Chapter 9 - Frankfurt-Munich.

Imagine finding my way out of here at night!

22-10-88.

As it turned out, on the plane from Heathrow to Frankfurt,I was fortunate to strike up a conversation with a German girl returning home after a conference in London. She was a physiotherapist. I told her of my plans to stay at the Youth Hostel and she was quite horrified as the hostel was miles away from the airport and we were arriving at night. No worries, I would sleep at the airport and make my way there next morning. No, sleeping at the airport was not allowed. Her solution, her boyfriend was meeting her and they would drive me there.

I still laugh when I think of the sight we made, they were both very tall, beautifully groomed and dressed in full length leather coats, and strode through the airport with me, (as you can see by previous photos starting to look a little worse for wear) my little legs and back pack trying to keep up with them. The trip took a good half hour, and they were very gracious, saying that I was a visitor to their country and it was their pleasure to look after me. I was very grateful and sent them a memento of Australia on returning home. Brigette and Rolf.

So there I was in Frankfurt Am Main. So called because it lies on either side of the River Main. Supposed to be the financial centre of the continent, and the most International city in Germany.

The river Main.

Thanks to my new found friends I arrived safely only to find I should have been there yesterday. Luckily they had room for me, so I had a place to rest my head. Here I met a young Australian girl Kim, who was on the last leg of her trip around Europe. I teamed up with her for a couple of days. We had a quick look around Frankfurt before catching a train to Munich.

The Romer or Rathaus. Landmark of the city.

Sold to the City Council in 1405.

Frankfurt Opera House.

This beautiful building was almost completely destroyed by WW 2 bombing in 1944 and reopened in 1981.

I didn't see a great deal of the city as we were soon on our way to Munich. I was more than happy to travel with Kim, seasoned traveller that she was. She had been wandering around Europe for twelve months and was well acquainted with this ( to me ) unfamiliar territory and language. This was my first time on foreign soil and I found it quite daunting.

Frankfurt Railway Station.

This is the most important in Germany.More than 1,100 trains connect here daily. Over 350,000 passengers use this station every day. I'm glad I had Kim to show me the ropes on this my very first experience coping with a strange language. All the signs.....Ausgang, Sortie etc. had to be learned very quickly if I was to succeed in this adventure.

There was a young girl at the hostel who came with us to Munich. It was her first trip away from home and she had absolutely no idea. Beautifully dressed right down to the pearls plus all the trimmings including hair dryer. To accommodate all her glamorous gear this girl (I forget her name ) carted everything around in a huge heavy port. She needed our help to to even travel on the bus. Kim looked even worse than I, after all she had been living out of her back pack for a year but at least we were self sufficient. We looked after her as long as possible. All these years later I can still see the look on Kim's face as we struggled to lift her port on to the bus. Times like that I blessed my little back pack.

23-10-88 weather good. MUNICH.

No time to waste. I was with someone who knew how to get the most out of the time we had.

' Carpe Diem.' Seize the day. So with our packs safely stored in Left Luggage we headed for Dachau Concentration camp. What a memorable experience that was. I can't say it was enjoyable but I'm so glad I went.

Dachau Concentration Camp.

The camp was first opened in 1933 and was the first Nazi concentration camp. Built on an abandoned munitions factory near the medieval town of Dachau, 16 kms from Munich.

I feel ashamed of this photo. I can assure you I was not joking on the way out. It was a horrifying experience.

Let me out! Clowning around on the way in.

We went through the museum and the graphic pictures of the suffering was heartbreaking. After that we wandered around the grounds,a lot of the construction has disappeared after being attacked by white ants. Only two of these dormitories remain. They were not built to last.

The inmates were made to sleep three to a bunk. Imagine.

The bunks.

It was here that Kim nearly lost it and I had to play Mother and get her out. I remember it was 5pm, the sun had gone down, it was all shadowy and cold. Her imagination was running riot after all the horrors we had seen.

Freedom through work.

I felt sorry for the beautiful village of Dachau. Forever tarred with the brush of Hitler and the Nazis, they refused to change the name and the link with the concentration camp. They say that the town has been there for 1,200 years and they refuse to let 12 years of Hitler define their town. On arrival we were given a booklet with the history of the town which began with a foreword from the mayor.

From the Mayor.

Dear Guests,

You have come to Dachau to visit the Memorial site in the former Concentration camp. I should like to welcome you on behalf of the Town of Dachau. Innumerable crimes were committed in the camp. Like you, deeply moved, the citizens of the town of Dachau bow their heads before the victims of this camp.

After your visit you will be horror stricken. But we sincerely hope you will not transfer your indignation to the ancient 1200-year-old Bavarian town of Dachau, which was not consulted when the camp was built.

I extend a cordial invitation to you to visit the old town of Dachau only a few kilometres from here. We would be happy to greet you within our walls and to welcome you as friends.

The picturesque village of Dachau.

On the train back to Munich, Kim and I full of the horrors of what we had just seen, wondered about the people of the town and what we would have done in their shoes. What could they do?

Faced with the Nazi brutality one word would have seen them thrown into the camp to face extermination. I have read that the majority of prisoners in Dachau, along with the Jews were people who spoke out against Hitler, religious and political activists and homosexuals.

Between 22nd March 1933 and 29th April 1945- 200,000 prisoners passed through, over 32,000 died.

The name of Dachau the lovely old town became synonymous the world over for the inhuman terror of Hitler's regime.

A quote from the booklet......

The Dachau citizens attempted to help the prisoners covertly. They were slipped a slice of bread, a couple of potatoes, and a smuggled letter was passed on.

When the end of the reign of terror was near, a few courageous citizens with the help of a group of escaped prisoners attempted to seize power from the guards. The uprising was bloodily supressed. On the next day, 29th April 1945, American troops liberated the concentration camp. The surviving prisoners cheered their liberators and the town too could hope for a new and democratic stand........

Too little too late? Slices of bread and some potatoes from 1933 to 1945?!!

...........

Kim had been told of a castle outside Munich that was being run as a youth hostel, so fancying a night in a real castle we set off to find it.

Arriving at 7 pm I fronted up to the desk to be told that Bavarian Hostels had an age limit of 27 years. I replied that I really was only 27 but had had a bad day. Germans are not known for their sense of humour and this man was no exception. However he took pity on me and allowed me to stay one night.

I soon found the reason for the age limit when I went to the bathroom to shower. All the shower stalls were lined up side by side - no doors, not even a shower curtain AND it was unisex! Boys and girls all nonchalantly walking around in various stages of undress. Beating a hasty retreat I went to bed unwashed.

Apart from that setback it was fun to wander around the castle.

After a breakfast of pumpernickel bread and some kind of sausage we set off for another exciting day. This time to the glorious castle of Mad King Ludwig. Walt Disney based his Sleeping Beauty Castle on this, and it was to be another tick on my bucket list.

The beautiful fairy tale castle of Neuschwanstein.

It was a wonderful sight, such an unreal place- a fairy tale set high in the clouds surrounded by the Bavarian Alps. 165 steps to climb and 181 to descend, worth every step. I told Kim to go ahead and I would take my time. A young Chinese boy opted to walk with me and we chatted. He wanted to know all about my country . When I asked him what part of China he hailed from he said "Actually I was born in New York." My mistake!

My second mistake was to show off. When we reached the top there was a man selling chips. I told Kim I would practise my German, so I approached him and asked for, "Pommes frites bitta."As I smugly looked around he sarcastically said,"Vould you like von or von hundred?" Trust me to strike the one German with a sense of humour!

A long way to the ground.

I took this snap (very badly) and you can see how close to the cliffs the castle is. While there I watched some hang gliders.There must have been an accident because I heard an ambulance siren way down below. That sound is recognisable the world over. Would YOU jump from that cliff?

The castle lived up to its reputation as a place of beauty. Unfortunately taking photos inside was forbidden but opulence is a word that comes to mind.

Another view. No sign of those mountains that are so close.

Ludwig died before its completion and to this day it is unfinished- but it is a huge source of income for Bavaria.

Ludwig. King of Bavaria. 1845-1856.

Ludwig had a life long love of swans and their regal beauty. At age 13 he heard his first opera by Richard Wagner...Lohengrin the mysterious Swan Knight.

At 21 he commissioned Neuschwanstein-New Swan Stone Palace. He later became Wagner's patron, paying off his huge debts and funding the construction of the theatre in Bayreuth to present Wagner's operas.

Ludwig and Wagner.

Mystery surrounds his death , so young at 41yrs. Suicide or murder?. Some say he drowned but
his body was found in shallow water and there was no sign of water in his lungs.

The Ludwig Cross.

This cross marks the place where his body was found. A memorial is held on the shore in a small chapel every anniversary on June 13th.

...........

Kim and I had discussed travelling the Romantic Road together but it meant back tracking to Frankfurt. Much and all as I hated to say goodbye I was getting too comfortable- letting her make all the travel and accommodation arrangements, so felt it time to go it alone.

So here was I for the first time all by myself in a strange non English speaking country, so I girded my loins (or would have- had I known how) and found myself a pension for the night.

Next morning I had a look around Munich and found the Marienplatz and the famous Glockenspiel clock.

The Glockenspiel Tower.

This gothic revival architecture style clock tower was built between 1867 and 1908. Marienplatz or St. Mary's Square is supposed to be one of the most famous places in Germany. I was quickly learning to take this with a grain of salt as every city seems to lay claim to being the most famous something or other. Formally known as Schrannen it was renamed after the Virgin Mary to protect the town from a cholera epidemic.

The figures move on the hour 11am and 12 midday.

I arrived at Munich station, found the right platform, read the timetable for departure time. Bought breakfast which consisted of grapes and a carton of milk, then changed my money into Austrian schillings. No euros back then.

As this was the first time on my own I was a little (? ) apprehensive but it went well. I felt quietly confident at this stage. Soon I was on my way to....

SALZBURG. AUSTRIA.