So, I forgot to mention that I was leaving for a nine-day trip to Poland. I woke at 5:30am, and hopped into the CET van around 6:00. And now it's 3:00, I've arrived safely in Krakow, and my roomate, Diana (from UVA) and I have just discovered that our hotel has wireless internet! So I know I'll be able to update and get email until Sunday morning.
And now, an exerpt from a letter:
...I can’t imagine what Poland will be like. In my imagination, the entire country is gray, as if crossing the border into Poland is like crossing the border into Kansas of the Wizard of Oz. Similarly, I can’t imagine a blue sky over Auschwitz, or grass, or flowers. Will I be plagued by Adorno’s curse (there is no poetry after Auschwitz)? Or will it be like Dachau, when I couldn’t write enough about it for years?...
In actuality, the sky did turn gray when we crossed the border - Ellen and I exchanged glances across the bus, and nearly laughed. Yet, there's a kind of tension here. Communism seems closer to the present, as does the war. I'll see what's really what after our walking tour of Krakow tonight.
Oh, and one thing I've noticed already - Poland has good pickles!
1 comment:
Hi Dana,
I hope the sun did not hide altogether and you will experience some of it even in Poland. Whose letter did you cite in your Poland 1 message? And how did you like Krakow? It is supposedly a very pretty town, and is supposed to have many similarities with Prague?
We are looking forward to your reports every day. We had a late winterstorm here yesterday which dropped about 10" of snow and ice and played havoc again with the traffic. Tami and Roza were visiting the U.of Delaware and returning in the evening and had to sleep over ina motel around Trenton, because traffic had become impossible. But this a.m. they made it safely home so Roza could participate in her gorilla competition!
LYP
Post a Comment