London/Normandy 2016: Day 12

Our day started early for our trip home. After waking up around 5:30 AM to finish packing, we all were downstairs ready to check-out of our hotel by 6:30 AM this morning (Caen time). After making sure we had everyone, we made our final walk to the train station in the hopes that our train would be running on time in spite of the ongoing rail strike. Fortunately, our train did arrive on time, but it was very crowded. Some members of our group were unable to even sit in their assigned seats as it was so crowded, and instead were forced to find available seats wherever they were. After ensuring that we were all aboard, we settled in for the ride back to Paris.

London/Normandy 2016: Day 11

Bayeux

    After an exciting day at the beaches of Normandy, our trip followed up with an eventful final day of sightseeing. First, we caught a glimpse of the famous Bayeux Tapestry.  Unfortunately, we were not permitted to photograph the Tapestry but it is definitely an experience we would recommend for others to see.  The Tapestry dates back to the 11th century and depicts the story of William the Conqueror and his role in the battle of Hastings. The Tapestry is laced with beautiful, handwoven designs that show not only medieval warfare but medieval life in general.  It was a true glimpse back into the medieval history of Britain and France.

London/Normandy 2016: Day 10

On our Tour at the Paratrooper Memorial

   Today was another big day for our trip, as we explored some of the areas involved with the D-Day landings in Normandy. We woke early and foraged for lunch at the local bakeries before catching the train to Bayeux, where we met our bus and tour guide. Upon arriving in Bayeux, we were immediately struck by the massive cathedral which dominated the town. We did not have the chance to explore it today; however, tomorrow has promise for seeing it up close.

After meeting our driver and our guide, we went first to a monument to American Paratroopers in the countryside. It was located by a critical bridge which the American troops held against numerous German counter attacks, including several with tanks. The views of the surrounding area were incredible and it was amazing that even such a small bridge played such a critical role in the landings.

London/Normandy 2016: Day 9

Caen Memorial Museum

  Monday was our first full day in France and in the Normandy area. While things did not go according to the
original plan, this didn't stop us from having an enjoyable and thought provoking time today. One road block that tried to dampen our spirits was the realization that due to the holiday, some transportation services were limited. As a result our short bus ride turned into a nice hike to the Caen Memorial Museum.

London/Normandy 2016: Day 8

On the Eurostar -- Amanda seems particularly Enthused

  We woke up early to take the high-speed Eurostar train from London to Paris. The train traveled through the "Chunnel," the tunnel linking the U.K. to France. At it's deepest point, the tunnel is some 250 feet below the English Channel. After switching train stations in Paris, we then took another train to our final destination in Normandy -- Caen. 

At Gare Saint Lazare waiting for our Train to Caen

London/Normandy 2016: Day 7

The War Cabinet Room

   Today we went to the War Cabinet Rooms, which were the secret British government headquarters

throughout the Second World War. The War Rooms were laid out as a museum that explained the importance of the underground headquarters due to the German Blitz that targeted London and other British cities during the Second World War.

London/Normandy 2016: Day 6

WJU Students at Hampton Court Palace

   Today's journey in the U.K. had two major locations of interest on the list. First was Hampton Court

Palace. After a brief 40 minute train ride to the outskirts of the city, we disembarked and came upon the great palace that housed both King Henry VIII and King William III. The palace is built on a massive scale, not just due to the imposing building at the center, but also because of the royal gardens that encompass the entire grounds of the palace. The palace was full of stories about its former occupants, such as how the reign of Henry VIII and his quest for a male heir to the throne would have great consequences
for all of those in England for years to come.

London/Normandy 2016: Day 5

    After an early rise this morning, our group traveled to the Bovington Tank Museum outside of London,

near the southern coast of England. After an interesting underground ride across the city during rush-hour, during which our group was separated for a time we arrived at Waterloo Station to catch our train to Wool, the nearest town to the museum.

We all sought different options for food before boarding the train, as we would probably be eating lunch late or skipping it and going straight into dinner. One of us purchased a duck wrap, which was certainly not what he had hoped for, and after eating half of it, he gave it to another student on the trip. After finding food and then meeting for the train, we boarded the train for the 2.5 hour ride to the museum.

The ride out to the museum was in some aspects boring, but in other ways rewarding. While some members caught-up on some shut-eye on the train, others took in the sights outside the windows as best they could. One of the more spectacular sights was that of fields of yellow flowers, which stretched on for great distances throughout the journey. 

London/Normandy 2016: Day 4

Bletchley Park

    Today we had the opportunity to go to Bletchley Park, which housed British code-breakers during the Second World War. David Kenyon, lead historian at Bletchley Park, provided us with a thorough overview of the exhibition before we began exploring the various buildings and displays. 

London/Normandy 2016: Day 3

The Tower of London

   Our student history trip ambassadors awoke today to a light drizzle that would later dissipate into a

comfortable sixty degree overcast day.  After a swift breakfast at our hostel, we set off to our first destination: the Tower of London. 

Initial Roman Wall

London/Normandy 2016: Day 2

At the Heathrow Airport Train Station

    After spending many sleepless hours on the plane, we finally landed and began our exciting journey in the United Kingdom. After landing, we had a 15 to 20 minute train ride to our hostel. When we arrived to the hostel, we were welcomed to cozy rooms with the  privilege of having no shower curtains in our bathroom; despite this, our rooms are pretty nice. After freshening up in our hostels, we began to explore the city of London and we ended up at the British Museum. 

London/Normandy 2016: Day 1

Happy Travelers

  Yesterday, we left the Pittsburgh airport excited to begin our trip to London and Normandy. After scanning
all our passports, checking our bags, and making it through the security checkpoint, we were finally starting the trip we've been looking forward to all year. Despite the larger size of the group, we managed to navigate the airports smoothly and successfully.

May 20: The Return to Munich

Fighting off Pestilence

After our early train from Salzburg back to Munich, we checked in our luggage once again at the Wombat Hostel near the central train station in Munich and set off on the adventures planned for the last day in Munich. The group split into several groups. One visited the Munich City Museum, an eclectic exhibition that traced Munich's history from its earliest days up through the latter part of the twentieth century. Sections on art, beer, and the tumultuous twentieth century were found in the main building, with an interesting separate installation devoted to the Third Reich across the street (though the war years were once again given short shrift).

May 19: The Eagle's Nest

The Eagle's Nest

On Tuesday, we journeyed to Hitler’s Eagle's Nest (or the Kehlsteinhaus as it is known in German). We caught a bus at the Salzburg train station that took us to Berchtesgaden. There, we were picked up by the Eagle's Nest Tour and they took us up the Obersalzberg mountain. Martin Bormann, perhaps the most powerful member of the Nazi Party behind Hitler himself,  gave the Eagle's Nest to Adolf Hitler for his 50^th birthday in the summer of 1937. The Eagle's Nest cost the German state about 10 million dollars, but today it is worth about 150 million dollars. After it was built, Hitler only visited the facility 14 times, and only 6 times for personal visits. The Eagle's Nest ties into what we explored in our previous days in Germany and Austria, because the Eagle's Nest was where the Nazi leadership met and talked about the war and genocide that it perpetrated. This is ironic, because it was such an amazing and  beautiful place, but this was the place where the destruction that later drove German policies was discussed. 

May 18: Salzburg: The Old City and Festung

Getreidegasse

At the conclusion of our trip up the mountain to the Hohenwerfen fortress, we traveled back to Salzburg. The group split up and everyone had some free time to grab some dinner and explore the Old City. The most famous street in the Old City is Getreidegasse, a narrow street filled with stores, cafes, and restaurants, all of which have to use traditional metal signs to advertise their business. 

May 18: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do-n't You Wish You Came with Us on this Sound of Music Tour?

WJU Alumni and the Sound of Music Tour

On Monday, our first full day in Salzburg, the majority of the group went gallivanting through a forest to find a fortress. But a few of us decided to stay behind to experience the original Sound of Music Tour, which was clearly the better option [ed.'s note: this is clearly open for debate].

The day began with us boarding a tour bus adorned in Sound of Music imagery – including a colossal picture of Queen Julie herself. Our enthusiastic guide began the tour in Salzburg, pointing out various locations throughout the city that were featured in the film. For example, we saw the Nonnburg Abbey, an active convent which was not only where a few scenes were filmed, but also where the real Maria Von Trapp lived. We also saw the river banks and the bridge where the children run before they sing “Do-Re-Mi.” Some other fascinating places we saw included the hotels where Julie, Christopher Plummer, and the children all stayed. Our guide shared with us stories about Christopher Plummer’s excessive partying, as well as all of the trouble the children got into when they were stuck in the hotel.

May 18: Hohenwerfen

Hohenwerfen Festung in the Mountains

After spending the night in our new hostel in Austria, we traveled by S-bahn to the Hohenwerfen fortresson the outskirts of Salzburg
which allowed us to take in amazing views of the Austrian Alps. On our hike up to the fortress, we stopped along the river to celebrate Maxi's birthday with a surprise cake and trick candles. Happy birthday Maxi! After what seemed like a 10 mile hike straight up, we finally made it to the top of the mountain where the fortress was built. The fortress, which was built in 1077 by the Salzburg Archbishop in order to protect the city, is surrounded by snow capped mountains making the hike well worth the effort.

May 17: From Nuremberg to Salzburg

The Main Train Station in Munich

In order to travel from Nuremberg to Salzburg, we had to switch trains in Munich. This, however, worked out as one of our group had left something behind in Munich and was able to recover the lost article, much to the relief of everyone. We then caught an Austrian train that took us to Salzburg.

May 17: The Nuremberg Castle

At the Nuremberg Castle

Today the group toured the Old Town and Imperial Castle that looms above the city. As we walked up the long and steep stone path leading up to the structure, it was quite evident why this castle was not only built but has lasted so long. The castle is made almost completely out of stone and situated on a high  hill where you can see for miles over the German countryside, making it perfect for defenders to spot and ward off attackers. Historically the Imperial Castle was considered to be one of the most formidable medieval sites found in Europe and although historians and archeologists don’t know when it's construction first began, many point to sometime between 1050 and 1105. The castle was renovated and added onto extensively throughout the medieval period since it served every emperor of the Holy Roman Empire when they passed through Nuremburg, such as Emperor Friedrich III.

May 16: Nuremberg: Wandering through the City

Professor Tambasis and her typical daily Eis

Following our visits to the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and the Nuremberg Trials Memorial, the group needed some time to decompress. After a tasty meal at Bratwursthaeusle, the group was given free time to explore the beautiful city center of Nuremberg. After being nearly completely destroyed by Allied bombers during the Second World War, the city began the arduous process of rebuilding. This process of reconstruction attempted to remain true to the city's history and the end result is a city filled with beautiful churches, half-timbered houses, and, perhaps most importantly, numerous Eis cafes. What follows are several images of Nuremberg's city center.