Winter Break

So, here's a quick recap of my winter break, an epic 11 day journey through France, Germany and the Czech Republic by train. A tiring trip, but so amazing. Yet, by the end of it I actually missed Paris a lot, and was excited to get back, which is interesting because I was so keen to get away from it for awhile. I think all the traveling gave me a new perspective, and now I'm starting to realize just how much I love Paris, and how it is really starting to feel like home to me. I don't even want to know how I'll be feeling in June when I leave for good. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, here's what I did and where I was from December 24th to January 5th. 

Strasbourg, France 

We got to Strasbourg early on the 24th, and left on the 26th. It was great to be here on Christmas, as the city is considered to be the "Capital of Christmas," which is definitely true. All the streets were decorated with chandeliers, gingerbread men, stuffed animals, lights and tinsel. Behind me (in the photo above) is their Christmas tree, which is the tallest in the world. 

Here's a view of the famous cathedral, which I climbed to the top, by the way. All the stained glass windows are original except for one. During WWII the residents of Strasbourg took out all the windows and stored them in a chateau somewhere to keep the safe from the bombings. Except they couldn't get all of them, and the remaining window was destroyed during an American bombing raid on the city. Oops. 

A vie w of the square in front of the cathedral, where the Christmas market was. 

The astronomical clock inside the cathedral. When it goes off, the little figures move, bells chime, and at the end a little golden rooster crows. It was built in the 1500s, and at the time people thought it was basically black magic. 

My lunch. Knack (Alsatian sausage) and sauerkraut. There is nothing better in this world. 

A view of the old houses along the river. 

Me being silly, but also the cutout is an example of traditional Alsatian dress for women. The defining characteristic is the huge black bow. Actually, the color of the bow would change depending on whether or not Alsace was under French or German rule. I believe the black bows was for Germany. 

A view of the cathedral from farther away. It really is enormous. 

Munich, Germany

So here we are in the Capital of the Third Reich...and also of beer. (It is Bavaria after all). 

This is the interior of the famous Hofbrauhaus, a 400 year old brewery and beer hall. It was used by the Nazi Party to declare policies and hold functions, and has been visited by Lenin, Mozart, and John F. Kennedy. I tried a non-alcoholic beer there, pretty good. The place is chaotic though. It's gigantic and loud, and you have to seat yourself, but it really is quite the experience, and you meet some really nice people there. 

Me in front of the Rathaus (City Hall). 

Me with a partially eaten Bavarian pretzel. 

The Konigsplatz, used during the Third Reich as a square for Nazi Party mass rallies.  

Downtown Munich. 

Son on one of our days in Munich we decided to tour the Dachau concentration camp, located just outside the city. It was one of the first camps to open, and one of the last to be closed. It was conceived as a "model camp," original housing political enemies of the Third Reich, and then expanding to Jewish people, Roma, priests, homosexuals, etc. Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Mengele both got their start in the Nazi Party here. This picture is of the security perimeter surrounding the camp, which made it impossible to escape.  

A view of the roll call area, with two surviving barracks in the background. The grassy patch in the left hand corner is part of the "death strip". It was forbidden for prisoners to walk on this grass, so guards would occasionally take off a prisoner's hat and through it into the grass. If the prisoner went over to pick up the hat, he would be shot for walking on the grass. If he did not, he would be beaten to death for disobeying orders. 

A view down the center of the camp. To the right and left would have been rows of barracks, which have now been torn down. The structure at the end is a memorial. 

Inside the barracks where important prisoners were held, such as Johann Georg Elser, who tried to assassinate Hitler in Munich, and also many priests. Elser and many other prisoners held in this building were assassinated at the end of the war, when the Nazis knew they would lose. 

A former prison cell. 

Sleeping quarters of the prisoners. 

Where the barracks used to be. 

The cremation ovens in the same building as the gas chambers. Historians are still not sure as to whether or not the gas chambers were actually used at this camp. These ovens, however, were used to cremate prisoners. 

The entrance to the camp, with the infamous saying "Work will set you free." 25, 613 prisoners were "set free" at this camp, as well as another 10,000 in its sub-camps. They died mainly from disease, malnutrition and suicide (throwing themselves on the electric fences surrounding the camp). In its 12 years as a concentration camp, Dachau took in a recorded 200,000 prisoners. After the war, it was the second camp to be liberated by Alllied forces. On the day of liberation, The Americans found approximately 32,000 prisoners, crammed 1,600 to each of 20 barracks, which had been designed to house 250 people each. 

Me in front a traditional Bavarian biergarten. 

Prague, Czech Republic

I had been told that Prague was a "scary" city, but I didn't get that vibe at all. It's really quite charming and lovely, and this was probably my favorite city of the trip.

The square right by our hostel. 

The famous upside down equestrian statue.

An old gate to the city.

Cool architecture. 

Entrance to the famous (and crowded) Charles Bridge. 

A delicious, and traditional Transylvanian pastry called Trdelnik. It is basically just crispy, cylindrical fried dough rolled in jams, nuts, cinnamon and chocolate. 

Prague at sunset with the Charles Bridge in the background.

Me at the Lennon Wall, a symbol of protest during the Communist era. 

More pretty water views. 

Berlin, Germany

We spent the New Year here, in front of the Brandenburg Gate. It was crazy. Huge crowd (surprise, surprise) and lots of fireworks. We were literally dodging them walking back to the hostel that night. 

Happy New Year!

Me with the famous Berlin pedestrian crosswalk man. Seriously though, the little green light to tell pedestrians to cross is shaped like this guy, complete with hat. There are whole gift shops dedicated to it. 

The Berliner Dom. 

Checkpoint Charlie. 

Me in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall, at the site of the former Secret Police headquarters (which has now been destroyed). This portion of the wall has not been altered since 1989. 

Hamburg, Germany

Here we are in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (that's its official name). I wish we could have spent more time here. Oh well, that means I'll "have" to go back. This picture of the restaurant where the Great Fire of 1842 was started. 

A view of the houses along the river. (If you didn't know, Hamburg is a major port city, especially for tea/coffee and chocolate).

A plate of traditional curry wurst and fries. The sauce on the hot dog is basically ketchup with curry powder in it. It really hits the spot, though, after a damp and dreary day.