Europe 2013 Salzburg, Austria

What do you think of when you think of Austria? I think of The Sound of Music, duh! When planning our trip I knew we had to stop in Austria, a beautiful country I had never been to. After lots of research, I found getting to Hitler's Eagles Nest was best done from Salzburg. Sadly, due to weather, The Eagles Nest is not open year round. We literally missed the opening of it by one week, sad. Rob was really bummed but I promised we would come back for a visit when it is open. It's a win win for us actually! Salzburg was so great and hadn't saved too much time for the city. We knew we would take a tour out to Berchtesgaden, the little town below The Eagles Nest. This tour also had an unexpected stop at SalzWelten that ended up being super fun and awesome! Check them out here. We had fun sliding in the mine, looking for "white gold", hearing the history of the mine, taking the train/mining car, and crossing the salt lake. We quickly enjoyed Berchtesgaden and a peek at The Eagles Nest on the mountain! While back in Salzburg we did Rick's walking tour catching all Salzburg's major sights. Again, I highly recommend getting Rick's travel books and downloading his audio guides for the European city you'll be exploring. 

A statue of Mozart in the square. He was born in Salzburg and they sure are proud of that! 

Grandma and Gary in front of an awesome fountain

Residenzbrunnen fountain is the biggest Baroque fountain outside of Italy

Salzburg Cathedral, originally built in 774 but rebuilt a few times due to fire and war

I loved all the horse and carriages waiting out front to catch a tourist and take them for a "romantic" tour of the city

I loved the inside of this beautiful cathedral, especially this amazing interior of the dome

Organs amaze me

This little "hole in the wall", literally, bakery spelled and tasted divine

This was at St. Sebastian cemetery. I loved how all the graves had beautiful flowers planted on top.

Mozart's wife and father are both buried in this cemetery.  

The coolest cheese slicer around! It actually worked too, I tried! 

This is Getreidegasse, a shopping street that was HUGE and all the shops signs were these cute wrought iron signs.

Hahaha, even McDonald's 

I loved these! Reminded me of downton abbey

The most amazing view of Salzburg from Hohensalzburg Fortress 

Rob was trying to make the coin in that little tiny thing sticking off the side of the fortress. 

Can you see it?

This is below looking up at the fortress on the hill

Grandma on our way up to the fortress 

My hottie! 

 How gorgeous is this view?! This is looking out from the salt mine

 I loved the mining car/train we rode into the mine on

 Our awesome get-up to keep us clean in the mine...

 and now for your viewing pleasure...our sound of music moments in Austria! 

Dachau Concentration Camp

  

While visiting Munich, we took a day trip to Dachau Concentration Camp. It was originally designed as a work camp that forced early prisoners to succumb to an ultimate form of torture through work. Members of the original camp completed impossible tasks, including dusting blades of grass throughout the camp! They were forced to clean the rocks and dirt that were on the ground. I am not sure how they cleaned dirt or rocks, but they were forced to do so and if they didn't, they were beaten, tortured, and killed. Later into the war the camp became a concentration camp that tortured, gassed, and cremated millions of jews and other minorities. Towards the end of the war it returned to being a work camp, because the Third Reich needed materials, clothing, and other manufactured goods, so it was important to keep prisoners alive and working. Notice that did not include healthy or well nurtured.

Today, all German school children are required to visit the camp as a reminder of what their country endured and what atrocities were committed in the name of the Nazi party.

The original iron door still stands with one of the original buildings. The phrase seen above translates to "work makes you free." The thought process was that work would help them earn freedom, which was a complete lie.

These are the foundations of the barracks that existed during the camps operation.

The white buildings in the background is an exact replica of a prisoners housing area. All the items inside are original.

Layered bunk beds held hundreds of prisoners that had diseases and were extremely malnourished.

This is original crematory that stood during the camps operation. It would run 24 hours a day for years cremating millions of people.

You can see the open doors of the crematories behind the iron fence.

This is an entrance to an area where the prisoners were escorted and told to disrobe. All the clothes were fumigated to kill any bugs and pests living on them, and they were recycled to other members of the camp or used for other manufacturing. This was the start of the 'assembly line' of death.

From the de-clothing area, prisoners were escorted through this door into the 'showers'.

These 'showers' would have had fixtures above in the ceiling (notice the holes), but instead of water releasing at a certain time, toxic gas poured into the room and killed the hundreds of prisoners lined up in the room.

The dead were then moved right into the next room and stacked two or three high on the gurney, the doors were shut, and the bodies were cremated. The smoked filled the air outside and covered much of the area with soot. The ashes that fell below at the bottom door was collected by shovels and thrown outside.

The Nazi's decided that one oven was not enough.... Very sad.

Part of Dachau was a prison and not just a concentration camp. This prison was run by the SS and was very ruthless and cruel. Some of the inmates were people who at one time were Nazi supporters but then changed their minds. One infamous prisoner here attempted an assassination on Hitler, but obviously did not succeed. Some of the cells were designed to kill just by being inside it. It was like a coffin but standing. The prisoner would enter the cell but could not sit or bend at all. He or she was forced to stand for weeks. Eventually they would pass out and die from exhaustion. Truly an awful experience, I'm sure.

The grounds surrounding the camp are very beautiful today, there are some walking trails with memorials and murals honoring the different groups who were prisoner at the camp. It also marked areas where prisoners were lined up and shot, and then moved immediately to the crematory.

Like I said, it was a very sobering experience for both of us.

Danee took these photos down the length of the prison camp. I loved these photos that she took. They are very symbolic to me.

Dachau was a very emotional and draining experience. It was something that I will never forget. It was so strange to me to feel so sad at the awful things that people do to one another, yet I also felt Heavenly Father's love very strongly during the tour and visit. It was clear to me that the spirits of those were were members of this camp are still present and visiting this place. There is a close connection that exists between Heaven and Earth and it can be felt on that sacred ground. It was a special experience for both of us. To those who feel it would be to sad and gloomy to visit-It is sad. It is gloomy. But it also shows the power of the atonement. It shows the power of Heavenly Father, and his love for all of his children, no matter what their race, religion, or belief.

friday find

Have you heard of Madewell? They are part of the J.Crew fam and let me tell you, they rock. I recently found them and was instantly hooked. Everything is well made(did you like that. pun intended), and super comfy cozy. This is by far my favorite shirt and it is on sale now. Go get it, you won't regret it. 

Get it here. 

The Bachelorette

Whatever. I'm a bachelor/ette/pad fan. I love them all and watch every season. It's so so good and my Mr. is nice enough to partake in the drama with me. Did you watch the finale? What was your take? I was LOVING it, like almost in tears loving it. Chris was my pick (despite the poetry) and I just loved him. Maybe I'm too into it but, tevs. The proposal had my sweating. I was just waiting for Brooks to show up. So glad he didn't. Do you think they'll last? I do. I thought the proposal was the most "real" of them all. They seemed to be truly happy. Des didn't go for the ring first thing. She seemed to care more about Chris than the rock and that is a good sign for sure. I enjoyed the season despite the bad ratings. Sad it's over. As far as the next bachelor...I know lots of women are swooning over him, but not me. I can hardly understand him and don't think he's the hunk he's being made out to be. You know I'll be tuned in though! Thanks for the fun again, ABC.

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Europe 2013 Munich, Germany

Munich is such an amazing city! We will be going back for sure because there is so much there we didn't have time to see. One thing I loved was all the pedestrian zones that allowed us to wander the streets and people watch without crazy traffic. Munich is a growing city with remarkable history and yet lots of modern flare. We tried to see as many of the main tourist spots as we could and enjoyed lots of time in the famous Hofbrauhaus beer hall. As we enjoyed our sodas and pretzels we watched hundreds of people guzzling the famous beer from the biggest steins I've ever seen! My favorite time in Munich was spent sitting with the locals enjoying a picnic dinner with my man. Munich you were good to us, we will return. 

Frauenkirche, the symbol of the city

 The glockenspiel at New Town Hall. Everyday at 11:00 and 12:00 it does a Disneyland "small world" kind of thing and the little characters up in the green area move and "joust". Kind of neat to see when you think of how old it is but not that impressive if you've seen the small world one....Sorry peeps, I said it. 

Victory Gate

Palace of Nymphenburg, we must spend more time here next time

Hofbrauhaus 

Hot

Picnic by the water with locals

The Fire of the Covenant, a trek anthem

This was our trek anthem. Love. Still can't get through it without a tear or two. Grateful for their faith. Grateful for the faith I have developed as well. Happy heart.

                     

In honor of Pioneer Day

Pioneer Day is a holiday celebrated in Utah and by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world. It commemorates the first mormon pioneers to enter the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847 after persecution in the east. In years past it has been a fun day to remember and a free day off work while living in Utah! Today though, I am feeling more and more grateful for those early pioneers who risked so much for their faith. This can relate to so many people, not just mormons. It is a wonderful thing to see people of such faith. I was able to learn more of these early saints as we participated in our stake trek. I thought I had posted a little about it but looking back I guess not. 

So, I know as mormons, we're a little different, and I like that! That being said, I know going out to the middle of nowhere, leaving behind your family, home, technology, and all the comforts we enjoy, trekking for miles and miles each day with a giant handcart, sounds super crazy....but trust me, there is a point. (Notice I didn't say it wasn't crazy!) Some areas of the church decide to do a trek with their youth but it is not a requirement for anything. Different people are asked to help with various aspects of the trek, we were called and asked to be a Ma and Pa for it. I was on board right away, my sweet husband...not so much. We accepted to serve and help our stake though. I am always super excited when I get to work with the youth of the church, they are such wonderful young people trying their best to do what is right. My husband also loves working with them but the thought of using his vacation time to go do what, in his words, "the pioneers did so we didn't have to", was not so appealing. As we started some of the training we needed to do beforehand Rob had a complete change of mind/heart. He knew he was doing what The Lord had asked, he knew he was serving where needed, and he knew, most importantly, how excited I was! Ok, maybe the last one wasn't the most important. 

The church website says "As members relive the struggles and joys of the pioneers, they learn humility and reverence for their ancestors who sacrificed so much.". I found this to be so true from our experience on trek. 

I loved 

every. single. minute. of. it. 

I hope that I will be able to participate in another trek one day. 

This is our cute little trek "family". We love these young men and young women so so much. It was a blessing to see them grow and learn on this trek and they are all examples to us in different ways.