Category: Munich
Der Ring
On the West side of the Alter Botanischer Garten, is the Kunstplattform, or art platform. Previously a revolving gallery space, since 1996 it has held only this red circular sculpture: Der Ring, by Mauro Staccioli.
On it’s own, it struck me as just another piece of weird, modern art — a predictable fixture in an urban environment — but Staccioli has rust-colored, geometric installations all over the world. Those located in natural surroundings are striking, as they seem curiously out of place in a Cadillac Ranch sort of way. When viewed together the sculptures quite cool.
Sandstorms and Car Art
A major perk of washing the dishes, cooking, or cleaning is staring out the window, watching the activity on the street below or in the apartments across the way. In fact, I’d say that’s where the majority of my attention is directed when I’m in the kitchen.
The scene is generally uneventful – the old lady watering her window plants, the young parents taking care of the baby, and the guy who is always sitting in a corner chair with a clipboard engaged in conversation (my bet is that he runs a counseling office). There are some occasional surprises — like a Wii Sports party or an entire class of ten-year-olds walking down the street — and Daniel especially enjoys watching the church-goers on Sunday mornings as the families walk together in their nice clothes.
A Sneak Preview
2013, A Year in Munich
The past year has been an incredible adventure. Daniel and I moved to Munich on January 8, 2013, but that day feels like a world ago because so much has happened since then. Moving to a new continent has definitely presented its challenges, but I wanted to revisit some of our triumphs and seized opportunities, large and small.
Finding a Home
After five weeks, contacting 130 landlords/agents, applying for the 7 apartments we were able to view, being rejected for every imaginable reason, and getting an extension of our corporate housing arrangement, Daniel and I finally found a place to live. At that point, I’d have settled for any form of reasonable shelter somewhere near Munich, but we were incredibly fortunate to land a great apartment in a fantastic neighborhood in the city center.
Christmas in Bavaria
Eight Ph.D. applications submitted, and now I’m ready for the holidays… on January 1.
I’ve definitely been staying busy with my applications, German class, visitors, holiday events, and Daniel being home during a two-week vacation, but this has been an amazing Christmas season. Southern Germany is known for its Christmas markets (Munich has six!), and Daniel wanted to see as many as possible.
München
The markets generally open a month before Christmas and last until the day before Christmas Eve. Each stand is a formidable wooden structure that is built just for the one-month selling period. In theory there are inspectors walking around to ensure that the items for sale are all hand-made or at least not factory-made, but I’m not confident that all the snow globes I saw came from the Black Forest. Although the markets draw a huge tourist crowd, the locals are also out in large numbers to meet friends after work, drink mulled wine, and enjoy the atmosphere. The fact that the temperature hovers around freezing is irrelevant.
Sehr Praktisch!
I got what is perhaps the highest form of German praise this week: “Sehr praktisch!” (Very practical!)
I had ordered a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, somewhere between 7 and 9 kilos, but I had no idea what to expect. I’ve never bought or prepared a turkey before, so I wasn’t sure how much I should order per person, or what size that weight would yield. I went to Viktualienmarkt to pick up the bird, but I needed to see it first so that I could buy a brining container to carry it home in. I offended the employee in the hardware store by mentioning that my paint bucket needs involved a turkey, and he sent me away to the kitchen department. I managed to find a heavy-duty mop bucket that seemed like it might work.
As I went back to the poultry stand to get my turkey, I was just praying it would fit. There was another woman at the stand when I arrived. The owner handed me my bird, and it slid right in. Perfectly. Small victories go a long way when planning complex events in a foreign country (you’d likely be shocked to learn, if you live in America, how difficult it is to find a proper pumpkin here in November), but the cherry on top was the other customer’s response: “Sehr praktisch!”
Christmastime is Almost Here
The temperature has plummeted and the people on the streets are doing the wintertime shuffle, hurrying by with their heads down and hands shoved as deeply as possible into their pockets. The thick cloud cover has descended, though it seems it’s never too far off. It’s funny to think that the Englischer Garten looked like a fall magazine cover only two weeks ago, but a lot can change in two weeks.
I recently started an intensive German class to prepare for grad school applications. This was a sudden decision, and spending three hours in class every day means that some of my other projects have taken a back seat and my days feel significantly different.
Planning for holidays in a foreign country should be interesting. Daniel and I are hosting a Thanksgiving at our place where we’ll be making our first turkey.
A Walk in the Park
Daniel and I have recently started taking regular walks. Sometimes in the evenings after he comes home from work, sometimes after a late weekend breakfast. We go anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours, depending on where we end up.
La Taqueria Milagros
Now that Burrito & Co. opened just down the street, the ongoing hunt for Mexican-ish food has become less urgent, but Daniel and I did make the trek to Isartor recently for some tacos at the super-hip Taqueria Milagros.
Giulia Bar
Edit: Giulia Bar closed in April 2014, but another cafe — Joon — has opened in its place. I’ve been in once for coffee and a tremendous plate of fresh pasta. Let’s just say I’ll be back.
It’s small enough that you might miss it if you’re walking by during the day, but after the sun goes down the funky light fixtures cast warm starbursts across the walls and you can’t help but want to linger.
After having walked past this bar/café countless times, Daniel and I stopped by for drinks one night, back when the evenings were chilly, but nice enough to want to take advantage of the outdoor tables. It wasn’t until this week, though, that I actually made it inside. I met my language exchange partner here for an afternoon snack — we were both excited about this tall glass of Ciocolata (a steamy chocolate drink reminiscent of a rich pudding)…
Here Comes the Sun
After two weeks without sun, just when the crazy was setting in, I decided to get out and make the best of the seemingly endless cold, moist, gray weather we’d been having. Armed with my winter coat (I had to dig it out of the box where it had been banished after the week of beautiful weather in April), rain boots, and umbrella I set out to get some fresh air and take some pictures. Despite the fact that I could see my breath in the air at noon in the beginning of June, it turned out to be an enjoyable day.
Asamkirche
The Asamkirche is my favorite church, primary because it’s unique. It first caught my attention as I walked by one night because the colors of the stones on the front were so bright among all the stucco facades.
Is It Spring Yet?
In the midst of the darkest winter in 40 years, and after the coldest March in 100, I’m ready for Spring.
Door Pulls
One of the things that regularly catches my eye as I’m walking around — generally around the Old City — are the door pulls. They’re entirely too elaborate to be called door knobs, so I’m going with ‘pulls’ for lack of a better name. I’ve seen branches with birds’ nests on flower shop doors and life-sized umbrellas on the doors of a up-scale men’s clothing store. Often times, the pulls are mirrored on the inside of the door, so you can see them again on your way out of the store. Continue reading
Fasching
Fasching can be a bit crazy. We never made it to any of the balls (yes, balls with fancy dresses and masks like Carnival) but here are a few photos from the city center.
Scenes from Life and Travel 