This morning was a challenging one..we stopped at the Matthausen concentration camp on our way to Prague..a fascinating but somewhat sickening experience..we watched a video at first, hearing first hand from survivors and soldiers that liberated the camps..it was brutal to see the people in the camps that were literally skeletons..some had five spoons of food every three days..and had to climb up steep stairs with boulders..and at times the guards would make the people push each other off the cliff to their death..when it was raining, the guards would make the prisoners lie face down in the mud so they could walk over them and not get their boots dirty..hitler didn't like to visit the camps as it 'turned his stomach'..etc etc :( we walked through the holding rooms and down to the incineration room..and where they'd strip the people and take their gold teeth..I finally let the tears come when I stood at the door of the gas chamber..overwhelming anger, sadness and nausea hit me..hitler really had sat down and planned mass murder,.beginning with completely exiling Jews (as he blamed them for the state of Germany after WW1) and any other minority groups from society..embarrassing and humiliating them..before literally hoarding them in to camps with political prisoners..sickening..this man, who had been on the streets and taken in by Jews as a kid, manipulated his way to a position of unsurpassed power..and somehow tricked the German people so many didn't even know the extent of what was going on..the people were literally told that the camps held 'dangerous prisoners' and so forth..when the truth finally came out, it was nice to hear stories of German families risking their lives to help escapees..the allies finally liberated the camps, but the issues didn't stop there..many of the people that survived died from the conditions soon after..and many had absolutely no one or no where to return to..and then there was the issue of determining what to do with this country, which hitler left in a mess (will discuss more in Berlin!)..but it was an experience that I feel was important to have..important to pay homage and respect..but also important not to dwell for too long..
Back on the road we reached the campsite outside of Prague..had our last dinner cooked by Katie which was a delicious BBQ..everyone got pretty merry and we headed in to town (I'd heard lots about Prague nightlife!)..we went to a bar and then headed to a five story night club! Pretty sweet..a hip hop floor, oldies floor, radio floor, chillout lounge and ice bar..danced the night away then headed home, which was a massive trek first to find the tram then wait for it then ride the half hour or so back then walk about 20mins to the camp..but we made it! 2 hours after leaving the club..
We scrambled out of the tent at 9.30 to grab some breakfast..our cook was passed out on one of the boxes..everyone was a little seedy :P we had pretty bad colds too which didn't help..sIckes it up and headed in to town..had a look at the markets and awesome old town, the buildings were beautiful..saw the astronomical clock, listened to some awesome buskers then walked over to the Jewish ghetto..found a cool cafe to chill in and just ordered a coffee without checking the menu..woops, $15 dollars later! Ripoff..crossed the river and walked around the senate building then trekked up a beautiful part of town to Prague castle/St Vitus cathedral..awesome views :) had some traditional food (beef goulash with dumplings) then feeling pretty exhausted headed home to bed!
