Day 3: Nurnberg (or Nuremberg)

Took the train into Nurnberg to spend the day. Spent several hours at the Nazi Documentation Center. Really interesting historical perspective on how Hitler and the Nazi party came into power. While this wasn't a "happy place", it wasn't the emotional type of experience we expect we'll have when we visit the Dachau concentration camp outside Munich. It's more factual, trying to answer the question - How did this happen? I have to say, I still don't really understand how it did, but when you see the videos and understand the background at the time... It's a little easier to somewhat grasp. Germany was in such bad shape after WW I, and although Hitler was an absolute lunatic tyrant etc, he was so passionate about Deutschland. His speeches were full of so much pride and patriotism, the German people were energized and frightened by him -all at once. (The exhibit is called Fascination and Terror.)

Nurnberg had a major role in all this - the Nurnberg Trials of course, and the Nurnberg Laws. But I didn't realize the Nazi rally grounds were here. The exhibit is actually housed in a really small portion of Congress Hall. A huge horseshoe-shaped building (sort of coliseum-ish) that Hitler had built. We walked the grounds to see Zeppelin field, which is the site of the big rallies you've likely seen footage of. It's monstrous with the huge grandstand he spoke from. He had plans for much much more to be built around all of this, but WW II halted plans. Crazy crazy to see all of this and realize how not-so-long-ago this all took place. So sad...

Afterwards, great dinner - pork shoulder,sausage, saurkraut, and potato dumplings - at Barfusser Beer Cellar. It's a microbrewery in the cellar of the old granary. They had a great dunkel that we enjoyed a few of before roaming the streets of Old Town, walking from one end to the Imperial Castle at the other end. Got my favorite gelato flavors - pistachio and choc/hazelnut... but didn't compare to Italy, Sada and Lauren (PS chris gets limon like you Sade and I almost got melone in your honor SmellJ). Then headed back to Sachsen bei Ansbach on the train. Leaving for the Rhine Valley in the morning.