Hello everyone! We have been on a whirlwind since Munich and we aren't slowing down. Internet has been scarce and expensive and we haven't had much down time (which is good), so I apologize for the delay. Munich was amazing, one of our favorite cities. The capital of Bavaria has such a distinct culture. They hold tightly to their traditions and haven't changed much through the centuries. They are still very Catholic, they still speak their age old southern dialect, they drink tons of beer, and the men still wear leatherpants...and are proud of it! It is a vibrant city founded on beer and being yourself. Despite its resistence and desire to secede, Munich became the capital of the Nazi movement and it experienced first hand the cruelties of Hitler and being on the losing side of a World War. Pretty much all of Munich was bombed to the ground, but thanks to the Nazis love and
subsequent detailed documentation of the city it was rebuilt accurately and beautifully. Scars from bullet holes in the facades stand as a constant reminder of violence and defeat. Also, a vivid reminder of the atrocities of the Nazi regime, is Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial that we visited. It is located just outside Munich and was the first concentration camp under Hitler that served as a model for the rest. On arrival we watched a 30 minute documentary on the camp and the murder of millions of political, social, and religious prisoners over the span of 1933 to 1945, over 40,000 in Dachau alone. It was graphic, violent, and horrific bringing tears to the eyes. Walking around the camp, on the same ground where innocent lives were beaten, humiliated, and defiled until their deaths, was an emotional experience. There is a feeling of disconnect, a sense of disbelief, that something like this could actually happen for so long and in such staggering numbers. But it did and its important that we always remember those that fought for their lives by hanging on to all they had, each other and their souls...and never let it happen again.
The next day we departed for Switzerland, leaving the rain (for the most part) behind us. We arrived in Luzern, a beautiful medieval city located at the end of Lake Luzern, surrounded by rolling hills and alpine mountains. We explored the city, walking over covered, flower lined bridges and down cobbled alleys. The architecture is different than we have seen and they light up the facades perfectly giving the town a great medieval mood. The next day we took part in the free street festival going on, listening to big band music and drinking beers along the lake. It was a great introduction to Switzerland, a very laid back, clean, and environmentally conscious people. We headed to Interlaken, the extreme sports capital of the world! Very excited, we arrived at Balmer's Hostel, which resembled a frat house in look and occupants. It was hot, the beds were horrible, but they had great happy hour and courtyard for lounging. The next day, we had great weather, perfect for outdoor sports...liiike...SKYDIVING!!!!! Sorry mamma Reynolds, but we just had to. We were bussed 20 minutes outside town into the next valley
with a group from our hostel and others. We went through an uncomfortably brief instruction session and partnered up with instructors. Ruth and I were to go in the second plane, which made 3 separate trips. So we watched, very anxiously as the first plane circled back over the landing zone. Squinting to make out the plane, we eventually saw dots falling from the plane. Its beginning to be real. We watched the others land in excitement, and then the next thing we knew we were boarding the plane. There were 11 people in this tiny plane, we were sitting in each others laps and a camera guy laying over us. We got off the ground and flew for 15 minutes over the amazing Swiss alps. Feeling a little uneasy, but our eccentric instructors were lightening the mood with jokes and pretending like they had forgotten something essential. Then the door flies open rushing cold and very high air into the plane. Elaine is scheduled to go last (great) and Ruth third. The first pair goes, then the second, then Ruth inches to the edge...it was priceless to watch her fall and scream out of the plane. I literally froze at that point, Mick had to crabwalk me to the edge of the plane. While he was sitting on the edge, I was dangling outside the plane...and we fell forward doing a barrel roll. After initially closing my eyes I open them, to see the plane above me and me falling away and down from it...an unnatural sight, to say the least. 50 seconds of freefall and constant screaming. It is a very strange and unreal sensation to freefall from 13000ft going approx. 120mph attached to nothing. The force of gravity is overwhelming and it feels like your floating, rather than falling. But the ground is getting closer, and the parachute catche
s, and a sense of relief sets in...we are most likely going to live. The parachute ride was about 5 or 7 minutes, and at this point, you can actually look around and enjoy the amazing scenery that you just fell into. Landing was fun then Ruth and I ran across the field into each others arms!! Screaming and laughing uncontrollably. It was hard to stand, walk, or see. It took a while to stop shaking and start breathing normally again. It was the most amazing, exhilarating, and intense single experience we have ever had. And we want to do it again!!!! soon. We enjoyed the rest of our time in Interlaken and did an intense highropes course that left us sore for days...also very fun!
The next day we headed to Heidelberg, Germany to set ourselves up to explore the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg was very pretty, we explored the town but didn't see too many sights. We left early the next morning headed for Bacharach, a small, very old town along the Rhine. We hiked up through town, through a vineyard, to a tower overlooking the Rhine landscape. The river is broad, fast-flowing, and busy with tour boats and cargo ships. We had a sausage and hopped on the ferry, taking a 45 minute cruise up the most scenic stretch of the Rhine. Its lined with castles built in the
12th or 13th century, terraced farmland, and cute little towns. We stopped at St. Goar and toured Rheinfels castle, the most well preserved castle ruins in Europe. We hiked around inside and up the castle for amazing views of the fertile lands stretching out from the Rhine, then crawled through dark mine passages. We hopped back on the train and headed for Cologne, Germany (4th destination in one day). We arrived in Cologne late and played poker with 3 guys from Liverpool, who talked like the guys from Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (they were hilarious), a musician from LA, and a quirky guy from Finland. It was an interesting bunch and we played for pasta, but it was fun! The next day we explored the old downtown of Cologne, going into the massive Cathedral and walking along the river. We hopped on the train early afternoon and headed for Berlin.
Berlin is a vibrant, interesting place...the Rome of Germany. It is big and energetic. Everything is covered in graffiti giving it a modern, pop beauty. We walked through town from the Brandenberg Gate, Reichstag, the disorienting Jewish Memorial, down the main drag past the hotel where MJ dangled the baby (P.S. RIP King of Pop, we are deeply sad and have since been hearing your music everywhere!), past Humbolt University where Marx and Lenin studied and where Einstein taught until moving to Princeton in 1932, good move (he was Jewish), over Museum Island, and to Alexanderplatz, home of the largest TV tower that skies over Berlin. That night, the 4th of July, yay America!, we joined a pub crawl, visiting 4 or 5 bars and ending at a club. We had a fun night to say the least, met fun people, and celebrated USA quietly...we got through the night without hearing any USA chants, its a good thing. Berlin has a crazy nightlife, where clubs stay open until the sun rises...but thats not unique for Europe. Today we seeked out real Berlin by wandering through an awesome flea market, Europe has the best! eating great pizza and ice cream, and lounging in a nearby park listening to music and doing some great people watching. Tomorrow, July 6th, we head to Amsterdam, and are super excited! Carra meets us in Brussels on July 9th, after which we will head to Paris, San Sebastian Spain, Madrid, Cascais Portugal (right outside Lisbon), Lagos Portugal, then head back to Barcelona from where we will fly back to the states on July 23rd. We have less than 3 weeks left, we are sad about that, but we have a busy schedule, lots to see, and Carra is coming!!! Love!
subsequent detailed documentation of the city it was rebuilt accurately and beautifully. Scars from bullet holes in the facades stand as a constant reminder of violence and defeat. Also, a vivid reminder of the atrocities of the Nazi regime, is Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial that we visited. It is located just outside Munich and was the first concentration camp under Hitler that served as a model for the rest. On arrival we watched a 30 minute documentary on the camp and the murder of millions of political, social, and religious prisoners over the span of 1933 to 1945, over 40,000 in Dachau alone. It was graphic, violent, and horrific bringing tears to the eyes. Walking around the camp, on the same ground where innocent lives were beaten, humiliated, and defiled until their deaths, was an emotional experience. There is a feeling of disconnect, a sense of disbelief, that something like this could actually happen for so long and in such staggering numbers. But it did and its important that we always remember those that fought for their lives by hanging on to all they had, each other and their souls...and never let it happen again.
The next day we departed for Switzerland, leaving the rain (for the most part) behind us. We arrived in Luzern, a beautiful medieval city located at the end of Lake Luzern, surrounded by rolling hills and alpine mountains. We explored the city, walking over covered, flower lined bridges and down cobbled alleys. The architecture is different than we have seen and they light up the facades perfectly giving the town a great medieval mood. The next day we took part in the free street festival going on, listening to big band music and drinking beers along the lake. It was a great introduction to Switzerland, a very laid back, clean, and environmentally conscious people. We headed to Interlaken, the extreme sports capital of the world! Very excited, we arrived at Balmer's Hostel, which resembled a frat house in look and occupants. It was hot, the beds were horrible, but they had great happy hour and courtyard for lounging. The next day, we had great weather, perfect for outdoor sports...liiike...SKYDIVING!!!!! Sorry mamma Reynolds, but we just had to. We were bussed 20 minutes outside town into the next valley 
with a group from our hostel and others. We went through an uncomfortably brief instruction session and partnered up with instructors. Ruth and I were to go in the second plane, which made 3 separate trips. So we watched, very anxiously as the first plane circled back over the landing zone. Squinting to make out the plane, we eventually saw dots falling from the plane. Its beginning to be real. We watched the others land in excitement, and then the next thing we knew we were boarding the plane. There were 11 people in this tiny plane, we were sitting in each others laps and a camera guy laying over us. We got off the ground and flew for 15 minutes over the amazing Swiss alps. Feeling a little uneasy, but our eccentric instructors were lightening the mood with jokes and pretending like they had forgotten something essential. Then the door flies open rushing cold and very high air into the plane. Elaine is scheduled to go last (great) and Ruth third. The first pair goes, then the second, then Ruth inches to the edge...it was priceless to watch her fall and scream out of the plane. I literally froze at that point, Mick had to crabwalk me to the edge of the plane. While he was sitting on the edge, I was dangling outside the plane...and we fell forward doing a barrel roll. After initially closing my eyes I open them, to see the plane above me and me falling away and down from it...an unnatural sight, to say the least. 50 seconds of freefall and constant screaming. It is a very strange and unreal sensation to freefall from 13000ft going approx. 120mph attached to nothing. The force of gravity is overwhelming and it feels like your floating, rather than falling. But the ground is getting closer, and the parachute catche
s, and a sense of relief sets in...we are most likely going to live. The parachute ride was about 5 or 7 minutes, and at this point, you can actually look around and enjoy the amazing scenery that you just fell into. Landing was fun then Ruth and I ran across the field into each others arms!! Screaming and laughing uncontrollably. It was hard to stand, walk, or see. It took a while to stop shaking and start breathing normally again. It was the most amazing, exhilarating, and intense single experience we have ever had. And we want to do it again!!!! soon. We enjoyed the rest of our time in Interlaken and did an intense highropes course that left us sore for days...also very fun!
The next day we headed to Heidelberg, Germany to set ourselves up to explore the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg was very pretty, we explored the town but didn't see too many sights. We left early the next morning headed for Bacharach, a small, very old town along the Rhine. We hiked up through town, through a vineyard, to a tower overlooking the Rhine landscape. The river is broad, fast-flowing, and busy with tour boats and cargo ships. We had a sausage and hopped on the ferry, taking a 45 minute cruise up the most scenic stretch of the Rhine. Its lined with castles built in the 
12th or 13th century, terraced farmland, and cute little towns. We stopped at St. Goar and toured Rheinfels castle, the most well preserved castle ruins in Europe. We hiked around inside and up the castle for amazing views of the fertile lands stretching out from the Rhine, then crawled through dark mine passages. We hopped back on the train and headed for Cologne, Germany (4th destination in one day). We arrived in Cologne late and played poker with 3 guys from Liverpool, who talked like the guys from Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (they were hilarious), a musician from LA, and a quirky guy from Finland. It was an interesting bunch and we played for pasta, but it was fun! The next day we explored the old downtown of Cologne, going into the massive Cathedral and walking along the river. We hopped on the train early afternoon and headed for Berlin.
Berlin is a vibrant, interesting place...the Rome of Germany. It is big and energetic. Everything is covered in graffiti giving it a modern, pop beauty. We walked through town from the Brandenberg Gate, Reichstag, the disorienting Jewish Memorial, down the main drag past the hotel where MJ dangled the baby (P.S. RIP King of Pop, we are deeply sad and have since been hearing your music everywhere!), past Humbolt University where Marx and Lenin studied and where Einstein taught until moving to Princeton in 1932, good move (he was Jewish), over Museum Island, and to Alexanderplatz, home of the largest TV tower that skies over Berlin. That night, the 4th of July, yay America!, we joined a pub crawl, visiting 4 or 5 bars and ending at a club. We had a fun night to say the least, met fun people, and celebrated USA quietly...we got through the night without hearing any USA chants, its a good thing. Berlin has a crazy nightlife, where clubs stay open until the sun rises...but thats not unique for Europe. Today we seeked out real Berlin by wandering through an awesome flea market, Europe has the best! eating great pizza and ice cream, and lounging in a nearby park listening to music and doing some great people watching. Tomorrow, July 6th, we head to Amsterdam, and are super excited! Carra meets us in Brussels on July 9th, after which we will head to Paris, San Sebastian Spain, Madrid, Cascais Portugal (right outside Lisbon), Lagos Portugal, then head back to Barcelona from where we will fly back to the states on July 23rd. We have less than 3 weeks left, we are sad about that, but we have a busy schedule, lots to see, and Carra is coming!!! Love!
Elaine,
ReplyDeleteI'm LOVEING the blog! So glad you are having such a great time. We can't wait to welcome you home soon.
Enjoy!
Katie