Honeymoon Days 3&4

After exploring castles and the mountains of Bavaria (read about days 1&2 here), we got a good night's sleep before heading to Dachau.  We both knew visiting the concentration camp could be an emotional experience, but I don't think we realized how much we would learn while there.

All of the museum and information was available both in German and English, so we were able to read about every little detail that was available.  We started our journey by the railroad tracks where the trains would drop the prisoners off.  After walking on the old brick road, we entered the same gate they walked through years ago.

The old train tracks and platform.

The gate to Dachau.  The phrase translates to "work makes (you) free.

We walked around for probably 3 hours and watched the film, visited the museum, walked through the old barracks and the higher security building, and then saw the crematorium.

The large open area where the camp prisoners were forced to stand for roll call twice a day.

The prison cells in the higher security barrack which was used for political activists.

A model of the grounds of Dachau.

Where the old barracks used to stand.

The gate surrounding the concentration camp.

Everything was a bit surreal to me.  We read in the museum that the nazis held tours of Dachau while it was in use and they hid how horribly they were treating the people there.  However, when the allies took over, they forced the people of the city of Dachau to come in and see what the nazis had truly been up to.  I just cannot imagine not knowing what was occurring inside those barb wire fences.

After leaving Dachau, we headed to Olympic Park to walk around.  The summer games were held in Munich in 1972 and the facilities are still standing and used for concerts and much more today.  It was a beautiful afternoon and we stopped at a local food truck for some currywurst and pommes-positively delicious!

Olympic Park.

Currywurst and pommes=deliciousness!

From Olympic Park, we made our way to Nymphenburg Palace.  The grounds were stunning and, while it is open to the public, we didn't get a chance to go inside.  Also, this was the one palace we visited that someone actually still lives in!

The front of Nymphenburg Palace.

The back side of Nymphenburg.

I forced Aaron to take lots of "selfies" with his long arms so we could at least have some pictures together on our honeymoon.  Oh the sacrifices ;)

The next day, we slept in a little before beginning our drive to Salzburg.  If you ever get a chance to visit Bavaria, I highly recommend renting a car and driving around.  The mountains are stunning and the villages are so quaint!

We arrived in Salzburg just in time to check in, so we dropped off our belongings and started the 20 minute walk to Old Town.  We crossed the Salzach river and headed to the shopping district.  The stores were all so cute and close together and I loved it!  We explored a few shops and then went to the Salzburg Cathedral, road a tram up to the top of Hohensalzburg Fortress before making our way back to dinner and the hotel.

Crossing the Salzach River.  Hohensalzburg fortress is on top of the hill there in the center. 

The ceiling of the Salzburg Cathedral.

Our view of Salzburg from Hohensalzburg Fortress.

Fun fact for you!  At dinner that night, I needed to use the restroom and when I went downstairs to do so the doors were marked with Herren and Damen.  All of the bathrooms thus far had had little men or women on them (not the names) so it was a piece of cake.  Well, I hadn't looked up the names for men or women in German yet so I chose the one that was next to a door that said "Beauty Room."  I later discovered I was wrong and had used the men's restroom (which did not have urinals in it so there was no way to tell).  Oh well!

Stay tuned for days 5&6!