Sunning out

Writing from Krakow, Poland.

The weather has been very unfriendly. Just yesterday, I saw a sign that says 41 deg.

I guess that is the highest of a range. The lower limit you wonder? 35 deg.

Yes, not good at all. In fact, from what I had gathered, this has been the hottest summer the regions have seen.

So much for my vacation!

I have been walking so much under the sun that I have grown slightly (or so, I hope) tanner. My feet are especially of a darker skin tone (because I wear slippers).

Today is the second day I am in Krakow, and I have already done three walking tours. Two yesterday and one today.

So far, I kind of like Poland. The communist history has left me very much intrigued. In fact, just today, I was in a neighbourhood supposed modeled after the communist-socialist ideology.

It was a different experience. We concluded the tour by a meal in a restaurant that used to be popular with communist leaders. That wasn't the highlight though. The highlight was learning about the compromised yet not marginalised role the Church played.

In the morning, I visited the site that used to house the Nazi Concentration Camp. That was a bit too heavy. I find it difficult to imagine the immense number of people killed in the site. I also find it difficult to imagine the humiliation and pain the Poles, Jews, Gypsies and even the Soviet soldiers had to gone through.

I must say this trip has been more of an eye-opener to history than a fun and laughter trip. I was never that good with history but after this trip, I dare say I would have known twice more than I knew.

One more week and I will be going home. Sometimes I do miss home, but it is probably more of my father's food than the place per se.

And frankly, I think I will miss a few places in Europe. I really like Budapest, Olomounc and Krakow. (I don't know about Vienna-that is my next stop but one thing is for sure, my wallet won't like it.) And not to mention a few Hungarian pastries.

But I definitely won't miss one thing about the whole trip:

The sun.