The morning after our beer crawl, we got up, feeling a little rough around the edges, and headed down to breakfast. We weren't the only ones who had a good time - some people didn't even make it to breakfast and then there were others who were probably still drunk (or drinking!). It was St. Patrick's day, so there was definitely a bottle of Jameson involved. Seriously, those Australians know how to party...and how to puke and rally. After breakfast, we went back to our room to collect our stuff (not luggage) and then loaded onto the bus. After everyone was situated, Dave told us that he had a surprise for us, which was the reason we had to get up a little early. It turned out that our surprise was a trip to Dachau Concentration camp. This stop wasn't something on our itinerary, but as our guide told us, it was important to understand the past, which includes the good, the bad and the ugly, in order to understand the present and the future. The trip there was so powerful that there aren't many words that would do it justice. To imagine what happened there and to know that there are people in the world who deny the Holocaust, is just mind blowing. The things we saw, the photos of the prisoners, the first hand accounts, the film footage of the liberation...were all unforgettable and unbelievably sad. Being there was surreal, like stepping into a history book. As the camp stood, it was a monument and celebration of the brave people who were subjected to unspeakable acts within the walls. It stood as a reminder of the horrible events occurred and also as a pledge that it wouldn't be forgotten or wouldn't happen again. I know that Nick and I will never ever forget the morning that we spent there.
Walking through the front gates "Work will set you free"
One of the guard towers, next to a cement wall, surrounding the camp.
Looking down the hall in the barracks.
View into a cell.
A wall where the guards carried out executions. You can still see where the bullets hit the cement.
The Poplar trees lining the walkway between the barracks.
The barbed wire fence surrounding part of the camp, with a guard tower in the background.
The gas chamber. Prisoners were told that these were showers.
The crematorium.
"Never Again"
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