Day 6: On the Way to Austria
Views from the road: Our bus rides were always interesting. Lisa's history lessons gave us a great context for what we would see during the next stop on our tour, and her language lessons helped us to blend in and be more like locals for a day or two. We all tried to assimilate as much of her lessons as we could. Between these short lessons and our stops, we were consistently treated to very interesting, and often beautiful, views from the bus. As we rode through the German and Austrian country, we saw countless deer stands and were interested to learn how important the culture of hunting is, especially in Austria where they have an official position called the Jagermeister, or "Master of the Hunt."
A Necessary Stop: Even though our ancestors came from Germany long before WWII, it's still a hard balance to feel pride in our heritage and, at the same time, reconcile what happened during the Holocaust. We simultaneously needed to see the Dachau Concentration Camp and also didn't want to see it. Walking the concentration camp grounds, there were tears shed and fewer words than usual. It was interesting to learn that all German students are required to visit a concentration camp before their graduation from high school. In some ways, we were like those students, making our own visit. A Miracle in the Country: We stopped at a little gem of a church in the German countryside, the Wieskirche. This Rococo-style church was built to house a wood carving of Christ that was reported to be the source of miracles. As fame of the miracles grew, donations poured in, resulting in an extravagantly decorated interior. It was an interesting juxtaposition seeing the church nestled on the hillside next to a traditional farmhouse with its attached barn. A Change in Plans: Once again, our guide was the master of flexible scheduling. Concerned that rain in the forecast might complicate our luge ride the next day, we decided to stop there a day early instead. It turned out to be a great plan. The kids led the charge, and the adults joined right behind them on the twisting luge run that ran down the hillside. We laughed, cheered and had a great time together. Our stop at Dachau had made us especially grateful for all the blessings in our lives. More Fellowship: We checked into Alpenhotel Ernberg in Reutte, Austria, and we were all excited to hear that it offered laundry service! After getting unpacked, we enjoyed another four course meal as a group. We thought we were comfortable with each other before, but today's emotional events brought us even closer together. We found ourselves staying almost two hours after dinner visiting and learning more about each other. The people have become such an important part of this experience. |
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