December 19, 2004
More Munich
Well, of course there was more to do in Munich than just the Lenbachhaus, but I didn't want to clump them all together, so here are some more pictues and a little bit of commentary about the rest of my trip to Munich.
The trip to Munich included, Angie, me, Claudia, and her friend, Simone. These were the principle players, but along the way there was also a riot of football (and that means soccer) fans. Apparently, there was a huge game in Munich that Saturday, not to mention all the Christmas shoppers and the regular tourists and everyday citizens. Thus, it was a crowded trip. We left in the wee hours of the morning (9:00 am) from Innsbruck and drove to Kufstein, where we ran to catch the train - this was a special deal, all four of us for 22 euro (public transport in Munich included). The Munich trains station is the largest I had ever been in. It was like an airport, just as crowded, just as much luggage, just as many little stands. But thanks to Claudia and Simone and their expert guidance, we found our way to the TI and then through the subway system and over to the Lenbachhaus, about which you have already read. Afterwards, we headed back to the main downtown area to the rathaus and kriskindlmarkt and then inside the Frauenkirche.
The cathedral had amazing stained glass. But this is the thing with stained glass, I can never figure it out. I mean, it's so tall that I can't really see the top, and then I'm not really up on my biblical (should that be capitalized?) iconography, and I really don't know anything about saints. I guess it's just about the coloring, though. St. Denis and his ideas of light.
Of course, there were also carved saints and plenty of memento mori(s).
And a crypt with an expressionist pieta.
After the cathedral, we visited an expensive stationary store and as we left, we saw this view of the towers of the Frauenkirche:
We found our way back to the rathaus and entered the courtyard, where there was a little market and some gothic gargoyles and other architectural features.
I love how with gothic architecture, it's all about the details, like this webbed dragon.
Or these figures above a doorway:
Then we walked back out to the Marienplatz where the lights were just starting to come on.
We dined in the famous Hofbauhaus - the oldest pub, apparently. We had white sausages and I had half a chicken. Angie had the stuffed peppers.
We left our mark on the table so we would be remembered by those that come within the next couple weeks or so.
Here's a little of the boisterous atmosphere:
The Kriskindlmarkt is always best at night. The lights shine and it smells of roasted almonds covered in cinnamon and sugar. There is a famous glockenspiel in Munich. I read on the Web site that the figures dance at 11 am, 12, and 5 pm, so we stepped outside the 5 story bookstore at 5 to 5 to watch the figures dance. The bells pealed and we waited, our eyes fixed to the top of the tower, but nothing happened. We found out later that the 5 o'clock performance is only during the summer.
Well, we caught the train back at about 7. The soccer game was over, and it was a tie. Both sets of fans were happy. The fans on the train with us were so happy that they were lighting flares, jumping up, singing songs, clapping, and of course, taking pictures. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of them. But they did provide an amusing spectacle.
If you think the night is over, thing again. There are still a couple pictures of the Kufstein fortress. We jumped out of the car in the freezing cold to take this pictures.
Okay, that really is all now. Ciao.
Posted by kea at December 19, 2004 08:50 PM