On top of Switzerland!!
The Dublin castle was actually a British symbol until 1922 when Ireland became a free state. It was built in the 13th century, and now houses a museum and library. 
The Temple bar. We first thought that it was an actual bar, and it is, however, it is also considered an area which covers tons of cobbled streets which includes cafes, bars and theatres. It is a very cool area for night life.
U2!! We have been fans of the band for years. We saw them in Chicago, but knew that Dublin is the bands hometown. So of course we had to see them here! The show was fantastic and almost out of this world.... literally. The stage looks like a spaceship!
We took a day trip to Colmar, France with our friends Kelsey and Andy. Colmar is known for it's Christmas markets, but we went to see a portion of the Tour de France. The bike race started in 1903 as a 2,500 km race across the beautiful country of France.
Hobie is the Davis' dog. We brought him along to see the action.
We also brought along Lowen, their son, to see Lance. His shirt says Tour de France. 
Lance Armstrong rides by very strong. In the end, Lance finished third in the 2009 Tour de France. His teammate, Alberto Contador won first place. 
Our last leg of the Edmonds trip was to Salzburg, Austria. Birthplace of Mozart and The Sound of Music, we couldn't help but enjoy the culture.
The Hohensalzburg castle was built in 1077. It looks over the entire Valley.
I couldn't help myself. In the bottom right hand corner of this picture is the fountain Julie Andrews sang around during the filming of The Sound of Music.
The Old Town of Salzburg. Mozart's birth place is just a few meteres down this street.
Hitler lived in Berchesgarten, Germany for many years of his life. The mountains are just beautiful, and the scenery breathtaking. The Eagles Nest, a home on top of a huge mountain, was given to Hitler as a Birthday present for his 50th by the Nazi party. This is one of the only buildings that still exists from the WWII era in Germany as it was not bombed. It is said that Hitler had virtigo, so he never actually spend a night in this home. You can see the building in the series 'A Band of Brothers'.
Berchtesgarten itself was a beautiful small town in the Valley of the Obersalz mountains.
First, we took a 20 minute bus ride winding around the mountain to reach this tunnel. Once inside, you walk down a 124 meter path to an elevator. This is all original and very over the top.
This is a picture taken by a soldier immediately after the French and Americans took over the location. At this point, Hitler had already killed himself in Berlin.
It was a very cloudy day, so the mountain was in the clouds. The four of us took the opportunity to look over the edge without being afraid of heights because you couldn't see meters in front of you. 
We continued our WWII history tour with a trip to Dachau. This was definitely the darkest part of our journey, however you cannot help but be moved by the terrible history.
Dachau was the first Concentration Camp opened in Germany in 1933. It's officially described as "the first concentration camp for political prisoners". In total, 200,000 prisoners were sent to Dachau with nearly two-thirds as political prisoners and the rest Jewish. The camp served as a prototype for other concentration camps built in the future.
Keep in mind, the images may be disturbing.
The gates into Dachau hold a sign which reads "Arbeite macht frei". This means "work will set you free" in German. 
It was a very eerie day in Dachau, Germany. The winds were blowing ominously, and the clouds were moving very quickly. On either side of the tree line are rows of living quarters for the prisoners. They were all removed earlier, and replicas are now up to describe the inner living quarters for the prisoners. 
The camp changed dramatically through the years. In the beginning, this picture above would house one prisoner per bed. Yet, towards the end of the war three or four would share a bed. In the next room is a make-shift bathroom with toilets and sinks. However, this was all a facade put on by the Nazi's to show outside people that this was a appropriate place for prisoners. In reality, the sinks and toilets did not work. 
Watchtowers were set along the entire outside of the facility.
Rothenberg is considered the oldest and most preserved medieval towns in Germany. The town dates back to as early as the 1100's!
The city walls wrap around almost the entire city. Many of the walls have buildings built within.
We're back! I sincerely apologize for not keeping up with our blog. In this digital age, facebook and email have completely taken over. However, I believe the value of this blog will continue for years to come. With that said, I must tell you that Normandy is just beautiful! The images that come to mind in Normandy are many, D-day, William the Conqueror, Mont St-Michel and more. Yet, the beauty of the rolling hills and cliffs into the ocean completely took our breath away. The Edmonds come to visit Europe in July of 2009, and we decided to take a tour of WWII history. It was one of our best decisions to date.
On June 6, 1944, Nazi occupied France was invaded by soldiers from America, Britain and Canada. Juno Beach was a landing point for Canadians, Sword and Gold Beaches were landings for the Brits, and Omaha was the American Beach landing. The picture above is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of Omaha Beach.
