What a place to start a journey! Kraków must be one of the most civilised cities in Europe. Relaxed and friendly, with buildings of great dignity, and in the evenings the streets come alive. Polish sausages, anyone?

      

In the old town the only traffic is trams, bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. Which do you prefer?

      

The Basilica’s height and gold leaf are outrageous. (Click any photo to enlarge.)

      

But the trip became sombre when I visited the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau.

      

Seventy years on, the 1.1 million people who died here are remembered with affection and sadness every day.

      

It’s impossible to comprehend the scale of the bestiality, murder, looting of valuables and trashing of the victims’ remains. Above, two of the crematorium ovens.

      

After those experiences the Tatra mountains were a breath of fresh air. Lots of snow in late May, but at least someone had put it to good use.

      

Today I’m off to see the Slovakian side of the range, then on to Ukraine. I’ll write again soon.