executed here. 

Entering the gas chambers where the Holocaust took place. 

The actual gas chamber. 

The feeling just being in this room was undescriblable. Time might have past but the memory and deed of what took place still lives. May we take a moment to pray for the innocent people who lost their lives. 

Next to the gas chamber was the incinerator where the dead bodies were dragged to to be cremated.

Cremation went on 24/7 because there were just too many bodies to be cremated.

None of the victims knew what they were in for. They were instructed to strip naked to a disinfectant shower in the room (gas chamber) but once the doors closed, gas was released from the top of building down into the room. Each session took half an hour before the room was opened and the bodies dragged to the next room to be cremated. I could imagine the events that took place just being in the building. It might have happened decades ago, but it still felt so real. 

We went on to visit the second and larger concentration camp just fifteen minutes drive away from the first.

 The rail to the door of Death. 

This second one was built to house more prisoners.

After visiting the camps, I honestly had no appetite for lunch that day. Just touring the camps and looking at the pictures and the belongings of people made everything so real- the cruelty of human beings towards other human beings because of issues of race. Hitler had issues with Jewish people during his younger days and he envied how rich and successful most Jewish people were and that started the whole propaganda of eradicating the entire Jewish race. 

If you are interested to learn more about the history leading up to the Holocaust, you can catch the 2 films below which the tour leader has kindly aired during our coach rides.

Both were really interesting to watch, and easier to digest than most history books!

It really makes me realize the importance of maintaining peace and harmony in the world today. Any type of war is always unnecessary and at the end, a lose-lose situation as learnt from the previous WWs. 

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 1

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 2

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 3

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 4

Click here to read Eastern Europe Part 5