10/9/2013 - Krakow, Poland
Krakow is friendly, fun, and very Catholic. The first Polish pope, Pope John Paul II, is a hero here. He kept showing up as I walked through town. Between his presence and all the Polish people, it reminded me of growing up in Milwaukee.
Aside from the Catholic culture, I explored the city's Jewish history. The main sight of the day was Schindler's Factory. It is now a museum describing the history of Krakow and its Jewish population from 1939-1945 under the Germans. It's tough to get through, and it doesn't even end on a positive note. In the last room, there is a large portrait of Stalin next to a sign that reads, "After 5 years, 4 months and 12 days, the German occupation was over. Krakow was about to enter a new and extremely difficult period in its history."
Pictured: A statue of John Paul II faces Krakow's Wawel Cathedral.
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