First Full Day in Munich

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I hope everyone is enjoying our blog. Its turned out to be a little more work than I had planned for, which is probably why I've never been faithful in keeping a travel journal on past trips. Too lazy! So I thank you, even though I have no idea if anyone is actually looking at this dang thing. Just the thught that someone is interested (or the fact I told everyone I was going to do this and now I'm too stubborn to quit) has kept me comitted too the task. So now I will have a chronicle of this trip, and no matter how inadequate it is, it still beats the heck out of any of my previous (nonexistant) journals.

So we hit town late yesterday afternoon. We drove in from Reutte after visiting Neuschwanstein (Mad Ludwig's fairly tail castle) and then stopping at the Andechs Monestary for a leg of lamb and a beer. After we settled into our hotel, we found ourselves a laundromat so we wouldn't have to go sightseeing naked. Good thing too because it was cold today.

This morning after breakfast we drove to Dachau, a little town just on the outskirts of Munich where the first Nazi concentration camp was located. They have really expanded the museum in the last 35 years, and even I thought it was a bit on the information overload side. But all in all, it was one of those things you have to do. It's one thing reading about the Holocost, but quite another to actually see the ovens, and walk by the mass graves of those "piles of corpses" that you've seen pictures of. The depths of man's inhumanity to man is hard to fathom. Even now, if I saw the real thing, it would be hard to believe. That's why probably the best thing they have added to the museum are recordings of eye witness, survivors and liberators. These accounts are integrated into the audio guide as you walk around, so they are pertinent to the area you are currently touring.

Needless to say, there just weren't that many pictures to take. It's something more to reflect on than take pictures of. Elizabeth had the camra, and I don't think she even thought about taking pictures. The only one we took was of the gate going in.

But we did find our way down to the Marienplatz (old town center) after we got back into Munich. Unfortunately, there was some music festival going on with these rainbow flags all over the place and a big sound stage erected, so we didn't really get to see the sqruare or watch the glockenspiel do its thing. But we'll go back during the week when all that mess is gone.

We also went to the Hofbrau Haus. That was almost a bust too, because we sat down at a dirty table and got snubbed by the waiter. But while we were waiting the oompa band started up and we got to sit and listen to them without spending a dime! Then we walked back to Marienplatz and bought some wurst (sausage) from one of the food booths that wereset up. Plain and simple, a wurst on brotchen (small hard bun) and mustard (or, I was surprised, ketchup), but it was delicious. I chowed down and when I was about halfway done with mine I glanced over at Elizabeth and she was nearly done with hers. Then we went to another stand to get something to drink, and they were making crepes. Well, after watching that for a few minutes (really it took only a few seconds) we decided to get one for dessert and split it. We got a Nutella and banana with Eirlikor (a creamy, sweet yellow liquior) and it was delicious too.

And just as we were coming out of the U-bahn (subway) station in our neighborhood it started to rain (again, it rained while we at Dachau). So we walked down the steet arm in arm with our rain jackets on singing Christmas carols. Why not? And actually, it was colder than on Christmas in Houston.

Did I tell y'all I love the weather? Oh baby, I love waking up to a 55 degree morning!

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Photos

Small foot bridge above Neuschwanstein
We decided not to hike up there since it was raining and we probably couldn't get a good picture of the castle anyway. But it made a great picture from the castle courtyard.

Dachau concentration camp
The gate says: "work makes one free"

Comments

[Tracy]

These are wonderful blogs!
Hi Garry and Elizabeth! I am reading your blogs and following your Adventures! I am so tickled to be included in your blogs, reading about your awesome trip and the wonderful places you have visited. God Bless you both, for continued good health and continued fun! I love you!!