Berlin, Germany

Berlin was quite the culture shock for all of us! During our time in Barcelona, we were able to navigate pretty well, as most signs were in both English and Spanish. However, Germany was totally different. We had absolutely no idea what the signs were saying - and it didn't help that none of us had any experience with German in high school.

Friday, June 7th

We decided to get an early start today so that we could fit in everything that we wanted to. After eating breakfast at our hostel, we made our way by train and foot to Sachsenhausen - a concentration camp that also doubles as a memorial and museum for those who suffered and died during the Holocaust. We walked around for three or so hours, trying to comprehend the horrific events that had occurred in our exact location less than 80 years ago.

Entrance into the camp.

Roll-Call Area
This semicircular space was where prisoners had to
assemble for roll-call: in the early years three times a
day; later on once in the morning and once in the
evening - often suffering for hours in the cold & rain.

The "Shoe-Testing" Track
The shoe-testing track had a variety of
surfaces and was laid out in 1940.
Prisoners in the punishment squad had
to march round it endlessly, to test the
material for the soles of army boots.

Bathroom
This is where, in the mornings, prisoners
had to wash themselves. At certain times,
up to 400 men would be squeezed into
a barrack like this one. They had only
30 minutes for waking up, rations being
handed out, washing, then on to roll call.
Consequently, 8 to 10 people would
be standing at these two basins with
only cold water springing - like a
fountain - from the middle. The
washrooms were also yet another
site of terror. SS guards are known to
have drowned prisoners in the basins.

Lavatories
Prisoners were only allowed to use the
water closets and urinals in the mornings
and evenings after roll call, occasionally
also during the midday break. Whenever,
they would have only a few minutes.
Sick, weakened or older inmates who
might have fallen down in the rush, were
trampled on by others and remained on
the floor covered in excrements.
Anytime, anywhere - including the
lavatories - the SS staged regular acts
of torment. Prisoners who were unable
to work, had to stand, without moving
a muscle, all day long in this
unaired space.

Rooming Arrangements
This room is completely filled with rows
of bunk beds.

The Prison
Built with prison labor in 1936, the
building and cells were used as a
prison by the Gestapo and the camp
authorities. It was a place veiled in
secrecy, a place of torment and
murder. It held those punished by
the SS for  infringements of
camp discipline as well as
prominent figures arrested
by the Gestapo.

Barracks
This location used to house a barrack in which
prisoners were forced to stay. Sachsenhausen had
a total of 68 barracks. Since only a few barracks
remain today, those which once stood are
marked - as seen above.

Infirmary Barracks
The original barracks of the infirmary date from when
the concentration camp was set up. The exhibition
not only examined the medical crimes committed in
them, such as compulsory sterilization and
castration, the murder of patients and experiments
on humans, it also covered everyday medical
care  in the camp and the prisoners who gave
or received it.

First Crematorium
In 1939, the first crematorium was erected. It was
used for less than three years, as larger facilities
were soon needed.

Memorial of the National Memorial
This central monument symbolizes the
Sachsenhausen National Memorial,
which opened in 1961. The 18 triangles
represent the 18 different nationalities of
those who suffered and died in this camp.

After our visit to Sachsenhausen, we decided to head into downtown Berlin to explore. We were able to spot the Brandenburg Gate, the United States Embassy, and the Berlin Cathedral to name a few. The Berlin Cathedral is absolutely stunning. We decided to tour the inside - and we even had the chance to climb up into the dome where we were able to take in beautiful panoramic views of the city.

After the Berlin Cathedral, we stopped for dinner before settling down for the evening. Our evening consisted of fun and games - and we got to know each other pretty well! :) It was quite the memorable evening...one I'm sure none of us will ever forget!

Saturday, June 8th

Since we only had a couple hours before we had to head back, we decided to make our way to the Berlin Wall. I'm not sure what I thought the wall would look like, but what we ended up seeing was stunning. The artwork on the wall is amazing! Check out some of the photos below:

Barcelona, Spain

After an exhausting couple of days in London, we arrived in Barcelona late Tuesday evening. Since we were all so tired, we went straight to bed...or at least we tried to get to bed! :)

Wednesday, May 29th

We awoke bright and early so that we could purchase our Barcelona Card - which gave us access to various forms of public transportation and discounts to museums and other attractions. Then we went ahead and explored the beautiful city! Walking down La Rambla - which is basically Main Street for tourists - we took in all of the beautiful architecture and small shops all around us. While walking, we stumbled across a farmer's market...which was huge! There was fresh fruit and vegetables, candy, all kinds of fresh meat, fresh cheese, and basically anything you can think of! Honestly, it kind of grossed me out seeing all of the meat and fish - some still had their teeth and eyes! Since it was interesting, we decided to eat our lunch there. Since there was no way I was going to eat the fish or meat, I enjoyed a nice little rice dish with vegetables in it.

Beautiful Barcelona!

The Barcelona Market

After the market, we walked down to the port and sat by the water for a while. It was a beautiful day! The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect! Since we were all still a bit exhausted, we decided it would be perfect to participate in a siesta since we are in Spain! We napped a little longer than expected - but that's okay. When we awoke, we got ready for a nice city dinner. We decided to head back near the port to eat our dinner. Along the way, a manager stopped us and asked us to eat at his restaurant. We talked for a bit before agreeing to eat at his place - and since we said yes, he said he'd give us a nice surprise. So we ate a nice meal, and when we were finished, the manager gave us some free champagne!

Barcelona Port

The Port!

After dinner, we stopped by the beach for a bit before heading to our hostel to sleep and prepare for another fun day in the city!

Thursday, May 30th

Today we took a free walking tour of the city. It was so neat to learn about the history behind Barcelona and the architecture! During the tour, we met two Americans who had just graduated from The Ohio State University - and one was even a FIJI! It was so neat to meet a brother overseas. We all became friendly and decided to head up to the Barcelona castle together. The view of the city was breathtaking from the top of the castle! After walking basically all day, we decided to head back to the market to cook our own meal for dinner. We enjoyed a cheap and homemade meal of grilled vegetables and potatoes - with some fresh fruit and wine - on the hostel's patio. It was a fantastic way to end night number two.

Friday, May 31st

Being our last day in Barcelona, we decided to continue sightseeing. We hiked up Park Guell - which architect Gaudi created this beautiful mosaic park. We did a lot of hiking up steps and hills before finally reaching what seemed like the top of Barcelona. Again, we had beautiful views of the city, and took it all in. After Park Guell, we made our way to Sagrada Familia - which is larger than imaginable! The church is stunning and absolutely breathtaking! There is so much detail and artwork that it's hard to take it all in.

Sagrada Familia

After sightseeing for the majority of the day, we prepared for our cocktail class available through our hostel. The class was so much fun and we all learned how to make a few cocktails like a professional!

London, England

Monday, May 27th

We woke up fairly early to take our train ride into London. When we arrived, we met up with our professor who took us to our hotel to get checked in. After check in, we decided to tour the city, as it was a beautiful and sunny day. We visited Platform 9 & 3/4 from the popular Harry Potter movies, the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. On our way to Buckingham Palace, we even had the unique opportunity to see the Queen's royal guards on horseback! While we never saw the Queen or any of the Royal Family, all of the sights were absolutely stunning.

The London Eye!

Big Ben & the Parliament building.

Big Ben & the London Eye!

Buckingham Palace!

After sightseeing, we settled down for a nice dinner before hopping onto the London Eye. The London Eye is amazing! The views are gorgeous...especially during the night.

Tuesday, May 28th

Since today was a rainy day, we decided to take it pretty easy. We simply hit some shops, had lunch, and went back to our hotel to prepare for our trip to Barcelona!

Overall, London was a neat trip! Two days was the perfect amount of time to spend there - and while I didn't see everything that I wish I had (such as the London Bridge and the Queen), it was still an amazing experience!

Liverpool: Beatles Tour & Albert Docks

Saturday, May 25th

Since my group and I will be spending all next week in London and Barcelona, we decided to take it easy and stay in Liverpool this weekend. Today, we decided that we would take part in the popular Beatles Tour. The tour was around three hours long and was amazing! I'm not a Beatles fan, but the history and sites were all so neat. Check out some photos of the tour below:

George Harrison's boyhood home.

St. Peter's Hall ~ Where John Lennon and
Paul McCartney met for the first time.

The beautiful church that John Lennon
attended as a choir boy.

John Lennon's boyhood home.

Strawberry Field

The huge and stunning cathedral where Paul
auditioned to be a choir boy. Sadly, he failed.

Sunday, May 26th

Today we spent the day at Albert Docks. Locals were celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic, so it was quite busy. There were Navy ships and sailors from all over the world - it was quite the sight to see. After walking around the docks and viewing the boats, we decided to visit the museum right off the docks. We were attracted to look around because of the advertised Titanic exhibit. The museum was great and interesting! For the Titanic exhibit, guests were able to take the card of someone who was actually on the ship to see if you lived or died - similar to the Holocaust museum in Washington, DC.

Neat building right off the Docks.

Other than that, school has been keeping me busy! Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Stay tuned for my adventures in London and Barcelona!

Edinburgh, Scotland!

Friday, May 17th

It was quite difficult to wake up at 5:30 in the morning! Fortunately, I was full of excitement - which kept me going for a couple hours. My travel group and I rented a taxi to the Liverpool train station - from which we departed a little before 7:00am. I was a little nervous, as I had never taken a train before. Luckily, it was nothing to worry about...I loved the train ride! The views on the way to Scotland were breathtaking! I felt like I was in a movie. We finally arrived in Edinburgh around 10:30am and off we went! The weather was absolutely perfect - sunny and warm - so we decided to walk around. We first stopped at The Elephant House, the cute little cafe where J.K. Rowling began to write Harry Potter. During our stop, we grabbed some brunch to hold us over. The food was amazing...and the window view of the Edinburgh Castle was even better.

The Elephant House ~ "Birthplace of Harry Potter"

Edinburgh Castle

After brunch, we walked over to Greyfriars Church to explore the graveyard in which J.K. Rowling found inspiration for Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort) and Professor McGonagall. We walked around for a while - and we still hadn't found the gravestones. When we were making our way towards the exit, we ran into a retired historian. He was so kind and proceeded to give us a free tour of the graveyard! He directed us to Riddle's and McGonagall's gravestones while discussing Scotland's history with us. It was amazing. We couldn't have had any better luck. Here are a few things we learned during the tour:

• During WWII, Hitler personally selected Edinburgh Castle as his future home of residency. Fortunately, he didn't make it there.
• Being buried in a church is the highest honor you can receive.
• Since people were buried inside the church, the smell would become unbearable. Therefore, whenever ceremonies or weddings took place, people filled the church with flowers and that's how that tradition came about!
• Freedom of Religion, which is stated in our Constitution, originated in Scotland!
• The gold color of the church, named King's Gold, symbolizes rebellion against the King and Freedom of Religion.

Greyfriars Church

Greyfriars Cemetery

When we were finished with our tour, we checked into our hostel and then explored the Royal Mile - which is basically the Main Street of Edinburgh. Along the Royal Mile, you'll see all sorts of tiny shops and restaurants, as well as multiple churches that all look so neat! At the end of the Royal Mile, you arrive at the Edinburgh Castle. While we didn't pay to go inside the Castle, we walked around...and the views were still amazing. You could see the city down below and it was absolutely phenomenal.

View from the Royal Mile

St. Giles' Cathedral ~ the Royal Mile

For dinner, we stopped at Tron, a neat little pub near our hostel, before heading back towards downtown for a City of the Dead tour. We learned about this tour while at Greyfriars Church and were really interested in participating. The tour took us underneath Edinburgh into various chambers where prisoners were kept during the 1800's. It's supposedly supposed to be haunted with ghosts since so many people died in the chambers. While I don't believe in ghosts, I was still a little nervous about the tour...as it was pitch black everywhere! While the tour leader was trying to freak us out about ghost stories and "real" encounters tourists have had, another tour leader jumped out and scared us all to death. That proves how real and haunted the chambers are, right? It was quite the joke. Fortunately, our tour leader provided some historical background information throughout, so that made up for the fake ghost stories.

Upon completing the City of the Dead tour, we enjoyed a fantastic night - definitely one for the books! - before making our way back to the hostel.

Saturday, May 18th

We originally had plans to travel to Glasgow today, however, we learned that it's not really a city tourists can explore like Edinburgh. It was also down-pouring. So we decided to stay in Edinburgh and explore the National Museum of Scotland. Good thing we didn't really have anything planned, because the museum was so big! We were literally in there for a good three hours or so - going from floor to floor and exhibit to exhibit. It was really fun though! We were even able to see Dolly - the sheep that was cloned! Since it was still raining when we finished, we had some lunch, stopped at The Elephant House for some dessert, and took an early train back home to Liverpool!

Edinburgh was an amazing first trip! The city was absolutely amazing - and we still hadn't even seen a majority of it! The city has officially made my "to return" list. I will most definitely go back! :)

My travel group and I ~ the Royal Mile