Auf Wiedersehen

30th November 2014

Our time in Munich has come to an end. We made the most of the free breakfast and after the usual last minute checks we were off to the airport and headed for England.

When we first arrived in Munich I wasn’t sure that I’d like it - it was big and busy but it grew on me. In a relatively short period of time we managed to see and do an awful lot but I’ll definitley be back to see what else Germany has to offer.

Despite being a short, slightly unplanned trip, it is fast becoming one of my favourite trips abroad. It was nice to explore both cities but what I really enjoyed was relaxing, taking things a bit slower, having nice meals and just enjoying the time off, all while gearing up for the festive season! In the words of one famous Austrian… I’ll be back!

Castle on a Cloud

29th November 2014

This is probably the first holiday that we have done without any sort of guide book. Normally we pick up a Lonely Planet and use that to plan parts of our trip but this time we did everything online, using Blogs, Tripadvisor and generic Google searches. Rory was head researcher and suggested that we make the trip to Neuschwanstein Castle.

Built in 1886, by Ludwig II of Bavaria, it was intended to be a private retreat for the reclusive King. From what I’ve read online, Ludwig was a bit of a dreamer - he wanted a super nice castle and didn’t really care how much it cost or how long it took to built. By the time he died only 14 rooms had been completed and he’d only slept there for 11 nights! Seven weeks after his death they opened the castle to the public and it’s now one of the busiest tourist attractions in Germany.

We got a tram, a train and a bus to the top of the mountain and then we set off in search of the castle. It’s quite large so you think it would be easy enough to find but it was ridiculously foggy and visibility was reduced. After making our way to Queen Mary’s Bridge, which was absolutely packed with tourists, we waited for the fog to clear before snapping some pictures.

Despite the fog, it was a really nice day trip. We followed the crowds, did the standard tour route but also went off piste and explored the surrounding forest. After catching the bus, train and tram back to Munich we headed to the Christmas market which we wandered around, enjoying the sights and sounds. We even stumbled across a brass band playing Christmas carols. The Germans do know how 

to get their Christmas on.

Another “must do” in Munich is visit one of the beer halls which is exactly what we did for dinner. We were seated on a long table, beside a German couple and Rory knocked back a few pints while I enjoyed an orange and lemonade which was twice the price of the beer! We finished with a leisurely walk and tram back to the hotel and a few episodes of Game of Thrones which we are quickly becoming addicted to!

Willkommen in Deutschland

28th November 2014

I’ve been told that all good things come to an end and our time in Salzburg is apparently no exception. We checked out of our beautiful hotel and with very heavy hearts made our way to the train station. From here we caught the train to Munich which was not only cheap but highly scenic and actually on time. You’ve got to hand it to the Germans, they are punctual.

When we arrived in Munich we headed straight to our hotel, dropped off our bags and were back out the door and on our way to Dachau. Thanks to some forward planning Rory knew which trains and buses to get and so with very little effort on my part we arrived in Dachau, the first concentration camp opened by the Nazis in Germany.

In 1933, six full years before we went to war with Germany, Himmler opened Dachau to hold political prisoners. It was further expanded to include forced labour, the imprisonment of Jews, communists, professors, writers, Catholic priests, ordinary German and Austrian criminals and eventually foreign nationals. Dachau became the prototype for the concentration camps that followed but despite its “importance” I knew very little about it.

There were over 40,000 documented deaths at Dachau and it was the site of numerous medical experiments. I can tell you facts and figures, I can even try to explain what the people went through but I would never do them justice. Before going to Dachau I had heard all the cliche stories of grey skies and silent birds but I never really believed them. There’s no reason why a small geographical area would “feel” different to another but there was something very different about Dachau. The gates which read “arbeit macht frei” - “work will make you free”, had been stolen a few days before we arrived but when we passed through the gate house and saw the vastness of the camp, I felt the enormity of the place.

It was grey and desolate. There was a feeling of hopelessness about the place, even all these years later and it was cold. I can’t even begin to imagine how awful role call, in the rain, sleet and snow would have been for those poor, malnourished and overworked prisoners. We followed the audio tour for a few stops but soon decided to make our own way around, stopping to read the information on display and to really look at what we were seeing.

If you are ever in Munich I would strongly suggest a trip to Dachau. We know the stories and we’ve seen the Hollywood movies but there is something about going to these sorts of places - it’s important. To see what happened, to acknowledge how awful it was and to realise how lucky we are today is priceless. Yes, it was sad. Standing where thousands before me had come to die was hard to fully comprehend but I think it’s necessary

After a few hours we made our way back to Munich to explore the Christmas market. How different. The main market, in front of the very impressive town hall, was busy beyond belief. After our relatively quiet and quaint Salzburg markets, Munich was quite a shock. The stalls seemed to sprawl along the side streets and we were quite happy to spend the evening wandering from one to the other in an attempt to not only see the city but also avoid the crowds!

My first day in Germany was quite an eye opener. We travelled through beautiful countryside, explored a busy and thriving city centre and saw what can happen when we are at our very worst. After the Holocaust and to this day we say “never again” but a few years ago I visited Cambodia and saw the aftermath of another, more recent, genocide. When I wrote about my time in Cambodia I found it hard to comprehend the reality and finality of what happened there. I struggled with the scale, brutality and senselessness of the genocide and standing in Dachau I felt exactly the same. I finished that Blog post with these sentences; “nothing I write will ever do these places or these people justice but I am so glad I got out of my bed this morning and learnt something. Maybe if a few more people did that the world wouldn’t be in such a mess.” I still believe that and I really do hope that one day, when we say “never again”, it really will mean never again.