A different perspective..#6
Trip Start
Aug 28, 2008
1
16
40
Trip End
Sep 24, 2008
Bacharach,
Rhineland-Palatinate,
Germany
Sunday, September 7, 2008
I am sad to leave Rothenburg...would like to do more exploring, so maybe a trip back! Our end destination today will be Austria with a couple stops on the way.
Our first stop is In Dachau. This was one of the first concentration camps built in Germany under Hitler. It was a work camp not a camp with the gas chambers. Still Jews, political disadents, Jehovah Witnesses, and homosexuals were taken here. We walked thru the main building where the prisoners were processed, the bunker where people were tortured and the bunkers where they slept. A short filmed reviewed the history of Dachau and was more graffic in showing the conditions then I had ever seen before. It was quite a sobering morning. You do stop and think about what is going on in some countries today with genocide.
So here comes the tour of contrast....after Dachau we stop in Munich for linch at the famous beer hall, Hofbrau House. It is what it is....The Hofbrau house is in the historic district of Munich. Besides what size beer to order we decided on lunch choices at the same time. Service we were warned would be slow. It was very warm in Munich so a beer would hit the spot. Knbowing we had a 2 hour bus ride ahead I had a .05 liter of Heifeweissen and Steve oredered the 1 liter of the Ratler...described as beer with lemonade. Outside his comfort level! When it came it was beer and sprite! In Germany lemonade is sprite....but it was pretty tasty anfd we didn't have to carry him back to the bus! With a little time after lunch before we had to meet up with the bus, I dashed into an H&M store (locations in the US in Chicago and Mall of America) to do a little power shopping for 2 short sleeve shirts!! That's the only packing change I would make so far, not bad!!
Back on the bus to continue to Austria. Rolling hills passing us brings to mind The Sound of Music and Julie Andrews! On the way to our hotel we pass Neuschwanstein's castle which is on the agenda for tomorrow! At the hotel we get an excellent room with a little balcony to sit and enjoy a view of the Alps! Jennifer our guide assigns the rooms and does her best to switch your room around so you might not aways get one with a great view.
Dinner is with the group....traditional Austrian food....everything was excellent. We also had buddy introductions. The first night we paired up with a buddy to keep track of as far as if they were on the bus or at the group meeting place and it couldn't be someone you were alreay traveling with so Mom, Dad and Steve were out of the question. My buddy is Tamara. A lady from Eugene OR and Steve's buddy is her husband Doug. Anyway we had to give a short introductuon of our buddy to the group. We have great buddies and have spent lots of time on the bus talking as well as over dinner and of course during an afternoon/ evening beer.
