Deutschland Unmasked: Euro Tourism in 2021
The trip had been on hold for 3 years. With the travel window barely opening, I had to take my chance.
As I shelled out cash for EU-mandated FFP2 face masks and redundant copies of my CDC vaccination card, I was still uncertain if my plans would fall through at the last second. Staying in Austria and Germany for an entire month seemed like a long shot.
But as my plane touched down in Munich, my fears dissipated. Like most Americans, the Germans seemed like they were done playing “COVID theater.” While masks and vaccination cards were technically enforced, most establishments only did so to keep the government out of their hair.
A month of Weiss Bier, schnitzel, walking, and Christmas markets later, I perused my shots. The gallery below are the final picks: the shots that capture the essence of Euro tourism in an (almost) maskless 2021 Europe.
The icy Inn riverbank in Rattenberg, Austria, on Dec. 16, 2021. Most mornings I walked along the adjacent concrete path, nodding silently to the bundled up locals with their dogs. © Merit Davey 2021.
The view overlooking Rattenberg, Austria on Dec. 19, 2021. Most Austrian towns sit peacefully in the bowls of intimidating mountain ranges, inspiring awe and appreciation for nature's rugged beauty. © Merit Davey 2021.
A man looks out over Rattenberg, Austria, on Dec. 19, 2021. The town's tiny size and stylistic architecture almost transport visitors back in time to a pre-war Europe. Famous for its street shops and markets, Rattenberg officials enforce a strict ban on vehicles within the town's limits. © Merit Davey 2021.
A man and his wife stand for a portrait during their morning walk in Rattenberg, Austria, on Dec. 21, 2021. The idyllic backdrop of the Alps make it difficult not to feel life's worries dissipate. © Merit Davey 2021.
A man poses for a portrait outside Rattenberg, Austria, on Dec. 20, 2021. The ruins of Rattenberg's medieval castle sit on the hills overlooking the town. While most of it has been repurposed for special events and theater perofrmances, the rough stones and wrought iron bars remain. © Merit Davey 2021.
The colorful streets of Innsbruck, Austria, on Dec. 23, 2021. Just an hour south of Rattenberg, Innsbruck boasts larger markets and shop selection. It was here that we learned how important reservations were in post-COVID Austria; it took several attempts before we found a restaurant with an open table. © Merit Davey 2021.
A couple walk along the Christmas market in Innsbruck, Austria, on Dec. 23, 2021. © Merit Davey 2021.
A man looks inside a glass blowing shop in Rattenberg, Austria, on Dec. 24, 2021. While the crowds were much smaller than years past, Rattenberg's Christmas market still drew a number of visitors. As shopkeepers assisted customers and food vendors dished out steaming Glühwein, the town's brass band accompanied cheery crowds singing Christmas carols. © Merit Davey 2021
A woman takes a photo of the town Christmas tree in Rattenberg, Austria, on Dec. 24, 2021. Standing 14 meters high, the tree dwarfs the nearby buildings with ease. © Merit Davey 2021.
The Mall of Berlin in Berlin, Germany, on 30 Dec., 2021. After celebrating Christmas in the sleepy village of Rattenberg, we drove eight hours north to Germany's capitol. The bustling metropolis felt like a gritty, punk-rock Manhattan. © Merit Davey 2021.
People wait to cross the street in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 30, 2021. Potsdamer Platz is the center of downtown, lined with huge, tourist-filled shops. © Merit Davey 2021.
A crowd crosses the street in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 30, 2021. I discovered that some of the best street photography in Berlin could be found in the crosswalks of Potsdamer Platz. A range of people, outfits and attitudes populated every wave. © Merit Davey 2021.
A man crosses the street in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 30, 2021. The infamous Ampelmann crossing signal is a timeless Berlin icon. © Merit Davey 2021.
A man waits at a stoplight in Berlin, Germany, on Dec. 30, 2021. In a city dominated by dark gray overtones, this dark red Ducati proudly stood out. © Merit Davey 2021.
A cyclist yields to crossing pedestrians in Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 2, 2022. © Merit Davey 2022.
A man examines a Berlin Wall remnant in Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 2, 2022. Potsdamer Platz hosts one of the last standing sections of the original Berlin Wall. The relic, now covered in layers of discarded chewing gum, remains a distant reminder of the city's divided past. © Merit Davey 2022.
A dog looks at a section of the Berlin Wall in Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 2, 2022. © Merit Davey 2022.
A woman smokes a cigarette in Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 2, 2022. This local woman, strolling through the street with her husband, carried an air of well-traveled confidence. © Merit Davey 2022.
People walk inside the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 3, 2022. The memorial consists of hundreds of irregular stone pillars placed in uneven rows. The rolling path keeps visitors constantly off balance, generating a sense of ominous unease appropriate to the subject matter. © Merit Davey 2022.
The main gate of Dachau Concentration Camp near Dachau, Germany, on Jan. 8, 2022. As the trip came to an end, I decided to revisit Germany's first concentration camp. Standing outside the ominous steel gate in the frigid wind, I felt a minuscule taste of the hopelessness endured by its thousands of victims. © Merit Davey 2022.
A man walks in Dachau Concentration Camp near Dachau, Germany, on Jan. 8, 2022. Only a handful of the camp barracks remain standing, but the surviving foundations speak to the camp's former footprint. Although the trip culminated inside a grim piece of history, I left feeling a renewed sense of appreciation for the United States. © Merit Davey 2022.