Schindler’s factory gives you an interesting perspective of the daily lives of the Jewish workers who were saved by working at the factory. Schindler used his personality and business skills to obtain the factory and its laborers from the occupied city. After witnessing the atrocities and the turning of the tide of the war efforts Schindler famously used the factory to employ as many workers as possible in efforts to save as many lives as he could. He spent most of his ill gotten gains in bribes in a last minute attempt to save as many people as he could before fleeing to South America, where he would eventually die a bankrupt businessman. The factory is interesting to tour and more a museum with a tour guide snaking…
Category: Spotlight
Wielicksa Salt Mine, Poland
They quickly found salt at Wielicksa and began extracting it to use and export abroad. This sale of salt eventually consisted of 1/3 of the total revenue made in Poland at the time and became a key part of the country’s stability over the next 3 hundred years continuing operations through 2007. Today the mine is a tourist stop filled with stunning carvings of salt made into the most beautiful and inspiring sculptures,
Tchorek Plaques – Warsaw
Named for the sculptor who designed them, Karol Tchorek, they memorialize places of mass executions during German occupation. More than 200 are scattered throughout
Unstoppable Spirit of Polish Resistance – Warsaw Uprising
In an effort to take back their city after 5 years of German occupation, struggling Poles rebelled in what is known as the Warsaw Uprising. Barely armed (it is said 1 in every 10 Poles had a rifle) and with the Germans brutality (going door to door, shooting every inhabitant including elderly, sick, women, and children), it was a losing battle from the start. Remnants can be seen throughout the city, especially in the concrete.
Mausoleum of Struggle & Martyrdom – Warsaw
Mausoleum of Struggle & Martyrdom is one of the many places the Gestapo interrogated, tortured, and murdered. It is a free exhibit, just 2 hallways, and by far one of the most enlightening, moving, fascinating, devastating, and underrated (I was the only one there) sites I visited in Warsaw. That evening I remember feeling I was in a dark place…but
Auschwitz Birkenau
Personal belongings were taken upon arrival to a section of the camp referred to as “Canada”. Called “Canada” because people brought valuables (thinking they’d use at their relocation) and the Americas were viewed as prosperous. The Germans took anything of value, burned anything personal. These “Canada Warehouses” were subsequently destroyed by the Germans (along with gas and cremation facilities) to hide evidence of wrongdoing.
Correction, upon arrival they were allowed to keep one item…a belt…because they’d lose weight quickly.
I think guide said initially they’d photograph each inmate, but as cost of film and developing increased, they began using tattoos to save money. Also, as the death toll grew, tattoos were an easier way to identify the bodies.
Each prison uniform had a distinguishable patch so guards could quickly identify the category of prisoner. IE – political prisoners had a red triangle, criminals a green triangle, Jews a yellow star of David, Jehovah witnesses purple triangle, etc.
See bunk pic below, 5-6 people slept on each level.
Recoleta Cemetery – Stories of Notable Sites
Some legend, some true. Some humorous, some sad. All intriguing. Grudge for Eternity – Salvador & Tiburcia Carril Salvador was a prominent figurehead in Argentinian politics. Met his wife, Tiburcia, 25 years his junior, in Uruguay. Moved to BA where Tiburcia spent lavishly, opening lines of credit in any ‘haute couture’ shop she could. Outraged by…
La Mercado Bazurto – Cartagena, Colombia
South of the main city center you can find the real Cartagena shopping scene for any and all goods imaginable. The mercato Bazurto is an enormous maze of creole foods, fish vendors, produce merchants, knick knack sellers, and all sorts of characters hawking their wares to the locals. The place in intimidating and loud and…
Castillo de San Filipe de Barajas – Cartagena, Colombia
This impressive battery was the largest in the Americas at its time. Construction began in 1604 and reinforced over the next 200 years with multiple additions to the hill structure this iconic fort was the center of multiple pirate attacks and the point to collect the wealth of treasures from the new world before shipping…
Central – Best Restaurant in Latin America – Lima, Peru
The food tastes as amazing as it looks and truly represents the whole of Peru and all of its offerings at each elevation demonstrating each of the country’s rich culinary bounties on offering in the diverse ecosystems throughout. It is an amazingly unique concept that works so well from the Andes mountains to the pacific coastline the dishes range in flavors colors and techniques highlight the skills of Rogelio and his team.
Journey Into Cuisine 