I was only in Poland for a short time. I did see the sites of Kraków while I was there, but the main reason I came was to see Auschwitz. World War II and specifically the holocaust is something I am fascinated about. It is such a dark part of the history of humanity. So, with planning a trip to Europe it only made sense to visit the concentration and later extermination camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. 

Walking through the gates it was surreal and eerie. Many people walked through this gate never to come out alive. The tour guide also told us to not eat or smoke in the camp since the whole camp was like a cemetery. We may be walking on the ashes or remains of people. As I walked around the camp I felt an immense amount of respect for those that lost their lives here.   We toured around the various buildings looking at where people slept, worked, or were killed. In one part of the camp some of the belongings of the victims were displayed to show the enormity of those who were affected. For example there was a display of thousands of people’s hair that would be later used to make fabrics. There was also displays of the shoes, luggage, glasses, etc of things taken from the victims. Approximately 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Seeing just a fraction of the things taken was such an intense reminder of the humanity of each an every victim. 

  

 It’s one thing to read about this period of history in books another to actually walk and see where it happened. 

As George Santana said, “The one who does not remember history is bound to go through it again.”

I am way behind on this blog. I have found it difficult to spend time at the end of the day to reflect. Most times when I start to wind down from the day in a few minutes I am exhausted and quickly fall asleep. I am on my way to Florence now but still have some thoughts on the pervious cities I have visited. 

I love Berlin! It is probably up there in my top 5 European cities. There is just so much to do there. There are museums. Five of them are on an island. One of which had a gate from Babylon which was crazy to think I was standing in front of. I visited four of the five and was exhausted after. There is also tons of history about the World Wars and the Cold War. Seeing the remnants of the Berlin Wall was surreal. Although I was too young to remember, the wall was up during my lifetime. It’s crazy to think how different the city was during that time. 

 

I went on a free walking tour that someone I met on my travels recommended I do. I am glad I did it. Ther are several places I would not have visited since they aren’t labeled. For example, during the tour we were standing in a parking lot which seemed to have no significance. But in that area was where Hitler’s former bunker used to be. Crazy!

Even though I loved the city my first experience there was very stressful. I got off the train and then didn’t know how to get from the station to my hostel. I didn’t even know how to buy a metro ticket. I couldn’t read the signs or even figure out the pictures. I was getting more freaked out and frustrated. Eventually I sat down and calmed down. This was bound to happen on my trip and I knew eventually I would get where I needed to. I took a breath, found the ticket office, and eventually made my way to my hostel. Even with the frustrating start I didn’t let that affect my experience in Berlin. It eventually became one of my favorite European cities.  

I loved Amsterdam right when I stepped out of the train station. It was so beautiful, and I loved the architecture. Amazing old buildings mixed in with canals make beautiful scenery.  

The city also has rich history which can be seen through the museums. One of my favorite places in the city include the Van Gogh museum where one could get a good picture of who Van Gogh was. Apparently the Dutch way to pronounce his name sounds more like “Hogh” with the gh sounding very throaty. I pronounced it Van “Go” to a Dutch person I met and he had no clue what I was saying. 

Another one of my favorite places in Amsterdam was the Anna Frank House. Such a powerful place where you really get to see what it was like to hide in a place during WWII. I recommend that anyone who goes to Amsterdam come here.  

Among the rich history and beautiful scenery there are glimpses of brokenness as well. Amsterdam is a very tolerant city. Smoking weed is legal in the coffee shops. Prostitution is also legal as well as is apparent in Amsterdam’s lively Red Light District. There is a mix of both beauty and brokenness in Amsterdam, which I think can be the same in any of us. There are beautiful parts of ourselves… things we want others to see. But there are also broken parts or ourselves as well. Things that we may keep hidden and quiet from others. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Amsterdam. I was more on edge in this city though since it is well known for pickpocketers. I am glad I went and hope to return someday.  

  

Europe has been amazing so far, but coming into Brussels I have found myself a bit tired of traveling. If you are familiar with some terms used in InterVarsity right off the bat in Brussels I found myself red lining. Red lining is pretty much when you become frustrated, critical, and judge a people, place or culture. Stepping off the train from Paris I could not figure out how to buy a metro ticket. When I finally figured it out the machine would not take my credit cards. I was tired from traveling and was frustrated. Luckily the people here are super nice and helped me out. Red lining averted. 

Edit

I love traveling, but I normally am a homebody. So traveling for this long is taking a bit of endurance and pacing. There is so much I want to see and do, but I can’t do everything. My body (my poor tired feet included) and my sanity needs to take a break once in a while. I need to listen to my body and how I am feeling to make sure I am not doing too much on this trip. As I explore these beautiful cities sometimes I need to just sleep in, rest, or just sit on a bench at the park for a bit. 



As I explore all these beautiful cities may I be amazed with what I see but also find a good pace to do it. Since I still have 2 more months left of this trip hopefully I figure this out sooner rather than later. My sanity and feet will thank me. 



On another note it has been great getting to know people in the hostels I have been staying at. I have met people from many different countries and with many different stories. I think this is a benefit of traveling alone. Since I am not with others I am forced in a way to talk to those around me in the hostel. So far the people I have met have been amazing. 



I have enjoyed my time here in Paris. Although I am still fighting off a cold. I have seen all the major sites including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Élysées, and the Musée d’Orsay.  But what has been most impactful and has made me thought about faith and the church a lot has been visiting these old Cathedrals such as Notre Dame and Sacré-Cœur. I love Love LOVE old things. So getting a chance to visit these super old churches has been amazing.



Walking around and looking at the architecture I can’t help but think of how these buildings were made with ought modern equipment. Looking at the stained glass windows reminds me how many people understand the stories of the past through images. What I found quite interesting was getting the chance to be at the Notre Dame when they were showing a few of their ancient relics, specifically a piece of the cross, a nail of the Passion, and the crown of thorns. I am not sure what I think of these relics overall, but it was interesting to see people in tears after being in the presence of the ancient relics. What are people thinking, feeling, or experiencing? I am not sure how it is for others, but for myself I felt a deep sense of awe and reverence for God and specifically Jesus for what he did on the cross. Whether or not these relics are real does not negate the reality of what Jesus did for all of us. 



Now off to Brussels! I am looking forward to what other things that God will teach me and remind me of as I travel around Europe