Christmas in Germany

The first day in Cologne. This is the town Andrew is currently living.















In front of the cathedral in Cologne.


















Mere and I overlooking the Rhine river.
















The view from our hotel in Cochem in the Mosel valley.









The Castle and vineyard in Cochem.


















One of many intense cards games on the train. Chris was teaching me cribbage.













Nuremberg. The rally arena built by the Nazi party for their rallies.
















The Nazi party museum in Nuremberg.









The inside of the arena in Nuremberg.













Having dinner in Munich at the Hoffbrau House

The Rathaus-Glockenspiel of Munich

Part of the second construction phase of the New Town Hall, it dates from 1908. Every day at 11 a.m. (as well as 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. in summer) it chimes and re-enacts two stories from the 16th century to the amusement of mass crowds of tourists and locals. It consists of 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures. The top half of the Glockenspiel tells the story of the marriage of the local Duke Wilhelm V (who also founded the world famous Hofbräuhaus) to Renata of Lothringen. In honour of the happy couple there is a joust with life-sized knights on horseback representing Bavaria (in white and blue) and Lothringen (in red and white). The Bavarian knight wins every time of course.

This is then followed by the bottom half and second story: Schäfflerstanz (the coopers' dance). In the 16th century a particularly bad period of the plague hit town and everyone went into hiding. The first people to dare go back onto the streets were barrel makers who performed a big dance to show that it was okay to come out again. The Duke of Bavaria was so happy about this that he actually ordered them to re-enact this every seven years, a custom which continues to this day. The dance can be seen during Fasching (German Carnival) but the next one is not until 2012.

A closeup of the clock at the Glockenspiel




















Another train ride!

Dachau Concentration Camp

This was quite an experience. Definitely no words to describe being there, this memorial was especially moving and really summed it up for me.














































Its hard t0 read the memorial in this picture. Its written in several different languages and reads:
"may the example of those who where exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defense of peace and freedom and in respect for their fellow man"