Krakow and Prague

I adore Krakow.  Had I known I was going to like it so much, I would have planned to spend at least one more day there, if not two.  The large town square is beautiful and there was an endless variety of things to do, from shops to castles.

I also got to take a day trip, starting with a tour of Auschwitz.  Visiting the camps is heartbreaking, but they have really done a fantastic job of treating a horrific subject with the utmost respect.  The second stop was a a huge salt mine, the most interesting feature of which was a cathedral deep underground made entirely of salt.

Also, unlike the rest of Poland, Krakow was prepared for international tourism.  By that I mean that things are clearly signposted, ocassionally even in languages other than Polish.  As a result, there was a pleasant mix of tourists and locals, but nothing too touristy or overrun.  All in all, Krakow is one of the most pleasant places I've ever been.  I would definitely go back again.

Prague, on the other hand, while also beautiful, had more tourists than I think I have ever seen anywhere.  It was kind of a shock after Poland.  Still, it is a beautiful city.

Even more exciting was the fact that my friends Liz and Colby drove over from Germany for the weekend.  After two weeks of not being able to make conversation, it was a very welcome relief to have friends to talk to and joke around with.

And now I have arrived in Budapest, my final stop on this trip.  One of the most confusing things has been going back and forth between multiple currencies.  Naturally, I chose to visit three countries that are not on the Euro, so keeping exchange rates straight has been an interesting adventure.

The Hungarian currency poses the oddest exchange rate to get used to yet.  At 193 Hungarian Forint to the dollar, prices of things are in the thousands and tens of thousands.  It really feels like playing with Monopoly money.

And now I must rest up to begin exploring anew tomorrow...