5.19.13

A rainy yet gorgeous day has come to a close. As we traveled to Salzburg today we got our first look at the alps. We rode a train through the countryside. This journey gave us two hours of beautiful scenery to watch pass by.

When we got to Salzburg, Arnoud, our faithful tour guide introduced us to a guide more familiar with the town. Ursula, our guide for the day, began by taking us through the gardens where scenes from the sound of music were filmed.

It was really interesting to see the town where the Trapp family actually lived and where scenes from the movie were filmed. It was fun to here the contrast between the real story and the one produced for the American Film.

Another famous person grew up in Salzburg, this person was considered a genius from a very young age and will be remembered for many years. This would be Mozart. He was born in an apartment on one of the main streets in the old sections of Salzburg and then moved across the river when he was a little older.

Salzburg has many attractions on top of being home to these famous people. It is home to a large fortress in the Alps, which houses a museum. There is an incline from the town to the fortress where patrons can experience a magnificent view of the town and learn about its history.

The Alps surrounding Salzburg are also home to salt mines which is what gives the town it’s name. These minerals give the water a beautiful bluish green color. One of the bridges that goes across this picturesque river is home to love locks. These locks symbolize the bond between a couple who has come to the town, put their name or initials on the lock, close it onto the bridge and then throw away the key,

Despite the rain we had a very enjoyable evening ending with a group dinner and the train ride back to Munich, The weather cleared up for the ride back allowing for man pictures of the Alps to be taken.  As we get back to the hotel we don’t hesitate long before getting ready for bed. Tomorrow will be another long day outside of the city.

Guten Nacht!

5.18.13

On this day we took a trip to a place of sadness, death and hope. We visited Dachau, a concentration camp outside of Munich. We stood at the site of which we have learned about for many years going through school. We walked through reconstructed bunkhouses that resembled those that prisoners lived in during the time the camp was opened. This reconstruction showed us how the numbers increased during these years and how the bunkhouses became more and more crammed.

It’s awful to think of all those people living in such a way but it is even more awful to think of the people who died in such circumstances. This trip to Dachau was quite emotional for all of us to experience the stark realness that all of this happened not that long ago.

While at Dachau two things struck me the most. The first was when we walked to the crematorium. Our tour guide explained the process of disinfection showers, the gas chambers and the incinerators as we walked through the rooms designated for these cruelties. We walked the same pattern as those suffering such a horrible tragedy. It was very solemn and eerie as we traced their footsteps.

The second thing that struck me the most, was something that I almost missed. As I was walking out of the museum. I looked around for fellow group members and noticed a large leather bound book on a stand. This book listed all the prisoners of Dachau through out it’s years as a camp.

It is hard to see all of those names recorded for all of time. At least by reading these names the memory of these people will live on forever. They will be remembered for their bravery and for living through the awful treatment done to them by other humans.

As we parted from Dachau the sun was shining and the sky was blue. The perfect weather for a happy mood and a smile on all of our faces. It was difficult to enjoy the day while the memories of all of the prisoners were so recently impressed upon us. The further we got from Dachau our moods lightened and chatter began to stir about the evening ahead. We discussed plans for shopping, dinner and going out to explore the Munich.

After gobbling down a quick bite to eat we headed for shopping at the major tourist region on Munich, Marion Platz. The shopping trip was a huge success for most of us! Though I regret spending so much money it was an opportunity to get products not sold in the United States. I have to remark about the purse I treated myself to. It’s a large black leather purse decorated with zippers. To make the purse even more interesting and practical it has two straps that can be worn at the same time. One on the shoulder of the same side that the purse is on and one that goes across the chest to the opposite shoulder. This allows for the weight to be evenly distributed.

This long day will be the first of three traveling days to excursions throughout Austria and Bavaria. As I get ready for sleep I am preparing my new purse for the travels ahead.

Guten Nacht!