Munich
I can’t believe it, but I’m back in Europe, so so lucky. This time I’m traveling with Tricia, Holly and Flynn and the initial impetus was a Taylor Swift show happening on the 28th here. Yep, totally joining the madness and it’s been really fun in the anticipation for it. Kylie told me a couple of months ago that I was WAY behind in learning all of TS’s songs and history. So – I’ve been learning and actually am very impressed with her energy and determination and I quite like a lot of her songs. Can’t wait to see the actual show!
But – since we’re going to be in Munich, Holly and I decided to make a week of it and then Tricia joined in when Kylie realized she couldn’t do the trip.
Then – and big – I realized that Salzberg is only 2 hours away by train. Oh boy! Finally, finally, getting to see the Sound of Music city. When I asked Holly if she’d be interested, she said, yes! For one of her birthdays, she had a sleepover group and watched the movie at night and again the next morning. Tricia was totally aligned too. Flynn’s never seen it, but Holly’s going to try to get her to see it before we go. Of course, it moves in VERRRRRRRRY slow motion compared to today’s electronic offerings, so we’ll see how that goes. We’ll go to Salzburg mid-week.
Then, I realized that Dachau is only 30 minutes outside of Munich. And that’s a must in light of history and today’s reality that’s so wrong in so many places. That’s just a Tricia and me venture. We both feel like that comes first, so we’ll go tomorrow. Holly’s already been and the tours we’ve found recommended no one under 14 join. So Flynn and Holly will have a different day and we’ll join up later.
Today the flight was easy, direct from Denver for Holly, Flynn and me and direct from Newark for Tricia.
We joined up at the hotel and then went out and had schnitzel for a late lunch/dinner since none of us had eaten for the day. I mean, Germany, schnitzel was a must at least once. And it was good!
Holly and Flynn then got diverted by shopping and Tricia and I walked, largely re-walking a lot of what she saw earlier when she was waiting for the hotel room to be ready.
This is a beautiful city! One of those European cities (maybe they’re all like this?) where you turn corners and there’s another incredible building to explore. So, the camera was out and my questions started popping.
We’re staying in a great hotel, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kimpinski Munich, booked ages ago so reasonable and right in the midst of Munich. We can walk everywhere! It was opened in 1858 as a hotel and was modern – running water, fast lights and baths, steam engines in the collars for hot water and heating. Pretty cool!
First thing we walked to see, of course, was the Glockenspiel, the only thing I remembered from when I was here with Eli and Kaziah years ago for 3 days when traveling back from visiting Kelly, Jerry and kids in Malta. Here’s a photo, but I’m really hoping I can catch it one of the 3 times per day that it’s open and operating. It takes 15 minutes to tell the story of the 1569 royal wedding of Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine (one of the most expensive and decadent weddings of the Middle Ages), jousting tournament and dance. I can’t wait!
Here’s a website that has an embedded video of the whole thing if you’re really interested 🙂 Munich Glockenspiel – about the Glockenspiel Munichdestination-munich.com
We walked by a statue of Little Red Riding Hood . I wanted to how/why it came about and why there? And – found it! In Atlas Obscura.
We then walked through a small part of the English Garden, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world. It’s fabulous and very well used! We stopped and watched the surfers for a good while, but there were also people in the river, playing volleyball and many more things – including a beer garden that we didn’t even see.
Here’s something Tricia and I both marveled at – a classic demonstration of delayed gratification. This big group, both men and women – college ish aged were standing in a 3 sided square. They were quietly chatting, laughing, and very orderly. A water bottle was in the middle, every one had an open beer bottle at their feet and people in the two longer sides took turns throwing another water bottle at the one in the middle. We must have watched 20-30-more throws? (Tricia kept watching while I took photos of cool old mural panels showing history). Finally as we were walking away, one of the guys managed to hit the water bottle, his side swooped down in synchronized order to grab their beer bottles and drink while someone from the other side raced to the middle, grabbed the thrown bottle, righted the other, and raced back to his side to stop the drinking. Clearly the competition was to see whose side would finish their bottle first. And it was not going to be quick!
This was a quiet small memorial; the translation read: Thanks and recognition to the women who cleared the rubble and the reconstruction generation Munich after 1945, knowing about responsibility. When I read this I was pleased they recognized the women, but…and why was Munich in rubble? (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Munich_in_World_War_II)
And – The Church of Our Lady Munich, built in the 1400’s on top of a much older church. Beautiful and actually really full with a wonderful organ recital happening. Snuck a photo, but we really wanted to keep walking, so I didn’t sit. Plus, the whole giant cross thing hanging from the roof just didn’t call, though the building itself was wonderful light and welcoming.
Fun story about this footprint: According to legend, the famous footprint in teh entrance tall was made by the devil himself. He made a bet with the master builder for his souls, that there would be no windows in the church. Upon return to the aforementioned place, he could not see any windows at first, as they were covered by the columns. Out of joy at the supposed ignorance of the people, he stamped up and left his footprint in the ground. But when the devil took another step forward, he discovered the windows and felt that he had been deceived. Angrily, he turned into wind in order to destroy the building. It’s probably the devil is still trying, because near the cathedral or at the entrance where the footprint is, you tend to feel a slight breeze. And it’s true, there was a breeze at that spot!
Ok, this church was kind of amazing, fantastical art inside, but then you read the story of the young man whose photos were every where. I was using my translation app of these different posters to understand what in the world. It turns out that this young man, only 15 years old, was beatified. Kind of an incredible story. It’s actually kind of hard to find the names of these churches, maybe Church of the Holy Spirit?
Here’s the beginning from Wikipedia, then the link if you want to read more. Worth the time. He was probably an angel or a bodhisattva.
Carlo Acutis (3 May 1991 – 12 October 2006) was an Italian website designer who documented Eucharistic miracles and approved Marian apparitions, and catalogued both on a website he designed before his death from leukaemia.[4] Acutis was noted for his cheerfulness, computer skills, and devotion to the Eucharist, which became a core theme of his life.
He was beatified by Pope Francis on 10 October 2020, and in 2024, his canonization was approved, making him the first millennial to be made a saint.
Yep, jet lag in full force – in the lag perception, wide awake and I could just keep going and I’ve only been here a few hours! Stopping now.
Reb's Walks! 