The Blind Leading the Blind

Several boys passing by take notice of a blind beggar on Sendlinger Strasse. The blind man is a regular on this spot, and becomes as much of the neighborhood reputation as the trendy stores around him. In general, Munich is a good a safe place for a blind person to be living. There are multiple academies to support blind students and the social programs provide much support for the blind. However, that doesn’t prevent horrible accidents like the one that killed a 29 year old blind woman one month ago – who mistook the space between two U-bahn cars as a door and fell into the tracks. I see blind people making their way through the central station quite often, with a pep in their step that many of the first-time visitors do not even have. It gives me a tremendous amount of respect for them

Coffee in a Time Machine

I came across this great café on Agustenstrasse, which just called out for a different age. Judging by the interior, I’d say it looked this way since its heyday in the 50s. Old yellow upholstery on the lounge chairs, gold wall paper, and waitresses who look like they’ve worked there for decades. Every time I go by it, it’s filled with couples and friends who fill up the old-school lounge seats or the outdoor seats on sunny days. And somehow with its living room atmosphere, it’s one of those places you feel like you need an invitation for – or to be in the “in” crowd, which is amazing as it’s a bit of a dive. But I think that’s what people love about it – an ageless beauty. This was the scene after midnight the other night, which in itself is strange for a neighborhood café – when everything else seems to close at 8 pm. No surprise that the cafe is a favorte of students at the nearby univeristy.

Munich’s own “Red Balloon”

I came across this little girl with a cluster of balloons dragging along wherever she went. It immediately reminded me of the old film, The Red Balloon. Of course, the movie is French – set in Paris. Albert Lamorisse directed the film in 1956, and it immediately became a worldwide favorite. Both of his children starred in the movie. The movie ends as some bullies destroy the friendly red balloon, and other balloons from all over the city come to the little boy’s rescue. At any point, you expect these balloons to take flight, and pull the little girl out of the Hofgarten where she is playing, while a mix of Munich locals and tourists taking notice - and well over the English Garden only to land in some quaint Bavarian village.

Inner City Sanctuaries

I’m not quite sure how to describe St. Boniface’s church and abbey, only 200 meters from the central train station. On one hand, it’s a part of Munich history, as it was instated by King Ludwig I as an attempt to reanimate the country’s spiritual life, and today’s houses the tomb of Ludwig I himself. On the other hand, today it is a parish church, serving the surrounding community. It’s a bit strange to look at the building, as it was nearly completely destroyed during WWII, and only partially reconstructed – yet you can see every detail that is new vs old. In some ways, it embodies the German people – certainly shocked and destroyed by the defeat of the allied powers, and in some ways embarrassed by the local role in the holocaust; yet absolutely resolute that today they are doing the right thing. It’s a contrast that I don’t think exists in the US, and honestly one that I hope is never needed there.

At Rest

It turns out this is a nice contrast to yesterday’s photo of “On the Move.” Seems construction sites are the same throughout the world – with 5 people standing around while watching one person dig. As a matter of fact, no one was doing much work at this construction site. It seems like the entire city is under construction – with the never-ending construction on highway 9 as you enter the city, an amazing amount of streets torn up, and even well known monuments like the Frauenkiche going through renovation. You see this a lot around Europe these days, especially with the rotating EU presidency, which pumps investment into capital cities every 18 months. Germany is not in that line, but you wouldn’t know. I believe a lot of these projects began before the economic downturn. At any rate, these guys don’t care. They’re picking up a check every month. And as we are finding out through the “Cash for Clunkers” program that has been, a little government investment in a down economy is never a bad idea.

On the Move

A visit to the Munich Airport shows non-stop activity – people coming and going from around the world. Officially called Flughafen München-Franz Josef Strauß – named after a popular German politician, it serves as a hub for Lufthansa. It is the second busiest airport in Germany and eighth busiest in the world, with 35 million passengers per year. The thing that always amazes me about the Munich airport, is how it’s built like a mini Sim-City, with airport overlapping with train, car, bus, bike, and foot traffic. The airport infrastructure is larger than most Bavarian villages around, with hotels, convention center, shopping center, entertainment, cinema, and visitor center, and of course brew pub. This image was taken on one of the many moving sidewalks on the lower level of Terminal 1.

Warhol Meets Munich

Munich’s newest (and by far the most colorful) museum is the Brandhorst Museum, which opened in May of this year. With more than 700 works, including more than 100 by Andy Warhol; the museum is a strong compliment to Munich’s Pinakothek der Moderne. The collection stems from the heirs of the Henkel (home & personal care company based in Dusseldorf) trust and Anette Brandhorst. The museum is actually most well known for its colorful exterior. The façade looks like an abstract painting itself, with its 23 different colored glazes as its image changes based upon your vantage point. The museum also has an impressive endowment of €120 million, which in normal years gives the museum an acquisition budget of more than €2 million, much more than any other collection in Munich.

Where's the Schinken?

Somehow it doesn't have the same ring as that American phrase - Where's the Beef? Meat is an important element of the German diet, and no type of meat is more popular in Germany than pork. This photo illustrates the scene in hundreds of butchers across Munich. Germans are famous for their sausage. They have 4 basic types of sausage (Wurst) - Rohwurst, Bruhwurst, Kockwurst, and Bratwurst. In 2008, German people consumed 62 kilos per person – of which 40% was pork, according to the German Butcher Organisation Deutscher Fleischer-Verband (DFV). This ranks Germans among one of the highest consumers of meat in the EU, obtaining 39% of their total calorie intake from meat products, compared with 25% in Italy (which could explain the average size difference in the two countries), according to Germany’s federal environmental agency. With that said, meat consumption is on the decline in Germany – mostly because of health concerns.

The White Rose

A late-night rendezvous of two lovers at the Ludwig Maximillian University fountains at Professor Huber Platz in Munich. The White Rose refers not only to the look of the fountain behind the couple, but also an intellectual, non-violent uprising to Nazi occupation in Germany during WWII. Professor Kurt Huber came in contact with the movement through some students in his lectures, and the group published a series of flyers calling for the end of National Socialism. Six leaders of the group, including Huber, were discovered by the Gestabo, arrested and killed. The legacy of the White Rose lives on in the media, in monuments like these, and in the German psyche.

Back on the Ground

Now that we are done with aerial views around Munich, I thought I would show you some scenes back on the ground. I came across this image, and it struck me as I think it sums up some of the persona of Germans. Amazingly confident. Some might say arrogant. We are regularly stopped on the street by strangers and told we are doing something wrong, or by neighbors who discover we recycled incorrectly. It also reminds me that although some locals are friendly and jovial, many others are unapproachable and stand-offish. Perhaps this is like any place, but this characteristic really seems to stand out in Munich. In the end, I like how this person stands out from the busy market in the background – in this case at the Sendlingertor gate. In this way, it is different from the norm – fiercely independent in a society geared toward conformity.

Bavarian “Village” Life

Above Munich – Day 15: And for our final day of images from Above Munich, I take you far above the city – this time from an airplane. This photo was taken on the approach to Joseph Strauss Airport, just North of Munich. From this vantage point you can see the endless fields and forests that surround Munich. You also notice how green the region is. Once you get out of the cities, these areas are littered with quaint little villages – each with their towering church steeples, rich decorations, local food markets, and Christmas fairs. Much of life doesn’t seem to have changed for hundreds of years in these small villages. And much of the reason Munich is called a “Large Village” is because with 1.3 million residents, it maintains a lot of that tradition that has lived out in these small villages for centuries.

High Flyin Images

Above Munich - Day 14: And in really big news for Germany, SKY TV has finally arrived. It’s such big news that this advertisement covers the entire side of the Royal Residence. This is big news because even most Germans claim that German Cable is absolutely terrible. Unfortunately, we are still out of luck, as SKY requires a 1 meter dish that management of our old building would not allow. So for now, we are taunted by the ad. Of course, the Residence is already covered over, as construction continues. You can see the poster image of the side of the building below the advertisement. Covering up famous buildings with an image of what the building looks like is a widespread European practice, which I am a big fan of. The advertisements over them, are met with much debate – especially when they are images (like this one) which don’t complement the building.

Munich’s Gothic Revival

Above Munich – Day 13: While everyone knows the front of the Gothic Rathaus with its famous (albeit touristy) Glockenspiel, this photo shows its less famous side – the inner courtyard. You can see the inherent shape of the building, with its endless hallways and grand spiraling cement staircase. You can also see one of its hidden treasures, with the outside beer garden and entry to the Ratskeller restaurant with its six inner courtyards. The type of architecture, considered Gothic Revival, dates back to the 1740s in England as an attempt to revive medieval buildings in line with a resurgence of the Anglican Catholic church. But it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s when most of the Gothic structures around Europe (including this one) were built.

Looking out Across the Isar

Above Munich – Day 12: From downtown, this is the vantage point overlooking the Bell Brook and Au neighborhoods. Most prominent in the picture is the Catholic parish church of St. Maximilian, just before the Isar River. The 70m towers overlook the green park and beaches of the Isar. In fact, every year from mid-May to August 16, a beach bar is set up just up river at the Cornelius Bridge, with these towers as a magnificent backdrop. I have not been there, but I hear it’s great – and you have a couple more weeks before it disappears. But back to St. Max. It was built in 1908 in a neo-Roman style, like several others around town built during this same period, including St. Benno and St. Anna in Lehel. Unfortunately, much of the church was destroyed during WWII, as allied forces used the Isar river to guide their planes during nightfall. When it was rebuilt in 1953, the towers were not quite built to their original grandeur because of scarce funds. They omitted the tower tops.

Rooftop Terraces

Above Munich - Day 11: I caught a glimpse of this exclusive private terrace atop one of the roofs of downtown Munich. It seemed a bit of paradise amongst the endless terracotta rooftops and the vertical city of the Altstadt. The terrace had great views of the towers and church tops around the old city, as well as The Residence. Munich has a couple more famous rooftop terraces, including the one at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, which I’ve posted about several times before. I also discovered a rooftop terrace at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, this one on the East side of the city. It seemed only natural to list these famous terraces given the focus on views above Munich.

Olympic Glory

Above Munich – Day 10: Built for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, the Olympic Stadium has been the venue for some of the biggest games in German football history. Although the Olympic tower gives a view from high above the stadium, this vantage point was taken from the panoramic hillside directly across from the stadium. (I had used the shot from the Olympic Tower during an earlier post, and it gives me an excuse to talk about how nice this viewing point is). Be sure to stop at the beer garden on your way up the mountain, and on a clear day enjoy stunning views of downtown with the Alps in the background. As a matter of fact, the stadium itself was constructed to imitate the Alps with its sweeping canopies of acrylic glass and vaulting steel cables. In addition to the famous football matches (this was home to FC Bayern until 2006), the stadium has hosted some of the biggest names in music, including the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Madonna, and Michael Jackson.

Window Dressing

Above Munich - Day 9: Overlooking the Ratskeller courtyard restaurant is no less than 50 gargoyles, in the inner courtyard of the rathaus. During the Summer, the Ratskeller opens its patio as a beer garden, as you have lunch or dinner within the gothic masterpiece. As intricate as the façade of the building is, the inner courtyard is surrounded with gothic tower, peaks, and faces from the past. Within the walls are what seem to be endless government offices, including the office of the mayor, Christian Ude. You will also find intricate stained glass outlining Munich’s rich history. As for the gargoyles, you will find them on many medieval buildings throughout Europe. The term itself comes from the French word gargouille – or throat, representing the gurgling sound of water, as gargoyles are generally used as water spouts.

Gothic Munich

Above Munich - Day 8: I find this perspective amazing, as you see 20 or so of the gothic spires that surround the Altstadt. Munich underwent a revival of gothic arts in the 15th century, as it leveraged funding from the Salt trade that went through Munich. It was this time that the Old Rathaus (in foreground) and the Frauenkirche was built. Of course, everything you see in the photo was rebuilt in its original state in the 1950s, after being destroyed in WWII. In fact the tower was specifically destroyed in order to make room for tanks to enter Marienplatz. And it was 18 years later that the city council decided to rebuild the tower at 56 meters high. The building has seen many historical events over the years, including the first smallpox vaccinations in 1805, election of the National Assembly, and the initial recognition of Adolf Hitler. Today, the building is home to Munich’s toy museum.

Delivering on a Dream

Above Munich - Day 7: Not sure if you’ve ever noticed but the Church of St. Ludwig (located on Ludwigstrasse) has one of the most amazing rooftop mosaics in Bavaria. The fact is, few people notice this as it is not readily visible from the street. In addition, the façade of the church continues to be quite under-stated with a bad need of a white wash. But inside, and on top, this church is a gem. Apparently, the church was built with plans to decorate the rooftop, but it was decided NOT to decorate, mostly because of high costs. So several years ago, the church brought this original dream to life by leveraging wealthy benefactors to design and decorate the rooftop. And inside, you will find the world’s biggest altar fresco – of the Last Judgment, which was originally meant to rival the work of Michelangelo’s painting in the Sistine Chapel. I don’t anticipate writing off the Sistine Chapel any time soon, but it may be worth the glance.

Munich's Downtown Domes

Above Munich - Day 6: I’ve shown the iconic double onion domes of the Frauenkirche many times, but never quite this close up and personal. This photo, of course, was taken of the North dome (which is currently under construction and the taller of the two – by only 12 cm) from the viewing point in the South tower. Although the church was constructed in 1488, the domes were not added until 1525 – and they overlook Munich at 109 meters – the tallest structure in Munich (defined by law). Originally, the towers were built to have spires, modeled after the Cologne Cathederal, but the design was changed because of lack of money. Instead the two domes were built during the Renaissance, and although they are mismatched stylistically with the rest of the building, they have become a landmark that symbolizes Munich.

The Space of Sport, Sights, and Slaughter

Above Munich - Day 5: The Square in town that held most of the major events in Munich’s history, Marienplatz or St. Mary’s Square, was the focal point for tournaments, markets, and executions. The square was originally known as Schrannen, but renamed as a way to ask Virgin Mary to protect the town from the Cholera epidemic (it didn’t work as Munich had breakouts in 1836, 1854, and 1873). The primary focus of the photo is the New Rathaus, built in 1909 and capped with a 79 foot spire (which you can also climb). In the foreground is St. Mary’s column, erected in 1638 to celebrate the end of the Swedish invasion, and flanked by four statues symbolizing the city’s overcoming of war, pestilence, hunger and heresy. The square is bordered by entries into the U/S-bahn stations. Finally worth mentioning is the famous Glockenspiel on the face of the Rathaus, where characters perform a dance that was performed in 1517 in Marienplatz to commemorate the end of the plague – unfortunately 300 years before Munich’s worst bouts with the plague in the 1800s. Today, it is the love of tourists from all over the world.

BMW's World

Above Munich – Day 4: I have posted this photo before, but I thought it was a good fit for the Above Munich theme. The photo (taken from the Olympia Dorf) shows the BMW Showcase facility (left) – BMW World, the flat BMW Museum with the logo on the roof, the BMW headquarters tower, and the sprawling assembly plant. Note that this is just one portion of their Munich facilities. The tower was built between 1968 and 1972 and was completed just before the start of the Olympics, but ironically had to take the logo off the façade to avoid any product placements – as the facility is directly across from the Olympic facility. This was also true of the fleet of sedans that shuttled athletes around during the games. The tower is meant to represent a cylinder head, while the museum is meant to look like a racing wheel. However, it is the BMW World that seems to get all the attention ever since it opened in 2007.

Capping off our Lady

Above Munich - Day 3: bit of detail from the roof of the Frauenkirche, one of the largest hall churches in Southern Germany. The interior was designed to hold a congregation of 20,000, despite the fact that when it was built in 1271 Munich only had 13,000 inhabitants. The two towers, not quite 100M high, were added in 1488, and were largely constructed using a 4 meter wide wooden elevator that worked by placing 15-20 men in the wheel running like human hamsters to hoist materials to the top. Today, your only way of getting to the top of the tower is via manned elevator – as the 500 year old steps have grown unusable. This particular place of the roof (pictured) was largely destroyed and collapsed during WWII, and was reconstructed to its current form.

Gazing down Ludwig Strasse

Above Munich: Day 2. From this vantage point, you see all of the Northern side of Munich. This is the area that Ludwig I built, with the grand avenue named in his honor, between Odeonsplatz and the Siegestor. It begins at Odeonsplatz and the Theatine Church, built in 1663. Then you see most of the neighborhood of Schwabing. And finally, you see the sky scrapers built along the second ring road. The most prominent one is the Highlight Towers, completed in 2004 for the Fujitsu Siemens Corporation – which later became Fujitsu Technology Solutions – as a result of Fujitsu buying out Siemens share of the company. The towers were a landmark for modern architecture of Munich, with its towers at 113 meters and a bridge connecting the two towers.

Atop Alt Peter

Above Munich: Day 1. First of all, sorry for the recent Summer hiatus from posting while I’ve been travelling. Last Summer I provided a series of posts highlighting Munich history that is still visible today. This Summer, I thought I would share a completely different perspective of Munich – one from above. There are countless church spires and towers, and viewing points high above the city, and over the next week or two I’ll share some of those images. The first is a view of one of those towers – St. Peter’s church. You can see some of the tourists who climbed the 306 steps to the 92-meter viewing point. By the way, this was the only tower I found that still uses steps. You can cheat on all the other ones, as they’ve installed elevators. The church is known as Alt (old) Peter, as it is the oldest church in the city, and some say is the founding point of the city altogether. Even before Munich was founded in 1158, there has been a church on this site – one of the few hills in central Munich – dating back to the 8th century. A new Romanesque church was built in the 12th century, but destroyed by the great fire of 1327. The church you see today was dedicated in 1368 and the tower (pictured) was added in the 17th century.

Thriller

As with most places on earth, Munich residents were touched by the death of pop king, Michael Jackson. A make-shift memorial was set up across from the Bayershirhof Hotel in Promanadenplatz. It’s a small park encircled by tram lines on each side. I’m not quite certain why the memorial was set up here, but it stopped people passing by all day long.

Peace Arch

Often called Munich’s fourth gate (along with Sendlinger, Isar, and Karlstor), the Siegestor or Victory Gate is the only one outside the Altstadt and the only one with traffic driving around it. The stunning monument, at the intersection of Leopold and Ludwig strasse and at the dividing line between Schwabing and Maxvorstadt neighborhoods, was built to celebrate a WWII victory for Germany. Not only did that not happen, but the victory gate – as well as much of Munich’s Altstadt - was destroyed during WWII by allied bombing. Restoration took place during the 1950s, and renovation continues to this day. Today, the arch which was modeled after the Arc de Triumph in Paris and the Arc of Constantine in Rome, is most well known for the inscription on its façade: "Dedicated to victory, destroyed by war, reminding of peace".

Diva Gazing

More than 14,000 opera fans attended the open air concert at Konigsplatz, featuring Russian Soprano Anna Netrebko and Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky. The crowd wondered about rain, but were only greeted with the sun shining behind the temple at Konigsplatz - under the dark clouds. This viewer, like thousands others (myself included) lined the streets and parks surrounding Konigsplatz to listen or even get a peak (for the more resourceful pole climbers) of the Russian Diva. As mentioned several days ago, the tickets were quite expensive (300-700 euros), so students of the Musical college next to Konigsplatz (former SS headquarters) took full advantage of their schools proximity and camped out on the grass and along the surrounding walls. One woman even brought her own 5 step ladder so she could peer over the fence at the concert, but ended up frustrated by the number of people asking her if they could take a quick photo (again – me too). I can’t emphasize enough how nice it is just outside the grounds. The music is outstanding. Just bring a blanket, a bottle of wine, and a few friends and you are set.

Beer Garden Maze

Just wait until you have a few beers. Then try to navigate through here. This scene is so common to Munich, and all that you see has been set for hundreds of years – the gravel (no cement), simple benches (no garden or plastic furniture), chestnut trees (no umbrellas). All of this was outlined in the 19th century in what Bavarians call the Beer Garden Decree. It’s no surprise that beer gardens originated in Bavaria. They started as outdoor establishments attached to breweries. All of the local breweries at the time would build caves into the banks of the Isar River (where this beer garden exists today) to keep the beer cool, as the Fermenting process needs to take place at 2-4 degrees Celsius. The beer gardens were so successful that over the past 100 years, it seems every restaurant in town has a beer garden or something quite similar to it. I’ve tried to find out how many beer gardens are in Munich, but it’s nearly impossible as many restaurants, cafes, businesses, and even schools have their own beer garden. Munich even has the largest beer garden in the world, the Hirschgarden with more than 8000 seats – all wooden benches of course. Fortunately, the rules for the visitor are not so strict: Get good food, a beer of your choice (as long as it’s Radler, helles, Weiss or dunkle – because that’s all that’s served in Munich) and simply…relax.

It’s a Hog-Eat-Hog World

Somehow just about anyone who walks through the pedestrian zone in Munich knows this statue, but not all that many people know why a wild boar is in the middle of the Altstadt. It’s because of Bavaria’s rich hunting and fishing history, and because somehow a beautiful old Augustinian church on the main drag of Munich – Neuhauser Strasse - was converted into the Museum of Hunting and Fishing (Jagd und Fischereimuseum). The museum has a huge collection of hunting and survival equipment, weapons, tools, and large scale stuffed animals in their natural habitat – in fact the world’s largest collection of stuffed animals with more than 500. You will also find the world’s largest collection of fish hooks, a 12,000 year old skeleton of a wild Irish stag, and ironically a 6.- foot tall North American grizzly bear. And to greet you at the door, it’s none other than a large catfish and this wild boar. Judging by the kids climbing over both of them – I don’t think it really bites.

"Audrey Hepburn with a Voice"

That’s what they call Russian Soprano Anna Netrebko, who will be giving an open air concert July 10th. The entire area of Konigsplatz has been a buzz of activity for days. The city of Munich generally only does 1-2 concerts like this in Konigsplatz each year, so there are high expectations for the concert. Netrebko is quickly taking the opera world by storm, with a strong mix of beautiful voice and on-stage charisma. She was recently ranked number one in the London Times ranking of the world’s 20 best classical divas. She has been quite popular in Bavaria since her Salzburg concert several years back. She is actually coming off a break from touring after the birth of her first son. She will be performing with Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky. With rain falling in Munich every day for the past 20 days (note covered stage) and ticket prices ranging from 250-700 euros, locals are cautious. But if it’s dry on Friday, come out and join me and the hundreds of others hanging out in the surrounding blocks. You can’t see much, but the sound is perfect.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

There seems to be something going on every day during the Summer in Munich. I stumbled upon an open market set up in Hohenzollerplatz in Schwabing. The usual suspects were there – the craft sellers, the bakery, the bongo drums, and of course the beer garden. The platz is the center of this section of Schwabing. In the center of the platz there is a nice fountain, and it always seems to fascinate children as you can walk along the side without getting wet. Yet some decide to take the plunge (as pictured), and why not during one of the few breakthroughs of sun. This area is a great part of Munich, even without the market. It’s surrounded by bending residential streets, each with its own personality and altbau apartments – characterized by the large entry way and special character. It’s also right next to the Nordbad, one of the fun swimming pools around town.

Happy Fourth of July

Of course there wasn’t all that much to celebrate on fourth of July in Munich. You had your customary party at the Hard Rock Munich (I actually didn’t know there was a Hard Rock in Munich), and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys gave a big concert. The Democrats abroad also organized an event, most likely at a beer garden – which is more Bavarian than American – but hey…there was beer involved so perhaps we have more in common than we thought. And I suppose if you are an American living in Munich, you likely received a nice message from the American Consulate in Munich (as pictured here). I actually tried to take a more interesting photo of the building, but it’s one of the least attractive buildings in town, with the customary cement pylons surrounding it. With that said, it is the most efficient working American consulate in the world. Think American friendliness with German efficiency. We were told it would take 2 weeks for a new passport, which we then received amazingly in 2 days. Now that everything is done by appointment, it’s even more pleasant. The American consulate in Paris had an average of 200 people in it every time you entered. So I guess there is something for Americans to celebrate after all in Munich. As for the fireworks, you will have to wait til New years.

Roll Out the Red Carpet

For 25 years, Flimfest Munchen has debut films from around the world on screens around Munich. And 2009 was no exception, as the Flimfest sold a record 74,500 tickets, 17% more than 2008. Perhaps more people are going to the movies in a down economy. More than 200 films were shown, and sold out very quickly, even some of the lesser known filmmakers. I’ve posted several times about the English cinemas in Munich, but this is an example of films showing locally in the categories of American Independents, New French Cinema, Focus on the Far East, Latin visions. Winner for the best international show is announced tonight. In the photo, you can see one of the many venues around town, including the Deutsches museum cinemas.

Munich's Little Secret

With only 12 rows of pews, Asam’s Church is one of Munich’s smallest but most opulent churches. Take a look at these photos (panorama here), and you will see why. It’s spectacular! I’ll have to find another time to go inside. A wedding was occurring on this day, and many passers would sneak a peak of the bride in such a splendid setting. You can see in this photo the gold of the high altar, enclosed by four twisted columns. Above the high alter you will see an image of God in a Papal tiara, bending over the crucified Christ. The church was actually built in 1733 by two brothers (who lived next door) for their personal use, but the church later demanded that it be open to the public. The Catholic church’s real name is the Chruch of St. Johann Nepomuk, but everyone knows it by the brothers’ name – Egid & Cosmas Asam. The two brothers achieved one of the finest achievements in Bavarian late Baroque and rococo architecture, which was carefully restored in 1975. Today, the church and the home next to it, sit on one of Munich’s busiest shopping streets, Sendlingerstrasse.

Munich's Summer Fest

And today, cross the city for another Summer fest, a much larger one – Tollwood. Taking place at the foot of the Olympic hill this Summer fest runs through July 12th, and brings in top bands like Simple Minds; Foreigner; Amy MacDonald; Earth, Wind & Fire; and the Buena Vista Social Club. You will also find a mix of theatre, Salsa dancing, handcrafts, and kids play area. Of course, I’ve also described the festival as a bit of a hippy-fest with its all bio menu, but that’s a bit common in Munich as well. To its credit, for a town that often feels like it shuts down at 8 pm, the event is open til 1 a.m. Just one more example of how the city of Munich still utilizes its tremendous Olympic Park every single day.

Me and the Band

That’s the feeling in the Tunix festival going on this week behind the Glyptotek museum and produced by the Technical University of Munich. The four-day festival, which has been going on for the past 25 years, has brought the neighborhood to life – if for no other reason for the loud music that has rolled into the night around Maxvorstadt. The festival is free, organized by the student body, and mostly filled with students from the University next door. And to bring out the students, they’ve selected the top local bands around. Acutally, Tunix represents only one of the three festivals at the university, including StuStaCalum and Garnix. All are a great success for the Univeristy. Just to be consistent with yesterday's post, which ever band is on stage runs for cover each afternoon as the rain, thunder, and lightening begin. And like all student events, they have a "Meet the Prof" table where you can meet with your professors - but this time over a beer. It is Munich, after all.

Reality Check

So yesterday I did a post about the great outdoors around Munich. And it’s true. Munich has some great opportunities for enjoying the outdoors – generally better than most places on earth. However, I thought I would share a good dose of reality with you – what Spring is really like in Munich. I have not been here long enough to know if this is normal or not, but we have had three straight weeks of rain. And I’m not talking about a quick sprinkle through town. I’m talking about a torrential downpour happening every day of the week. The thing that is a bit misleading is it seems quite sunny and nice in the morning, only to be caught with heavy rain, winds, and a 15 degree (Fahrenheit) drop in temperature as the day goes along. As much as I am impressed with Munich, it makes being here incredibly depressing as it feels like nighttime at 3 in the afternoon. So get out while you can and enjoy the two hours of sun in the morning before the monsoon comes through town. Between you and me…I can’t wait til this pattern ends.

The Great Outdoors

Jack Wolfskin may not be a Munich-based company (it is based in Idstein, 200 KM Northwest of Munich), but fewer brands are more engrained in the Munich outdoor lifestyle than this outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment manufacturer and retailer. Jack Wolfskin is generally listed as one of Munich’s coolest assets, and a celebrated part of the culture as it becomes more and more fashionable and used in everyday situations rather than in the extreme outdoors. I tend to think of the brand as being very similar to Timberland, but there are claims that Jack Wolfskin is the largest outdoor clothing manufacturer in the world – although I can’t confirm. It. The company was founded in 1981, and now has stores across Europe and Asia selling everything from mountaineering to leisure clothing.

From Heine's Home to Home Store

Just North of Sendlingertor on Hackenstrasse 4, is the former home of German poet, journalist, and literary critic – Christian Johann Heinrich Heine. Heine was best known for his lyric poetry, much of which was set to music in the form of art songs by German Composers. Heine lived from 1797 until 1856, and lived in Munich for a very short time from 1827-1828. He was born in Dusseldorf and spent time in Hamburg, Gottingen, Bonn & Berlin. In 1825, just before moving to Munich, Heine converted from Judaism to Lutheranism, as Jews had severe restrictions in many German states at the time, and this prevented him from an academic career. He described this move as a “ticket of admission into European culture.” The elegant home is today the home of the Radspielerhaus, which today houses another Munich establishment, Radspieler a quality home and furniture store.

Where Good Beer Comes From

With all the beer production in Munich, there’s no shortage of key ingredients around here. I came across this barley farm at Inhausen, a small community North of Munich. You find similar farms around Munich growing hops as well. And that’s where the great beer production starts. Combine these two with water, hops and yeast – and you have an industry to power the region. You actually don’t need to go far outside Munich to run into these farms, as the moment you leave the urban boundary you are in the middle of farmland.

Catching Air

A paraglider works on his technique at the city boundary of Munich. Like most outdoor sports, paragliding is quite popular in Munich and surrounding area. There are two flight schools around Munich, including Fly for Fun, and Flagschule Chiemsee – both organized by the German Hang gliding and Paragliding Federation. The speed range of paragliders is typically 20-60 kilometers per hour. Unlike parachutes, which are used for descending, paragliders are used specifically for ascending and are often called ascending parachutes. Along those lines, this athlete struggles to stay afoot, as you see the neighborhood of Am Hart in the distance.

Ready…Aim…Fire

A shooter’s view at one of the most recognized shooting ranges in the world, The Olympic Shooting facility north of Munich, which was built for the 1972 Olympics. The facility received a several million euro face-lift over the past few years as it hosted the ISSF World Cup back in May, and will host the world shooting championships in 2010. A big part of that renovation was adding a new five-range shotgun venue, as well as five new Olympic Bunkers with superimposed skeet fields. All five bunkers are connected by a service tunnel that parallels the shooting stations. The facility is quite interesting in that it has its own sub-culture, which most people don’t get to see. When I stopped by, there were only about 10 shooters in what seemed about 150 shooting bays. They were all “kitted out” with the latest firing outfits, equipment, and attitude. When someone saw me taking pictures, I was promptly chased out of there. But then again, when they all have guns you get right back on your bike and ride, ride, ride.

Fashion Statement

But what is he trying to say? Lounging far up above the Tollwood festival at the Olympic Park, a young man kicks it and listens to the free tunes flowing across the extensive parkland. The man’s fashion choices caught many an eye in Munich, which isn’t prone to bright colors, individual style, and getting noticed. So what is Munich’s style? I’d describe most as quite casual and a bit dark. Jeans are the norm, and if you want to dress up you wear a button-down and a sport coat. Some people love the casual lifestyle in Munich. I don’t mind it, but also feel that when you go to a theatre performance, opera or ballet, you find some way to get out of your butt out of the jeans and into something a bit more formal. It’s a bit of brainwashing from living 3 years in Paris and 19 years in San Francisco. There’s a time and place for everything, I suppose, and in Munich – the time and place call for conformity rather than outspoken – which is why this is a-typical for Munich.

Flower Power in GBV

A quick glance at one of the vendors in the lively neighborhood-wide flea market of Glockenbachviertel (thanks Mia for the tip). Often shortened to GBV, it’s the neighborhood directly Southwest of Munich’s city center, and houses the Viktalienmarket, Gartnerplatz, and Sendlingertor. It is also a sub-area of Isarvorstadt. Today you find an eclectic mix of shops, cafes, and artist galleries. You will also find Munich’s most densely populated district, as well as the one with the fewest children. GBV is also the self-proclaimed gay capital of Munich. It’s name actually means Bell Brook, and is named after the businesses in the 14-1600s which made bells, leveraging the endless brooks that ran off the Isar River for power.

On Your Mark…Get Set…Go…

Here is the scene at the start of the Haimhausen Triathlon, just outside of Munich. More than 300 athletes jumped into the competition – with a 375M swim, 19.1 KM cycling, and 4.6 KM running – in what’s called a sprint triathlon. The swim was at Unterschleissheimer See, then the cycling travelled through Mooswiesen and past Ottershausen, and completing with a run in Schlosspark and a finish at Bavarian International School sports field. Of course, being Germany, one key difference is that you no longer have worries on the transitions. When you switch from swimming to biking, you just strip on the course and change into your next outfit. But then again, one of the other benefits of being in Germany, there’s a beer garden at the end of the race. Ah…Bavaria.

The Roar of the Crowd

Saturdays in the Altstadt is not for the weekend warrior – sort of speak. If you’ve ever been downtown on a Saturday, you know it’s madness. Don’t get me wrong, I love that Sundays when everything is closed. It leaves you with nothing else to do but spend down time with family and friends. This is a European trait that doesn’t exist in the US (as everything is open every day), and it’s something I hope we bring back with us to our time in the US. With that said, it puts a lot of pressure on the working families to get everything they need to get done on Saturday. And the crowds that take over the center of town resemble something more like the running of the bulls, than weekend shoppers.

Iran on the Isar

More than 500 protesters marched the streets of Munich today hoping to sound their unrest over the recent elections in Iran. I snapped this photo as the protesters passed by Ludwigvorstadt, the self-proclaimed middle-eastern part of town with large populations of Turkish-German residents. Yet the crowd was certainly a mix of people in terms of age, race, political beliefs, etc. I think it’s always interesting to see foreign communities in Munich step up to ensure their voice is heard – especially given that Munich is so structured around conforming. Unfortunately the situation in Iran became worse as the day progressed, with government police using a mix of tear gas and batons to disperse the protesters in Tehran.

Sumo Squeeze

Although I didn’t mean to align with yesterday’s post about plus-sized Germany, I came across this fantastic bike horn and I thought it was worth sharing. 90% of the bikes in Munich seem exactly alike, but it’s the little details that help them stand apart. Some have bright banners and details on the body of the bike, others have bright rims (I saw a bike today that looked completely neon), and others just choose to show their personality by the butt they squeeze, to get other butts out of the way. Actually, the only reason I noticed it was that people passing by couldn’t help squeezing it. I say, let er blow…

Split Personality

As with many things in Munich, you find contrasts wherever you go. I stumbled across this sculpture in the Olympic Park. You already know I’m a big fan of this extensive park built in 1972 for the “Happy Games” which didn’t turn out so happy, but what’s amazing is just how much is left undiscovered. No matter how many times you’ve been there, you will still find new paths, new areas to fall asleep on the grass, or great spots to rollerblade or bike through. But back to this sculpture – it was built in honor of the Olympic athletes that amazed the spectators of the games. The top athletes were Mark Spitz with 7 gold medals in swimming; Olga Korbut, the tiny Soviet gold medal gymnast; and the Soviet basketball team which upset the US team breaking their streak of Gold since 1936. And now to the contrast. Which of those athletes looked like this sculpture? This sounds weird, but I’ve discovered a slew of heavy set sculptures around town. Is Munich feeling a bit big these days? Germany has been established as the heaviest country in the European Union, but do they need to show it in stone, bronze, and marble?