Today also visited Schloss Solitude, an 18th century rococo palace few Km north-west of Stuttgart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Solitude Roads around it were used for car and motorcycle racing up to 1966. There is a magnificent view to the north over Zuffenhausen, the traditional home of Porsche.
Today I rode first to Ulm, where my photo of the minster totally fails to do justice to the amazing main spire, over 500 feet tall: Then rode to Dachau near Munich, site of the Nazis' first concentration camp, to visit the memorial. Stood in the room where the Gestapo interrogated, tortured and murdered thousands of prisoners over 12 years. Decided not to take lunch in the cafeteria. ... and finally to Salzburg. Raining now, so not looking around the town after all. To Vienna tomorrow - instead of taking the shortest route I plan to go the pretty way taking in some bits of the Austrian Alps. Staying three days, as there are several things in Vienna I want to take a good look at whilst I'm there.
Today I visited Schloss Schonbrunn, which is a gigantic Imperial palace a few Km west of Vienna. Makes our Buckingham Palace look quite modest. The grounds are extensive and include a zoo much larger than London Zoo, tropical plant houses similar to Kew Gardens, lots of sculptures and fountains such as this one of Neptune: mock classical "ruins": and this spectacular Gloriette: A bit tired now and the sun is scorching hot, so taking a siesta.
I have booked admission to visit the Auschwitz concentration camp & extermination camp sites (which are at Oswiecim, in Poland) on Saturday 18 July. This is going to be a sobering day.
Salt Mines at Krakov are amazing pete. The statues and rooms/halls carved out of the salt are works of art. 2-3 hours inc queue to get in.
I shall be passing through Krakow on 20 July, but won't have time for the salt mines sadly. Pity, a spell there might help my asthma.
Very brave. I visited Bergen Belsen some years ago and whilst there are no buildings left from it's past the mass graves are still visible and the exhibition centre was indeed very sobering. I think I might struggle with Auschwitz.
I have been to Belsen a couple of times. It adjoins a British army base known as Hohne where my duties often took me.
I set off from Vienna at 7.30am hoping it would be a bit cooler - it wasn't - heading towards Brno. Then veered east and ran right across the Czech Republic on little back roads via Breclav and Vsetin touching the western end of the Carpathians. The forests are so green, the wheatfields are just ready to harvest, and the sunflowers are out. Into Poland (with no Zlotys in my pocket) and through Silesia, crossing the River Vistula twice (at this point just a small stream). Staying in a room in a modest villa, but clean and comfortable. Encouraged when I arrived to see another bike already parked outside, an Italian-registered BMW K1200 with full luggage. Bit tired after the long hot ride so resting for a while.
This is the location of the execution wall at Auschwitz I, where the Nazi SS shot thousands of prisoners: These are electrified barbed wire fences with watch towers: This is a display of striped pyjamas, in one of the many museums: These are the ovens in which corpses were cremated, after they had been murdered in the gas chamber next door: This is the Gate of Death, the main gate to Auschwitz II Birkenau: This is a rail wagon, one of the many used to transport prisoners to concentration camps and murder camps: This is the ruins of one of the gas chambers at Birkenau, blown up by the SS in 1945 as they departed: This is part of the memorial at Birkenau. The plaques are in many languages, this is the English one: This is part of the car park at Auschwitz I today.
Today I visited both the concentration camp at Auschwitz I and the murder camp at Auschwitz II Birkenau. It was an experience not to be missed, but I shall never come here again. There is not just one museum but many museums, on vast and complex sites. I allowed a full day, as I did not want to miss things, or to be rushed. Everywhere there are stories of misery and murder, oppression and cruelty. People were shot, gassed, starved, tormented, worked to death. Jews of course, but also gipsies, communists, gays, social democrats, the mentally ill, anyone who had helped any of the above, and anyone who had opposed or criticised the Nazis in any way. It was scorching hot today. I tried to imagine being here during a freezing winter, but failed.
Today I have ridden to Warsaw. An easy ride, the roads are excellent and not too busy (on a Sunday, so not many trucks). Lots of service stations everywhere. Many of the roads are evidently recently built. Flat terrain but lots of forests. Staying at the Mercure Hotel, which should be expensive but I got it on special offer for 255 Zlotys (about £50). Now off to take a look around Warsaw city centre.
Rainbow fountain in Warsaw park: Warsaw tram: Polish tomb of the unknown warrior: Stalin's gift to Poland, apparently: This BMW is on the way back from a trip to the Pamir Knot:
