Auf wiedersehen

Recovered (if possibile) we returned to the city center. A quick cup of McDonald's coffee and a Latte for me put us right in the middle of Munich again. I won a free milkshake so I found the next McDonald's and cashed that baby in. We checked out a bookstore and found an audio bible for kinder. Just what I needed to listen to in order to pick up a little German in my spare time, you know something simple that is familiar and repeatable. It was a beautiful day to walk along the streets. My desire to have a music experience was realized the more we walked around. There was music everywhere on the streets; accordian, violin, flute and one guy had rolled a grand piano out on the square and started playing one of Chopin's Impromptus. We decided to find a place to wait for the Glockenspiel even though we were an hour and 15 minutes early. I think this was the longest we stayed still in any one place since we arrived in Germany. Sherry, afraid there was more to see, took off on her own while I watched our stuff and listened to all the music and activity that was on the Marianplatz. Not only was there music but miming, acting, juggling, magic and all sorts of one acts going on all around that were so entertaining and enjoyable as seen in this picture of Sherry taken while waiting.

Later close to 5:00 pm as we were waiting for the Glockenspiel to play another grand piano appeared right by us with three other people on on the flute (amazing) and a violin and cello. Needless to say many of these people got some of my spare change. I gave partly because of the entertainment provided, partly because of the quality of talent and partly because I hope this profession (or what ever it is for them) continues for anyone who visits this city. It was simply authentic and culturally unique. And then there was the 5:00 performance of the Glockenspiel. It was worth seeing and I videoed the whole thing that lasted about 10 minutes. There were a lot of school groups that made it hard to hear but it was fun to watch and hear the crowds reaction. We had our last dinner there in the inner part of the city and what a way to end the trip...two order of Jaegerschnitzel bitte mit Breze. I think Sherry wanted to cry but held off until we got back to the room. The train back dropped us off about a 10 minute walk from the hotel which was a nice leisurly stroll at night. This basically marked the end of our stay in Germany for tomorrow we fly home.

Dachau

Our second day in Munich was ever so slightly just outside of the city center at a place called Dachau. I thought the crimalnal museum in Rothenburg was disturbing until I saw this. This is by far the most inhumane, evil thing I have ever seen. I took pictures but not enthusiastically and only to show my friends and family the terrible things that were done at this place and many other places like it all over Europe during the war. We spent a considerable amount of time here. Not that there was a lot to see but the audio tour we used captivated our curiosity and left us with a sense of responsibility to give respect to those who endured these conditions and to educate all those around us in a way that such a thing will never happen again.

To many question were raised in my mind here, too many whys and how comes...overwhelmed we decided it was enough. Sherry and I went to a small imbiss just outside of the memorial to have lunch (we could not eat there it just didn't seem right in a place where so many starved to death). We were quiet for sometime after.

A Home made Bavarian Dinner!

On our first night with the Martinis, Peter Martini did some quick research for coo-coo clock shops in the area that may be off the beaten path and thus not have the tourist mark-up. We went on a hunt for these and found one. The clerk spent a little time with us and after looking through their store and catalog decided on purchasing one and having them ship it to us. We left so excited for it was just the right one. We considered it our 25th anniversary gift (I know it was supposed to be a silver anniversary not wood). After seeing the city, we headed to the train to go out to the Martini's for a simply wonderful meal complete with labels of breads, spread and cheeses. We promised not to stay too late but it was hard to go. So much to learn about each other's family but the time must end until we see Jonas again in August. The trip to the hotel was pleasant. The Train dropped us off about 10 minute walk from the hotel which was a nice leisurly stroll for us at night through the city.

300 and I lost count.

We woke to a nice breakfast, a little expensive but worth it considering the options. The car was parked and if we had it to do over we probably would have gone straight to the airport and turned it in.

I know I didn't want to be driving in Munich anymore. We bought a 10 Euro pass that allowed both of us to go anywhere by any public transport anywhere in the city as many times as we wanted. This was great and gave us the freedom to travel about the city as we wanted on our own time schedule.

Oh, we do have a schedule, the Glockenspiel only played at 11,12 and 5. We were going to meat our exchange student and his family around 5 and we wouldn't be able to make the 11 o'clock so 12 it must be. First a quick look at a palace that was close by. This was beautiful and considering the cost of real estate here, one can only imagine the tremendous value. We wanted to stay longer for there was much to see (probably 4 days of stuff) here but a exciting view of the swans and the garden out the back was all we really had time for if we were going to see the Glockenspiel at 12.

So we caught the street car and then the rail from there and watched our map closely for our stop. Our stop never came. Names of places passed where we wanted to go were being announced over the speaker time was running out... Ah what happened? We quickly got off at the next stop and re-oriented ourselves with the map and after some help from the locals we were back on the train going the opposite direction. There was no stop where we thought. We were 15 minutes passed were we need to be and it was 20 minutes til 12. We missed the Glockenspiel. Oh well there was always tomorrow and there was lots to see today. Although over whelmed with so much to see, we decided to take the advise of our hotel clerks suggestions. Open air market first. Here we ate and spent considerable time just walking around amazed at all the little shops, and signs, and food and lots and lots of people. Where did they all come from I kept asking. This wasn't even tourist season. Tired and sensless I ventured up the Alter Peter tower while Sherry did some shoppping. 298, 299, 300 whew. I really didn't count the steps but someone said there were 300+ steps to the top. for me it was a very authentic climb straight up the inside of a tower that over looked the city. Once again Sherry was patient and had correctly calculated the amount of time I would take; just me and my camera poking the lens out the iron grid on a 2' walk around the top to capture some amazing shots of Munich.

A Cook-coo Flute!

Glad to be here in Munich in our hotel, we freshened up a bit and headed out once more to visit the Martins (Jonas' family) and the Munich madness. Back in the car (thinking now we should have got rid of this and taken public transportation around Munich), we were confident (well sort of) of our way. We had printed direction from the hotel, double checked with the hotel clerk (Sebastian) and off we were. It only took one wrong turn and the Munich Madness returned. This time it was un-repairable, we were lost in a sea of intertwining major interstates.

Ah atlast my first Germany phone call; to the police? no; the hotel?...no; 911 (or what ever that is here)? no. But ever so awkward, no other than, guess who... the Martinis! They were waiting for our arrival when they recieved our call. After a few minutes determining our location (down by the soccor stadium, that was kind of cool now that I think of it), Peter (the father), Jonas and his two oldest daughters met us in the middle of Munich to show us the way. How funny we now think but memorable never-the-less. Their house was beautiful and full of warm hospitality. We felt like we had known them our whole lives. We quickly began to get to know each other as if we had to get caught up on a life time of being apart. Jonas played Fur Elise for me perfectly and his youngest daughter, Laura, gave me a coo-coo flute, which I love. Dinner was excellent. Before we left we carefully discussed and mapped our way back home. Uncertain that we were confident and sorry we got lost the first time, Peter drove us to a main intersection from where we should be able to find our way. Having made plans to return tomorrow we parted looking forward to our next visit and a homemade Bavarian dinner. It wasn't long until the Munich madness set in. This time I need not explain our pain, but it was night and all the streets looked the same. Somehow in the midst of the madness we saw our quaint hotel. We crashed, very much tired and no time to blog or share pictures.

Munich Madness

The autobaun to Munich was a great feeling. Open country side, speeding along, no longer lost, beautiful wife by my side and Jason Mraz playing on a Austrian radio station. Both hands on the wheel and shoulder reared back, imagine that.

But what's this traffic slowing on the autobaun? Sherry had fallen asleep for about 20 minutes when we came to a complete stop (like turn your car off stop) in the middle of nowhere on the autobaun. The sun was beaming in my window so I rolled the window down to let some cool air in and I noticed some beautiful scenery once again and made the best of the constuction stopping traffic and got some lovely mountain views right while on the autobaun (not a picture many people would have opportunity to take).

I always get a little nervous when coming into a big city and this was no exception. Munich is big! Remember we have no GPS and only some pre-saved google directions saved on my netbook from the night before. Exits were hard to distinguish and signs were hard to follow (just done ever so slightly from what we are use to). It was the next hour that I call the "Munich madness"...we were not in Rothenburg or Salzburg any more. Our goal, find our hotel. Sound simple? not so.

Once we manage our way through the bigger "autobaun" roads we came to the inner city type road, tiny, one way (both direction.. figure that out), squeezing through oldly named road that changed names often, always with someone right behind you thinking he was still on the autobaun. We passed several streets several times until we were sure we had seen most of Munich unitl almost miraclously we saw a familiar site a quaint looking house like building tucked in the middle of a neighborhood that we had seen many times on the internet when booking. And lovely it was, such a nice place with very friendly help who were passionate about their work. We got a beautiful room, we felt like royalty.

So Long, Farewell.... Salzburg

Time to leave Salzburg. Our stay here was unforgetable and as usual It was hard to go. Sherry had made amazing plans and if she says we did everything we planned (plus the fortress) then I know our stay would be no more complete than if we had stayed another week. Saturday, our first full day in Salzburg, and the day we did the Sound of Music tour, was our ONLY cloudy partially) day with a small bit of rain in the morning. Because of this we decided to return to the "Hills" that we saw during the tour to get a few extra pictures on an absolutely gorgeous day. I warned Sherry that she still had not twirled around on some hill in Austria like Maria. She had hoped I had forgotten but no, this had become my latest passion for a photo. Then there it was, a beautiful, green hill with a snow covered mountain in the backgroud exactly as I imagined it (also close to the filming of a portion of the Do-Re-Me song). We pulled over on the side of the road and if ever there was any hesitation from Sherry it was quickly overcome by my pure excitement of the perfect picture possibility. Got it! Then on our way to Munich and the Autobaun. Wait look check that view out! Oh just one more picture! I don't remember this on the tour we must stop its a great place for a panorama

(justification for bringing my tripod all the way to Germany). Sherry has been so patient, we stopped, and I took pictures for about 30 minutes. After appologizing (because I said I would be quick), she said I figured on 30 or 40 minutes. After getting a couples (Sherry and I) picture we were back on the road. But not so quick. We discovered why we didn't remember this spot. We were lost. It was beautiful country side finding our way back, 15 miles of beautiful country side.