Germany & Austria

Paul was invited to do a presentation in Munich, Germany to the different Franklin Covey offices in Europe, 

so it seemed like a good trip for me to tag along!

It was a short trip, but we were able to see and experience a lot!

On our way from the airport, we pulled off for something else and saw the signs pointing to Dachau.

We decided since we were so close, we should go.

It was so interesting and sobering to be there and know what happened 60 years ago.

This camp started as a prison for political opponents of the Nazis and only later held Jewish occupants.

The entrance gate that ironically states "Work makes you free"

 there were many monuments and tributes dedicated to all those who had perished, promising that these atrocities would never happen again

 Looking back at the entrance

 The "camp road" that divided the rows of barracks

 the fence and gate leading to the crematorium area

German students are required to visit a concentration camp 

and we saw many students here who were laughing and joking in the camp.

I think it must seem so far removed from our daily life that it's hard to process what happened.

Paul and I were starving after seeing Dachau,

and we followed a misleading sign pointing to a McDonald's

(Paul prefers familiar food)

Instead, we found this charming, authentic restaurant for our first meal in Germany.

 We were actually staying in a resort outside of Munich.

While Paul had meetings, I braved a two hour drive by myself to see this:

Neuschwanstein Castle

I also braved walking out on this bridge which spanned a deep chasm in order to get my picture

I was so proud of my accomplishment in spending the day entirely on my own in Bavaria--

not many English speakers until I got to the tourist area.

Although, the music on the radio was all American--made the drive easier!

This was the beautiful area we stayed in on Tegernsee Lake

We then drove through the alps to Salzburg!

I LOVE Salzburg!

Salzburg's favorite son--Mozart

St. Peter's Church

Inside

St. Peter's cemetery

The plots are all beautifully tended--and rented!

The cemetery sends you a bill every year and when someone's descendants have all passed on and no one is left to pay the bills, the plot is sold to someone else

 We took the tram up to the fortress which kept Salzburg from major invasions until WWII

The main shopping street with their adorable ironwork signs

Even McDonald's!

 Mozart's birthplace!

The next day we took the Sound of Music Tour

Cheesy and lots of fun!

 The gardens where Maria and the kids sing and dance

 The movie is always showing the fortress in the background

 More garden dancing scenery above

and the "dwarf garden" they sing around

 This is the exit to the theatre when they "escaped"

 The movie used two houses for the Von Trapp residence.

The one above was used for the back.

We drove by the yellow house used for the front, but they don't allow tourists

"I am sixteen going on seventeen"

 The opening scenes of the movie fly across these beautiful villages

We stopped and had delicious apple strudel with ice cream.

(I hummed "These are a few of my favorite things")

The movie used the outside of the Abbey on the Salzburg fortress,

but used the inside of this church in Mondsee for the wedding

 Traditional Bavarian dress--isn't it adorable!

We then drove back to Munich,

right into the championship soccer match between Bayern (Bavaria-Munich) and Chelsea

It was a madhouse (even 3 hours before the game)

so we snapped some pictures and got out of there before the already drunk and rowdy crowd got any crazier!

We saw these Maypoles in all the little villages.

I just loved the culture and traditions of this beautiful place!

It will definitely be on my "return" list of places to go!