Union University sign has been displayed through three countries:
Germany, the Czech Republic, and now Poland.
We have seen some water in the fields -- a reminder of the recent
floods in these parts -- Eastern Moravia, and southern Poland. All the
rivers are very swollen and ready to jump out of their banks.
Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone.
Hint hint!!! Parents loved ones travelers -- I know that our travelers
would love to see your comments. You may post them!
Last night the shoppers became macadamers and vice versa. It is
amazing how much ground our young people have covered in Prague and I
am encouraging them to share their experiences on the blog. There is a
wide diversity of experiences and we have climbed the seven hills of
Prague, bought just about all the garnet available, eaten under the
protection of Prague's friendly Golem, and taken in all the street
mime music and theater available. Macadamers and shoppers will happily
merge in Krakow's Hall of cloths tomorrow and Tuesday.
We are at the Polish border now and the rain has stopped. We are
waiting while the driver is buying the transportation card.
Yesterday morning we traveled to Flossenbuerg concentration camp,
Germany's fourth largest. The picture is of our party (those I could
catch). They are standing on the platform above the "valley of death"
where executions took place and bodies were cremated. In the
background is the chapel of peace, the first Holocaust memorial in
Germany, built in 1946. To its left, nestled in the trees, is the
Jewish memorial built in 1996.
After our visit, and after a flat tire (a new experience for all of
us!) we visited Horovice's Church of the Czech Brethern which used to
be a synagogue before the Holocaust, and also it's cemetery -- I will
add a group picture in a minute. It is raining fully now; the other
Dr. Carls is chomping on Czech sour gummy worms (globalization never
ceases to amaze me!)
Today we got our religion in! This picture is of some of our
"macadamers" under the great rose of the St Vitus cathedral. We had a
great visit of the royal castle then six intrepid ones climbed
Prague's "Eiffek Tower." I guess they wanted to feel closer to the
heavens while admiring the breathtaking view. Climbing all these steps
is a form of pennance, so yours truly abstained.
This morning we spent several hours getting acquainted with the Jewish
quarter, and this will be the second photo that I will post today.
This morning we visited the permanent exhibit at the Topography of
Terror Museum (which opened pn May 7) and the Resistance Memorial,
before having a picnic on Wannsee Lake, before visiting the villa. So,
another full day where we completed our introduction to the political
setting of the Holocaust.
The weather was sunny and nice. Tomorrow, it will rain over Berlin,
but we will be on our way to Prague, safely traveling by coach.
Two more things: our group is comprised of "the shoppers" and of "the
macadamers." the latter group does not mind hitting the pavement in
search of Berlin's hidden cultural treasures, while the former does
not mind leaving the pavement for the elevated flooring of shopping
malls and specialty stores. Thus tonight eight macadamers found
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's grave in a cemetery one hundred feet from our
hotel (along with the graves of Hegel, Fichte, Anna seghers, Brecht,
and Marcuse and, to my great delight, the Huguenot cemetery of Berlin).
One last thing: I incorrectly identified the young woman climbing down
the Reichstag Dome: she is Shannon, not Anna. My apologies!
I am most proud of our travelers: they are bonding, and really taking
care of each other! You can be very proud of them too.
:)
Among other things, today we visited the Reichstag and sat in the
plenary chamber, then climbed the dome. Then we visited the Jewish
museum. It was cold and windy but no rain. Another well spent day!
