Spring Break in Bavaria!

So I am now realizing how much work is impeding my time to blog!  I mean, it has taken me a week to finish this post about our trip down to southern Germany, which we took the week before Easter.  Oh well... summer break will be here soon and I'll definitely have more time to blog then :)  

Although I have been much busier with work lately, I was very grateful that my spring break coincided with Daniel's work conference so I got to join him down there.  We stayed in Garmisch, Germany, which is very close to the southern border and about an hour away from Munich.  Like I said earlier, Daniel had a work conference from Monday through Friday, so he stayed busy everyday all day, but I had the chance to explore the surrounding area with the other wives who had tagged along as well.  I know, I know... Daniel definitely got the raw end of the deal and I felt bad about it all week!  Despite this, I did have a good time... Bavaria is absolutely beautiful, and hopefully Daniel and I will have a chance to go back and check it out together soon.  

Garmisch is surrounded by the Bavarian Alps... waking up to seeing the mountains beyond our balcony every morning was pretty stunning!  And there was an even more expansive view from just outside the hotel as well.

To kick off the week, on Monday morning, several of the wives decided to head down toward Austria.  First stop was Swarovski's Kristallwelten, as known as Crystal World.  We weren't sure what to expect exactly, but we soon found out that it is essentially a museum showcasing crystals in combination with modern art.  Before you head in, there is a great view of the surrounding mountains as well as what I would call a very interesting waterfall sculpture.

Once inside, some of the best exhibits include a 300-carat crystal (the largest polished crystal in the world), a glass wall full of crystals, a Christmas tree composed completely of crystals, as well as some very unique light installations.  Although it probably wasn't exactly what we thought it might be, overall the museum proved to be an interesting experience.

After visiting Kristallwelten, we headed just down the road to Innsbruck, Austria.  There we had a yummy lunch followed by ice cream cones and a bit of wandering around the quaint town, where we took in the town's Easter Market as well as the Golden Roof, which is composed of over 2600 gilded copper tiles and was constructed by Emperor Maximilian I in the 16th century as a display of wealth.  After seeing these sites, it was time to head back to Garmisch, but it was quite the pleasant day in Austria.

On Tuesday, a group of us decided to visit the Dachau concentration camp.  We knew it would be a very somber experience, but we also knew it was important to take the opportunity to remember what happened there.  As you enter the site through the gatehouse, the German writing marking the entrance grabs your attention.  It says "Arbeit Macht Frei," which means "Work sets you free."  The first concentration camp built, Dachau's original purpose was to serve as a work camp, unlike Auschwitz, which was meant to be a death camp from its start.  Despite being a work camp, over 32,000 people died at Dachau during its active existence from 1933-1945.  

Once through the gate, you see a large open area, which is the roll call area.  This is where the prisoners were required to stand at attention every morning and evening, sometimes for hours at a time, despite being completely malnourished.  To the right of this area stands the International Memorial, and to the left are reconstructions of the barracks in which the prisoners lived.  

It was quite shocking to discover that there is a camp prison on the site, as if the camp wasn't enough of a prison in of itself.  It was where "special" prisoners were kept and where punishments were usually carried out.  The whole building had a very oppressive feeling to it.  Outside the prison, the far wall at the end of the courtyard is where executions took place.

On the other side of the camp, beyond the barrack reconstructions, there is a path lined by poplars.  This is where the prisoners spent any "free time" that they had.  On either side of this path stood all of the barracks, which were destroyed shortly after the war.  At the far end of the camp, Jewish and Catholic memorials stand honoring those who lost their lives.  There is also a Protestant church called the Church of Reconciliation, which actually holds services every Sunday morning.  

  

Still surrounding the camp are the fencing and watchtowers the SS guards used to contain the prisoners.  In an area just past the fence stands the crematorium and the gas chamber.  Though the crematorium was used extensively, mysteriously the gas chamber was never put into operation.

Though visiting Dachau was a very solemn experience, a part of the memorial clearly states why it is is so imperative to recall the tragedy of the Holocaust... to ensure it never happens again.

 

The day trip on Wednesday was a bit more light-hearted as we headed toward Neuschwanstein, the famous castle that supposedly inspired the Disneyland castle.  There are actually two castles at the site, including a smaller castle called Hohenschwangau.  It was the childhood residence of "crazy" King Ludwig II, who was responsible for the construction of Neuschwanstein.  We decided to visit both castles, and we started with Hohenschwangau.  Unfortunately, we couldn't take pictures inside, but there was a great view of the lake below and the countryside beyond from its terraces.  You could also see Neuschwanstein up the mountain in the distance (look just beyond my left shoulder).  

After touring Hohenschwangau and a quick lunch of brats and potato salad, it was time to head up towards Neuschwanstein.  It was a 30 minute climb uphill, but it was worth it.  The castle really does look like a fairy-tale.  King Ludwig built it as a monument to medieval culture.  You can appreciate more of the whimsical details once you see it up close.  The front entrance is actually made of red stone, which strongly contrasts with the light gray stone that makes up the rest of the structure.  And when standing at the upper courtyard, it seems that you might witness Cinderella running down the steps at any moment.  

Once again, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the castle... but we were allowed to take pictures looking out the windows.  I was able to get shots highlighting the architecture, the fabulous view from the Throne Room, as well as one of Hohenschwangau below.  

We all enjoyed the tour, and as we were heading back down, I was able to get a couple more photos showcasing the grandeur of Neuschwanstein.  

With all the outings keeping us busy, it was nice to have a low-key day on Thursday.  After a lazy morning, Daniel had some time off in the afternoon so we went shopping in the cute little town of Garmisch.  It was so sunny and warm out, we just really enjoyed walking around and soaking up the sunshine.

Following the relaxing afternoon, everyone from Daniel's work went to dinner together at an authentic German restaurant in the next town over, Partenkirchen.  After a great meal, there was an accordion player as well as boys decked out in lederhosen doing traditional German dancing... it really doesn't get much more Bavarian than that!

 

Friday was our last full day down in southern Germany, so my friend, Stephanie, and I decided to go into Munich.  It was another beautiful day to enjoy a beautiful city.  We first checked out the Bavarian State Opera, the Theatiner Church, with its pure white interior, the calm English Gardens, and the exterior of the Residenz, which was the former home of Bavarian rulers as well as the seat of government until 1918.

Next we headed toward the main square, the Marienplatz.  It is dominated by the ornate, Gothic town hall.  Across from the town hall is St. Peter's Church, which also has a lovely interior.  

St. Peter's best feature though is the fantastic vantage point it provides from atop its steeple.  After climbing 15 very long and narrow flights of stairs, we made it to the apex.  On such a clear day, we were able to see all of Munich sprawling out before us, including a great view of the town hall and the square below.  Also, to the left of the town hall is the Church of Our Lady (also known as the Frauenkirche).  We actually stopped by the church to take a look inside... well, since it was Good Friday, they were about to start mass.  Although we were unable to take any pictures, as we stood right inside the main entrance, we did have the privilege to hear the choir singing in Latin from the choir loft above.  With the sun pouring through the stained glass windows and the harmonies echoing throughout the sanctuary, they sounded positively angelic.  Even though neither of us is Catholic, we were so mesmerized we seriously considered staying for the mass, which was surely held in German!  So basically I am saying that even though it lasted just a few moments, it was quite the experience.

The last stop on our tour of Munich was the Hofbrauhaus, the most famous beer hall in the city.  We thought we'd grab lunch there, but then we both decided we had had enough German food... so we headed across the street to Hard Rock Cafe!  I know what you are probably thinking... "We're in Europe, how could we?!"  Well, when living over here, anytime we can get some good ole fashion American food is a welcome opportunity :)  After our late lunch, we headed back towards Garmisch, thankful for our short but sweet trip to Munich.   

Saturday morning, there was one last thing on the agenda... to help loosen our tight, sore muscles, Daniel and I both had massages!  Why do we have such tight, sore muscles you ask?  Well, that's because we are running the Prague International Marathon!  Daniel actually agreed to run it back in January, but it took me quite a while to finally commit to running it.  After the half-marathon back on March 1st, we both just kept training, and eventually I finally decided to go ahead and just do it.  Running a marathon has been a life goal for both of us so we are looking forward to it... and we are definitely looking forward to being done with all this running too!  The training does take a lot of time and creates a lot of soreness, but at least we can eat whatever and however much we want :)  The marathon is coming up quickly, so if you think of us on May 10th, please send up a little prayer that we both finish the it successfully.  Thank you!

There's one more thing I am very excited about... my parents arrive here in Frankfurt this coming Tuesday!  We have been looking forward to their visit for months, and I can't wait to show them around not only our neck of the woods here in Germany, but I am also taking them to Rome and they will be joining us in Prague, plus they're taking their own romantic trip to Paris.  I think we are all going to have an amazing time while they are here... I can't wait!  So please check back again soon to read all about our upcoming adventures!  Until then, God bless!