Prag, Krakau u es paar Abentüür drzwüsche

Bir Akunft in Tschechie füehle mir üs z erschte mau so richtig unterwägs - ar Gränze si no einige Sache uf Dütsch agschribe, aber gli verstöh mir nur no vereinzelti Wörter uf de Schilder wo mir chrüze. S isch scho Abe wo mir achöme u drum sueche mir üs gli e Nachtlager u wärde ir Natur ufere schöne Waldliechtig fündig.

Upon arrival in Czech Republic we get the feeling of being on the road for the first time - close to the border road signs still have a german translation, but soon we understand only small parts of what we are reading. We arrive during later afternoon so we look for a camp and find one in middle of nature on a beautiful clearing.

am nächschte Tag mache mir üs uf in Richtig Prag

the next day we travel in direction of Prag

Nach zwe Nächt in Prag ziehts üs wyter, mir wei in Richtig Pole, es Land wo mir beidi no nie bsuecht hei. Mir chöme no einisch a de zwöi Sache verbi wo üs a de tschechische Landstrasse am meischte in Erinnerig wärde blibe: einersits die vile Reh wo chum Angscht vor Outos hei...

After two nights in Prag we move on in direction of Poland, a country which we both have never visited and are keen to explore. The two things we will remember most about Czech Roads are: on the one hand lots of deers which don't seem too scared of cars... 

... und andersits die tschechischi Strassefüehrig bi Boustellene. Die gseht e so us:

... and on the other hand Czech road layout during construction. This most often looks like this:

ohni Vorwarnig und o ohni Alternative Routevorschlag. Meischtens si eifach Houptroutene gsperrt und o die Iheimische fahre eifach so uverhofft i d Sackgass. När cha jede säuber luege winer wyter chunnt, meischtens entsteit so e Umwäg vo 15 Minute. Mir gseh aber dert sicher viu womer süsch nid hätte gseh, zum Bispiu no meh Reh :) 

Without a heads up and certainly without an alternative way to go. Most often main roads are just blocked and even the locals drive into the dead end without a plan. We guess that the idea is to just find your way on your own. We most often drive an extra 15 minutes after such constructions. On the plus point we certainly see things we would not have without the extra way, for example more deers :)

So wie ufem nächschte Biud gsehts us we mir üs zu spät a d Suechi nacheme Plätzli für d Nacht mache. Mängisch müesse mir när o umchere und e agnähmere Wäg sueche. Momo macht aber bishär bi auem brav mit wo mir so unternähme.

On the next picture you can see how it sometimes looks when we look for a campsite only after sunset. Sometimes we also have to return and find a more suitable road. Up to now Momo is well-behaved and is always getting us where we want to go.

Und so chas derfür usgseht wemer es schöns Plätzli gfunde hei u am Morge die erschte Sunnestrahle düre Wald schiine:

And that is how it can look when we find a nice place to spend the night and are woken by the first rays of sun in the morning.

Weniger romatisch isches weme när bim losfahre vo däm schöne Plätzli realisiert, dass dr ganz Wald mit Soldategreber dürsetzt isch. Mir finde use, dass dr Ort wo hüt üse strategisch Übernachtigsplatz isch, im 1866 e strategische Schlachtplatz isch gsi.

Less romantic is the realisation that the forest we have slept in is a former battlefield. The place which served as a strategic campsite for us today used to be a strategic place in a war fought in 1866. Remainder of this are several tombs of fallen soldiers.

Dr Gränzübertritt vo Tschechie uf Pole merke mir praktisch nume are Linie uf üsere Charte und ar Information mit welere Gschwindigkeit mä hie wo darf fahre. Wo mir du aber wyter fahre merke mir e dütliche Unterschied zu Tschechie. Nid nume zahlt mä hie in Zloty statt in tschechische Krone, d Hüser si viu grösser und insgesamt o schöner, d Dörfe würke nid so verlasse wie in Tschechie, mä merkt viu meh Läbe hie.

We barely realize the border between Czech Republic and Poland. Just the new information about speed limits is reminding us that we find ourselves in a new country. But during the first rides through Poland we realize that there's quite a difference between the two countries. It's not only a different currency (Zloty instead of Czech Crowns), but the buildings are generally much bigger and quite honestly also much more beautiful. The villages don't have the same air as in Czech Republic where we always felt like we are driving through abandoned settlements. In Poland we see more signs of life on the streets.

Zu somene schigge Chiucheturm ghört natürlich o e dicht besetzte und prächtig dekorierte Friedhof...

Next to such a polished church tower belongs a cemetery with extravagant decoration and not much space to spare... 

Wo üs ufene neui Vereifachig vom Läbe unterwägs bringt: zuegänglechi Wasserhähne für üses Nutzwasser z fülle finde sich ganz eifach uf Friedhöf und die gits ja momentan no überall.

... which is guiding us towards a simplification of our life on the road: cemeteries seem to be a good water source, at least for non drinkable water.

Ganz bsunders gfaue het üs Krakau. Die Stadt het ungloublich viu schöni auti Gebäude u imene ganz luschtig vermischte Boustil. Mä hett mängisch z Gfüu 5 Chiuchene sige zu eire vereint worde...

We especially like Krakow. The city has an incredible amount of beautiful old building with a mixed style of construction. Sometimes you get the feeling that 5 churches have been combined to form a new one.

Natürlich lö mir o ds dunkle Kapitu wo ir Nechi vo Krakau cha bsuecht wärde nid wäg: ds ehemalige Konzentrationslager Auschwitz wo iz ines Museum verwandlet isch worde. I Wort z fasse was mä hie cha luege isch unmüglich, aber wär i dere Region isch sött e Bsuech sicher nid unterlah.. 

In Krakow you can visit a dark chapter of human history: the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Of course we also have a look at that. It's hard to put into words the things you can see in this place, but whoever travels here should certainly take the effort of visiting this place which witnessed so much horror and despair.