Christine at the Eagle's Nest

High up in the Alps in Bavaria, Germany, the German's built the Eagle's Nest for Hitler's 50th birthday present.  This area, Berchtesgadener, was important to Hitler as he wrote his book, Mein Kampf here.  Interestingly, he was afraid of heights.  [We do NOT have this in common as the rope course cured me of my fears.]  And he was claustrophobic.  Ironic, since you have to travel (we walked but Hitler took a limo) in a tunnel for 124 meters (406 feet) to ride in a brass elevator 124 meters (406 feet) to get up to the Eagle's Nest.  That's after you travel up the mountain 7 km (4 miles).  The mountain road contains only 1 switchback.  Yes, it is an engineering marvel.  The Germans blasted rock to make the road, built in 13 months.  Therefore, you ride up the side of cliffs at times.  To make it safe, the Germans only allow you to take their bus up the road (since 1952).  And the organization replace the buses every 5 or so years.  The road has 5 tunnels with, I believe, the original cobble stone in the road at those points.

During WWII, Stuttgart provided warning to the town of Obersalzberg that the allies were going to bomb.  There was a 30 minute warning.  The town could cover itself in smoke in 20 minutes.  So for part of the war, there were no damages.  However, the night before we bombed the town, we hit the warning system in Stuttgart.  So the town only received a 5 minute warning and was bombed heavily.  However, the night before, it also snowed.  This covered the Eagle's Nest.  And we did not see it to bomb it.  So the Eagle's Nest survived the war.  And is in it's original form.

Mantel

When we took over the Eagle's Nest, the soldiers carved their names into the marble fireplace.  They also signed their names on the round table.  General Eisenhower signed his name as well.  Because he signed the table, it went to a museum.  General Eisenhower also liked the brass eagle on the huge doors to the tunnel that led to the elevator.  He took one and eventually donated it.  The long-time elevator operator took the other brass eagle.  The tour provider seemed mad that General Eisenhower took the eagle.  But he was British!  Um, to victors go the spoil.  The allied forces also cut up the one inch think Persian carpet as souvenirs.  When one of the officers realized what we were doing, he did put a stop to it.  That seems fair.  Actually, the US only gave back the Eagle's Nest to the Berchtesgadener a couple of years ago.  Until then, only the US military could visit.

Dining Room, Hitler designed the ceiling

As for the Eagle's Nest, no one ever slept up there (except the guards).  They only visited.  Hitler designed the ceiling for one of the rooms.  It is now a restaurant, with any leftover money going to charity.  But they have lots of expenses, such as the buses, rock climbers checking for loose rocks after the winter freeze, etc.

There is a Dokumentation Center near the bus station.  Here, they give the history of WWII.  The exhibition is in Deutsch.  However, there is an English audio tour.  The audio tour is pretty true to how the history is taught to us.  I can't read Deutsch, so I can't say whether that is accurate.  ha ha   The Dokumentation Center was built at an underground bunker.  You can also tour this.  In this respect, I have to say, I feel like everyone prepares for war better than us.  Are/were there bunkers in the US for people?  (Remember-in Moscow people were going down to the Metro if we ever bombed them.)

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The Germans certainly gave us breathtaking views.

Christine

Lost Pictures from the Tour de France

My pictures that I thought deleted from my computer magically appeared again.

The video link:

 http://youtu.be/GrQTZ6w-WCE 

Christine

Christine at the Tour de France

When I was 5 or 6 I woke up early the day of my birthday.  My dad sent me downstairs to get milk for him from the other refrigerator.   When I got downstairs there was a pink Huffy bike.  It was amazing.  I sat on it and looked at it and was so excited.  And it ended up being for me.  The only bad part if you will, is that my birthday is in February.  So you can't actually ride your new bike then.

Also, when I was little, really up until 2011, I watched parts of the Tour de France.  I remember watching the riders climb up the hills (which are actually mountains).  I say 2011 because that is when I moved to Germany.  And I have no tv.  So I can't watch the Tour.  This year I did something about that.  I live in Europe.  So I decided to visit Paris to see the final stage of the Tour.  I thought about going to the mountains to watch, but you camp out, watch the riders go past and that's it.  So you see them for 5 minutes.  In Paris, the riders circle Champs-Élysées 8 times.

I travelled by train and arrived in Paris around 1230 CET.  Then I have to navigate the evil Paris Metro.  They made it hard for tourist.  I don't know why.  We did save them and all.   There are like 5 million lines and they all connect.  Or there are 16 lines with 301 stations.  I studied the map at the train station and got on the right train.  Then I figured I needed to transfer.  I decided to follow the guy with the British flag--cause the Brit was going to win today.  Wrong move.  He didn't get off when I thought we should.  So I got off at the next stop.   Then I studied the map again.  And decided that I needed the line to the Franklin D Roosevelt stop.  (This goes back to us saving them.)  And when I exited the metro I found the Tour de France route.  It was 1330 at this time.  I hadn't researched the tour so I had no idea when the race passed by.  I decided to get lunch.  I went to a corner cafe nearby and had a lovely sandwich and apricot tart dessert.  Then I went back to the course.  And waited.  And waited some more (note to self:  plan your adventures a little more).  Eventually, a parade of sponsors passed by.  Then I waited some more.  At 1700 the racers finally showed up.

And the riders move.  Fast.  Probably 35 mph.  At least.  Most streets in Germany in cities you can only go 30 mph.  And they really do ride in a pack.  Not running into each other.  It was an impressive sight to see up close.  And I was at the front of the barrier.  That's what happens when you stand patiently for 3 hours to see the race.  I saw the riders go up and then down 7 times.  Seeing the cars trailing with the extra bikes on top is also kinda neat.  On the 7th lap I left.  I figured I need to get back on the metro to get back to the train station.  I also had to stop for ice cream.  It was sunny and hot standing there.   Probably the hottest its been in Europe this year.  Or close.

I have a cool video that I am happy to send if you leave a note in the comments.  I tried posting it, but the German internet is not cooperating.

Christine