Tropical Snow Storm

Talk about out of place, were the flamingos in the snow today at the Tierpark Hellabrunn Munich Zoo. Although you expected to see the flamingos in some tropical paradise, they didn’t seem phased by the cold, snowy weather in Munich. In fact, they were one of the liveliest animal groups at the zoo, as attendance seemed to be at a crawling pace. The Munich Zoo, which sits on the banks of the Isar river, has its roots all the way back to 1770 as the Bavarian dukes set up parks in Nympenburg with exotic animals. Despite several false starts, the parks were generally for the aristocrats and eventually failed with little public support. It wasn’t until 1911, at the grand opening of the Hellabrunn zoo, that Munich citizens finally adopted the zoo as their own. The zoo found international success as the first geo-based zoo in the world, clustering animals based upon which continent they lived. That mapping still applies today, although it was a bit difficult to see that as we got lost with the map. The zoo survived WWI and reopened under Heinz Heck, who was known for breeding animals in captivity; but the zoo came under fire when in the 30s it cross bred several species to bring animals back from extinction. WWII put an end to just about everything in Munich including the zoo, and it finally opened for the third and last time in 1945. Today, the zoo is still known worldwide as a center for breeding in captivity, and more than 1 million visitors come to the zoo every year. And on a warmer afternoon, it’s a wonderful place to wonder and explore.

Local Color

This post is about exceptions. Munich and graffiti don’t really seem to go together. You see the locals gasp as a train rolls by with a random tag. They gasp because it doesn’t happen all that often. Munich always seems a bit white washed. But there are a few areas you can find some great graffiti around town. Probably one of the biggest collections is in the Kultfrabric club warehouse area. You can also find a lot of graffiti at the abandoned Munich airport at Riem. And another good spot is tumblingerstrasse, where it crosses the train tracks. Finally, a few other places include the old (sometimes abandoned) structures of the Olympic park, and along the banks of the Isar (like this photo). Apparently, Munich has legalized graffiti at many of these places, taking graffiti from a protest art form to a commercial enterprise bringing their artists international attention. And the results are outstanding, giving artists a new-found freedom and creativity.

University Living – At Its Finest

Nearly a year ago I introduced you to the student housing at the Olympic village. Nearly 40 years ago, the city built a multi-use, multi-format living space for more than 10,000 athletes. Today, that living space is used by more than 10,000 residents. At the time I shared the story, the student housing was being demolished for more suitable accommodations. You see, the student housing was only 2 floor bungalows, in the midst of 15 story apartment buildings. Each unit was customized by those living there, and you had an amazing mish mash of colors and social commentary on the walls. I have to imagine this was an amazing place to live. Each unit was the ground floor, a bed room upstairs and a terrace. All the alley ways between were only 6 feet across, and I have to imagine it was party central. I had forgotten about these units, Until I saw a few of them placed at Lenbachplatz as part of an exhibit and then saw them posted at the blog Olliinmunich. So party on, Munich!

Dog Day Afternoon

I came across this (very fast) dog out on the lawn between the Old and the New Pinakotek museums. I’m not sure I would have given the mut much notice, if it wasn’t for the baseball bat swinging owner giving the dog a bit of exercise. He’s would hit the ball out, and the dog would race like crazy to collect the ball. I didn’t ask, but a baseball bat in Munich is about as foreign as a vegetarian at a bratwurst party. So I wondered, did some crazy Americans transport their pastime to Munich. And there happens to be a semi-pro baseball league throughout Germany. Best I can tell is it’s about the level of a decent University ball game in the states. The Munich team is the Ambassadors, and they play on what’s described as the most beautiful field in all of Bavaria on Säbener Strasse in the south end. Founded in 1992 after a Munich local spent a good time in the states and caught the baseball bug. The team has been met with mixed results through the years. The team seems to still be active, but now perhaps they spend their time hitting to the dogs

Testing The Waters

Munich is expected to see snow the rest of the week, but on the weekend it was a bit of a tropical paradise, with temperatures rising up to nearly 50 degrees. Of course, all the skaters have gone home, but that doesn’t stop the curious from testing out the thickness (or thinness, depending on how you look at it) of the ice. This seemed like a consistent pattern out at Schoss Schleishiem, where kids would explore the ice and parents would hold on from solid ground. Long since past are the constant pleas from the Red Cross to stay off the frozen lakes. At this point, it’s all up to the individuals…and their parents of course.

Putting a Happy Face on the Situation

Continuing along yesterday’s theme of economics, it looks like the Viktualien Market’s Schranne hall (in the background of this photo) is nearly bankrupt. Despite a search for new investors or a new tenant, this has come up empty lately. The Schranne Hall is a mix of restaurants and cafes, retail, and concert hall. We have spent many evenings there for salsa dancing or an easy way to hear live music, and it’s a great multi-purpose hall in the heart of downtown. In march, the hall has already scheduled Salsa night, Austria Night, as well as live broadcasts of Bundesliga. But now its future is up in the air. The Schranne’s most prominent tenant is Hacker Pschorr Keller, a restaurant and beer hall.

Your Days are Numbered

Just when I thought Munich would show no signs of slowdown because of the economic crisis, I’m starting to see weakness all around. For a long time, the only damaged franchise in Munich was Hypo Real Estate (part of the German $50 Billion bailout plan), but now the economic crisis is starting to hit Munich’s premier brand – BMW. I’ve tried to find sales figures of BMW cars with little success. But today, Automag Buchner, one of Munich’s oldest dealers of BMWs – selling cars since 1919, is filing for bankruptcy and closing many of its dealerships around Munich. Despite lengthy negotiations with BMW, the statement from the head office is that they treat all partnerships equal and can not provide breaks for any specific dealers. So for now, it seems an end of an era for BMW sales in Munich.

Secret Garden

As the sun came out and began the great thaw of Munich, I discovered this great secluded courtyard on the backside of the Fünf Höfe shopping center in central Munich. On a sunny day this would make a nice retreat from the crowds only meters away, but today it was completely desolate. That’s one of the great things about Munich, all of its hidden courtyards, alleyways, and streets that make it Munich. I suppose that’s true of any city, but it seems that Munich architects take this into account in their designs. Other hidden treasures that I’ve come across include the outskirts of the English Garden – beyond the Chinese Tower and Seehaus, where public park blends into rural forest. I also like the Wehrsteg and Auf der Insel, which line the Isar River. And in the center of the Altstadt, there are endless little corridors – each with their own unique shops and galleries. Finally, I love the small streets in Schwabing that line the edge of the English Garden (like those around the riding school), each with their traditional buildings that spill out into the park. If you have others, let us know of them. We promise not to ruin your secret gardens around Munich.

Snow Falling on Karolinen

And while the snow was falling in the mountains, there was no shortage of it in Munich either, as the sudden flurry here shows. This seems to be the snowiest Winter that many locals can remember in Munich, but I have yet to see any statistics to prove it. Behind the couple, you see the 95-foot black Obelisk, designed by the architect to King Ludwing I, Leo von Klenze, who also created the Residence. Made from melted cannons, the monument erected in 1833 the more than 30,000 Bavarian soldiers who died in Napoleon’s campaign against Russia. The Obelisk is the centerpiece for Karolinenplatz, a large platz that was originally designed to be Odeonsplatz. It is now the heart of the Maxvorstadt neighborhood, and home to several old Bavarian mansions. The most notable is number 5, which once housed the Bruckmann family, home to a wealthy printer who introduced Adolf Hitler to the Industrialist and bankers who provided substantial financial support for the Nazi regime (as this was the center of Nazi Munich). Ironically, today those buildings are now home to bank offices, rather than the bankers themselves, and one of the buildings now houses the America House, which focuses on promoting American culture in Bavaria.

The Best Ski Hut on the Mountain

On Monday, I showed you a picture from the sky of the Bavarian Alps. Today, I decided to show you a scene from the other direction – this time from the Alps. We had the opportunity to spend a few days in the Tirolian Alps (sorry for post delays, but wireless was hard to come by), which is just over the Austrian border and centers around Kitzbuhel. This is where Tyrol meets, the region of Salzburg, and Bavaria. Without traffic, it would normally take you about 90 min to reach this part of the Alps from Munich (but note that traffic can occasionally be very rough). We had 5 days of straight snow, and then a beautiful sunny day. This photo is of the ski resort Steinplatte, which has about 35 KM of ski area – mostly easy and moderate level. As locals tell it, the Stallenalm Ski Hut (pictured) is the best on the mountain, and I can tell you not many complaints from the hundreds of guests – especially on such a great sunny day. The resort gets crowded, as the gondola can transport more than 2500 people up the mountain within an hour, but with wide open runs and endless hidden ones, it can swallow up crowds quite easily. While there, look for Stiegl, the beer made in Salzburg. It’s one of the best around.

Fat Tuesday

In the heart of Roman Catholic Germany, Fat Tuesday (or betster known as Fasching) is now coming to an end with a blowout party at the viktualienmarkt and most of downtown. Most Munich employees are given the afternoon off to take part in the festivities, and if they weren’t you can bet they would skip work anyway. This is the second largest party of the year, after Octoberfest. Fasching literally means the fast, and last up until Ash Wednesday. More than 100 balls have taken place around Munich over the past 10 days. Although it’s no match for the world’s larger celebrations – like Carnival in Rio or in Venice, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans; well over 100,000 revelers join the party on Tuesday. Over the years, the celebration has expanded beyond Germany’s Roman Catholic core and is now celebrated through much of Germany.

Up, Up…and Away

In honor of the Bavarian school holidays going on last week and this week, I thought I would share a photo for all the people getting out of town. This particular photo was taken (from an airplane, of course) looking South on an approach to Munich. You can see much of the Bavarian Alps, somewhere around the ski resort town of Garmish and Brenner Pass. Garmish is well known for hosting the 1936 Olympics and is a bid city for the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Brenner Pass is the lowest (1370 m) and easiest of the Alpine passes. Perhaps you made it away this week? Did a little skiing in the mountains? If you did, you were quite fortunate as the Bavarian Alps received 5 straight days and several meters of fresh snow.

Absolut Abstract...Again

After months of lines that go around the block, one of the most successful exhibits in Munich history is about to move onto Paris. The Lenbach haus, which is already well known for showing off the work of the Blue Riders, a group of artists fundamental to the rise of Expressionism in the beginning of the 20th century, has been hosting the exhibit Absolute Abstract. The exhibit is a retrospective of the work of Wassilly Kandinsky, and follows the tremendous metamorphosis in his painting – from deep, bold colors draped across landscapes, to that of the blue Rider where he was deeply influenced by music and expressive color masses, and finally to geometric forays at the end of his long career. Kandinsky once said of his love for music in the brush strokes, "Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammer, the soul is the piano with the strings." Good news for anyone who may have missed the exhibit, it has been extended to March 8. A single ticket gets you into the Italian Villa - Lenback Haus, as well as the Kunstbau, which is oddly enough in the entry of the Konigsplatz U-bahn station. If you want to experience Munich art, then this is what it’s most famous for – and this is by far the best exhibit I’ve seen in Munich.

Back on the Canals

It seems Munich has had snow for the past 10 days. It just keeps coming down. But during a break from the snow, and a splash of sun I caught these three skating along the canals at Schloss Oberschlesien. In the background, you see Lustheim Palace, one of the three palaces, this one set in a garden villa in Italian style. The building was constructed by Enrico Zuccalli in 1684 for his first wife, the Austrian princess Maria Antonia. The interior is dominated by a large banqueting hall in the middle of the building. Since 1968, the palace houses a grand collection of Meissen porcelain. Just next to the palace is the Renautus Chapel, which was built at the same time as the palace. Encircling the Palace is a canal crossed by six bridges. It was amusing to watch the skaters make laps around the palace. The only problem was that they had to step off the ice at every bridge, and walk across, as there is only a couple feet between the water and the bottom of the bridges.

Stained Glass Story Tellers

With all the historic churches in Munich, there’s no shortage of stained glass. This example is from Saint Johannis Church in Haidhausen. Although stained glass has origins centuries back starting with the Egyptians and Romans, it started to be used in churches around the 4th and 5th centuries. And no surprise, Munich has a bit of history (albeit short) in making stained glass. The Royal Bavarian Stained Glass Manufactory started making stained glass in 1827, and continued into the 20th century. Along with its major competitor, Franz Mayer, both students from the Royal Art Institute in Munich, they developed what is called the “Munich Style” of painting on relatively large glass panels. As the story goes, Franz Mayer ran a school of crippled children. When they graduated at 15, there were no job opportunities for these children. So Mayer founded his studio to provide work for these young people and at times had more than 100 working on church windows. That glass went on to churches all over the world, and Munich as well.

Battle of the Bulge

Despite the launch of several high profile, government sponsored, programs to fight obesity, Germany still ranks as the fattest country in Europe. Based upon a study by the International Association for the Study of Obesity, it reports that Germans have the most overweight men and women and now matches the rate of the US. The study found that 75% of men and 59% of women were overweight (with a body mass index of 25+). The UK came close for women and the Czech Republic came in second for men. No surprise, a culture of beer and fatty foods are to blame, coupled with a non-active lifestyle. The school system has also come under fire for reducing physical education programs and serving low cost foods with high processed sugars. But the impact is tremendous, with an estimated $90 million a year. The only silver lining was that Germany was not the highest in rates of obesity (classified as a BMI above 30). Greece, the UK and several Eastern Europe countries take the cake for that one.

Don't be a Schwarzfahrer!

That’s the name for a Fare Dodger in these parts of Munich. I’ve talked about the honor system on the Munich S and U-bahn train and bus system. But is it really an honor system if they check? That sounds more like a “fear of getting caught” system. I used to keep all my old monthly passes, thinking that if I ever forgot to buy the updated version and got caught on the 2nd day of the month, they would see that I was a regular (legitimate) customer and not give me the 40-60 euro fine. Then I heard of a friend getting fined for a week long ticket that expired at noon. It was 10 minutes after noon when she was caught, and she thought the ticket was valid throughout the day. Now I buy the next month’s ticket several days before the end of the month. The “fear of getting caught” system is working on me. The Deutschebahn police have been out in force for the past few months, and I’ve seen undercover agents checking at least once per week. It’s a bit unnerving to have the undercover agents check, because they flash a card and ask for a ticket, but they don’t seem to have any badge or identification visible. Despite the uneasiness, like all the other Germans, I follow along and show my (valid) ticket.

Schneemann!

As temperatures dropped to -17C below in Munich and the sky became darker by the minute, we had one of the wettest, coldest, and honestly the most dreary days since we arrived in Munich. The snow didn’t stop falling all day, and then melted off several times into endless puddles of slush. In the end, it was a perfect day to stay inside and watch the sport of biathlon, which seems to be on Eurosport every day right now. But in my one trip out of the apartment, I found this lone snowman, which made me laugh. The rough weather didn’t seem to slow many people down though. Munich is really built around this weather, and the fact that the entire city is relatively flat and a great train system certainly helps with traffic flow. The skies are supposed to clear and be a mix of sun and snow for the next few days – but the cold weather will remain.

The Olympic Legacy

More than 37 years after Munich hosted the summer Olympics, the city is in the mix again as a bid for the 2018 Olympics – this time the Winter Olympics, teaming up with Garmisch-Partenkirchen as a bid city. If Munich is to win the bid, it would be the first city ever to host both summer & winter Olympic competitions. This view from the Olympiadorf tower shows some of the legacy from Munich’s Olympic games – the Olympic Village, an area that today houses more than 10,000 residents. Despite the concrete buildings, the area proclaims itself as a green oasis. That’s quite a contrast from the descriptions of “concrete citadel” and “ghost city” when it was built as the only split level community in the world with separate areas for cars and pedestrians. Today Munich is still represented as one of the few cities that can point to benefits from the Olympics years after the event. Munich is thought of as one of the finalists for the event, although the IOC (which selects the city in 2011) has been very reluctant to pick two consecutive Olympics on the same contient (Sochi, Russia hosts 2014). Other candidate cities include Harbin, China; Pyeongchang, South Korea; as well as several cities in France.

Fasching is Back

Bavaria’s version of carnival kicked off today with the Fasching parade. Like its Brazilian counterpart, it’s filled with high spirits, more than 100 balls (from the classical evening dress to the colorful costume), and enough alcohol to fuel a mini-Octoberfest. Unlike it’s Brazilian counterparts, you see much less sunshine, tanned skin, and Samba dancing. Many events lead up to “Mad Munich” on Feb. 22nd – 23rd, and Shrove Tuesday on Feb. 24th. During each of these events, the Viktualienmarkt becomes party central – with thousands of people, and stages with live music litter the Altstadt – including Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz, and Karlsplatz. It is the largest party in Munich after the Octoberfest. For those of you new to Munich…enjoy the party.

Happy Valentine's Day

Were you struggling for a little romance on Valentine’s Day? Like most western holidays, the city of Munich is not overrun by Valentine’s day. You could see signs of it in the shops throughout downtown, and a good line up at the chocolate shops today. But there was no shortage to interest couples. There are a few Munich mainstays that I find romantic any time of the year, such as the restaurant atop the Olympiadorf with views as long as the eye could see, or a drink atop the Bayersherhof Blue Spa overlooking the rooftops of the Altstadt. If you prefer some daytime romance take a nice walk through the Hofgarden at the Residence, or the parkland around Nymphenburg Palace. One evening that I think is amazing any time is a couple’s swim at the art deco Volksbad pool, a dinner in nearby Haidhausen (where you will find the city’s best restaurants), and then a movie across the street at the Museum Lichtspiele where the theatres each seat about 30 people. Grab two big German beers and enjoy the show together. If you wanted something special today though, there were also a lot of choices. You could pick “the Fairy Queen” based upon Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” or the London Symphony Orchestra, or a piano recital (both at the Gasteig - see yesterday's post) focused on Handel, Mozart, Chopin, and Brahms. Finally, for those mixing meals with music – “A Gourmet Klassik” combined chamber music by the Goldnagl Ensemble with lunch by acclaimed chef Alfons Schuhbeck. And if all else fails, it’s Saturday. Take a nighttime skate at the Nymphenburg canal. The lights and the music will sure to be romantic tonight.

Munich’s Cultural Monstrosity

In a great example of art NOT imitating life, Munich packs one of its greatest cultural treats into one of its ugliest buildings. The massive Gasteig Cultural Center housed on Rosenheim Hill in the edge of Haimhausen, hosts more than 1700 events per year. The brick and glass complex opened in 1985 to very mixed reactions from city locals, but today houses five performance halls (including the philharmonic which houses 2400 people), the Richard Strauss Music Conservatory, adult education center, and even the largest Munich municipal library, which is one of the largest libraries in Munich. Look for large Munich events like the Long Night of Music and the Munich Film Festival there this year.

Snow in the Salvator

Snow in the SalvatorIn the architectural feat that is the Fünf Höfe (or Five Courtyards), you have one of Munich’s latest shopping arcades, which opened in 2003. Each courtyard represents its own character, and this part of Salvator passage (shown in the photo) opens to the sky and lets the snow flow in. In another courtyard, 10 meter long ivies hang from the ceiling. Another sports pulsating lights. The endless passages are a modern version of what exists throughout Munich’s altstadt – and that is a maze of hidden passages with unique shopping around every turn. At one time, the area used to be Munich’s central banking district, and the outside still shows the 19th century stone, while the inner walls are made of steel and glass. As various banks merged into one, it wasn’t long before the entire area belonged to HypoVereinsbank. When Hypo moved out in 1998 to offices outside of downtown, the space was transformed into a modern center for shopping, restaurants, cafes, galleries, office space and residential apartments.

Peace Among the Madness

Trying to find the core of the parkland that surrounds Nymphenburg Palace is a bit more difficult than you would expect. Nymphenburg palace is surrounded by a 200-hectare parkland that in some places is quite peaceful, in others is a bit conflicted. But this conflict is played out in history. The gardens started as an Italian garden in 1671, but was later enlarged and rearranged by a French pupil of Le Notre. Finally, in the 19th century, the gardens were redesigned once more in an English Manner. Although original characteristics like the Baroque garden were preserved, today the gardens have hints of Chinese in the Pagodenburg, baroque in the Badenburg Pavillion, and rocoocoin in the Amalienburg hunting lodge

Absolut Munich

This image provides so much insight into life in Munich. The street, located in Haidhausen, couldn’t be any more normal. A few shops, a few businesses, and a few restaurants. The rest is residential, almost a bit boring. But there is nothing boring about the mix of entertainment options in Munich over the next few months. This summer, Madonna is playing the Olympic Stadium (that’s the big one, used for the opening ceremonies for the Olympics in 1972) as part of her Sticky and Sweet tour. Contrast Madonna with a Munich icon, Franz von Stuck and the Villa Stuck, currently showing a Stuck retrospective highlighting paintings that show both the heavens and hell. This particular image shown is appropriately called “inferno.” Diagonal, you find an image from one of the most successful Munich art exhibits in years – Abstract Kandinsky. Kandinsky rose to popularity about the same time as Stuck, and if you visit the two museums today, you would swear they are cross-town rivals (an Italian villa of Lenbach Haus in Maxvorstadt vs an Art Nouveu mansion in Bogenhausen). Finally, if none of those peak your interest, perhaps you should try musical theater? Unfortunately, no less dark than the inferno I’m afraid – as Sweeney Todd kills and robs all of his customers. Nothing subtle or boring about those choices.

Through the gates of Hell(es)

For one of Munich’s best known landmarks, the Isartor, it’s really quite difficult to understand how it stood in history. One thing that is clear is that the Isartor made up one of the main city gates, along with Sendlingertor and Karlstor, which were built in the 1300s. What I struggled to understand is how these gates were all connected. It appears there was a wall surrounding the Altstadt, but that is a bit unclear. The Isartor, seems to be one of the best preserved of the gates, consisting of the tall main tower with the gateway itself in front flanked by smaller towers on either side. The fresco, which was painted in 1835 depicts King Ludwig’s triumphal entry following his victory over Friedrich the Handsome of Austria. Of course, with everything in Munich – it suffered significant damage in WWII and was restored in 50-70s.

Securing the World and Heavens Above

This photo was taken from the roof of the Bayerischer Hof hotel in central Munich, where a security conference is happening that is hosting US Vice President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and many other global leaders. Munich seemed to be Biden’s first major diplomatic target as he used the security conference to give his most critical foreign policy speech to date. In this case, Biden made it clear that the US would continue its missile defense, but left the window open to talks with Russia – stating “"It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia." Of course, this particular photo was taken long ago, as there was no way to get past the 3500 protesters, the lines of military police, and the barricade around the building. I’ve mentioned the hotel several times, as it’s one of the most exclusive in the city, and has a rooftop patio with what I believe is the best view in town. I’d suggest trying it out, some time when it’s a bit more accessible.

Burning Bridges

In the north end of the English Gardens, just before you reach the second ring road, is a pedestrian bridge over the Isar River. The Saint Emmeram Bridge is in an amazing setting, with what seems like endless parkland and paths in either direction; and the bridge itself is architecturally beautiful – sort of one with its surroundings. The bridge is loved by locals and visitors. Apparently, not everyone thought so as it was torched in 2002, completely destroyed, and then rebuilt and reopened around 2004. The act of arson was viewed as a local tragedy and made many of the local newspapers’ front pages. You can read more about it here. As for the saint, Emmeram was a Bishop from the Bordeaux region of France, who became a missionary in Bavaria.

Swine Fest

I have never understood Germany’s obsession with pigs. Like the cow in India, it seems like a revered animal. But apparently that fascination doesn’t end in Germany. Pork is consumed more than any other meat in the world, making up 39% of the world’s total meat consumption, compared to 28% for poultry, and 27% for beef, according to Pig International (I’m not joking. This is a real organization). Germany is the third largest producer and the fourth largest consumer of pork, surprisingly behind Denmark, Spain, and China. And just this past month at LMU – the University of Munich – two faculty produced a genetically engineered pig. For this first time, their cells have been modified to protect them from destruction by human killer cells. The experiment was critical to reduce the rejections during organ transplant, something that occurred enough to cause 1000 deaths last year in Germany. In the end, the image I show to you is simply a sign, one of a posh pig, which illustrates this love for pigs and the payoff from this fascination.

Shadow Boxing

A fun view of the Lichtspielhaus (or light play house) that casts shadows for all passing by. The exhibit is part of the Kid’s Kingdom at the Deutsches Museum, where there is more than 1000 ways for kids age 3-9 to learn and gain knowledge of science. And the best part, is it’s all hands-on. In there, you will find a fire engine that kids can drive, life size legos, all sorts of computers and musical instruments, including a guitar that kids can walk in while it’s being played. For other age sets, you have Treasure Hunts, science workshops, glass blowing, flight school, and one of the oldest steam locomotives.

Dividing Lines

In the heart of Bavaria there is outrage over Pope Benedict’s lifting of the excommunication of bishop Richard Williamson, who denies the extent of the holocaust. It seems a strange move by the Pope, who grew up in Marktl am Inn, a village near the Austrian border, and later became the archbishop of Munich & Freising (this photo from inside the Frauenkirchen). More than 60 years after the end of WWII, Germans are struggling to come to terms with the holocaust, when Nazis killed more than 6 million European Jews. In no place is that struggle more apparent than in Munich and Bavaria, where the Nazi party was founded and where the concentration camp Dachau is a constant reminder of its past. Even Chancellor Angela Merkel jumped into the fray of criticizers. One editorial said “The pope has made a serious mistake. That he is a German pope makes the matter especially bad.” Another said, the pope is “inflicting great damage on Germany.” So after several days of criticism, the pope said he had no idea of Williamson’s statements, and demanded that he take his comments back.

Market Fresh

Yesterday I came across an apple from Chile. And it made me wonder what the economics were of shipping crates of apples across the world, when you have quite a supply locally. Last time I checked, Germany produced quite a few apples. As a matter of fact, they are the world’s 8th largest apple producer (two higher than Chile by the way), and the third largest producer of Apple juice. However, over the past 10 years, production in Germany and other developed countries has been slowly reducing while demand for both apples and apple juice is increasing. Emerging countries like Chile and Poland are beginning to pick up the slack. Well in Munich, if you ever want to buy locally, go to the Viktualienmarkt, where I found this French stand – shipped the long distance of two hours from the Alsace region. At this particular stand, you will find no shortage of your cheeses (as pictured), breads, wines or Fois gras. Nearly all other stands are straight up Bavarian.

At a Crossroads

It appears that the debate over a high-speed Airport/downtown connection may go on longer than the construction of the new line itself. 9 months after voting down a magnetic high-speed train, which would have been the pride of Germany yet cost locals more than $6 billion, the debate lingers about the best way to connect the airport to the city center. The trip on current S-bahn lines takes about 45 minutes, seemingly a little too long to get drivers off the roads. After several traffic studies, there still is not a decision on how to proceed. Some ideas include a non-stop S-bahn train along the S-8 line, which would shave at least 15 min off the trip. Other ideas include leveraging the high speed ICE (Inner City Express) trains that Germany is famous for to link the airport to all of the surrounding routes. The plan would include several new tunnels, and rack up a cost of about $2.6 billion. So for the time being, we continue to sit in our cars and battle through the highway 9 construction.

Yesterday Meets Today

In this photo, you see one of the amazing historical facts about Munich, that it was a city that changed forever during the end of WWII. You see the Alte pinakothek with its entire mid-section replaced many years after the recovery from the allied bombing near the end of WWII. More than 40% of the city was destroyed as a result of the bombing, and actually most monuments that you see today in Munich, actually weren’t rebuilt until the 60s, 70s, or even 80s. So that is history, but what about toda?. Well today, I can tell you of an exciting new development, and that is that Munich finally realized that locals stay out past 6 pm on weeknights – and therefore decided to keep museums open late. The Alte Pinakothek is open til 8 on Tuesdays, Neue til 8 on Wed, and the Modern on Thursdays. The Haus of Kunst is open til 8 every night til 8, and til 10 on Thursdays. This is a great way to see art and museums, as the crowds are long gone, and you can enjoy a glass of wine before getting a bit of culture. Thank goodness for change.

Munich Without Jews

One more note on yesterday’s post. The Munich Jewish Museum is currently showing an exhibit labeled “City Without Jews: The Dark Side of Munich’s History,” which takes a counter point of Munich’s 850 year celebration. In a time of reflection and celebration of the citiy’s history, the museum highlights what they call the 400 years where Jews were not allowed to live in Munich, tracing the reasons for their expulsion, persecution, and settlement prohibitions. Its hope is to show these events in a broader context, while linking them to specific sites in Munich. I have not yet been to the museum, but It sounds like a bold museum with one of its most daring exhibits to date.

Being Jewish in Germany

Now here’s an issue I know little about, but one where the emotions run very deep in Munich, Germany, and the rest of the world. This monument, one of several like it in Munich, commemorates one of the largest Synagogues that was burned in 1938 – like all the others in Germany. The Synagogue stood where Karstadt/Oberpollingr department store stands today, just inside the inner ring road of the altstadt. This is a topic of many books and debates (see Being Jewish in the New Germany that highlights this juxtaposition), as Germany is said to have the largest growing Jewish population in Europe. Who would have thought?

Hand in Hand

Along the bank of the lake at the Olympic Park are more than 70 tributes to celebrities and “friends” of the Olympic Park as part of the Walk of Stars. In the model of the Hollywood walk of stars, Munich has done the same with these tributes. A precondition for being immortalized is that the personalities have been successful in the Olympic park facilities. Turns out, Bryan Adams has performed at the Olympic Hall 10 times to more than 100,000 fans across 20 years. At this rate, he’s sure to be considered a Munich native. Other famous personalities include the Dalai Lama, Elton John, Boris Becker, Carlos Santana, and Tom Jones. With more than 6 million visitors a year to the Olympic Park, this Walk of Stars is sure to be noticed.

Looking to the Heavens

What does this church have in common with the new Rathaus at Marienplatz? It was designed by the same architect - Georg von Hauberrisser. St. Paul’s Church, next to the grounds of the Octoberfest, is no less stunning with it’s amazing spires & bell tower and its dominant position on Landwehrstrasse. It was constructed from 1896 to 1906, and is the beacon for anyone going to the Octoberfest celebration (as you can climb its bell tower during the annual celebration). But unfortunately, that beacon has not always shined so bright. In WWII, all of its stained glass was destroyed and replaced very sparingly. Then on December 17, 1960, a US Airforce Convair 340 aircraft took off from Munich-Riem airport (east of Munich – home of the Munich Messe today), but lost power to one of its engines. Unable to maintain altitude, the plane hit the steeple of St. Paul’s Church and crashed into a streetcar, crowded with Christmas shoppers. All 13 passengers (University of Maryland students), 7 crew members and 32 people on the ground were killed. Today, you would walk in and not even wonder of its past. It’s a parish church, with all the weddings, christenings, and of course funerals you would expect.

Shadow Puppets

Trees cast ominous shadows over the side wall of the Glyptothek museum in the Maxvorstadt neighborhood. On the wall of the museum are recasts of famous statues from the Archaic (700-490 BC), Classical (490-323 BC), Hellenistic (323-146 BC) and Roman (146 BC – 550 AD) periods – matching those kept inside. Within the walls, you will find rare statues of Medusa, Rondanini, as well as figures from the temple of Aegina. They were all collected to bring to reality the vision of Prince (late to be king) Ludwig I, who envisioned a “German Athens” to house the collection. Very little of the art was destroyed in WWII, thanks to an aggressive move project; but much of the building is recreated (25 years later) with Brick.

City Scene

I’m not sure what it is about this photo that I like so much. Is it the frenzy – quite usual for a Monday morning – of the street scene? Is it the fashionable woman – no shortage of those in Munich – walking across the street? Is it the University – one of the premier in Germany – in the background? I think it’s just the mixture of all these things mixed up into one photo (thank you guest photographer). This is City Life. This is Munich life.

Rebuilding Our Lady

The Frauenkirche is no stranger to reconstruction, especially as it was nearly rebuilt after WWII when the roof caved in and one of the towers was badly damaged. And since work was completed on this project in the 1950s, it has seen several face lifts. The Munich Icon is currently going through another set of repairs, albeit much less severe. You can see one of the towers completely covered with scaffolding. The dome was oringally built in Saxon sandstone with iron anchor rings. At 99 meters tall, the towers will remain the tallest structures in the city, especially given the fact that the city of Munich passed an ordinance banning any structures above 100 meters tall.

A Whole Lot of NOTHING Going on Here

I’ve spoken a few times about the need in Munich for conformity, and the need to follow the rules. The whole society seems to be built on the idea of order, as if everyone will (and they often do) abide by the rules. But even with that in mind, it still cracked me up to see this sign outside the amazing St. Peter’s church. The church is the oldest in the inner city, and it’s original settlement dates back to the 8th century. The sign seems to limit just about everything, and I haven’t quite figured out what that fourth picture is telling me to NOT do. Is it dis-respectful to have your hands in your pockets in a church. If so, it’s the first I’ve heard of it. At any rate, careful what you do (and don’t do) in Munich churches. It certainly doesn’t make you feel all that welcome, but perhaps after 1300 years, that is not their primary goal.

Obama-Mania

Move over Barack, Munich is saying let’s see Michelle. Once the inauguration was over, all the Munich newspapers turned to interest in Michelle. You could see headlines like Sexy, Sexy! And this one questioning if she will be the next Jackie-O. In all fairness, Obama-Mania has swept the world, and certainly has run through Munich. Europeans in general seem to be keeping emotion in check, with many of the people I have spoken to around Europe saying “let’s see if Obama can really make a difference.” Although many Americans would argue that Obama already has made a difference by giving many hope for the future (something super important for Americans, which many Europeans don’t understand), Europeans, in general, tend to be much more skeptical of government impact. In Munich, where you would not necessarily describe the locals as emotional, they are taking a wait and see approach to it all – and seeing more of Michelle seems to be what they like most.

The Sweetest Place in Town

Honey House is one of the many unique stands at the Viktualienmarkt in the heart of Munich. In addition to honey, you may find all sorts of other treats – anything from liquors to candles, lotions to candies. Like most of the rest of the Viktuailenmarkt, everything is made and sold locally. Over the years, the market has transformed from a traditional farmers market to a popular market for gourmets. The prices are high, but you often get foods that you won’t find anywhere else in Munich. Given that Germany is generally not known for its cuisine – beyond Wurst and Schnitzel – it’s a great exception to find healthy, fresh foods. In total, you will find more than 140 stalls there. Thankfully, petitions to close the market and erect multi-storied buildings were avoided after WWII, thanks to significant financial support from the city of Munich.

The Great Melt Down

As rains move in, all the ice that covered Munich and Bavaria seems to be melting away. The next few days call for temperatures right around freezing, but certainly not cold enough to re-freeze all the water ways. So for now, it looks to be the end of the Eisstockschiessen season for now. The sport, literally translated as Ice Stock shooting, is actually the Bavarian version of curling, and is played in Winter as well as summer. The sport is enormously popular in Germany and Austria, and actually was demonstrated at two Winter Olympic Games – in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 and in Innsbruck in 1964. The sport has origin in 16th century Scandinavian and Dutch history, but today is better known around the world as the sport of curling.

Supporting the Angel of Peace

A quick view on the base of one of Munich’s more prominent sculptures – the Angel of Peace. Situated on Prinzregenten Strasse, the tower and sculpture were erected in 1895 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Peace of Versailles and to honor the Bavarian army. The monument, consisting of a 75 ft Corinthian column and topped with a gilded bronze figure of an angel, was actually modeled after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory at Olympia. The monument stood unchanged until a restoration in the early 80s. The park land where the monument is situated is actually one of the nicest in Munich, with its winding path ways and views overlooking the Isar river The park was actually built back in 1857, when King Magmillian commissioned Carl von Effner to develop a badly eroded bank of the river, and transformed it into an unforgettable part of the city landscape.

Endless Energy

A little girl races across the steps of the E.ON Energie headquarters building on Brienner Strasse, somehow matching the endless energy from Europe’s largest privately owned energy services company. While providing power to more than 17 million people in 20 countries around the world, E.ON is by far the best known supplier of energy in central Europe. Known as one of the largest employers in Central Europe, with more than 87,000 employees, E.ON supplies more than 36 billion kilowatt hours in the region. Now that’s boundless energy

Along For the Ride

Despite temperatures reaching 6 degrees Celsius (44 Fahrenheit) today in Munich, locals dismissed warnings by the Red Cross and local authorities to stay off the ponds. This photo here shows a father and his daughter enjoying the remaining ice at the Lake House in the English Garden. It was so strange to see hundreds of people playing and skating on the ice, when a third of the lake had clearly thawed and had no ice at all. Temperatures are expected to sit around 2 degrees for the next few days, so we’ll see whether the ice ponds are here to stay or not.

Party at the TUM

What do you remember about University? I remember big parties, but I have to admit; I don’t exactly recall them sponsored by the University. That’s quite different at the Technical University of Munich, where apparently we just missed quite a rage. The annual New Year’s bash takes place in the cafeteria in building 9 on Theriesenstrasse, and apparently has three different types of music ( a mix of rock and electric Lounge) and plenty of bars. With more than 21,000 students, and a booming enrollment, they have reason to party. As they say on the banner – “As always, the party is legendary.”

Ice Palace

Welcome Back. Happy New Year! We returned to a very cold and very active Munich. As long as the sun was out, everyone was enjoying the outdoors. Hundreds of skaters came out to take advantage of the frozen canals in front of Schloss Schleissheim, just on the edge of Munich. It was as if it happened every weekend, with locals clearing off patches of ice to skate on. The palace made a great backdrop to the frozen weekend. And it seemed on every little pond, you could find a make shift hockey game or kids skating. The Schloss was built in the 1600s in French style. The Schloss is the length of 335 meters and encompasses enormous French gardens which line the canals. Although badly damaged during WWII, it was reconstructed in 1972 based upon ancient records. I hear, you could even skate on the canals leading up to Nymphenburg Palace, but we decided not to as they charged everyone and there seemed to be 10 times the number of people of Schleissheim. I’ll see you soon out on the frozen canals.