Dear All,
October Break travels introduced me to the way of life and the history of four places in Germany: Munich, Dachau, Rothenburg, and Berlin, one city in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, and one city in Belgium (my favorite): Brussels (Not only because of the delicious waffles and chocolate :-)).
It means a lot to me to have a platform on which I can share these experiences with you all. As I travel, I think about you, and really hope I can capture the places and interactions in a way that allows you to taste what I have tasted. I'm grateful that you care to come on these journeys with me.
October Break travels introduced me to the way of life and the history of four places in Germany: Munich, Dachau, Rothenburg, and Berlin, one city in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, and one city in Belgium (my favorite): Brussels (Not only because of the delicious waffles and chocolate :-)).
It means a lot to me to have a platform on which I can share these experiences with you all. As I travel, I think about you, and really hope I can capture the places and interactions in a way that allows you to taste what I have tasted. I'm grateful that you care to come on these journeys with me.
We traveled by train for the majority of our trip. The landscape through Germany was beautiful and serene!
First Stop: Munich!
I appreciated Munich's refreshing ethnic and cultural diversity. While I made sure to try traditional German foods, I also enjoyed falafels and Chinese food (I hadn't had that in a long time!).
The little show of the Rathaus-GLockenspiel was fun to see. There were three or four false endings, so when it actually ended, we lingered for a little while because we thought it might begin one more time. haha
There aren't many trees visible in Venice, so it was nice to enjoy the Autumn leaves in Munich!
It must have been about 52 degrees Fahrenheit, and people were out here surfing! It was an odd sight to see, especially because cars drove along the street perpendicular to the river. Nevertheless, at least they didn't have to worry about sharks!
As I walked over the bridge pictured above, I saw an inviting piano with an artistic display on the sidewalk. It felt good to send some piano music and song into the Munich air.
Day Trip to Dachau Concentration Camp
There's a lot I could say about Dachau given the horrific reality of Nazi concentration camps in the 1900s. Dachau was the first to open in Germany and began as a place of captivity for politicians. Only toward the end of Dachau's existence did having Jewish heritage become a factor for captivity here. The United States Army liberated those in Dachau on April 29, 1945.
Second Stop: Rothenburg
Rothenburg is a small, Medieval German town that thrives on tourism. I'm glad we got to see a part of Germany outside of the main big cities.
Third Stop: Berlin
We arrived in Berlin during their Festival of Lights, fortunately. At night we walked to the main attractions and saw the colorful artwork projecting unto the buildings' facades. Some attractions featured moving animations! Here's a glimpse of one of the short shows projected onto the famous Brandenburg Gate. How cool!
I was able to see the original Queen Nefertiti bust!! So amazing. I did a project on her in 6th grade at Holton and still have my replication of the bust drawn on a plate on display at home. I wasn't allowed to take a photo of the bust. :-(
Fourth Stop: Amsterdam
Amsterdam is beautiful city with canals running along side paved roads and charming buildings. With more bikes than people, according to our tour guide, I had to look both ways, twice, before crossing the street!
Amsterdam has some not so pretty characteristics as well. The legalized prostitution and acceptance of smoking illegal substances by the cities residents and government shocked and saddened me immensely! Our tour guide shared the history behind this norm which increased my understanding of the government's perspective, but still, I think this is soo wrong on a number of levels.
We stayed at a Christian hostel with engaging and kind young people, delicious homemade-style food, and activities to enjoy with the staff and other guests in the evening. I felt safe there.
Amsterdam has some not so pretty characteristics as well. The legalized prostitution and acceptance of smoking illegal substances by the cities residents and government shocked and saddened me immensely! Our tour guide shared the history behind this norm which increased my understanding of the government's perspective, but still, I think this is soo wrong on a number of levels.
We stayed at a Christian hostel with engaging and kind young people, delicious homemade-style food, and activities to enjoy with the staff and other guests in the evening. I felt safe there.
Fifth Stop: Brussels
Brussels is such a diverse city! I liked it the best for this reason and also because of its importance in European politics since the EU Parliament is there. Also, the waffles and the chocolate were super delicious. Most people in Brussels speak French. Dutch and German are the next most common languages spoken.
Again, thank you for caring about me and this experience I'm having in Europe. I'm glad I can share it with you.
Coming up next week: Leaving tonight for a class trip to Vienna for the weekend! We're going to see two operas and ride in a train that converts the chairs into beds somehow! It should be cool!
J McKoy
Coming up next week: Leaving tonight for a class trip to Vienna for the weekend! We're going to see two operas and ride in a train that converts the chairs into beds somehow! It should be cool!
J McKoy