That reminds me...the other day, I was chatting with a German colleague who had lived in the U.S. for several years. I asked him how he got over his homesickness. I was expecting an answer like, get out there, get involved, try new things, etc, etc. Nope. His answer: I got through it because I knew it [the homesickness] would end. OK, then. Well, if there's one thing I know about myself, that's not how I deal with things. :)
So, instead, I've been doing some exploring, whether by bike or foot, here are a few of my adventures so far.
Me on my trusty steed.
I haven't ridden a bike in a while...
This is my friend Katalin. She is excited to go on the bike tour...I promise!
So let's get started with the basics. Munich was founded by Monks and Monks brought beer to Munich. So pretty much everything in the city's history starts and ends with beer. Whether it's the implementation of purity laws to keep that beer deeeeeelicious, a two-week long celebration all hinged on beer or even settlement of property disputes...yep, I'll have another. So, here are a few places I've had a beer (or two).
The Augustiner Restaurant and Bier Keller is right in Karlsplatz. My friend Anton and I saw a woman pass out here...and it wasn't from the beer. While that made us a little antsy, the place is pretty darn cool still.
The Chinesierser Turm is in the Englischer Garten and is the second largest bier garten. Lots of oompa bands and schnitzel the size of your head can be consumed here with your liter of bier.
The Hofbrauhaus...yeah, you just got to...
The Park Cafe was a nice little surprise. It's nestled in the Botanical Gardens so you can drink a beer and stare at tulips!
This is a little restaurant on a little street somewhere in Munich. Doesn't that just look lovely!
Celebrating with a cold beer (yes, they are cold here) is a popular sport. Of course, everyone knows about Oktoberfest, but since that's still months away, cities all over Germany celebrated a spring-time version with Fruhling Fest. This is much smaller than Oktoberfest, but they do have a beery-go-round, so it's still pretty serious stuff, man.
As promised!
Not quite as rowdy or crowded as Oktoberfest, but still looks like a pretty fun time!
So before you all think that all I do is drink beer here, here are some of the pretty things I've come across in Munich.
When I stumbled across the Botanical Gardens on a walk one afternoon in March, the first signs of spring were just starting to pop up. It made such a difference in my attitude about being in a foreign land...alone. I actually felt happy! So, I've been back many times since then.
A branch (the Eisbach) of the Isar River snakes through the Englischer Garten. I took this picture while I was pedaling my bike across the bridge. Not too shabby...
I spent about 20 minutes here in Hofgarten today. There was a man playing the violin in the dome ahead and a little girl twirling and twirling around. It was sweet...and made me smile.
Doesn't this look like a nice place to spend an afternoon with friends? We should try it sometime :)
Karolinenplatz is just a short distance from my house and it's where the North American Embassy can be found. I loved the flowers here so much I actually got on the ground to take this picture. When I was walking by this morning, I noticed they were replacing the beds with the summer flowers. I can't wait to see what pops up!
Even my work is beautiful! Yes, this is the famous global headquarters for Siemens on Wittelsbacherplatz (say that 5 times fast). The building is called "the pink palace" because, well, it's pink. Gotta say, as much as I love Buffalo Grove, this office location pretty much has it beat!
There are a lot of beautiful buildings and statues throughout Munich...not just my office.
I have no idea what building this is, but isn't it spectacular!?! It's so ginormous and old. I must look like a total idiot walking around mouth agape mumbling "it's so old and beautiful" all the time.
In Marienplatz, the center of the city, there are so many beautiful and interesting things to see. This fountain stands where the fish market did centuries ago. It's said that if you dip your wallet in the fountain on Ash Wednesday, you will have wealth all your life. The mayor of Munich actually upholds this tradition and dips the city purse in the fountain every year. I will be in line next Ash Wednesday...
Also on Marienplatz is the beautiful Neues Rathaus (or cityhall). The clock tower houses the Glockenspiel, which is essentially a giant cuckoo clock. Three times a day the Glockenspiel comes to life. One of the tour guides said it was 15 minutes of your life you'll never get back, but I quite liked it.
The city center is surrounded by tors (or gates), which I think makes it feel very cool and castle-like. This is Karlsplatz Tor.
Seriously two blocks away from my flat is Konigsplatz (or King's Place). There's a lot of history here. Rallies during WWII and such. I haven't got all the details here, but regardless, it's pretty cool to walk down your street and come upon this.
This is the top of my favorite church in Munich. Although a lot of people think it's the ugliest, I love the bright color and detail. Plus, it's called Theatinerkirche...so if you can't pronounce that, you can just call it Tina Turner Church and people will know exactly what you're talking about.
So, Munich has beer, beauty and a lot of fantastic buildings and statues. Did I also mention that they have surfing? Yep, the branch of the Isar River that I mentioned above has quite a current and at this spot in particular, some boulders have created a rideable wave.
Yes, the U.S. will always be home. I love the pace, I love the people, I love the comforts of home. But, I have to admit, Munich definitely has its charm. You should come see for yourself! :)
The North American Embassy
