In trying to hold on to my vacation buzz as long as possible, I’ll keep posting here for a while – it’s not like I blogged about everything on my trip, after all… it was a bit too difficult with the iPad and Apple keyboard.

Today, I’ll share some random thoughts and observances and I promise to write about the trip to Auschwitz at some point this week, as several people have asked about that.

I laughted out loud when, at the game, the fans fiercely booed the announcement of the referees prior to the match (an English crew in this case). Made me feel right at home! I also liked that they asked the crowed to count down the final 10 seconds prior to kickoff – a very New Year’s Eve feel and a great way to draw the crowd right in from the start. I think American teams should start this for playoffs or big (truly big, not just every match) games – I’ve never seen that in the US, have you? It was nice!

I was surprised and dismayed that the Chopin museum did not have a bookstore from which I could purchase Chopin CD’s, books or other memorabilia. A total marketing mistake on their part because after touring the museum I would have easily bought several CD’s and / or books. Their was one section of the museum playing one of my favorite Chopin pieces but whose name is unknown. I wanted to ask someone which piece it was but didn’t get around to it, but if there had been a bookstore with a section labeled “music from 2nd floor exhibit” I would have been all over that. They are missing out on some earnings there if you ask me. Overall it was a lovely museum, housed in the Ostrogski Palace and featuring a lot of interactive displays and musical recordings.

Auschwitz-Birkenau, too, was missing an opportunity to raise money for their establishment. For such an important, iconic place, they definitely should have had a larger, better laid-out bookstore featuring books and videos about Auschwitz in multiple languages. Unless I missed a better location…I only saw a small, hole-in-the-wall room in the main entrance building. There are planned improvements in the works (they are currently raising money), and I hope a better bookstore is part of that.