Garmisch, Eagle's Nest and the Gorge

(As you can see from the date on this blog, it was started some time ago and I just haven't had a chance to finish and post it. So, here it is....very late.)

One week from today Mom and Dad will be on their way back to Alaska and I miss them already. I hate goodbyes with my family. I wish there was a way to bring our two worlds together. It's more than having a couple of visits each year. It's the daily interaction that I miss.

We just got back home tonight from visiting Garmisch, Germany. We stayed at the Edelweiss Hotel which is an Armed Forces Recreation Center. It's an absolutely beautiful facility and the scenery in that area of Germany is amazing. Garmisch is surrounded on every side by the German Alps. The weather didn't totally cooperate with us, but we still had a wonderful time. On the way down Tuesday, we stopped by Dachau so Mom and Dad could visit the Concentration Camp Memorial Site. As before, it was a sobering experience. This time I had a chance to read more of the displays and found it very interesting and educational. It's frightening to me that humanity could sink to such levels and treat other humans in ways I could never even think of treating an animal. I'm sure it didn't start out that way, but slowly sank to lower and lower levels.

Mom, Dad and Sam at the entrance to Dachau

Sam, Me and Dad

Sam waiting patiently. Mom and Dad were taking the time to read the displays as we went through the museum part of Dachau. Sam had already seen Dachau and was hungry, so he wanted them to hurry up.

Mom and Dad with the foundations of the bunker houses behind them. The actual buildings were demolished, but they left markers where each building stood.

Me, Sam and Dad on the bridge leading to the crematorium

Mom and Dad with the gas chambers/crematorium in the background

From Dachau, we drove on down to Garmisch and checked into the Edelweiss. It always amazes me that I feel so exhausted from just travelling, but we arrived pretty tired. We were settled in our rooms by 8:00 and didn't do much else that evening besides eat dinner in one of the restaurants on site. I really enjoyed having a good American meal there. They even gave us ice in our drinks :)

Sam and I on the balcony at the Edelweiss

Wednesday we headed to Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, Germany. It was so interesting because I learned a lot that I hadn't known. Prior to this trip, I didn't exactly know what it was, but had an idea that it was one of Hitler's homes and where he eventually committed suicide. What I found out though, was that it wasn't a home at all, but rather just a opulent tea room to impress dignitaries. It was given to Hitler as a 50th birthday present and he only went there about 14 times, due to his fear of heights.

Please excuse the poor quality of this picture. I took a picture of a picture. Due to the heavy fog the day we were there, this was the best I could do at getting a good view of Eagle's Nest.

The location of the Eagle's Nest is amazing. We drove up a steep mountain for quite awhile just to reach a parking lot where we got on a bus that took us further up the mountain to the Eagle's Nest. We were at about 6000 feet and it was so beautiful. We were hoping the fog would clear off so we could see the mountains surrounding us. It didn't, but was gorgeous just the same. We paid a small fee to have an English tour guide. It was money well spent. She did a great job of explaining the history and telling us some interesting tid bits.

Mom and Dad in the bus taking us to the Eagle's Nest

Me and Sam in the bus

All of us at the entrance to the tunnel which leads to the elevator that goes up through the mountain to the Eagle's Nest

Mom and Dad taking a break up the hill from the tea room

Having lunch in the dining hall of the Eagle's Nest

For those of you who know my parents - this is not what it appears to be. They were drinking Apfelsaftschorle, which is a mix of mineral water and apple juice, but it looked surprisingly like beer.

Sam and I sitting at the fireplace in the dining hall

On our way out, leaving through the tunnel

Waiting for the bus to take us back down the mountain

Whether at the concentration camp or Hitler's tea room it's always hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm standing in the same place history took place in. We ate lunch at the Eagle's Nest in the same room Hitler ate. Had food cooked in the original kitchen. It just doesn't really sink in.

Thursday instead of just heading the 3 hours back to Stuttgart we stayed around Garmisch for a little while. It's such a beautiful town. We walked through downtown and had breakfast at a little outside cafe.

Sam had heard about an Olympic ski jump that was used in the 1936 Olympics which were held in Garmisch. We went to see that then walked out to a beautiful gorge a mile or so behind the ski jump. There were cable cars available to take us all the way to the top. It was gorgeous from up there, but really scary to be so far above ground suspended by only a cable. It was pouring down the rain when we started to walk back to the car, but we had a fun walk regardless.

Mom and Dad took the first cable car up, so Sam and I were waiting for our ride

Mom and Dad waiting at the top for us

The view from the cable car

All ready for the wet walk back to the car

Somehow I skipped an entire week of activities, so I'll have to go backward and play catch up with future blogs. We've been so busy that I haven't kept up with blogging. We've taken lots of pictures so I had a hard time deciding on which ones to post.

This post is very late, but better late than never....right? Until next time...