Auschwitz and Birkenau

Yep, as you'd expect, it was decidedly un-fun. It was also one of the most moving experiences of my life.


Desolate. silent. chilling. etc.


Is it just me, or does selling pork products at a jewish concentration camp seem a little... unexpected?

Krakow

There are over 650 bars dotted around this central square of krakow, a city of 1 million people.


And sorry j - I took not one single photo of any of them.


So you'll just have to imagine all those nights I spent drinking hot spiced vodka in groovy little places filled with vintage sewing machines or retro socialist paraphernalia or arty shots of indian street urchins.


But don't worry, with any luck there'll be a return visit. And next time I'll remember to pack my party juice.

Warsaw

Smog. Still my all-time favourite singer, not to mention an ever-reliable travelling companion.


Would you believe, his song "feather by feather" describes perfectly my warsawian experience (including the butoh course I took with the incredible atsushi...)


"You spend half of the morning/Just trying to wake up
Half the evening/Just trying to calm down"


"And you live for the same things/we live for the same things"


"A cloudburst seems rarer every time..."


"And it's crow vs. crow/A brawl in mid-air"


"Beak click on beak clack..."


"No reason is there/But for the brawl in mid-air"


"And if you're losing your wings"


"Feather by feather"


"Love the way/they whip away/on the wind"

(ok i must admit most of these photos aren't mine, they were taken by yassiek... thank you y!)

Zakopane

So, someone once said that when it comes to skiing there's a difference between what you think it's going to be like, what it's really like, and what you tell your friends it was like.


Not sure I agree - I knew I'd be petrified, I was petrified, and I have no qualms telling you it was PETRIFYING


But this was my first proper snow experience. And, may I say, the stuff is rather breathtakingly beautiful.


Indeed, it inspired a series of arty shots of me with hot beer. And you gotta be happy with that....

Bergamo

I stopped by on my way to the airport.


I met a crazy toothless priest on the bus - that was fun.


I started taking photos of other tourists - cause I got so sick of empty vista shots.


I went shoe shopping - finally succumbing to italian fashion madness.


ITALY - I AM OUTTA HERE

Milano

Soo...



economic capital of italy. lots of young people earning big money...



... and spending even more.



there were also a few socialists, with whom I enjoyed organic wine on election night.



They drank a toast to their 'compagni in australia' (compagni = comrades. I didn't have the heart to explain that Australian Labor isn't really like the Italian left - hey, any excuse to drink good wine)

Lago di Garda

Biggest lake in Italy, major tourist destination.

In the summer, that is.

I felt very intrepid, alighting a regional bus in the middle of nowhere and walking down a highway for an hour without a map - i figured if the lake was that big i couldn't miss it, right?

Wrong.