My trip to hell on earth Pt. 4

. I also got a bag of dirt from my backyard so I could spread the sovereign ground of Israel on the blood stained polish land (photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net...). So I spread it near the monument and we all started heading back to the bus.
Treblinka was destroyed towards the end of the war, After the revolt, it was decided to shut down the death camp and shoot the last of the Jewish prisoners. The camp had been badly damaged by the fire, and the murder of the Polish Jews was also largely complete. Odilo Globocnik wrote to Himmler: "I have on October 19, 1943, completed Operation Reinhard, and have dissolved all the camps". The final group of about thirty Jewish girls at Treblinka was shot at the end of November. and since it was made out of wood there is barely any evidence left concerning its existence. The land was sold to Polish farmers. The soil is extremely fertile.
We travelled back to our hotel for our final night in Poland. It was a very very long day.

Day 8.
We were in the enter of Warsaw, at the Umshlagplatz (photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net...), this is the train station were the Warsaw ghetto was emptied onto freight trains and shipped away to their deaths.
We toured around Warsaw through what is called the "trail of bravery", it circles all the sites of Jewish and Polish bravery during the Nazi occupation. We visited a bunker used by the Jews during the Warsaw ghetto revolt and around houses and sites used for their resistance. The Warsaw ghetto revolt is an amazing story, keep in mind Poland was entirely conquered in 3 weeks, and the revolt lasted over a month. One of the most famous pictures of WWII are from the Warsaw ghetto revolt (upload.wikimedia.org...).
We got to the Warsaw ghetto revolt monument (photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net...). We held a ceremony here too.
Here is a picture of all of us on the steps of the monument (photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net...).
We continued to the Jewish institute in Warsaw. It's a very interesting building, it's filled with Jewish art from the Holocaust, there is a giant map of Poland where you can look up Jewish names, I personally searched for and found Grodnow, its right in the center of Poland and is the original home of one side of my family. We had a final talk with the entire group, around 60 people and many of us spoke about how this journey changed us, and how important it was, and how meaningful it is that we experienced it together.
We were in a much lighter mood than the rest of the trip, and to finish off Poland with good taste we went to visit the Chopin Gardens (photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net...) in Warsaw. They really show a brighter side of the country. They are beautiful, and remind me of many other European cities, full of positive culture.
I've really forgotten a lot, so much less details than when I started out. After a stroll in ancient Warsaw we went to the airport and boarded our flight back home. We did see one of the tallest men on the planet in the duty-free at the airport. That was a nice souvenir.
We arrived back home, we all matured and learned a lot. And the contemplating of the amazing voyage came some time afterwards, about the time I decided to write what I remember and share it.
I will be more than honored to answer any questions or provide more pictures.
Thank you for reading my story!
* This is one of my favorite pictures (photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net...). It shows the gate in darkness, and the flag is bringing light to it

I congratulate you on making this difficult trip and for sharing it with the rest of us on ATS. It is a reminder of the horrors that were committed but also a reminder of the fruits that were born of their sacrifices. The Jewish State of Israel is a shining example of a people with a purpose of a people who have and continue to contribute many great things to the world. A people, who despite being surrounded by their enemies, stand strong and unapologetic for their beliefs and the commitments they have made to each other and their children.
For those anti-semitic persons out there who will argue that the Holocaust never happened (just like the idiot in Iran) or who blame Israel for Gaza/West Bank or blame Jews in general for whatever reason that floats through their simple little minds remember this: the fight between the Jews and the Palestinians has gone on for over 6000 years. It will be up to them and them alone to solve it. It dates back to one brother selling his birthright of his own free will and choice to his brother and then wanting to reclaim his birthright when it wasn't legally, morally or ethically his to have ever again.