Sunday, October 17, 2010

Return To Zagan

What's crackilackin everyone back home.  It was great to see some of you on skype the other day, really made me miss home.  Well it's been five months now, and we're still goin strong.  After Prague we headed north, back across the German border to a little town named Jankendorf, where their is a little organic farm named Holderbusch.  We spent nine days their, working in the garden, hangin with the kids, workin in the mud to expand the duck pond; it was great.  We got to know some really cool people their as well.  Josh, a native Amsterdamien, took us on a tour of the near by city, Gorlitz.  We saw the sites, got to stroll into Poland, whispered into the lovers bow, and even got caught by the police on a late night stroll through the park.  Without Josh's help, it would have been a longer stroll to the police station, being that we were in a border town without passports, but he got us out of it. 
  We also got to know Kristen and her wonderful kids.  The kids didn't know much english, but they asked us our names, and they told us goodnight every night before they went to bed, sweet kids.  Nima, Kristen and I went on a walk to a local raver party and man was it nuts.  It was a lot of electronica music, until they whipped out an acoustic guitar.  Man, free beer, campfire, two jimbay drums, an acoustic bass and guitar; the guitar was bloody when I handed it back to them.  They love classic rock everywhere.  That was my kind of night.
  All together our trip at Fredric's farm was awesome, we prepared our meals out of the garden, made rose hip jam and Liqueur, and Nima made her soon to be famous Dulce de Leche.  They make their own wine at the commune, had an out door make your own fire shower, ducks, chickens, sheep, gooses, cool place.  It also was about an hour from Zagan, just over the Polish border, the home of Stalag Luft lll.  This is where my grandfather spent two years during World War ll, as many of you know.  This place was heavy to visit.  The only thing keeping it protected is the fact that it was made famous by The Great Escape, otherwise it might be nothing more than some decaying slabs of concrete in the forest.  We saw the kitchen, the hospital; where I assume they told papa they were going to half to take his leg, the cooler, and of course tunnel Harry.  Their is also a nice Museum and a monument to the men who died at Stalag Luft lll as well as Stalag Vlll A.  They have a full size replica of the barracks and a guard tower, and a miniature version of the whole camp.  It was hard to imagine my 22 year old grandfather here more than sixty years ago, I mean it's not even winter yet, and it's already freezing here.  On a more somber note, I'll say good night, or I guess it's lunch time for you, so Guten Apitite.  Now we are off to Berlin.

1 comment:

  1. Wow Bub, that is heavy, got a bit chocked up readin about your visit to the old prison. I'm glad you two were able to go there, I too would like to go there one day. Sounds like you don't have a pick yet, but still playin the guitar hard...cool bub, keep it up!! Off to Berlin now, have fun, I hear it's a cool place. Be Careful! Love you guys!!! Old Dad:)

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