Our little hotel room has a porch. We are on the eighth floor and could see out wonderfully if it weren’t for a privacy scrim that is dropped down on the outside of the porch. I can see out somewhat, and people on the street can not see me. Unfortunately, it makes it so I can’t take photos of my view.

It’s 5am here. Because of my delay yesterday, I won’t get to visit Warsaw. Today we leave for Lublin and hope to get connected with a tour guide from one of my mom’s University connections. He would drive, which would enable us to visit all the places we want (Lublin, Opole Lubelskie, Sobibor and Belzec death camps)

My grandmother told me that it is the Jewish holiday of Sukkot this week. She said if I see little huts around, that is what is going on. My mom and I talked about this over dinner last night. She reminded me that there are very few Jews here anymore. For some reason I had it in my head that after the war, Jews had returned, but no. The extermination made an emptiness that never was refilled.

My great-grandparents are from those two towns (Opole Lubelski and Lublin). Hopefully, we will find some of their history, if not, it will be good to step foot in their home where they walked.

I really hope I don’t start whistling from “Fiddler on the Roof”