April 30, 2015

Iceland Plans

April 30, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

As you read this, we are in Iceland, preparing for some diving in the cold, but amazing, waters of the Arctic circle. We started planning this trip a couple of months ago knowing that we wanted to dive Silfra (it's on our bucket list!) and we worried that slots would fill up. But we also realized that while our main reason for traveling here was diving, that we would also have a lot of other time to explore. This is when I began researching other things to do in the area. I would hate to travel there, just to be scrambling to find things to do during our surface intervals. Here, I have listed some of the things that we want to try to do and see, either on days that we are diving, or on our dry day before we head back to Germany.

April 28, 2015

7 Germans Words That Sound Inappropriate in English

April 28, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Ahh, the German language! With it's famous compound words, umlauts and the guttural ch sound, the German language is not necessarily easiest language in the world to learn. Mark Twain has even written an entire novella about it. Despite it's difficulty to learn, let alone master, there are some amusing aspects to the German language. Over time, we have come across some....interesting....words that sound funny, inappropriate, or both, to an English speaker. The list below highlights some of the more colorful ones we have found. Enjoy!

April 24, 2015

6 Things To Do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

April 24, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

This past weekend we took a quick overnight getaway to the famous German town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It is probably one of the most popular and quaint German towns you will ever see, and for good reason. This small walled city is oozing with medieval charm. From the half timbered houses, to the uneven cobbled stone streets, to the ancient walls that surround this city, there is so much to explore. Around every corner is a new sight or alley to explore, but I think the best way to experience Rothenburg is to spend the night there.

April 21, 2015

Family Time

April 21, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

I would like to apologize for the lack of a second post last week. See, I was kind of busy and didn't get a chance to write much, but it was for a good reason - my grandparents were in town! They took a 3 week long, trans-Atlantic cruise from Florida to Italy, and then came to visit for the week. I was too busy showing them our new home and spending time with them that I forgot to write a blog post for Friday. But don't despair, we got lots of fun in and I even managed to get some pictures. And for I think the first time in the history of this blog, a lot of the pictures in this post are my own! Of course they aren't quite as good as the hubby's are, but I don't think they're too shabby.

April 21, 2015

Stolperstein: a Subtle, Beautiful, Poignant Memorial

April 21, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

If you've been to just about any major city in central Europe, you've probably seen them. They are small, inconspicuous little brass plates placed in the sidewalks. You can easily walk over them and never have any idea what they are. We did it for months. I imagine that many of them in more well-walked parts of cities are no longer legible. Sometimes it's just one replacing an older cobble stone. Sometimes there are more, I've once seen 4 grouped together. So what are these Stolperstein and why devote an entire post to them?

These Stolperstein, German for stumbling stone, are one of the most subtle, but largest, memorials in Europe. Each one starts with ''Here lived'' and then lists a name. Usually a birth date is given. If known, two other dates are also listed: a deportation date and a murder date. In rare cases, the individual was able to escape to another country, in which case, an emigration date is given. These little brass plates, sitting flush with the pavement, easy to miss as you walk past, list the names of victims of the Holocaust. They name not only Jews, but also the Roma, Santi, Jehovah's Witness, homosexuals, those who were euthanized - many of which suffered from some sort of mental illness - and those who disagreed with National Socialism. A stolperstein is always placed at the victim's last known residence of choice. It is a symbolic and meaningful way to bring the person back to their last, freely chosen, place they lived - their home. They are a memorial so that those who suffered and lost their lives, are not forgotten. One person. One stone.

Atolperstein for a married couple deported in 1942 from Assen, the Netherlands, first to Westerbork and then to Auschwitz, where they were later murdered. Image courtesy of Sarah Huggard Photography

The project was first proposed by Gunter Demnig in 1993. By 1995, the first stones were laid in Cologne (250) and Berlin (55). Today, there are over 48,000 Stolperstein in over 1000 locations within Germany and 17 other countries. Each and every one is handmade. While 48,000 of these little reminders seem like a lot, with over 6 million Holocaust victims, this is less than 1% of all those that lost their lives.

Next time you are walking along, and a golden glint catches your eye, stop. Take a look. Take a moment to remember, and perhaps even say a prayer for, not only the person whose name is on the plate, but all victims. Indeed, it is in remembering them that we have the power to stop it from ever happening again.

For more information on the Stolperstein project, visit the official website. Here, you can also submit information for a Stolperstein, or make a donation to help place more.

One person. One stone. One fate.

A family DEPORTED between 1943 and 1943 to Westerbork from Assen, the Netherlands. THey were all eventually murdered in Auschwitz. It's heartbreaking to see couples, and entire FAMILIES, murdered on the same day, likely the day they arrived at the c… — A family DEPORTED between 1943 and 1943 to Westerbork from Assen, the Netherlands. THey were all eventually murdered in Auschwitz. It's heartbreaking to see couples, and entire FAMILIES, murdered on the same day, likely the day they arrived at the concentration camp. IMAGE COURTESY OF SARAH HUGGARD PHOTOGRAPHY

''Here lived Lore Stern Born Adler year 1923. Deported 1940. Interned Riversaltes (in France). freed/Survived.''

Two parents and their child deported from Assen, the Netherlands, to Westerbork. They were all murdered in Auschwitz. Their son survived two years longer than his parents, but was only 12 years old when he was killed. IMAGE COURTESY OF SARAH HU… — Two parents and their child deported from Assen, the Netherlands, to Westerbork. They were all murdered in Auschwitz. Their son survived two years longer than his parents, but was only 12 years old when he was killed. IMAGE COURTESY OF SARAH HUGGARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Eugene and Rosa Dreifuss, along with their son Bernhard, fled to France before being deported in 1943. Eugene and Rosa were murdered in Auschwitz, bernhard was murdered in Majdanek.

These show two parents deport to Westerbork in 1942, their three children were deported two years later in 1944. All were sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered. The Right stolperstein is for a 22 year old woman deported in 1942, first to Wester… — These show two parents deport to Westerbork in 1942, their three children were deported two years later in 1944. All were sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered. The Right stolperstein is for a 22 year old woman deported in 1942, first to Westerbork and then Auschwitz, where she as murdered. IMAGE COURTESY OF SARAH HUGGARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Thank you to Sara Huggard of Sara Huggard Photography for letting me use images of Stolpersteine she took in Assen, The Netherlands.

April 14, 2015

Salt Mine Tour in Austria

April 14, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Salzburg = Salz + burg. Quite literally, salt castle. Salzburg may be famous for it's starring role in the Sound of Music, but it has a long, long, long history with salt, salt mining, and it was the profits from the salt mining that financed the building of the city. Now, you may know that Aaron and I are never ones to pass up a mine tour, and we knew that this was one thing we had to do on our weekend getaway to Austria.

April 10, 2015

Dive Log: Attersee, Austrian Alps

April 10, 2015/ Meghan Oaks

Easter weekend is a long weekend in Europe and most people have Friday and Monday off. We would have hated to waste the long weekend sitting at home, so we did what we do most weekends: traveled! At first, we wanted to go back to the Netherlands, to Keukenhof, to see the tulips in full bloom, but hotel prices were through the roof! I couldn't find anything less than about 120 euro per night. And over 3 nights, that can get expensive. Enter plan B: Austria!