The astute reader might have noticed that I occasionally attempt to interject humor into things I write. This includes not only blogs, but also technical documentation and business correspondence. The last two will inevitably get me into a lot of trouble some day. The first one is the reason I am very grateful that Sarah took it upon herself to write an initial post about Auschwitz, as we couldn't skip over our stop there in the chronicle of our travel, but I was at a loss as to how to even begin to approach the subject.
There is no humor in that place.
That alone is a gross understatement. I've read about Auschwitz before. I'v seen pictures of Auschwitz before; trudging down the old train tracks that lead into it was eerie, as it was so plain but familiar looking. The terrifying enormity of it, though, can't be comprehended until you walk through the gates in person. We went to two sites, and both were an effort in emotional fortitude. I would suggest two things initially: visit it if you have a chance, and give yourself several days to do so. Your millage may vary, but I feel that if you have even a modicum of empathy, you'll need time to better process what you are exposed to. There's an aspect of humanity preserved there that is acutely sorrowful and often rage-inducing and I don't intend to try and document it here.
I had intended this post to go on to describe more lighthearted tales about our ongoing stay in Poland, but the few paragraphs already written have offered a chance for unpleasant retrospective. As such, my motivation for anecdote had waned, so I'll call it a night and try again tomorrow
And I had also intended to actually publish this last night, but apparently I didn't push the button. So now the chronology will be all screwed up. Meh.
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