Today was officially our first day of our vacation. Although we had a very comfortable bed and we were both very tired, Tavis and I did not sleep well. I guess I was still very excited about yesterday’s travels and even though I was physically exhausted, my mind was going like crazy wondering what Germany would be like. I think Tavis felt the same way. Atleast the kids all had a good sleep.
Finally at 6:30am Tavis and I decided to get up and check out the breakfast buffet. It was amazing! They had so many tasty pastries, fresh fruit, eggs cooked the way you requested, pancakes, sausages, bacon, toast… and so much more. The orange juice tasted fresh and the hot chocolate was actual Swiss chocolate and warm milk! Needless to say, we stuffed ourselves full.
We let the kids sleep until 8:00am before waking them up and getting them downstairs to enjoy their breakfast. They too enjoyed their meal and overstuffed their bellies. Before long we left the hotel with a backpack full of water bottles and some bars, in search of the bus to take us to our “Free” walking tour. Unfortunately, we arrived just as the bus was leaving but it was only a 10 minute wait until the next bus arrived. Each bus station seems to have a digital display that shows which busses will stop and a count down of minutes until they arrive. It was very easy to navigate as long as you could figure out which direction to travel.
After getting to Marienplatz, we had a slight breakdown in communication (the first of many to come I’m sure). We knew the general area but couldn’t figure out where Mary’s column was. We did eventually stumble on the correct side of the building and found the column about 10 minutes before the tour started. We discovered that today is actually a national holiday in Bavaria… Assumption Day! What this meant for us is that all the little stores and restaurants were closed which made today a bit more quieter with respect to the number of people around, but apparently much louder with the sound of bells being heard all day long.
Sandeman’s Walking Tour
We learned that the Sandeman’s free tours are actually by donation. However, our tour guide, Ailene was very good. She told us many stories as we walked around the streets and she also pointed out how to eat a few delicacies and what to check out while we were in town. We were especially thankful that she pointed out all the free water fountains where we could fill our bottles. You are not supposed to throw coins in the fountains here. We learned about the history of Munich and the importance of beer. We also learned that even though the buildings look hundreds of years old, most of Munich was destroyed in World War II and has since been rebuilt to look as it did before. The oldest part of Munich is actually newer than the new city! One of the highlights of the tour was watching the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. This miniature knight show, begins every day at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and lasts 10 minutes. The watch tower chimes and re-enacts two stories from the 16th century. Our tour lasted about 2.5 hours and the weather was nice up until the end when it started to drizzle. Overall, we were impressed with the tour and would definitely recommend the tour to anyone visiting Munich who is interested in learning about the history and culture.
Sandlemann’s tour starting point 
Tammy rubbing the tail for good luck 
Water fountains were all over
After the tour, since the weather wasn’t great we decided to make our way to the Dachau Concentration Camp. This was about a 25 minute commute on the metro and another 5-10 minute bus ride. As we were waiting for the bus Ari had to go to the washroom. Luckily there was a McDonalds right at the bus stop but it was .50 Euros to use the restroom. In order to unlock the door you had to put coins in, kind of like a locker at the pool. I had never seen anything like this but I guess it kind of makes sense. We figured since we had to pay, all the boys took their turn. Apparently it wasn’t very clean. We were told to use the free restrooms at the museums because they were clean and free… Now we understand!
Dachau Concentration Camp
A few months ago, Addison learned about the Holocaust in school and it was important for him to come and see a Concentration Camp. We were a little concerned about bringing Ari but it is a part of history and something he will learn about in a few years so we felt it was important for all of the kids to come and experience it. Dachau Concentration camp was a model camp that others were based on. It was built in 1933 and held prisoners until they were liberated in 1945.
As we got off the bus there was a nice large path with signs along the way setting the scene with images of what the area looked like during the war and describing what we were about to enter. No matter how much you’ve heard or read about the holocaust, nothing can prepare you for the feelings you get as you walk through the gates. Although the grounds are now quite serene and peaceful with luscious green grass around a large open gravel area, you can’t help but feel an overwhelming sadness as you walk through the small entrance.
The buildings that were once built by the prisoners themselves and where so many were treated so inhumane is now a museum describing the history of not only what was happening in Germany but what happened to the hundreds of thousands of inmates who entered the camp. It was a very emotional day for all of us. I think the hardest thing for me was walking through the gas chambers. Although these chambers were not proven to be used, it was still emotional as you walk through and read in detail what the prisoners were told as they entered each room. We ended our tour at the crematories where the bodies were disposed of.
It was a long day and we were ready for dinner so we went back to the beer garden at Marienplatz to experience a German dinner. However, as we sat down to eat outside, the rain started to pour. We squeezed into a table under an umbrella with a nice young couple from Alabama. After enjoying an interesting meal made up mostly of various sausages we decided to go back to the hotel for some rest. Tavis fell asleep almost instantly and the kids were all relaxing and watching tv so I decided to go for a run.
Around 9:00, the kids went to bed and I woke Tavis up to go and explore the town in the evening. Since the weather wasn’t great we went to Central Station and walked along the underground mall area. There were lots of food vendors and we had a look at some of the trains. Then we decided to go back to the hotel and get ready for another long day tomorrow.