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München (Munich)

"Anecdotes and maxims are rich treasures to the man of the world, for he knows how to introduce the former at fit place in conversation." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I was supposed to make a stopover in Füssen to see the Neuschwanstein castle, but it would have eaten a total of six to eight hours including travel time. So, the two days were entirely spent in Munich. Wow. It's a city where I have once again this déjà vu feeling. The streets are full of shops, Döner Kebab joints, U-bahn stations, people sipping beer at the Biergartens while listening to traditional Bavarian music bands, or taking their dogs out to poop. It's also full of museums! I did a whole round of them on my last full day in the city! The weather was inclement at the beginning of my stay, but it turned out to be nearly perfect just in time for my return to Montreal, which made me come back to some places that were so cloudy the first time I had gotten there.

Löwe (Lion) - Just like Berlin with its bears, Munich has lions. They're everywhere in the city! Behind him, you have Maximilian I of Bavaria. I don't know if it's King or the Prince, though. Frauenkirche - This is one of the major Munich landmarks. Unfortunately, the illumination was not very good to give justice to the beauty of this. This was a snappy shot because typically, pickpockets would take upturned eyeballs for a target. Solo and the BMW 7 Series - Near the Olympic Tower is the small, but comprehensive BMW Museum, showcasing the Bavarian auto builder. Solo poses in front of the "Ultimate Driving Machine", on this picture dedicated to my father, who wishes someday to drive one of these. Olympiaturm (Olympic Tower) - Another tower from which to admire the city. I waited until the weather cleared up to come upstairs. Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium) - And this is the view from up there. The winds at that altitude of nearly 290 meters (950 feet) were unbelievable! Probably nearing 75 km/h (45 mph). Deutsches Museum München - One of the largest technological museums in the world, the Deutsches Museum München (German National Museum) did not dissapoint me. This shows you how large the cabin of a Lufthansa Airbus A300 is (and pretty much most of the large Airbus planes). Deutsches Museum München - This is a major contrast: the nose and door of the much smaller Lufthansa Boeing 707. This aircraft was probably one of the first very succesful series of jet airliners. Pinakothek der Moderne - After my visit at the Alte Pinakothek, full of works of art for 1 EUR on Sundays, I found the Pinakothek der Moderne nearby, also at 1 EUR. It featured a lot of interesting modern art exhibits, such as this screen attracting loads of onlookers seeing their reflection morph into... nothing. Pinakothek der Moderne - I won't comment on the particular position of this character, right? Pinakothek der Moderne - If I could rename this work of art, it would be "When IKEA do-it-yourself kits go wrong." Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) - This is in the middle of the Marienplatz, near the action and touristy nightlife. Hofbräuhaus - And how can you mention Munich nightlife without mentioning the most famous Biergarten (beer garden) of the city? The beer is not sold there in small glasses but giant Maß, or 1-liter mugs. Loads of joyful people, young or old, local or from outside, and traditional musics like you could imagine in any German stereotypical movie! It's a pity sometimes that I'm not a beer drinker. Mailbox - The last addition to the mailbox saga: the Deutsche Post mailbox. Keeping with the European tradition of separate slots for local and external mail. Englischer Garten (English Garden) - The largest metropolitan public park in Europe surprised me. An air that smells so fresh after the rain, and loads of green spaces where people, including nudists, like to suntan. Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower) - This pagoda-like building, in the Englischer Garten is actually a beer garden. I love the look of Solo sitting next to two small mugs. He looks like an alcoholic all of a sudden! Geese - Aren't these bar-headed geese and their goslings the cutest thing? Geese attack! - Of course, a dog had to disturb this scene, and what do you get? An angry goose doing what a good parent is supposed to do anyway: protect its little! Weiße Rose (White Rose) - The White Rose was a resistance group during World War II, led by Hans and Sophie Scholl. On the plaque, you can read "To remember, to think", followed by an excerpt from one of their original leaflets. This very sensitive monument is a solemn tribute to those who dared to stand up and speak against crimes against humanity, even to the risk of their own lives. Hofgarten - More gardens, but with fountains. This is where I spent my last few minutes of vacation, which officially ended with Annie Villeneuve's farewell song, "Quand tout ça sera fini" ("When it will be over"), coincidentally timed perfectly with the Frauenkirche's bells tolling noon. It was time to go to the airport. Hotel Dolomit - By far, this was the best hotel of my itinerary, in terms of professional and courteous staff, location (just far enough from the train station's seedy sector), clean room, delicious breakfast, and price vs. value. Only 44.00 EUR per night, breakfast not included. Too good to be true? I don't think so.

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© 2006, Sergio Ortega. Last update: 2006/06/24.
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