München is a goregous city, where everything of interest is within walking distance. The Altstadt, or Downtown, was an easy walk from the Hauptbanhof, the Central Station. This suited us a lot because our hotel was a block away from it. The pedestrian road from Karlsplatz to Marienplatz is always swarming with people, even late at night. Dominating the Marienplatz is the Rathaus with the Glockenspiel, whose mechanical figures come alive at 11am, noon, 5pm and 9pm. The day "shifts" depict a royal wedding that included jousting as one of its attractions, and a ritual dance performed every seven years to ward off the Plague (go figure) [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2925.jpg[/img:788be82436] Here is a fountain where in medieval times the fishmongers were keeping live fish. Now they say that if you toss an empty wallet in it, it will never go empty again. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2929.jpg[/img:788be82436] Before you ask, I didn't try this. Near the pedestrian street there are two churches, Damenstiftskirche and Asamkirche. Both don't look like much on the outside, but inside they are decorated with a lot of care. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2910.jpg[/img:788be82436] This is Damenstifkirche, dedicated to Virgin Mary. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2920.jpg[/img:788be82436] This is Asamkirche, named after the Asam brothers, who had it as their private chapel. München, and Bavaria, are also marked by Ludwig II a young king who would be perfectly happy just to build museums and listen to Wagner operas. A shame he was not as charismatic in his reigning. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/d058b909.jpg[/img:788be82436] This is the castle where he spent most of his summers, Hohenschwangau, made by his father, Maximillian II at the old site of the castle of the Knights of the Order of the Swan. Their roots is in the myth of Lohengrin. Ludwig spent most of his summers there, where his mother was doing the Jane Fonda thing and scaled the Bavarian Alps with her dammes de companie in tow. The walls are covered with paintings from the legend of Lohengrin, famous battles, the everpresent Siegfried etc. Sadly, photos weren't allowed inside because of a burglary a little time ago. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/b276e1ac.jpg[/img:788be82436] Now this, I am sure you will recognise. It is Neuschwanstein, the castle Ludwig II built with the help of a stage manager to recreate the old legend of Siegfried. Now, what good such a castle would be to the Bane of Fafnir, with all these windows and stuff that are perfect targets for the grapplilng hook of any idiot who has one, didn't occur to him obviously. Ludwig wasn't the only one who got busy in the palace-making business. Nymphenburg. The "summer" palace. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2957.jpg[/img:788be82436] This is the Great Hall, or at least part of it. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/1e4b872f.jpg[/img:788be82436] Part of the ceiling. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/260ac5b7.jpg[/img:788be82436] This is Shonen Muncherin, the daughter of a commoner that Ludwig I deemed beautiful enough to include her portrait in the Gallery of the Beauties. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_3048.jpg[/img:788be82436] The Residenz. Where the Dukes, Electors and Emperors of Bavaria were showing off. Most of it was destroyed by the Allies' bombing and, frankly, this building is proof why people working on reconstruction aren't paid nearly enough. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_3051.jpg[/img:788be82436] The Ancestral Hall [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_3089.jpg[/img:788be82436] The Perseus and Medusa bronze statue [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_3060.jpg[/img:788be82436] Detail from one of the Stone Rooms (they were may favorites) [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_3100.jpg[/img:788be82436] Detail from a ceiling painted to look like the view from a Roman villa's atrium. Other museums I visited were the Deutches Museum [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2940.jpg[/img:788be82436] The Glyptothek [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_2938.jpg[/img:788be82436] and the Antikensammlungen. These last two ones had ancient greek and roman antiquities, and frankly, we have more and prettier ones here in Athens. The Deutches Museum on the other hand is an enormous building dedicated to the sciences. Me, Lili and Max got lost in there, wandered around for more than three hours and even so, we didn't manage to cover it between us. One of the places I will definately visit again when I go back. Which brings us to things Bavarians have trouble grasping. The first is the word "Exit". You see a door marked "Ausgang/Exit" in a museum, you go through the door expecting to go outside and you find yourself staring at something like this [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/IMG_3101.jpg[/img:788be82436] Another thing they have trouble grasping is the fact that there is such a thing as a beerglass that cannot be used as a bathtub as well. You go inside a brewery, you order a beer in all innocence and you are given something like this [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/b5a417c9.jpg[/img:788be82436] But all these are not really "nuisances". Bavaria in general and München in particular are incredibly charming and win you over effortlessly. [img:788be82436]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/dr_dandie/dindle.jpg[/img:788be82436] I certainly became a fan.
Certainly looks like you had a great time Heidi! The Bavarians must be super strong if they're forever drinking from that size of glass. Why go the gym when the beer glasses are heavier than barbells?
Wow sacharissa, that dress is great !! Certainly better then your nurse outfit, but then maybe that's just the effect tripod has on it...
oh my GOD look at the size of that beer!! :shock: Great pictures Avgi, you look most fetching in that dress.
Beautiful Pictures, Saccharissa!!! You almost need goggles and a snorkel for that beer. :shock: Was it strong?
I always think they're quite drinkable, and I am certainly no veteran when it comes to drinking. At least you get some fluis input for your tipsiness! Because of the alcohol-liquid-relation the beer actually flushes the alcohol right out of your body again. That's why they drink schnapps along. Bold theory, I know. But I got very thirsty seeing the beer pic. By the way, real German bretzels have the consistence of very salty bagels and are ideally as big as an LP. They are meant to go along with the beer.
Great photos and I'll expect you to break into a yodel any minute now... Still waiting for that yodel.
It would appear you had a good time, Avgi. Good pictures, too. [quote:ab4e4447f8="Ba"]What's sad is that Ba lived there when he was younger, and he can't remember seeing any of that.[/quote:ab4e4447f8] That is truly sad, Ba. You have my sympathies.
