Schwabing scaffolding

The Altstadt isn't the only area with construction in the city. It also appears some very ambitious street artists climbed the scaffolding to decorate the neighboring buildings. And yes, your eyes are not fooled... that's intended to be Michael Jackson.

Freiheit

Many of Munich's subway stations have undergone transformations and modernizations in the past couple years. Here is Münchener Freiheit's interior with its fluorescent hilighter color scheme and reflective ceiling. This is one of the arteries of Schwabing and has been open since May 1972.

A-team

A bit of guerilla marketing appears on a Schwabing street encouraging passersby to call the A-team if they have problems.

Street art isn't widely seen around the city, however advertisers are growing savvy in attempting to find new ways to catch people's attention, in this case as a promotion for an upcoming movie.

Nightlife

Visitors to Munich are sometimes disappointed by the lack of options in going out at night. While entertaining is typically done outside of people's homes and apartments, many bars and restaurants close relatively early. Amazingly even the biergartens close before midnight. The best areas to find something going on tend to be Schwabing, Haidhausen, Maxvorstadt, and the Glockenbachviertel.

And Now Reality Sets in

Four hours after the party began, was the realization that Germany would have to face Spain in the semi-finals of the world Cup. On paper, Spain looks like the top team by far in the tournament. It was the odds-on favorite coming into the event. With that said, Spain has looked shaky in early rounds. We sat outside last night watching the Spain/Paraguay match with a slew of Germans hoping to meet Paraguay in the next round. But after Spain beat Paraguay 1-0, the next match up between the European nations was set. On the opposite bracket, the Netherlands will play Uruguay. Europe was the big flop of the last round, with big names Italy, France & England going out; but with all three teams surviving to this round, it is likely for an all Europe final.

Let the Party Begin

The combination of a dominating 4-0 win vs favored Argentina, temperatures in the 90s, and knowing that Germany made it to the semi-finals or final four made for a party along Leopoldstrasse. Germany has proven throughout the World Cup that when their team shows up to play, they can pound opponents with a punishing offensive threat. As usual, Leopoldstrasse is where the biggest party in town is, and hundreds of thousands of people shut down a 2-mile stretch of the Munich thoroughfare. You could barely move throughout the crowds and the sea of the black, red, and yellow was enough to make anyone feel patriotic.

Heat Wave

And then…out of no where…the sun struck with vengence.  What a difference a few days make, where temperatures in Munich are hitting close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. All of a sudden, the city is packed, tourists are flowing on double decker busses with the top down, and everyone flocks to the parks.  I caught this photo early in the morning, before anyone showed up to Luitpold park.  My suggestion is to find a spot in the shade, pick up a beer at the beer garden, and fall asleep resting assured that the Munich we all came to loathe (rainy) will be back later this week.  One of my favorite places to just hang out at a beer garden is the one pictured here, in Luitpold Park (near Olympic Park).  At the old Baumberger Haus, you find a nice beer garden with lovely lounge chairs and a nice park for the kids.  You also find a Mexican & Brazilian restaurant in the bottom of this century old mansion, while outside you can gaze at the richly decorated facade with flower garlands, mussels, and mysterious faces.

Ahhhh. Spring

Welcome to the best time of the year in Munich.  I know, you always hear about Octoberfest and the wonderful Christmas markets, and maybe even the ski season.  They are all very nice, but nothing compares to Munich in the Spring – as this is where you can really do things outside.  This is when you can hike the alps, when you could talk to locals at neighborhood cafes (as pictured), and this is when you can visit thousands of beer gardens around the region – each one unique and with its own character.  So after a long and endless Winter, Spring has arrived in Munich.

High Rent District

Rent prices in Munich were listed far above any other city in Munich by a market research firm.  Munich was listed at 11.15 euro per sq. meter - a full 2 euros higher than the second place city, Frankfurt, and 3 euros higher than the third place city, Stuttgart.  Cologne, and Hamburg rounded out the top 5.  Berlin actually was listed in 11th place at 5.66 per euro.  A global economic crisis, and a building boom over the past few years that added more than 20,000 apartments in Munich have done little to lower prices in the area.

Man About Town

It’s a bit ironic, in fact, that the man labeled “Walking Man” has spent his entire Munich Existence in one place – at the entrance to the Munich RE company, which commissioned the project. He did, however do some travel from his California birthplace, where he was made in sections at the La Paloma factory in Sun Valley, and then assembled (great photos here) in Munich. Made of a steel interior, and a fiberglass skin, the statue even includes a staircase inside which enabled the builders to assemble it piece by piece. Today, and for the past 12 years, it is a Munich Landmark on Leopoldstrasse.

Shopping in the Hood

One of my favorite neighborhood markets is the Elisabethmarkt, located in Schwabing. It's a mix of permanent and make shift stalls where you can get your daily dose of fruit, vegatibles, and breads. The market was created in 1931 at Elisabethplatz, which was named after the Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria. At the Northeast corner of the market is a pavilion called the Milk Hut, which was built by the physician and teetotaller (someone who practices abstinence from alcohol) Carl Brendel, who supervised the distribution of milk every morning. His priority was "keeping the poison of alcohol from the people" Yet in the end, he wasn't so successful as it's now repurposed as a beer garden restaurant known as the Wintergarden.

(Bus)ting Out!

In the spirit of the MVV motto "1 network, 1 timetable, 1 ticket," (that really is their motto - I'm not making that up) I thought it was time to share a ride on the local bus. I've shown the U & S-bahn trains and stations many times, and the bus system is just as impressive. In most cases, the busses run every 5-10 minutes during the day, and they make travel quite easy, as they show a video screen of the next several stops and generally annouce the street name on approach. And as all things German, clean, efficient, and generally on time. The only disadvantage over the trains this time of year is waiting out in the cold. Ohter than that, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Back at the Markets

I just can't seem to stay away from the Munich markets. This time, I visited the Schwabing Munchener Freiheit market, which is one of my favorites as it really shows a variety of local arts and crafts. Apparently, the idea of a Christmas markets dates back to the 14th century in Munich with origins around the Frauenkirche. Amazingly, what is sold today doesn't differ that much from the original - gingerbread, glassware, and bees wax candles. I'm told that the Kripperlmarkt in downtown Munich specializes in nativity scenes and accessories as well, something that has been developed in Munich since the 1500s. It's fun to get so much enjoyment out of a tradition that started centruries ago.

On A Road to Nowhere

Saturday the much anticipated, much hyped new tram line 23 took off on its maiden ride up Leopodstrasse into the Milbertshofen neighborhood. Despite being a tremendous fan of public transportation, I have to say I don't really understand this new tram line. It runs for only 2.5 km from Munchener Freiheit to the middle of a new development just outside the second ring road. The entire trip is expected to take about 8 minutes. What really doesn't make sense is the fact that you need to transfer onto another line to get into the center of the city, that it runs a distance that most Europeans aren't afriad to walk, and it somehow comes up short from reaching Euro Industrial Park, one of the largest shopping centers in and around Munich. One of its only redeaming factors is the interesting "Gaudi-like" tram stop and the very nice renovation of the Munchener Freiheit station. I just wish it didn't shut down traffic for two years to make it.

Saying "I do" in Style

I came across this wedding party outside the Munich Standesamt Schwabing on Mandlstrasse 14 (also known as Mandl Wedding Hall Road), or the Wedding Registry Office. I'm told that the building is quite the place for nuptuals in Munich, with its Greek columns out front, its storybook street and neighborhood, and its ground lining the English Gardens. I love this area of town, with small winding streets, following the flow of the English Gardens through Schwabing. It seems on every street, you have houses from the late 1800s or early 1900s, many of them cottages or large estates. What's more, even though it's in busy schwabing, the surrounding streets isolate it from any ongoing traffic.

Munich's Fairy Tale Theatre

Located in the heart of Schwabing, Munich's Schauburg theater is the only children's and young people's theatre in Western Germany with its own dedicated space and performers. Originally called "Munchner Marchenbuhne" the Munich Fairy Tale Theatre, it was founded in 1953, but taken over by the city in 1969 and later transformed from a movie house to a full-functioning stage for performances. Now the theatre's young cast & crew puts on more than 300 performances per year, some brought out into classes & kindergartens. The auditorium itself can be transformed as well into large or small stages, which are used even as a circus arena for special events.

Big Man On Campus

With 80,000 University students in Munich, Monday means it's back to school for a large percent of the population. There are two major universities in Munich - LMU, founded in 1472 in Ingolstadt and is now a leading research center in Germany; and the Technical University of Munich, specializing in architecture, engineering, economics and medicine. Then you have the University of Applied Sciences, voted the best practical university by the German Centre of University development, which focuses on applying sciences to practice. Or you will also find the Royal Academy of Arts, which was founded in 1770, focusing on painting, graphics, sculpture, and architecture. But then there are hundreds of smaller shcools around town - everything from film, to art, to theatre. Thanks to Luca for pointing out that the protests around Universties in Munich and Germany continue to intensify, with the students demanding "Education for All," asking for better conditions in classrooms. 5000-7000 students marched around the city and continue to ocuppy several campus buildings around Munich, and at schools around Germany and Austria.

Munich's Mystic Side

So what do you suppose happens at an Esoteric tradeshow? I came across this billboard in the Schwabing neighborhood, and I'm not sure I get it. Which I guess is no surprise when you look at the definition, and it says "that which is available only to a narrow circle of enlightened, initiated, or specially educated people." I guess I'm not that person, but with over 150 vendors coming to Munich, it's quite clear that many of the Munich locals do in deed get it. In fact, I've seen quite a few organization focused on the esoteric around Munich. Apparently there is no shortage of Munich locals who slant to the slightly mystical.

Higher Learning

So this is one of those situations where the translation of German news doesn't quite give the entire story, but as far as I can tell students have taken over the Academy of Arts in Munich. I don't think it was a hostile takeover in the form of the riots that took place in Paris several years ago (that's just not Munich style), but here's what I can put together from the news. It was a movement that came out of Vienna, Austria, focused on cheap or free education for all students as a God-given right. Whenever students start talking about God-given rights or having the same protection as their parents, I know we are in Europe. There have been banners of "Burn the University" outside (see additional items in the photo), which would be a real shame as the building and the school was founded in 1808 by Maximilian I of Bavaria, and is one of the oldest and most signifincant art academies in Germany and certainly at the heart of the Art Nouveu movement that was so influential in Munich. If you know more details, please share.

Speed Demons

About the only thing moving slow on Ludwigstrasse is the planned renovation of the University church, Ludwigskirche. Although the renovation was supposed to complete by now, a discovery of Asbestos, has delayed the reopening until at least Palm Sunday, 2010. The church is an icon along one of Munich's busiest streets, with its neo-romanesque style and two arches. The church also is said to have the largest altar fresco in the world. Like most of this part of the city, it was commissioned by King Ludwig I and built in 1829. The church then became the model for many other churches around the world, including the Alterchenfelder Pfarrkirche in Vienna, the St. George's Episcopal church in New York City, the Bowdoin College Chapel in Brunswick Maine, and the Congregational church of the pilgrims in Brooklyn. I was hoping that the delayed work inside would have prompted the University to white-wash the outside, as the spectacular facade looks quite neglected, but no sign of that as of yet.