Stephen’s Travels

Lidice is nothing important if you know nothing about WWII or the holocaust. To us on the tour, we know that it is a city that was destroyed in retaliation for the assassination of Rudolph Heydrich. Basically all of the city’s men were killed, and the women and children were sent to concentration or extermination camps. The city was completely razed so that all that now remains are a couple foundations. Out of all the memorials so far, this one touched me the most. I think it was the monument to the children that were killed hit the deepest. It is really difficult to put into words the things I have seen, I hope a new light is shed upon WWII and especially the holocaust.

We also visited Terezinstadt, which was a camp for political prisoners as well as Jews. While this was not specifically an extermination camp, like all of the others, thousands of people perished there.

This was all on our way out of Prague to Chemnitz, Germany.

Well, on the eve on my second day in Prague, I must say it has been one of the best times in my life. I’m sorry I haven’t uploaded any pictures of Prague yet, but I am using my roommates computer and my pictures are not on it. We have been all over the city though. I am really surprised at how many tourists there are. I don’t like how many there are and I am one, I can only imagine how the actual residents feel. Needless to say, it is the most beautiful city I have ever been to.

We have gone to the Charles Bridge, all throughout the main part of town (the tourist part), Prague Castle, and Loreta. There is so much to see, I wish I could spend much more time here.

This morning we went to Krivoklat Castle, which was a hunting castle for Charles IV. It was really amazing. Basically everything that I have see is amazing because a) it was build so long ago, b) it is so beautiful, and c) nothing in the United States compares to anything here.

Even taking public trams around town instead of driving is enjoyable (and rather quick). Tomorrow we are making our way to Germany, but first we are going to stop at a city that was entirely destroyed and it’s inhabitants killed because it semi-aided in the assasination of Rudolph Heydrich.

Keep the comments coming, I am really enjoying them.

We spent about 3 hours on the bus today riding from Krakow to Auschwitz-Birkenau. I cannot explain everything we saw there. I have several pictures, but there were so many things that I do not comprehend. Piles and piles of shoes, hair, glasses, brushes, suitcases. How could this happen. We also stood inside the gas chambers that murdered so many people only 60 years ago.

I will of course, provide more details when I return, I am not at my computer now and all of my pictures and notes are not with me.

Unfortunately, I am sitting in an internet cafe in Brno, Czech Republic after a nice hike through a city I have never been to at night. Luckily I am fairly good with a map and was able to get the six of us there safely. The keyboard and everything on it are goofy and switched around, hopefully I can get us all back to the hotel alright too

Tomorrow we will be heading to Prague, which from what I hear is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, If not the most beautiful. We will be spending a couple days there, so it will give a good amount of time to look around on our own, as we have been somewhat rushed to date.

Another interesting thing about tonight is that there is evidently a hockey game going on that is fairly important because the whole city is our where we are and cheering for their team.

I will write again later, if I can find an internet cafe in Brno, Czech Republic. But today has been a dark dreary day. Hopefully you all understand my briefness, I do have more pictures but my time is limited and all I have time to upload was from yesterday.

Hopefully everything is going good back at home.

-Steve