Frenchman in Munich

There are so many fun tales I want to commit to the blog...not only to share them with you all, but to remember them.  

Plus One and I had an unexpected, extra day in Munich, so we decided to take a train to Salzburg, Austria...a mere 77 miles away. As we were walking through the train station, which just happened to be right across the street from our hometel, an energetic man approached. It was evident he was from France, as he was smiling and speaking very fluent French while actively engaging his hands to embellish whatever he was trying to express. I was picking up only random words here and there (sorry, Madame Kruschwitz!), and with a shake of my head I said, 'Je parle un peu...un peu. L'entement, s'il vous plait.' Which translates 'I speak just a little...a little. Slowly, please.' (At least I could say that much 😂). 

He grinned and gestured some more, getting well within my three foot bubble of comfort. Nodding enthusiastically as he continued to speak, he patted my shoulder, leaned in and squeezed my arm. I caught intermittent phrases which led me to believe he thought I resembled somebody he knew. Or somebody I should know. He kept smiling, talking, and patting me on the shoulder. Plus One was growing uncomfortable I could tell, so I just said, 'Merci, Monsieur. Merci,' as I patted him back, gave him a quick side hug, and started down the steps. I grinned and waved over my shoulder lest I appear rude, and he was still there, a big smile on his face, watching me go. As I pondered this brief and somewhat serendipitous moment the rest of the day, I could only hope the exchange left him with the same sentiment I was feeling. A connection, albeit brief, but heartwarming nonetheless.  

Salzburg

Off to Austria for our last day in Europe. As is the norm, we found a hop on/hop off bus to peruse the sights that looked interesting. We eventually ended up in ’Old Town’, which was just beautiful. It was a suggestion by the young man driving us on the bus tour. He enjoyed pointing out all of his favorite spots around town, and it was evident he loved the city he lived in. He also made sure to point out the Sound of Music sites where they did much of the filming, and I almost want to rewatch the movie when I get home to refresh my memory!😂 It was a fun, relaxing and memorable day! We took the 6:07 pm train back to Munich, which ended up being stopped for an hour just over the German border while they did passport checks. So we got back closer to 930, which made for a short night as we had to be up by five. But so worth the trip!

Old Stuff

Besides me😂😂😂…

Just Some Neat Photos

This family was sitting and admiring the view high up in the Bavarian Alps. I loved the way they looked, so serene, and I snapped a photo. Not wanting to distract them while they sat on the edge of a cliff, I spent the rest of the afternoon looking for them😂😂. Never found them.

A reflection of a very beautiful scene.

A Funny

Viktor would play movies of where we’d been or where we were going during our longer drives. Three episodes of ‘Band of Brothers’ covered D-Day, Battle of the Bulge/Bastogne/Ardenne’s, and the liberation of Dachau, while ‘The Longest Day’ offered sites we’d visited during the Omaha Beach landing. On our last day (Eagle’s Nest), we watched ‘Saving Private Ryan’ on our way back to Munich. Viktor had to stop it before the end as we had a 6:30 reservation at the Hofbrau House for a final meal together. Needing to know how it ended, I leaned over to ask Dean, “Does Private Ryan live?”

”Yes,” he assured.

Norman, our seat neighbor, looked over with his mouth gaping. “He LIVES?” he repeated.

I was shocked, thinking I’d just had a SPOILER ALERT moment😣.

“I’m so SORRY,” I said. “I thought you knew!”

Norman just burst out laughing and said, “YOU are the only one on this bus who HASN’T seen the movie!”

Just 1/5 of us at our dinner together. We were a formidable group!

Up at the top where the Eagle’s Nest is. A memorial to the atrocities of WWII.

Travlers

All in all, there were four sons traveling with their fathers. And only seven women (including me) out of thirty-two. One gentleman was repeating the tour after a three year hiatus to glean what he had missed the first time. I can understand why! So much information. Today is our first day on our own. We said good-bye to the final four team members this morning after breakfast. We then made our way to our new ‘hometel’, and spent most of the day wandering this new section of Munich. We ended up back at the hotel at 4:00, both exhausted, so we’ve been reading and resting since then. Tomorrow is a day trip (Viator Bus Tour) to a castle, and Oberamagau. A small village with a huge history. But more on that tomorrow ☺️.

Lunch 😆

American in a Far Away Land

I wasn’t sure what to expect when our group entered into Germany. Viktor assured us that the Germans welcome and appreciate Americans as well. After all, parts of Germany were liberated by the USA, including Dachau. As we were driving on the Autobahn (something to see!😂), I glanced down to see a boy of 12 or 13, his window open (snarled traffic, so slow moving), and a dreamy look on his face as he stared at the ‘Beaches of Normandy’ bus. I caught his eye and he smiled, waving back enthusiastically after I waved at him. I am hoping he embraces the memory of his country’s history as much as we do. There are two young men with us, one traveling solo, and the other with his grandfather. The solo traveler, Jimmy, is a walking textbook. The guide at Dachau asked if he was after his job. 😂 I couldn’t tell Jimmy enough how impressed I was by his knowledge, AND his interest. So encouraging. I’ll post a group picture when I get them.

There have been several occasions when people asked where we were from, and when they heard the words ‘United States’, their eyes lit up. That just does a heart good 💕.

Beautiful, charming, ancient Germany.

Munich

Backtracking a bit 😊. We spent the afternoon in Munich yesterday, which was a welcome distraction after Dachau. Munich’s old city has, of course a ‘Square’. I am beginning to anticipate the beauty and historical aspects of these ancient sites!

And this one did not disappoint!

On the Road Again

A lot of pretty slated for today, our last day as a group, as we make our way to Austria (day trip) to see ‘Bertaschgarten’, and the Eagle’s Nest…Hitler’s retreat high up in the mountains. I am looking forward to the two hour drive into the Bavarian Alps. ☺️

Never Forget

Thus reads the memorial plaque enscripted on a Jewish menorah at Dachau, a ‘prison camp’ established on the outskirts of Munich by the Nazi regime. Here, we were told, the political prisoners were imprisoned, along with those deemed inferior to the aryan race. There were camps all over Germany and Poland, each with a specific purpose. Beyond tragic what occurred here in the absence of humanity. So much of what we saw brought to mind the genocide in Cambodia. I took only three pictures in this sad place…a plaque remembering the liberators of Dachau…the USA🙏🇺🇸, the menorah memorializing all who perished here, and a depiction of a liberated prisoner.

Remember Part III

Because you just have to know the depth of their appreciation. 🙏

There’s a story that goes with the ‘Nuts’ comment…I’ll share in the morning.

This tanks rests in ‘the square’…the center of Bastogne. 🇺🇸

Battle of the Bulge

The Ardenne forest is peaceful, quiet and still…hard to believe all that happened there. The people of Bastogne put a fence around it to preserve it for current and future generations. They are remembering💕.

Fox hole. Not as deep any longer as it would have been, but they cover the forest ground.

Where We’ve Been

A map to show you our travels…we started out in Paris, traveled to Normandy, then on to Bastogne, Belgium, then to Luxembourg, and then to Munich, our end point. We’ll have three days here to see the German side of things.

Remember Part II

The gravesite markers for the American soldiers who are laid to rest in Europe are made of striking, white marble. Those of the Jewish faith are marked with the Star of David, which was very touching to see, while all others received Christian crosses. Those who were unidentified are marked as such, but their gravesites receive no less care than those with names on them. I was stunned to hear that remains of fallen servicemen continue to be found, and all are buried with full military honors.

I must make a correction… General Patton is actually laid to rest here, in Luxembourg, and his headstone faces the troops that served in World War II along with him. There were so many visitors to his gravesite that the grass wouldn’t grow, and so he was exhumed and moved to this location. I find it fitting he is watching over his beloved troops. 🥲