A highlight morning at Schindler’s Museum

You’ve seen the movie. It is so powerful.

The interactive museum is at the site of the factory, and one of the most inspirational ones on my journey so far.

It tied everything together about Poland before and during the war. The Poles were geographically in between Germany and Russia, and had little say in their future. It was a balancing act for survival. The West did not come to their rescue until much later.

I thought a lot about how people can be brainwashed and manipulated in all societies.

Climbing 800 steps into a salt mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków is 2 miles in length and 450 feet deep. It is not active presently, and instead, it is used as a discovery experience to learn about the history of mining.

Walking down to the bottom level you pass 20 chambers with intricately designed mythical statutes chiseled out of rock salt on your nearly three hour tour.

You visit the largest underground cathedral in the world which continues to hold services. There is a special entrance to get there.

i have toured the working American Salt Mine in Groveland, NY, and this was an entirely different experience.

Auschwitz: a dark period in history

When a mad man rules, the results are devastating.

I could go on and on about my experience here, but the end result is that I live in a democracy plain and simple. How grateful I am, too.