Birthday Celebrations in Munich

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12200957/?claim=nexpapmg795">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a> 
This past weekend my friends and I journeyed to Munich, Germany for Springfest! After an eight-hour overnight bus ride, we arrived at our hostel around 4:00 a.m.. We went to bed, and slept in a little the next morning before getting breakfast at a local coffee shop and searching for our dirndls. Many of the attendees of Springfest wear either lederhosen or dirndls to get in the German mood. We were all determined to find the perfect outfit for the weekend, but the first few stores sold only overprices, mediocre dirndls. After walking for a while, we came across a store that had many reasonably priced dirndls and lederhosen. We all picked out which dresses, shirts, and aprons we wanted. In the end, many of our outfits matched, which made them even funnier.

With our newly purchased wardrobes in hand, we headed back to the hostel to get ready for the first day of Springfest. Springfest is basically Oktoberfest in the spring, and is held on the same festival grounds. It is a mix between a county fair and an amusement park, with many rides, food stands, and game booths. There were about three or four beer tents as well, which sold stines of beer and some food. There were live bands playing traditional German music, and the atmosphere was great! We spent all day Friday and Saturday there, which was a fun way to see people from my program and also some friends from Vanderbilt as well. Saturday we celebrated my birthday!

Entrance to Springfest

Sunday morning, we woke up early to take a train to Dachau, an old concentration camp about twenty minutes away. It was a rainy, cold day, which made the visit even more chilling. We walked through the old grounds, reading about the torture and drills the inhabitants were put through. It was a rather sad way to celebrate my birthday, but I’m so glad we went. It was mind blowing to imagine what had happened in that camp, and it was a harsh reminder of how awful the German concentration camps really were.

Entrance gate to the camp which reads,"Work Brings Freedom"

"May the example of those who were 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 men"

Bathrooms

Barracks constructed by prisoners

Cremation room

Gas chambers

After visiting the concentration camp, we headed back to the hostel to begin our eight-hour journey home. On the way home, we drove through the prettiest German scenery. We passed small villages surrounded by green grass, nestled in between large mountains. 

It was a fun trip and overall, I absolutely LOVED Germany! Everyone was nice, the food was good, and the city was clean and modern. Someday I definitely want to go back and visit!