(Dec 08)
From Stuttgart the next stop on the train line was Nuremburg. I was super excited about going here mainly because of its history and the fact that it has reputedly the best Christmas markets in Germany. We got there a little before lunchtime and set off exploring the fantastic town. Nuremburg is one of the prettiest towns in Germany I have ever been to. The old town is gorgeous, walled and full to the brim with history. The markets were fantastic, and we had a great time exploring them and the town. Emma bought a very stylish beanie that I managed to convince her to try on backwards until the lady in the stall pointed it out- she wasn’t all that happy with me! We visited the city hall that had all of Nuremburg’s famous torture implements and were lucky that there was an American girl in our group who spoke really good German to translate everything for us. My German was nowhere near good enough for some of the graphic descriptions the tour guide was giving us!
We had dinner at a fantastic beer hall place which was recommended by lonely planet. Great recommendation! After this we wandered the streets taking in the atmosphere that was like a festival- well it was Christmas! All of the shops and the markets were open late and we had a fantastic time. One of my favourite parts in the town was this fantastic fountain which showed the stages of a marriage from a man's point of view. Needless to say it wasn’t entirely complimentary to women- there was a reference to the ball and chain and the wife putting on weight- honestly it was bloody hilarious and I loved it!
The next morning we went to big museum which was loosely translated the German Propaganda Museum. It was all about the war, the Nazis and how they used propaganda to achieve their goals. It covered WW2 and the Nuremburg trials and it was just amazing. It was so informative and honest. I think the German attitude in relation to the WW2 is one of utter shame- they are embarrassed and they want to make sure that nothing like it ever happens again. It was by no means as graphic as some of the other WW2 museums i have been to (especially the one in Warsaw) but i don't think i was really expecting that anyhow- but it certainly didn't beat around the bush in saying why the Nazi ideaologies were just plain wrong. The whole museum was full of school children and I heard that it is compulsory for all German children to learn about the war. It was such an eye opener learning about it from the German point of view, and I think this place is an absolute must visit.
Next stop: Munchen.
