Ever fancied going to Auschwich

Ginger_Nuts_2

It was always something that I wanted to do, and recently when my daughter returned from school, they had held a special assembly and had a discussion about the holocaust. Well she told me she really wanted to go so after a bit of a search I found this company http://www.escape2poland.co.uk/home.html and about a month ago we flew Belfast to Krakow and had a visit. Not to go on too much about it, it was a fantastic experience and one I recommend fully. Also with this company it was incredibly cheap. Myself and daughter flew easyjet, got collected by taxi, had two nights in a nice hotel in a very quiet part of Krakow but only 10 minutes walk from the main town square, taken by same taxi to Auschwich and other camps with guided tour comprising of only 10 people (most had about 30 in them) return taxi to hotel and next day taxi to airport and if I had booked the flights a day earlier it would have cost me a total of less than £250 for the two of us:j It cost me £290 in total, food was really cheap, a three course meal in a really nice restaurant with drinks for the two of us was under £25 including a 10% tip, found a chinese restaurant near the hotel tho that done a sit in two course meal served to your table for £4:D So perhaps, if you are thinking of a short break over the summer, I fully recommend it ( I have no connection with this company at all) And after the camps, theres loads to see around the main square, fantastic architecture everywhere you look.
Hope I havent posted this in the wrong place, but thought that other norn iron peoples would be interested;)

geri1965_2

I'm not in Northern Ireland, but I saw the thread title in new posts. Me & my OH are thinking of going soon, so I'll check out the link.

leftieM

Thanks Gingernuts. Was it not too harrowing? I cry any time I see or read anything about the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the crystallisation of all of our darkest thoughts. Have you read Primo Levi's accounts of his time there (If This Is a Man)? It's a really touching and well written account of what life was like at Auschwitz.

Ginger_Nuts_2

leftieM wrote: »

Thanks Gingernuts. Was it not too harrowing? I cry any time I see or read anything about the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the crystallisation of all of our darkest thoughts. Have you read Primo Levi's accounts of his time there (If This Is a Man)? It's a really touching and well written account of what life was like at Auschwitz.

Well that was one of my concerns before I went, my daughters 12 and I was a bit concerned that it would be too dark for her. But Although there were many who found the experience something to get tearful over, neither of us felt that way, it was more anger at how something like this could happen. Auschwich was a little 'commercial', crowds of people going round and squeezing into buildings although absolutely fascinating, the rooms full of belongings and human hair etc had to be seen to appreciate, the guide was brilliant and happily answered any questions outside the norm we put to her, the gas chambers and burial areas were also quite an experience. But as I said, neither of us found it too harrowing, my daughter spent two days making a powerpoint presentation for her return to school and is still full of interest in the whole subject, but Birkenhau, the second camp, now that was more of a sad place, it really was silent and almost 25 times the size of Auschwich it really struck home the amount who died. Even though others we spoke to, who were profoundly touched by the trip in an emotional way, were really glad they had made the trip. Again as I say, the low cost of going and visiting was the most amazing thing. I couldnt get a return ferry larne/stranraer for the same cost as the whole trip, in fact, I would wager that some on the mainland would struggle to get two days admission to major attractions for the same cost;)

miserly_mum

I'm sorry but unless I had a connection to the Holocaust Camps I would never consider them as a Holiday destination.

To compare the prices to that of a major holiday attraction, is in my opinion an insult to the people who died in them many years ago.

What in your opinion would you compare it to pricewise......Blackpool Tower, Legoland, Madam Tussauds?

Not being nasty but how you are descibing it as a few cheap days away I find to be in very bad taste

avoniel

Gingernuts,

thanks for an informative review.It is obvious that this was something you have a passionate interest about and comments about you comparing it to other tourist attractions are unbelievable.

Just of a matter of further interest could you please let me know the name of the hotel you stayed in (chinese close by would swing it for me LOL)

leftieM

miserly_mum wrote: »

To compare the prices to that of a major holiday attraction, is in my opinion an insult to the people who died in them many years ago.

Not being nasty but how you are descibing it as a few cheap days away I find to be in very bad taste

I didn't find it to be in bad taste. This is a MSE. It's about getting good deals. The OP was just saying that a visit was achieveable on a small budget. I would have assumed that it would be very expensive to visit Poland. Now I know it isn't.

belfastgirl23

I think it's a tone thing - I also felt a bit uncomfortable with this to be honest, although the OP in later posts obviously wasn't treating it like a tourist attraction I did find the thread title felt a bit odd too.

fabwitch_2

My daughter has been with the School and it was a very moving experience. When my sons are in year 10 I will certainly pay for them to go with the School too as I feel its very educational and makes you realise how many people actually died there. My Husband and I hope to visit one day.

miserly_mum

Ginger_Nuts wrote: »

Again as I say, the low cost of going and visiting was the most amazing thing. I couldnt get a return ferry larne/stranraer for the same cost as the whole trip, in fact, I would wager that some on the mainland would struggle to get two days admission to major attractions for the same cost;)

I was fine with it untill I read the bit above.

Its saying to me, yes it was a moving experience, educational blah blah blah ......but best of all it was cheap and I bet nobody could get a weekend to Alton Towers for less?

Mind you purely from an MSE point of view .........if I ever fancy a cheapy holiday to Poland for a few days, I could book with them and just skip the guided tour bit.

Jaime-V

Did you book the flights separate? Also what hotel did you stay at?

We were hoping to go to Krakow this year or beginning of next and wanted to go on the tours also. Yes it is very sad and harrowing but imo forgetting it happened is worse.

Many years ago when I was at school a lovely lady came to speak to us, she was a holocaust survivor, her story was very moving.