Despite having some grey moments, I still saw some really cool things yesterday. The weather was drizzly at first so I stayed inside in the morning. At midday I went to a presentation on technology and artist rights. It was a very well put together presentation and he drew some interesting parallels with different technological advances over the ages. But he didn't present an awful lot I wasn't already aware of and left a few things open ended. Curiously, he ended with a quote from Douglas Adams that went kind of like this:

Technology that exists when you are born is natural. Technology that comes along from birth until you're 35 is new and exciting. Technology that comes along after you're 35 is against the natural order of things.

It's an interesting quote and I think the principle can be applied to a few things. I know some people who appear to behave this way. But I know just as many people who don't.

First performance of the evening was Dean Blunt presents The Redeemer. I don't know much about Dean Blunt other than he is part of Hype Williams. The press indicated that this performance would be a departure from his usual work and it would be primarily a vocal/lyrical piece he wrote after the breakup of a relationship. The venue was a theatre in the old town. A couple from the UK sat beside me so I plucked the courage to chat with them a little. Before long the smoke machines had been engaged and the theatre was filled with a fog and the stage was darkly lit. It remained this way for most of the performance and he sang from the shadows on the stage. Musically I liked it. The music was very loud, which was great for the music but it did mean that I found most of the lyrics unintelligible. That was a shame.

Shortly afterwards there was another performance at a venue I hadn't been to yet. I gathered my bearings and worked out where I would have to go. It looked easy so I didn't take my phone or reading glasses. When I got to where I thought I needed to turn off, none of the street names were familiar and without my phone or glasses I struggled to work out where I was. I tried getting assistance from bystanders. A few didn't speak English. The two that did gave me completely contradictory directions and appeared to find it difficult to point out where we were on the map I had! By this time I was starting to feel really lost and worried that I would miss the first performance. Then, the last person I spoke to indicated that the venue was very close. I walked a very short way in the direction he pointed and there it was. It had been in sight all along! Doh!

After composing myself I settled in for the performances. The venue was a cinema with a massive screen and stage area in front. First was Dream Cargoes. I had attended the artist talk the previous day which helped. It was a visual project with live music being played on a combination of electronics and string quartet. The work was inspired by the story of the same name by J. G. Ballard. The artist talk allowed me to make some sense of the visuals but the ending came so abruptly I was a bit stumped. How did they get that out of what they explained the other day? Oh well, it was still great though.

Next up was a new work, Lumiere, by Robert Henke. I was really looking forward to this. This is what the program said:

Lumiere is a radical sonic experience with a massive yet ephemeral visual counterpoint. Two powerful lasers draw shapes and ultra short pulses of light, whilst an autonomous audio engine creates rhythmic structures, grids of bass and spectral noise.

It was exactly that. Amazing! Jaw droppingly intense and hypnotic. Words just can't describe any more. The man is a genius.

There was another club night at Hotel Forum but I had already decided not to go. I needed a reasonably early night and I'll go to the Saturday night one instead.

So now I knew where I was I took the time to casually walk back to the apartment through the old town which was heaving with activity on a Friday night.

So I put on my iPod and start walking with a sullen expression and a dark cloud floating above me. Then I hear a song. I won't say which, but instantly I remember Jerome, from London, and the time we shared. I doesn't make me feel any less lonely, but for the first time today I smile. Such is the power of music over me. Makes sense that I'm here then, doesn't it?

Today the feeling of isolation and loneliness is overwhelming. I'm just tired. I know that has a lot to do with it. Not everything, but a lot. In Poland the (lack of) language is getting to me. I'm drowning in a sea of speech that sounds quite beautiful but remains incomprehensible to me. People have generally been good. I've managed to get by and do the essentials. Then every now and then there is a man or woman at the supermarket or shop who continues to spout mouthfuls of Polish to me when it's perfectly clear I don't understand a single word. The paranoid in me thinks they're enjoying it, but I'm really not mad at them ... it just makes me feel dumb, ignorant.

So I know, the solution is obvious. I'm at a week long festival where the primary language at events is still English and a large number of people are from the UK. No need to be lonely. Well, I'm finding that easier said than done, especially this week. The conversations I have had have been mainly due to the willingness of others to approach me rather than the other way around.

I find it hard, at the best of times. It's weird, simultaneously wanting to have a conversation and being scared of being consumed by it at the same time. I don't know how many people understand how much energy it takes a person like me to be social. It doesn't come naturally and it takes it out of me. And now in my sleep deprived state I just don't have the strength or courage to brave another attempt at communication not knowing how difficult, easy, rewarding or defeating it will be.

So I put on my headphones. For a little while I'd like to drown out the foreign nouns, adjectives, verbs and replace them with the ones more comfortable and familiar that live on my iPod. I know this isn't going to stop the loneliness, but I suspect that may be a whole other story anyway. One not tied to location or language.

After the euphoria of "walking" home from the sleep concert the rest of the day, for me, was a bit of a mixed bag. I took my time getting organized in the morning. I wasn't all that sleepy, but I was ultra chilled. My first activity was to attend an artist talk for a performance coming up tonight. On one hand it was a bit odd listening to the artists explain something I knew nothing about, but on the other hand I think their explanations will help me make better sense of what I will see. I'll explain more tomorrow.

I'd intended to hang around for the next talk but felt the need for a quick nap to keep me going.

I returned a bit later to attend the artist talk from Robert Rich, master of the sleep concert. He was fascinating to listen to. His main area is sleep psychology ... music was more of a sideline, at least initially. He talked about the history behind the sleep concerts which he began in 1982 and elaborated a bit more on the intention behind last night's event. The real intent behind the concerts is to encourage people to listen closely to the music and focus on the tiny details. The only way Robert had been able to work out how to get people to sit and do that for long enough was to give them permission to sleep if they wanted ... hence the sleep concert.

The effect of having continuous aural stimulation for that long is that it prevents the listener from attaining deep sleep, but instead keeps them in the first stage of sleep where it's easier to recall details of the thoughts and images that appear in your head. I can attest to that with the details I was able to recall from my dreams.

While waiting to go in I chatted to a while with a chap from Holland. This is his third Unsound festival. I've been thinking that this probably won't be my last.

After some dinner I headed to the first evening event. It was a concert of two performances at a massive church, St Catherine's. The cavernous interior of the church was ideal for the styles of music being played tonight. Both involved heavy use of "loop pedal" technology to build up intricate evolving patterns and layers of vocals and instruments. I could appreciate the beauty of both artists. However, music created this way usually ends up being limited to a very narrow range of notes or chords, much like a round. This is partly a necessity due to the technology. For me, listening to piece after piece limited to such a narrow range of notes became monotonous. Strangely, earlier in the week I was really engaged in listening to "drone" music which was almost monotone. There is a difference but I can't quite put my finger on it yet. I left before the end of the second performance.

Afterwards was the first of what have been labelled the "club" nights back at the Hotel Forum. I decided to head there. The vibe was very different to the earlier night with heavy beats already pumping inside as the long queue patiently waited outside. I recognized many faces from events in the previous few days but it appeared we were to be joined by an equally large number of others, mostly younger.

I stayed to listen to two bands. Tralala Blip are from Australia and their brand of chaotic electro beats was really good. I loved their sound and aesthetic. They were followed by James Ferraro (USA) who's music was intense and dark with a lot of spoken voice lines repeated over thick bass lines and not so much rhythm. I liked it too. Forest Swords (UK) who I saw at Unsound London were next. I stayed to listen for a while but I wasn't really feeling it and I wasn't really enjoying the vibe of the place in general either. On reflection this morning I think maybe it was just tiredness but at the time the crowd felt a little aggressive to me so I decided to leave.

I've just floated back to the apartment after what must be the most incredible sensory experience of my life. Last night was the sleep concert. It began at midnight and continued through until 8:00 this morning. It was held in the main reception room of the Hotel Forum, an unused communist era hotel. We arrived in the dead of night with our sleeping bags, blankets, pillows and supplies. The room was softly lit. It was a large space and there would be 150 of us. We shuffled in and found our preferred spaces. I was there quite early so I found a great spot along one of the large windows. I could see the castle lit across the river. It would be a great scene to wake up to.

The music began on the stroke of midnight after a brief introduction and explanation by the artist, Robert Rich. I'm not sure to what extent he was playing or mixing but essentially he would be creating a unique performance for that night ... for 8 hours! I guess you'd call the music new agey. On its own you might even call it cheesy, at least to start with, but the sound system was great and there was depth to the music. It wasn't loud but it wasn't soft either. Through the night the music morphed and changed, melody turned to drone and back, subtle sounds came and went. Sometimes identifiable like dripping water or waves, sometimes indistinguishable.

I drifted in and out of light sleep. The sleeping bag was perfect and I was warm and so comfortable. We had been warned that we probably wouldn't fall into deep sleep. The music was too present and constant to allow for that. So we were kept in a half sleep state all night long.

At some point I put on my eye mask to help focus on the music. That was a great move because, to my surprise, when I removed it after what felt like a short doze the morning had arrived and I could just see the castle through the mist outside and heavy condensation on the windows. The last half an hour of the concert I lay awake. I may not have slept deeply but I felt more relaxed and refreshed than I can remember feeling in the morning for ages. I even felt a little joyously teary for a moment as I reflected on the amazing experience this room of strangers had shared.

As for dreaming, I can't say to what extent the experience affected my consciousness, but here's what I do remember:

I am a set of keys and I'm running away from my owner. At first it's more like a game of cat and mouse. I'm good at it. Every time he nearly catches me I dart away and escape. It starts getting more serious. He is chasing me more intently and I have to work harder to get away. And I do. I manage to escape and get far ahead of him.

I hide in some bushes and watch him. He's getting upset now, even distraught. He staggers into a nearby police station. I laugh to myself. "He's going to tell them that his keys have run away but keys can't run. They'll think he's been drinking and turn him away". But they don't turn him away. They listen intently and console him. They lead him inside and I think they believe him. I start to feel worried.

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One night, two Unsound events. First was "Ripple Eecfft" (no typo). A more classical program performed in an amazingly beautiful synagogue.

The first artists, Kwadrofonik, consisted of 2 pianists and 2 percussionists. They began by playing a number of their compositions ... and I was in love. They reminded me of Kurr in style. The second half of their performance was a 20th century piece that, while technically demanding, didn't really resonate with me. But even so, the combination of their sounds in those amazing and ornate surroundings was still quite sublime.

Second artist at the same event was Stefan Wesolowski. If I thought I was in love before ... then I was mistaken. His band included piano, violin, trombone, tuba, cello and electronics incorporating field recordings. I'm a sucker for strings at the best of times but, combined with haunting soundscapes, this was intensely stirring. I couldn't help but sway to the implied beat of their music. The combination of instruments (and amazing audio) was perfectly balanced. And again the environment enhanced what was already incredible. Half of the time I was taken away with my eyes closed to another place. And then when I opened my eyes I would see the depth, richness, history, tragedy and significance of the place we were so privileged to share. Humble.

I will write about the other event in my next post.

Today there has been the constant gentle patter of rain all day. It's made it very easy to stay inside and chill out. I did step outside for a little bit though. Walking through the park that surrounds the old town there was still the constant floating of leaves as they fall from trees but this time accompanied by the drizzle making a slightly slushy mixture on the ground. That might sound awful but I thought it was just beautiful. First off tonight is another performance but this time at a nearby synagogue. The music will be a little bit more classically oriented so I'm looking forward to the contrast from the previous nights.

Then, at midnight, it's the sleep concert. This is what the program says about it:

Robert Rich's San Francisco "sleep concerts" of the 1990s were legendary affairs, lasting throughout the night, but he has not performed this way before a live audience since 1996. Rich will work his magic inside the main room of the communist era Hotel Forum, lulling a vast room full of people to sleep, affecting their consciousness with auditory stimuli throughout an entire night.

I tried my best to lay in again today after another late night. I don't do it so well. Today's big task was to procure a sleeping bag for the sleep concert tonight (Wednesday). There is a large shopping mall not far from here that I thought might contain a sports store or similar. To get there I would need to walk through the Jewish quarter which had been on my to-do list also. I took a couple of pictures along the way.

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For some reason, the house in the middle was the place for pigeons to hang out.

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I've noticed a number of buildings with these types of designs on the facade.

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My journey took me further by the river. The view on the other side was quite beautiful.

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When unexpectedly I came across an upside down pig on the river! I assume it was an artwork but there was no signage.

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When I got to the mall there was one shop that did sell sleeping bags. They are more designed for outside camping so I'm a little worried that I might boil, but at least it should be comfortable.

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That took a lot of the day so when I got back I had another nap to try and get myself ready for another night of Unsound. Today there were some artist talks on in the late afternoon and I decided to go. While trying to find the room where the talks were I got talking to an older lady who is from Krakow but lives in Sydney now. She comes back every year. The first artist talk was by a photographer who has an installation as part of Unsound. The lady wasn't here for Unsound but was interested in the installation. Anyway, we got chatting about stuff but when her friend arrived I offered my seat and moved away. I'm kind of glad. She finished up being quite vocal and actually interrupted the artist with some odd questions. When actual question time arrived she almost criticised the artist for not satisfying her agenda. It was a bit awkward. Which is a pity because he and his work were fascinating. His name is Richard Mosse and the installation is a moving picture work on the ongoing violence in the Congo. It was really interesting to hear his techniques and the people (war lords) he managed to meet with. Ben Frost was involved also and put together the sound track. I'll visit the installation later in the week.

The second artist talk was from a musician Jenny Hval who was performing that evening. She was also very interesting for completely different reasons. It was quite intriguing hearing someone who appeared quite unassuming speak about her music when you have no idea yet what the music is like. I was really looking forward to her performance later on.

After a little dinner I headed to Manggha once again for yet another night of contrasts. First up was Jenny Hval (Norway). Musically she was more conventional than anything I've seen at Unsoud so far but that doesn't mean she was mainstream - far from it. Her music was a kind of pop/rock/punk mix and she sang. Her latest album title is "Innocence is Kinky" so I was a little disappointed I couldn't make out more of the lyrics - I suspect she'd have quite a bit to say. I think I'll check out more of her music online. Anyway, I really enjoyed her performance and the way she interacted with the audience. The crowd obviously loved her too.

Next was Innode (Austria?), two drummers and a guy "playing" electronic rhythms. Their music was entirely rhythmic and pretty much atonal. Quite a contrast from the previous artist. It was good though, I was able to really get into a couple of their pieces.

Last up was Fire! (Sweden) and their artist profile hadn't inspired me so I wasn't sure if I'd hang around. Their music was hard to describe but you could hear elements of psychedelia, jazz, punk, metal all in there working with and against each other. None of those are elements I'm particularly fond of but I'm discovering that the quality of the musicians, sound systems and venues is making a huge difference and I've found myself getting into music I wouldn't usually. So, I quite enjoyed these guys up until the very end when they got into a drawn out jazz improv that for me just became a bit self indulgent so I left.

So musically, each night has been quite different and I've enjoyed each for different reasons. It's just so wonderful to be able to get to evening and rock up at a venue to see what is in store for you, knowing that it's most likely unlike anything you've heard before.

When I left Manggha to walk back to the apartment there were still so many people out and about but a beautiful misty fog had fallen on the city. The castle looked magical as it's towers peered through. As Unsound is a no-photo event I didn't have my camera with me, but even if I'd had it I don't think I would have been able to capture that image faithfully.

After the very late opening night (or rather early morning), yesterday got off to a very slow start. I didn't wake up until around 9 which is extremely rare for me. Even then I was feeling pretty washed out. Luckily there was nothing major on my to-do list for the day. I have realized that my time in Krakow will probably be more evening/night orientated, so I shouldn't beat myself up if I don't fit much into the days as well. After a late breakfast and journal writing I eventually stepped out to a local shopping centre to get a few things. The weather was overcast and cool. I was feeling a little delirious from lack of sleep which made the journey a little challenging, but that feeling wasn't altogether unpleasant.

I didn't take any photos yesterday - a first for my trip so far.

Late afternoon I had a nap to try and restore my energy levels for the evening's performances.

Last night's shows were at the same venue, Manggha, so I knew how to get there and how long it would take. I felt a lot more at ease than when I had arrived the previous night - partly because the surroundings were now familiar and partly because my sleep deprived state has made me really chilled out (which is a good thing).

All three artists last night played instruments that were then treated and distorted to create unique sounds whereas Sunday had been more sample and synth based.

When I chose not to go to the last night of Unsound London I missed out on seeing Stara Rzeka (Poland) so I was glad to have the opportunity last night. He made heavy use of loop pedals to turn his guitar and vocal sounds into incredible textures that grew and erupted. The program dubbed his style as "magical brutalism" which was apt.

Nate Young (USA) was next and from the sample on his artist profile I hadn't rated him highly on my "to see" list. I decided to sit at the edge of the floor space instead of standing for this one. It's hard to describe his performance. I know I've probably made everything sound like noise, but that's a really big element of most of these artists. This one created big heavy dirty noise sounds and then morphed them and shaped them. I found it unexpectedly hypnotic and was really glad I'd chosen to sit. When he started I was sitting against the wall while most people were standing in front of me and through most of the performance I had my eyes shut. At one stage I opened my eyes to see many of the people in front of me had chosen to sit too and appeared to be in a similar meditative state.

Last was B/B/S which I think was a collaboration of separate artists. There was a guitar, bass guitar and drummer/percussionist. Their performance consisted of what appeared to be one long piece that rose and fell, twisted and turned. They started by using bows to sound cymbals, guitars, everything which created wistful sounds and the performance ended in the same way. In between there was some great rhythms from the drummer and layers of sound and noise from the other players. Some amazing earth shattering bass too - the kind that makes you feel like you just had a full body massage.

Three great performances that I really enjoyed. I was exhausted by the end though. I hope I'm going to make it though this week!

Note: I was unable to put links to the profiles for these artists today. I think the Unsound website might be down. If you're interested in learning of hearing any of the artists visit the www.unsound.pl/en website, click on the Unsound Krakow link at the top of the page and then click on the Artists link.

Last night was the opening night of the Unsound Festival and it was awesome. Two of the three events I attended in London were musically OK but failed to induce the feeling and atmosphere I experienced at Unsound Adelaide, but last night well and truly did. The performances were at Manggha, a theatre that is the Japanese centre of art and technology on the river. This is a picture I took during the day yesterday.

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First up was Anna Varadny (Poland). I saw her in London but last nights performance and the ambience of the space far eclipsed London. Her music consists of carefully and intricately layered drones and noise that create subtle beating and incredible textures. At the end of her performance as she peeled back those layers I recognized the sensation of coming out of a meditative state! She had taken me on a journey and it was brilliant.

After a short break the next artist was Mika Vaino (Finland). From his artist profile I was really looking forward to hearing him. As the program put it, he "combines force and restrain in his music to form a frightening unity". He was amazing, creating dense rhythms out of industrial scale noise punctuated with unexpected stabs and silence that delighted. The sound system rumbled with deep tones that resonated all through my body. Exactly the sensations I recalled and enjoyed in Adelaide. Definitely the standout of the night for me.

The final act was Tropic of Cancer (USA) and as much as I tried I couldn't get into them. They were much more mellow with massive reverb washed vocals. Not really my thing so I didn't stay to the end. The opening party at a club called Pauza had already started so I decided to go there instead. It was about 10:30 at this stage so I dropped by the apartment on the way for a quick pick me up coffee.

At Pauza there was a succession of artists and DJs playing. The club itself is downstairs and is like a catacomb of brick vaulted ceiling-ed rooms. It was already packed. The first couple of DJs were interesting but I had a feeling I wouldn't be staying long. That was until Philip Sherburne (USA) started. The best techno I have danced to in a long time. Every time I thought my time was up he pulled me in with another hook that got me dancing again. At the end I retired to one of the smaller rooms exhausted and finished up chatting to a guy from Finland in much the same situation as me, on his own. It was great to be able to debrief the evening with some one.

I finally called it a night (morning) at 3:30, grabbing a massive kebab on the walk back to the apartment! Needless to say I'm feeling a little shady today. I'm glad I did so much sightseeing yesterday, it takes the pressure off today.

So what has the title of this post got to do with all this? Well, being at the older end of the age scale of the audience, being solo and not knowing anyone, being an English speaker in a largely foreign speaking crowd ... all these things had made me feel very conspicuous when I arrived at the venue. But somewhere in the evening it dawned on me that all these same attributes also allow me to be anonymous, and that can be a really liberating feeling if I choose to let it be. So I resolved to embrace my anonymity this week.

I know I'm not likely to get any sympathy on this, but since the first few days of arriving in London the "pinch me" moments have been happening less frequently. Maybe I've been getting used to being over here. Anyway, this afternoon was a glorious sunny t-shirt day, best since I've been on holidays. I decided to go walking and photo taking. For the first time in a while I listened to my iPod at the same time and that somehow did the trick. Maybe it was the juxtaposition of familiar music with unfamiliar surroundings but I well and truly got that "pinch me" feeling! In my earlier post I forgot to show you this dragon sculpture by the castle. Every 5-10 minutes it "breaths" real flames.

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And these are some of my favourite pics from this afternoon.

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Tonight is the first Unsound performance and opening party. I'm all tagged, ticketed, ID-ed, merchandised and ready to go!

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After a good restorative sleep I woke around 7:00. I had read that the weather might deteriorate today so I decided that getting up and out was more important than lazing in bed this morning. After a quick breakfast and shower I headed back to the old town. Wawel castle is at the south end of the old town on the river.

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I wondered around snapping some pictures before heading back to the apartment for some more breakfast and to write this blog.

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Today was my train trip from Berlin to Krakow. It was going to be a long day. The first part to Warsaw takes about 6 hours, then Warsaw to Krakow takes about another 4 hours. The train left Berlin at 6:29 so I had to get up early. The taxi I had booked online the previous night didn't turn up but luckily I had prepared a plan B by writing down the phone numbers for the taxi companies. I called another one and it was there in no time. I got to the station with plenty of time to spare. By the time the train arrived it was raining quite heavily.

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Unlike all the other trains I've travelled on, this one had compartments. And it was looking like I had this one all to myself.

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On the way to Warsaw we passed open fields, small towns and big towns. The weather changed too, from wet to misty to clear and then back to misty as we approached Warsaw.

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At Warsaw I had to change trains. This part of my trip has been the first time announcements have been entirely in a foreign language with no English version. It's a bit bewildering hearing a long and detailed announcement but not knowing if it's important to you or not. I'm finding it very humbling. Luckily the departure signs did have some English so I could make my way to the right platform with a degree of confidence. The train was about 20 minutes late and not as plush as those I've travelled on so far. I have purchased a number of books so far which has made my luggage a little heavy, so getting on the train is no small feat.

When I got to my compartment I was not alone this time. The gentleman sitting across from me asked me something in Polish. When I explained that I didn't speak Polish he was kind enough to repeat in perfect English. He had moved seats and was just checking that he hadn't taken mine.

He asked me where I was from and when I said Australia he was very surprised. He'd only just seen a post from his daughter who is spending some time in Australia saying that she'd found a place to live and now he's sitting on a train opposite an Australian. Coincidence #1!

After that we finished up chatting quite a bit. He was a very interesting fellow, Polish but now living and working in Holland. Lovely to talk to. When I asked what his daughter was doing half way around the world in Australia, he said filmmaking. She makes short films. Coincidence #2!

After talking for quite some time I stepped out of the compartment to get some more pictures. It started out very flat with forests dotted here and there and became quite hilly as we got closer to Krakow.

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On arrival at Krakow station Marek was kind enough to help me find my apartment as it was on his way. Here is the front gate.

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The apartment is gorgeous. The nicest I've stayed in so far, with the possible exception of Juul's apartment in Amsterdam. I'll post proper pics later but I wanted to share the mural on the wall above the bed.

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I was exhausted, but the weather was so nice I decided to immediately head out to look around the old town. The apartment is right on the eastern edge.

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Being a Saturday evening there were people everywhere. The central square is surrounded by restaurants. I was hungry but also not really in the mood for crowds so I bought some supplies to make a snack back at the apartment and re-group.

Around town I saw these posters!

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I also saw a poster for a different event or exhibition. I'll use my phone app to try and translate some of it, but it looked intriguing.

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After having something to eat I popped out again briefly to see what the atmosphere was like.

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Part of me wanted to go out but I was truly knackered from the day and I decided to get an early night instead. I suspect I have a few late nights for Unsound ahead of me.

Being my last evening in Berlin I wasn't going to sit around the apartment all evening. I briefly toyed with a crazy plan to go to Berghain, the infamous club and one thing I'm disappointed on missing in Berlin. But the plan was truly crazy and would not have been worth the effort so I will save it for next time. Instead I decided to head to the west of the city again and check out installations for the Festival of Lights over there. I found a few. It was fun and worthwhile doing, but I'm still a bit underwhelmed by the festival. Maybe I'm missing something?

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Today has been my last full day in Berlin. Tomorrow I catch the train to Krakow via Warsaw. I decided to make a last attempt to get to the information centre for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. So I headed out early. The weather was better today. Still overcast but dry, so I walked in. On the way I stumbled across another set of monumental buildings.

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I got to the memorial 20 minutes before opening and secured myself a space near the front of the queue. And it was so worth the effort. The centre is brilliant in both design and content. I took the audio guide and meditated on the horror and futility of what happened. These pictures are from inside. One of the design elements in the information centre is the continuation of the blocks above into the ceiling and other spaces below.

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I spent a long time wandering though the centre, taking it all in.

Afterwards I headed towards another site I had read about. One of the churches that was bombed in the war has been kept in that state as a memorial and reminder. What I now realise is that the church is located in what must have been the hub of west Berlin and all this time I have only really seen what was east Berlin. So there were two things to see.

Unfortunately for me, the church is undergoing maintenance and is shrouded by a scaffolding and covering, all you can see is a little of the steeple poking out of the top. But as soon as I looked around I saw the more conventional western city that was missing from the Berlin I had seen so far. This was the missing piece of the puzzle. It all made sense now. Mind you, I wouldn't say I prefer one over the over. The two sides of Berlin are quite different but both beautiful in their own way.

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An added bonus of visiting this side of Berlin was making it to the Berlin museum which chronicles the history of Berlin. It was another well presented museum, but I think I might be getting museum-ed out. However, the added attraction of this one was that you were taken on a tour of a real nuclear fall out shelter constructed in the early 70s. It was eerie, and if you think about what might have happened, it was quite horrific. The shelter was built to accommodate 3,600 people which is mind blowing in itself, but you have to question whether people really could have survived in these conditions.

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I just remembered another little event from yesterday. When I was on the underground a band of 3 young lads with clarinet and trumpet hopped on at one stop and started to play enthusiastically and loudly. One then proceeded to "work" the carriage for donations. Some people on the carriage appeared to be delighted and others quite annoyed. An older lady was struggling to hear on her mobile as they played and I thought she was going to spit the dummy but she ended up looking enchanted by their performance and gave, as did I. I went to take a photo of the trio but realized I would have also photographed many of the agitated people as well. I've received some odd looks when taking photos here so I thought it best not to. I had a quiet night in last night. Yesterday I bought a book on the origins of language. I don't read books all that often but last night it was lovely to curl up in the chair by the window and read my book, glancing down at the street below every now and then.

Even though I've been on holidays I've tried to be conscious of my health and make good choices. But knowing the European love of chocolate at breakfast I couldn't resist this for my breakfast today ... chocolate muesli!

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Tasted great, and because it's muesli it must be good for me.

Today I'm up early to try to get in to the information centre for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe one last time. Wish me luck.

It rained for quite a while last night. When I got up, all I could see of the TV tower was the mast above the observation dome due to the low cloud. By 9:00 it had started to rain again. Today was a bit of a "mop up" day. I've done all the big ticket items off my to-do list so it was a matter of deciding which of the "lesser" things I felt like. Also, I had been leaving some of the indoor activities until later in case of wet weather, so here was my opportunity.

Walking all the way into the city wasn't going to be an option today so I took the now familiar route to my nearest u-bahn (underground) station. The U2 takes me all the way to Potsdamer Platz which is where I decided to start.

When I visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe I only saw the memorial itself and not the information centre below it. There had been a small line up so I decided to come back. Might have been a bad move as when I returned to try today the queue was 6 times longer and not moving. A couple from NZ arrived in the line behind me so I struck up a conversation. I must say it was therapeutic to have a prolonged, comfortable English conversation. When it was clear the line wasn't going anywhere in a hurry I decided to bail and move on to my next stop instead.

My next stop was the Deutsche Kinematik, a museum of German film located in the Sony Centre in Potsdamer Platz. The first part of the museum was an introductory space that masterfully used mirrors to create infinite reflections in just about every direction! It was pretty amazing. Unfortunately my snaps don't do it justice, and just after the second shot I was politely told that photography was not allowed ... oops.

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The museum was really interesting and chronicled the German film industry from when it was quite ground breaking to the present time. I spent about an hour and a half wandering through. One of my favourite parts was information about Metropolis, which I saw at the Adelaide film festival a few years back. Fritz Lang employed 3,600 extras through the course of filming!

After that museum I wanted to head to the Deutsches Historiches Museum which is a German history museum. On the way I checked the queue back at the memorial and it was just as long if not longer. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

I also wanted to drop into one of the shops that exclusively sell merchandise modeled on Berlin's version of the "walk" sign - Ampelmännchen. He's not the almost androgynous version we have in Australia. He has a very distinct appearance and swagger. Apparently he was an East German invention and has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. There's a good Wikipedia article if you're interested. Unfortunately the stores didn't sell anything I really wanted so I left empty handed.

The German history museum was to the east of the city near the other museums. I got there about 1:45 thinking I'd spend a couple of hours. It was really well laid out taking you right from the beginning to present time. I know quite a lot about 20th century Germany so I was most interested in learning about the beginnings from the time of the Roman Empire and later how Germany finally formed. When I finished, I checked my phone thinking it would be about 3:00. It was 5:15! How time flies.

From there it was just back to the apartment. So, not many photos today. I'm not big for taking photos in museums and art galleries and there wasn't anything else today that I haven't already shared ... other than the rain. I'd thought about going out to check some of the other Festival of Light installations tonight but it's still too wet. Tomorrow's forecast is for dryer conditions so I might try then.

Hello. I've noticed that this blog has acquired a few readers. You may have already worked it out, but the blog is a travel journal for my trip in Europe. It's not intended to be a literary work. It's just a way for me to let a few people back home know what I'm up to. And probably more importantly, as I'm traveling solo, it's a way for me to record my experiences while they are fresh in my memory. Thanks for reading. Ian

I awake to the feint sounds of chairs and tables being scraped into position outside the cafe below. It's too early for customers but the appearance of the seating and the lights inside tell me that the proprietors are busy preparing for the day. Looking down at the street I notice another level of fallen leaves. I swear the trees have changed colour again overnight.

Now I can hear the distant ringing of church bells. That must have been the cue because the cafe door opens and it's ready for business.

A little later the first of the baby brigade appears. Mothers, sometimes fathers, pushing their babies in every conceivable shape and size of pram. On route to the shops, or the bakery down the road. It's only a trickle now but soon it will be a steady stream.

And the cafe has it's first customer of the day. Sitting inside where it would be warm.

Another mother walks by with pram. Judging by the packaging in her hands it looks like it was an early morning trip to the bakery. The intersection is punctuated by cyclists, walkers and the very occasional car.

The last brigade of the morning will come a little later as parents take their children to the school around the corner, often in seats on the backs of their bikes.

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Tonight was the opening of the festival of lights which runs for 12 days. Here's a link to the promotional video. I decided to go back to Potsdamer Platz where the official count down would occur. So I jumped back on the U2 line which actually takes me straight there. I was there early so had plenty of time to get a spot and practice getting my camera settings right to capture the light images. I must admit I had a few "pinch me" moments when I realized I was across the other side of the world at such an event.

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The count down came and the show began. After staying at the start for a while I followed the massive crowd as we wandered east across the city. Luckily all the walking I've been doing held me in good stead and I actually recognized where we were going.

There are lots of illuminations across the city and I only saw a few tonight. Unfortunately, what I saw underwhelmed me a little. It was still good and a great event to be part of. Here's the best of what I managed to capture. I thought the lights on the Brandenburg Gate were the best.

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