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Riding the Bus
Hops for making German beer is grown up these poles Today we were up early in preparation to leave the Hotel Hoefler and make our way across Germany to Austira. Our first stop was the concentration camp, Dachau. Dachau was the first concentration camp in Germany and opened in 1933 and was basically a training ground for the SS. At first they sent inferior people - Jews, homosexuals, physically handicapped. Then they found all kinds of reasons to send people. It is huge. When you enter, the gate says “Work sets you free”. There was even a moat around it. Part of the buildings have been turned into a museum. Written in large letters on the roof is: “There is one path to freedom. Its milestones are: Obedience, honesty, cleanliness, sobriety, diligence, orderliness, sacrifice, truthfulness, love of the fatherland.”
It was very depressing to know that a group of people could inflict this kind of pain on others. Because it is Liberation Day on May 5, there were flowers and tributes in the concentration camp. Some people placed flowers on the cell block numbers to remember loved ones. There was even a memorial room complete with pictures, plaques, and paintings. You could also enter reconstructed barracks and see how the
Riding the Bus
Beautiful countyside prisoners lived. The worst part was going to the crematory and gas chambers. It made me sick. I wasn’t going to put up the pictures I took there but Larry and mom felt people need to know and be aware and make sure this never happens again.
From Dachau we went on to Munich where we were to have free time in the city. The problem was Munich’s soccer team won the German national championship last night and they were having a rally in the town square. It was filled with people by the time we arrived at 1:00. Believe me there were many more people by the time we met to leave at 3:15. Larry learned (from some American young people) that they were giving away 10,000 liters of beer at 3:30 so we all got out of there fast. It was kinda interesting to be involved in all of that….we were the only ones not wearing soccer gear. We did have trouble meeting up with the bus but finally we were on our way to Fieberbrunn, Austira. We did enjoy our visit to Munich but I think it would have been nicer with less people. We did
Riding the Bus
On the way to Munich find yet another McDonalds and learned that they sell beer...even on Sunday....very interesting. We also visited the Haufbrauhaus and went inside. We walked around the very old narrow streets. There was also a farmer's market but it was closed we think because of the soccer business.
The ride through toward the Alps was beautiful. I have learned that you don’t get great pictures riding a bus. You have to take them out the window and it is difficult to do. However, I want the pictures so I take them - good or not. Of course you could see snow on the highest mountains. Every once in a while you could see a house on the top of a mountain and wonder how it got there or how you might get to it. I must say I am a little disappointed in our hotel. It is beautiful inside but being repainted outside (will be done in two weeks). We have a lovely balcony, or so I think, but you can’t use it or even open the door.
Tomorrow we head to Hitler’s Eagles Nest and to Salzburg, home of The Sound of Music. It is so neat that the musical
Dachau gate
Work Sets You Free this year in New Martinsville was The Sound of Music and now we are here! I am looking forward to tomorrow but I just checked the weather and it is supposed to rain….hopefully the weather channel is wrong as usual.
We have really met some wonderful people and naturally we have invited many to visit us in WEST Virginia….we have had to correct some people. Best of all this has been a great experience for my mom. We figured out today that we are going to be very near the place Uncle Jim was injured when we cross the border into France. Hopefully we will get to stop so she can see the Moder River and some of the little towns Uncle Jim mentioned. Off to bed for me….early day tomorrow.
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