All Good things must come to an end--Dachau, Rothenburg, home

Saturday, June 26--Dachau and Rothenburg

DACHAU
Everybody should visit a concentration camp.

I've always thought that most of the concentration camps had been built away from civilization. Because if the camps had been built next to a city, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that the people of the town would willingly let the atrocities of the camps happen. But that wasn't the case with the Dachau concentration camp, it's built right in the Dachau. All that separated those who were sent to die and those who able to live was a wall.

Dachau was both horrifying and wonderful. It was a sacred space--a memorial to the thousands of men, woman, and children whose lives were snuffed out way to soon and a reminder that life is wonderful. But, Dachau was also a place of darkness. A stark reminder that evil and hatred are real. After two hours I physically couldn't take being at the camp any more, the movies, the personal descriptions of what happened became too heavy.

1.Dachau was the first concentration camp.
2. All German children are required to visit a concentration camp.
3. Just over 32,000 people meet their death here, about the same number of people in the town of Dachau.
4. All those officers that ran the rest of the concentration camp were trained here.
5. It housed special prisoners and did barbaric medical treatment.
6. It was a "work camp" hence the "work will make you free" sign.

Our first view of the camp

The famous "work will make you free" gates

The ovens

The outer wall

This building held "special" prisoners

Bunker 3
Many of those in bunker 3 were experimented upon

The faceless, or at least that's what I think it should be called.

ROTHENBURG
1. Is the best preserved medieval city in Germany.
2. During the middle ages it was one of the largest cities in Germany.
3. It was miraculously saved from bombing by both the allies and axes during WWII.
4. The night watchman tour is an institution and despite the fact I felt like I was one of the mice from the pied piper of hamlin, it was fabulous.
5. It's a great little town to get to get lost in as it has such charm with windy streets and wonderful architecture. Who doesn't love a town where all the roofs are red?
6. The medieval wall still surrounds the city.

The view from the medieval Rodertor tower.
This was the only section of town that was bombed during WWII.


Most of the buildings in Rothenburg were built in the 1400, 1500, and 1600's.

The medieval wall with the city emblem.


Walking the Medieval wall that surrounds the city.

Taylor being a medieval soldier. At least that's what I think he's channeling.


Medieval gate


The main city gate


The old medieval castle garden and vineyard.


The Roman bridge

Outside the medieval city.

The main city square.






I love World Cover Fever


Yummm. Donner's

Taylor on the old city wall.


On the wall.

The nightwatchman.

With the nightwatchman.

Sunday, June 27--Home

That moment when you have to board the plane for the ride home is bitter-sweet. I'm excited to head home and sleep in my own bed, but I hate for the adventure to end.

On the trip home:
My bag was only one pound overweight (can we say miracle).
Learned that a six hour layovers when you're tired is torture (it make you forget things).
I saw what I thought was a little girl being abducted (she had just wandered off).
I realized I should have brought more than three books for my two week trip (as I finished all of the books I brought by the time I hit Iceland).
I realized that even solitaire after a while becomes boring.