Prost!!! München, GERMANY

Guten Tag,

200th Anniversary

This is going down in the books as one of my favorite weekends of all time. Not only did I get to reunite with all of my Santa Clara (and some UW) buddies, but I have absolutely fallen in love with Germany. So much so I actually was extremely depressed getting on the plane back to Rome (and I love Rome too - so go figure). For one thing, I apparently look extremely German. People were coming up to me asking directions, and where fun places to see are...etc etc. Very different from how I am treated in Italy. 

Reunion at the Munich airport (nicest one in Europe I believe)

When I first landed, the airport was a mob of Santa Clara kids getting in from all over Europe! ...And there was a Starbucks right at the meeting ground so I was very, VERY happy (I had missed my Chai Tea Lattes). I had my heart set on going to see the Dachau Concentration Camp, but a lot of my friends were anxious to get checked-in at the hotel (Santa Clara took over the Holiday Inn in Schwabbing). It ended up working out though, and I rallied a group of about seven people to go. Next step was figuring out the public transportation - little did I know how incredibly easy the Germans make it (yet another reason why I love Germany). We took the S-Bahn, to the U-Bahn, to a bus. The bus took us right outside the camp, and my incredibly emotional journey began...    

Gate into Dachau

They did a very nice job with the memorial. My audio tour walked me on the path the prisoners took into the camp. It was unreal to be there. I had learned about, seen pictures of, and read all the things I was seeing and experiencing for years prior to this. I couldn't believe that I was seeing the same things the prisoners had seen. I was walking where they walked. This was the site of all the atrocities. 

Maintenance Center

Prisoner Registration 

The museum was in the maintenance center - which is where "Registration" was. It walked you from the room where the start of the prisoner's registration (and stripping of all dignity) was, to where it finished. We saw the registration tables, the area they were told to strip naked, the documents and photos they were forced to surrender, etc. It moved us into the bathing area, where they were "disinfected" and a lot of times tortured. The museum included pictures, writings, articles of clothing, weapons for torture, etc. It basically took you on a journey from the start-up of the Nazi regime (economic state of Germany and why Hitler's message was so powerful), to the beginnings of the camp, to the camp when it was in full force, and to the liberation and its aftermath. 

Bunks

We then saw the reconstruction of the barracks and the bunks. Crowded was an understatement. They were originally supposed to hold numbers in the hundreds and they got up to the 6,000s. Disease would spread like wildfire through them because people were literally on top of each other. Standing in the main courtyard where the infamous "roll calls" took place, I couldn't help but think how serene and beautiful the place was. It was so hard for me to fathom what had occurred on this very ground. Glancing to my right I saw the proof that this was in fact a prison. Guard towers, ditches, and barbed wire topped walls surrounded this whole area of the camp. I then went down the main walkway between the two lines of barracks, and at the end were three shrines: a Protestant one, a Catholic one, and a Jewish one. While walking I thought to myself how cold I was in a huge jacket and scarf at the beginning of October...how did the prisoners make it through the winter in the thin clothe they were given? This caused me to process even more what the experience must of been like for the prisoners here. 

Crematorium

Oven - made my stomach drop

Gas Chamber

Waiting room - sign reads "SHOWERS"

Turning to my left, I saw the barbed wired gate out of this area of the camp, over the river, and into the crematorium area. I was already feeling sick to my stomach, but I took a deep breath and walked into the area. There were two crematoriums because the first had its capacity maxed. I went into the larger one, starting in the "Death room," where the bodies were placed in preparation for cremation. I then saw the actual ovens - and started to get emotional. Trying to get away, I ended up inside the gas chamber. It was the worst feeling. I even could touch the pipes sticking out of the wall. The next room I went in was the room where they staged the prisoners, telling them they would be taking a "shower." Finally, I saw the area where they disinfected the clothes after they had been contaminated with the toxic gas. 

Fence and guard tower 

Do Not Forget

Aerial view - we were only in the red and purple, shows how massive it was (and this wasn't the biggest camp by any means) 

Entrance/Exit gate

The whole experience was overwhelming, depressing, and enraging, but I am glad I did it. It seems a weird precursor to Munich and Oktoberfest, but it is something I felt I had to see and understand first hand. 


We were all starving when we left, and had to jam onto an uncomfortably packed bus (two more wake-up calls to how the prisoners felt non-stop, and ten times worse).


The group and I tried to get out of our depression by getting Mcdonalds (they had a veggieburger!)at the Dachau train station - I know, very traditional German food. Then I ended up having to navigate my own way back to the hotel because most of the group I was with were at different hotels. Thank goodness Germany is so fabulous, especially the engineers! Once I checked into my hotel, Brittney called an said she had landed, so I decided to wait for her before meeting up with the rest of the group. Luke (a Santa Claran who is also in my Rome program) was alone too, so we walked around the neighborhood of our hotel while we waited, went into a supermarket and checked out what Germany has to offer, and explored a gorgeous church and an extremely cool medical center. 

Munich!!! I'm in love...

Britt and I at Marienplatz, the city center

City Hall!!! 

Brittney then arrived, and it was perfect timing because Jake, Zach and Alex (UW-ers) were in the lobby. So we all went down to the real Hofbräuhaus (not the Oktoberfest tent we later will go to, but the gorgeous and famous restaurant/bar) to reunite with every one! It was great seeing my housemates - we hugged, cried, screamed, the usual. I introduced them to the UW crew (Reid and Lauren showed up later too!), and we had our first steins and pretzels. The boys also had a variety of sausages. Great first night.

SCU REUNION at the Hofbräuhaus restaurant (there were like 25 of us)

Hello German food

My first stein!

Britt and Alex with the famous pretzels

Caitlin, Me, Jake and Jess

Found Reid!

Music

Inside the Hofbräuhaus

At 7AM the next morning (I related it to Bay to Breakers), we all met in the lobby and headed to the U-Bahn. We stopped at a bakery on the way and I had a delicious cinnamon roll-type thing (the place reminded me of Leavenworth). We then went to the festival to line up outside the Hofbräuhaus tent (the most famous one). When we entered the grounds there were rides and booths everywhere. I had no idea to expect that! Our group of about sixty kids got split up, but my some miracle we all ended up in the insanely crowed line outside the tent together. Yet another miracle, we all were able to get seated (that's the only way you get served) in the main middle section of the tent. Santa Clara took over Oktoberfest! I don't know how we got so lucky. It ended up being an extremely happy, social day. We were there from about 8AM to 4PM!!! I had my fair share of cheesy bread *delicious* and of course the famous beer. 

Line outside the Hofbräuhaus tent - somehow we all found each other and stayed together

Kelly, Me and Britt in our seats with our steins

Santa Clara took over the best section of the most famous tent

Mack in the traditional garb

Leading us in song!

Sharon! It's an honor to have this job - you have to have a great-grandmother who did it (that's about 40 lb of beer she carried)

Housemates! (minus Anna who's in Argentina)

Will and Sammy

Prost! ("cheers")

Yum! 

After moving around socializing and singing all day, I felt it was time for a nap. Jessica, Megan and I left for the hotel, but not without stopping for some gingerbread and spiced nuts. Mmm! We all napped and showered, and then reconvened at around 7 with the big group again. Instead of following the group to the Hofbräuhaus restaurant again, Jessica, Jules, Courtney and I went to the Hacker Pschorr one. We got sat outside, with an incredible view of the beautiful, gothic city center. I got the best potato pancakes of my life there with apple sauce. The beer there was very sweet and lemony which, being girls, we really enjoyed. After fun dinner (I was laughing so hard during it I started crying), we went to see the rest of the group and say our good byes. It was really sad, but I'm seeing a lot of them on my later trips so I tried to keep it together. 

Downtown with the DGs

Hacker Pschorr restaurant (check out the view behind it)

The following morning, Brittney, Joseph, Jessica, Gina, Alex and I checked into our flight, grabbed breakfast at the train station, and went back to the fair grounds to get our souvenirs. I got a shirt, stein, and hat. Afterwards, Brittney, Joseph and I went back to Marienplatz (city center)and walked around to some churches, a bell tower, a museum, etc. The best part was looking around. The city just has such a great feel. I can't give a specific reason why though. It's just like how Santa Clara felt for me when I first visited - it's unexplainable. All I want to do is go back. We had lunch at this delicious, little place. We were served yummy pretzels and mustard for appetizers (better then Redhook's old ones), so I was very content. I had Spatzel, this potato-ey/pasta-ey/cheesey dish and have been craving it ever sense. 

Oktoberfest!!!

Our hats

Rides in the background

Our restaurant for lunch on the last day! (Leavenworth-ish?) 

Wandering Munich

City Hall during the day

It was then time to make the trek to the airport. I got my last looks at the city, promised I'd make it back, and then we were off! 


Germany is the greatest.     




Auf Wiedersehen!