More of Munich

As long as I put aside the lingering truth that Munich is where Hitler got his start, I am enamored with Munich. The city is vibrant and beautiful, though I admit it rains here, just as in Zurich, and it surely snows in the Winter as well. Granted that Munich is 3-4 times bigger than Zurich in population, but there is also a lot more to see and do here, much of it in the city itself. This past week, I visited:
(1) an art museum--the Neue Pinakothek (18th-20th century art). I was disappointed in the limited collection of Impressionist paintings, but was very impressed with paintings from the preceding periods. This museum is one of several that are just a few blocks from our apartment;
(2) a castle--Schloss Nymphenburg (phenomenal, and this was just the "summer house"!); the adjoining carriage (actually, it was fancy carriages AND sleds) museum and porcelain collection (Nymphenburg porcelain is still being manufactured and is sold at strikingly exorbitant prices in a shop on the castle grounds); and the vast gardens around the castle (Versailles'ish, but perhaps bigger (I can't be sure, as it has been a long time since I visited Versailles), with canals, statues, a waterfall, and several smaller structures constructed for one love or another (e.g., a special woman (Amalienburg), a special pastime (hunting--Amalienburg, again), swimming and games (Badenburg, which contains an 18th century indoor, heated swimming pool), Far Eastern motifs (Pagodenburg), and a hermitage (Magdalenenckause, built as a ruin, with a grotto and chapel inside));
(3) a huge city park--the Englischer Garten, which is just a few minutes' walk from our apartment. The park is so big that bike riders, joggers, walkers, beer drinkers, and picnickers have plenty of room to roam or relax as they wish. Little brooks run through the park, and there's a decent sized lake where I exercised for a half hour in a pedal boat (I had a choice of giving my arms and shoulders a workout in a row boat, or giving my feet more of a workout in a pedal boat). Several beer gardens are conveniently situated throughout the park (I stopped for lunch at the beer garden by the lake);
(4) large and small squares, passages, and other "no cars allowed" streets, many of them cobblestoned and decorated with at least one statue and/or fountain;
(5) several churches (for the history and art), and a small Progressive synagogue (for Shabbat observance and Kaddish for my mother) on Friday evening. When I called the synagogue to find out where it was located and when services are held, I was questioned intently by the person who answered the phone, even more intently than when I first telephoned the synagogue in Zurich. The person with whom I spoke apologized for the interrogation. Unfortunately, because of security concerns, the synagogues have to be careful to whom they give information. Indeed, a police car, with police inside, was openly sitting near the entrance to the synagogue, and the synagogue had its own, additional security system, to help ensure the safety of the congregants. Once we were inside, however, the congregants were extremely friendly and welcoming. The need for this extra security is a sad commentary on the world today. Nevertheless, I do not view this as a reflection on the German people in general;
(6) the German visa office--What should have taken about ten minutes at 8:00 on Tuesday morning took the entire day, but by 5:00pm, we finally had our German visas duly pasted into our passports. I'll refrain from adding the exasperating details. Suffice it to say, we have been certified as legal; and
(7) a couple of local eateries--Cafe Puck for Sunday brunch (the Sunday brunch tradition begun in Zurich continues), and Piccola Osteria (across the street from our apartment, the restaurant has outdoor seating in a quiet courtyard away from the street and serves very good risotto (we'll have to try other items on the menu on a return visit)).

Our weekend escapade took us to Landshut today. It's a 50-minute train ride from Munich, and has a nicely laid out old town. The building facades are the most striking feature--they are brightly colored and have a variety of articulation. Michelin served us well again--we lunched at Restaurant Bernlochner--the venison ragout and duck breast were excellent, and Henry assures me the spargel (asparagus) soup was outstanding. For those of you who are familiar with my love (NOT) of asparagus, you will be surprised to know I took a taste, but alas, it was not big enough for me to appreciate the flavor. By the way, it is the middle of asparagus season here--fresh white asparagus is the big seller at all the vegetable stands, and restaurants regularly list spargelsuppe as their soup special and serve asparagus as a main course (with potatoes) or as a side dish. The restaurant today offered asparagus with seven different sauces. I didn't have to check the German-English dictionary for a translation of any of those items!

A few more observations/comments:
(1) I cannot pass for a European--Aside from my limited German, spoken haltingly with Schweiz-Deutsche pronunciation and an American accent, I still have not mastered eating with my fork in my left hand and knife in my right. Cutting is one thing; eating what I've cut without transferring my fork to my right hand is something entirely different, and so far beyond my array of motor skills.
(2) For joy, for joy, Munich restaurants do not permit smoking inside!
(3) Not only do many Muncheners ride bicycles through the parks; they also use them as transportation. Living near the university, we see "parking lots" filled with bikes, all bunched together. Also, painted bicycle lanes can be found on almost all streets or sidewalks. When the lanes take up part of the sidewalk, I sometimes feel like I am in the middle of an obstacle course. The other day, while Henry and I were walking, one bike rider was passing another in the sidewalk bike lane; Henry moved toward me to stay out of the way of the cyclists; Henry's move forced me closer to the curb, which in turn, forced me into a direct line with a lamp post; to avoid the lamp post, I moved further toward the curb, which brought me directly in line with another bike rider who had created her own lane between the lamp post and the curb. If I were to end up in any accident while we are in Munich, it would more likely be a collision with a bicycle than with a car!
(4) We have found our Munich version of the mom and pop market we frequented while in Zurich--no hausgemachte fondue; it's a wine store (Wein & Mehr) a half a block from our apartment. We were disappointed to discover there are shops with the same name in other cities in Germany (don't know their relationship with each other), but we get friendly, personalized service whenever we enter the store. We might have to try one of their wine tasting events! German white wines are good, but we are still looking mostly to Italy for reds.
(5) We are taking advantage of the various activities the apartment building management offers the tenant visiting scholars and their families. Henry and I met six or seven couples at a once-a-month reception last week. Henry had met one of the scholars, a physicist from Israel, 40 years ago, and they remembered each other! Pilates is offered once a week, and I was there bright and early last Thursday, the morning after we arrived in Munich. Unfortunately, I misread the notice and showed up an hour early. With my jet lag, I could have used the extra hour of sleep! I was there again this week, and can see there is a core of regulars that take advantage of these offerings. Most of the same group also showed up at the bi-weekly "speak German to each other" session held every other Wednesday.

We begin our more expanded touring (i.e., touring for me, some work for Henry) on Monday, when we fly to Potsdam. Ah, it feels good to be caught up on my blog again!