Munich was the last stop for the Wyatt Exploration Program trip. It was also the city that we spent the most time. We were in Munich for 5 days, which didn’t even come close to enough time to explore this amazing city. We got to do two great tours; one of the city of Munich and the other was the rise of the Nazis’. We got the opportunity to visit the Residenz museum, which was amazing!
The group also got the change to explore Nymphenburg Palace and it’s grounds. The Palace it’s self was stunning, but the grounds were even more beautiful. The students got the chance to really explore both the Palace and the grounds. Some students even took a gondola ride on some of the extensive ponds around the Palace.
One thing that I never thought I would see in Germany were people surfing. Well in the English Garden that is exactly what you will find. There is one part of the garden where the river comes under a bridge that makes very turbulent water and it is enough for people to surf on. It is so much fun to watch and it really draws a crowd. We spent one whole afternoon and evening exploring the English Garden and then having dinner at the Chinese Tower. The Chinese Tower is basically a huge outdoors cafeteria with a German band and fun crowd of people.
One of my most memorable parts of the trip was the chance to spend one very long and emotional day at the Dachau memorial and museum. There are not words that explain the feeling you have while you walk the grounds or read the stories and experiences of those in Dachau. So many times I had tears streaming down my cheeks before I even knew it. I had an overwhelming feeling of helplessness as I walked the gravel paths through the memorial grounds. It was a feeling like no other and so hard to explain. It is an experience that I know I will remember my whole life.
One of the last days that we were in Munich we got the chance to walk the 1972 Munich Olympic park. We got the chance to see many of the different stadiums, art pieces or sculptures, go up in the Olympic tower, and see the memorial from the Munich massacre. It is amazing to see how the Olympic park is being used today since so many of them are left to just fall apart. The park has become a part of normal life in Munich. The dorms that were for the athletes have been turned into apartments. The grounds are used for festivals (while we were there a bike festival was going on). Also we shop at a pop up flea market that is there every weekend.
There were so many amazing aspects and experiences on this trip to Germany and Austria that you just can’t put into words. I know the students have learned so much and will have an experience that they can use to further themselves in life.