Jonathan Kranich On Wednesday we headed to the Wansee Haus - the site of the Wansee Conference where the Nazis determined a "final solution" for the "evacuation" of the Jews from Europe. It was an eerie setting to say the least. Standing inside of this gorgeous house and looking out over peaceful lake was breath-taking; then one remembers the chillingly "civil" conversations held there and one loses their breath for another reason. It is an odd feeling knowing you are possibly standing in the same place Hitler once did and looking at a lake he undoubtedly gazed upon several times himself.

One room in the house was lined with quotes from survivors of Nazi persecution. It is amazing that anyone survived the horrors they faced. Astonishingly, several of the quoted had survived both Auschwitz AND Berkenau - two of the largest death camps in operation. However, one is also reminded of the terrible sorrows as well. One person "had to survive to tell [her] mother what had happened to [her] sister. That she died only a couple days before" the camp was relieved by the Allied Powers...

Thursday everybody headed off in their own direction! I headed off to Köln with Katie and Courtney on a 4.5 hour train ride. The view from the train was gorgeous. Reminded me a lot of western Washington (or central Oregon) with trees, farmland, and everything green (though no mountains in the distance, but I guess that's OK, haha) I definitely wish I could travel by train more often. There is something very soothing about it...arriving in Köln we stepped out of the bahnhof to the massive Dom. We literally stopped in our tracks, silent and marveled at the immensity of the building. Yesterday we headed around town and saw the Groß St. Martin church, the Rathaus and ended up at the magnificent and wonderful chocolate museum (with free samples straight out of a chocolate fountain!!) After that delicious excursion we hiked to the very top of the Dom. It was an exhausting climb, and a bit cramped in a few spots, but well worth it. The views of the city were spectacualar. I can't help but marvel at the fact that it is so massive, yet was built well before cranes or any other machinery.