Home again

So I'm back home, slightly rested, laundry finishing, and missing pretzels. The flight home was pretty uneventful except that I had airline food that was actually edible. I watched about 10 episodes of The Big Bang Theory on the plane and slept the rest of the way. A short layover in Dallas and a phone call to my mom to let her know I was back on her half of the world, then a quick flight back home to San Jose. It was nice to be back in my own bed again, but I still haven't slept the night through. Having a restless dog doesn't help matters any.

I think I've adjusted back well to the time zone, but I did start to come down with a sore throat and cough my last night in Germany. That has now turned in to a sinus cold and I can't stop blowing my nose. It's a good thing I have the weekend to rest up and catch up. I was supposed to go to an end of year work lunch on Friday, but I wound up staying home and resting instead.

I'm excited to tell people that I've now been to Germany. I have been wanting to go for so many years and I'm glad that I finally did. I feel a little bit more complete and accomplished now. I can say that I've finally done something that I've always talked about. I have great memories, feelings, and associations from my trip that I will always carry with me. My roommate asked me today if I would go back. I told him most definitely.

If anyone is reading this at all, I will definitely keep up. Writing has always been an interest of mine and doing this blog has gotten me primed again. There are many more trips to be taken and adventures to be had. Anyone looking to hire a part time secret agent man???

A last day in Germany

Last night had a few more strange dreams with co-workers in them, but not too bad. I had trouble getting up though as I was still very tired. But once I did, I was ok. I went upstairs to have a light breakfast in the hotel because I knew today was going to be a heavy eating day (not like the rest of them haven't been). I left to go to my train station and snapped a photo of this statue outside. The arm with the hammer actually moves up and down. To me, it is a perfect representation of the German industrialness (is that a word?).

I took the train to see another church. This one was St. Catherine's Church. It is the first independent Protestant church in the Gothic style built between 1678 and 1681. I was really interested to see the inside, but the doors were locked.

Directly across from the church is the Hauptwache, or Main Guardhouse, which is where the square it is in took its name. The building, built in 1729, is now a restaurant.

In true old meets new fashion, across from the church and the Hauptwache is a big shopping mall.

Star Wars characters at the Lego store.

A very strange statue in the pedestrian mall of the shopping area. If guess if I were outside with no clothes on in 42 degree weather, I'd be trying to keep the goods warm as well.

I did go in to a couple of the big department stores just to see what they were like. They're nothing different than the ones in the US except with a few designer names I didn't recognize. I was able to find a few "delicates" for myself, so I was happy.

I love the pedestrian areas here. It's a great open air feel with everyone walking around. You just don't get that feeling in the big cities like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco. Everyone milling about, no horns honking, no crosswalks. It's nice.

Disappointed with not being able to get in to the church and the Hauptwache, I saw a tower down the street and thought I'd investigate. Guess what? It's been turned in to a restaurant as well. But I found the tower in my guide book and it's called the Eschenheimer Turm (Eschenheimer Tower). Built in the early 15th century, the tower remains the finest example of the city's original 42 towers. The finest example has been turned in to a restaurant? I wonder what the others look like.

By the way, my guide book has been at my side every step of this trip. It has been invaluable in helping me find things to see, explaining them, and telling me what train stations to get off at to see them. I highly endorse it.

On to lunch!! I decided to go to a place listed in the guide book called Harvey's. The restaurant first achieved notoriety as a gay and lesbian hangout, deriving its name from Harvey Milk. But I guess the straight community has been coming as well. Didn't matter. I have straight friends and they're very nice. When I got off at the train station, I opened up the city map that I bought this morning. It's a piece of crap!! It doesn't list any of the small streets like the Munich map did. So I just picked a direction and walked until I found a streetcar station and looked on that map. Turns out I had gone in the opposite direction I needed to be. It's a good thing I've been eating so much. With all of the walking I've been doing, I'd have wasted away to nothing if I hadn't been stuffing my face. I've worked hard on my pot belly!!

I got to Harvey's and sat down next to a small group of people with a very old dog that I instantly connected with. I wanted to pet her and I could tell in her eyes that she wanted me to pet her too. But she was comfortably curled up on the floor, very quiet, dozing off and on. The restaurant itself was very nice. It was smaller than I expected and the music was a bit on the loungey side (but in a good way). I could picture my friend Carol in here with a drink in hand, chatting it up, singing with the crooners on the piped in music.

The only gay person I noticed in the place was my waiter. Of course, my American Gaydar is horrible, so I'm sure my European Gaydar is even worse. No matter, it wasn't really about the gay atmosphere. It was about the food. And with all the back tracking I had to do to get here, it better be good. And it was!

I had the spaghetti. I was, of course, expecting a big pile of spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs. But what I got was the spaghetti above with some sort of meat, basil pesto, and greens on top (with bread). Oh, was it good!!! It was warm, tastey, not what I was expecting, and just felt so good going down. Well worth the walk.

When the waiter was trying to explain the menu to me, he was trying to tell me that the schnitzel was not made of pork because the restaurant didn't serve it. Instead, it was made with beef. But he couldn't think of the word for beef, so he put his hands up by his head with his fingers pointed out to represent cow horns. I had to keep myself from laughing.

This restaurant was really off the beaten path. The area was very residential with lots of small shops and no real pedestrian traffic. This was NOT a tourist area, which made it kind of nice. I'd been in the sections with so many people so much, it was kind of refreshing to be in a place where I didn't have to bump in to people to get by them and I could slow down my walking.

After lunch I came back to my hotel for a nap. The hotel I'm in is very much the business person's hotel. Everyone is in suits and they all seem to be having power meetings. And there are a ton of Americans staying here. Suddenly, I don't feel like I'm in Europe any more. I have to leave the hotel to do that. Of course, I have to watch I don't bump my head when I leave my room. Did they design the doorways for hobbits?? Look how much I have to slump over so I don't hit my head! Look at how much fat I have hanging off my chin! That's dedication to eating, I tells ya!

Speaking of eating....after my nap, it was time for dinner! I had planned to eat at a nice restaurant for my last meal in Germany. But I also remembered the potato pancakes from the Christmas Market. I had to go. I just had to! So I went.

Mmmmmm. Three lumps of fried potato/onion goodness with a side of applesauce. They were better than I expected. And standing out in the cold, the steam was just rising right up off of them. I couldn't have thought of a better last meal (unless it involved bratwurst and bread). The pancakes were so crisp, they held up beautifully. I was worried they'd be soggy and I wouldn't be able to hold one with my hand (they don't give you utensils). But no, the structural integrity was perfect. You get that great crunch sound when you bite in to one. And the sweetness of the applesauce just brings it all home. GASP!!! I just remembered I didn't have a pretzel today!!! Oh sorrow of sorrows.

At the market, a small brass band was playing music from the top of one of the churches. I stood for a while and listened to them while people watching. I have no idea how long I stood there, but it was so nice. The Christmas Markets are very much a social affair. Groups of people meet and stand to drink the Guhlwein and have a bite to eat. I mean, this place is PACKED (especially for a weeknight). What I loved the most about tonight though was watching the merry-go-round. Not only were there kids riding, but adults too. And adults without kids! They were just having a good time. No public drunkeness, just people enjoying themselves. I had the biggest grin on my face seeing these adults just laugh and smile on the horses. It was a wonderful attitude to have.

I did manage to do a little shopping at one of the souvenir stores in the market. I found my stein! I don't have a picture because it, like the glass ornaments, was all wrapped up by the shop keeper for travel. I was right. It just called out to me as soon as I saw it. I'm very happy with it. I also got my mom her thimble and t-shirt. She usually gets one from all of my trips. She thinks she can add a shot glass to that list, but she's pushing her luck. I've spoiled her. But it's fun.

I wanted to have some sort of sweet thing to eat back in my room, so I grabbed a couple of desserts from one of the stalls on my way out.

I have no idea what they're called, but they certainly were sweet. And felt like they were a little on the stale side. Not the last food stuffs I want to remember from my trip. Hopefully I can get something better in the airport tomorrow morning.

On the way home from the Christmas Market, I met a couple of older American ladies on the train platform. They looked a little lost and were asking a local man for directions. Even after he was done, they still had a bit of a lost look on their faces. I wondered if I could help, so I asked them if they needed help reading the train system map. It turned out they were going to the same hotel I was. So we started chatting and I found out they were flight attendants for United and were actually based in San Francisco. We had a great time chatting on the train and walking back to the hotel.

So now it's time to pack. My flight is at 10:30 tomorrow morning, so I don't have to get up incredibly early. I have a lot to think about, and dream about, on the plane and will do a final re-cap of thoughts and other sundry things when I get home. After a rough start, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I could definitely see myself coming back. I'll be ordering my Rosetta Stone for German this weekend.

Today's observations:

I miss petting a dog.

People actually use pay phones in Germany.

Frankfurt caters much more to the younger and business crowd than Munich.

Saying hello to Frankfurt

After getting a good night's sleep previously, last night I felt like I didn't sleep at all. I got a good 3 hours in, then woke up every 1 or 2 hours after that. Don't know why. I was plenty tired. I had another in my string of weird dream about being back in college and moving in to an apartment with my old college roommate. So I slept off and on until 7, then got up, showered, finished packing, and hauled my stuff through a rainy, cold couple of blocks to the train station. A quick bagel and tea and then I was on my train to Frankfurt. This ride didn't seem nearly as bad as the one to Munich, even though it was the same amount of time (3 hours) and the same path. Maybe cuz I hadn't just gotten off a plane, or maybe cuz I felt more comfortable with what I was doing. I dozed off and on, waking up to look at the beautiful contryside through an overcast, drizzly morning.

Arriving at Frankfurt, the train station was much like Munich's. I needed to find a map though. I had already figured out what stop I needed before I left, but I needed to find out my transfer train.

The map is actually not as complicated as it looks. I think Munich had less lines, so this one seemed much more daunting at first. You just have to take your time and read it carefully. I actually got around today without missing any stops or getting on any of the wrong trains. Of course, when I took this picture, I mis-translated what the employee was saying to me. For some reason, in my head, I thought he thought I was taking the picture so I wouldn't forget the lines (verboten is the word he used). I politely laughed and nodded my head. He didn't smile though and after he walked past, I remembered verboten means forbidden, not forget! I haven't been arrested yet, so maybe I got on the train before he could send reinforcements.

Here's the view outside of my hotel room.


First stop was to get something to eat. I went to Fressgasse, or Pig-Out Alley. The proper name is Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse.


This pedestrian street is right next to the Alte Oper (old Opera House). It opened in 1880, but was gutted in World War II. The exterior is faithful to the original, but the inside is now more like a multipurpose hall. I've noticed that when they are doing a lot of outside renovation work here, they put up a scrim on the scaffolding with an image of what it will look like when it's done. You can see the line of the scrim about halfway down through the bottom row of arches in the below pic. It doesn't look so messy and mucked up that way. I think it's kinda neat.



Frankfurt definitely has a much more modern feel to it. Munich has a rule in place that no building can be taller than 7 stories (except for the churches that were built before the rule was in place). Frankfurt rebuilt after the war without trying to keep the old look and feel to it. It makes for some interesting skylines as the below skyscraper is just across the street from the Opera Hall above.

Once past the Opera Hall, you get in to the heart of Pig-Out Alley. It's lined with restaurants on both sides with a few retail stores in between. Tables are put out everywhere for people to eat. Although some people seem to have taken the term Pig-Out Alley a bit too literally. My dad would have loved her.

I walked down the street looking at all the cafes before deciding on where to go. The one with the longest line was Ebert's Suppenstube. So that meant it had to be good, right? Right!! I actually was able to order without using any English. I don't know if the grammar was correct, but I got what I wanted. Potato soup with ham, a few slices of bread, and a Coke.

Maybe it's because I was so hungry, but this was the best damn soup!! The cafe is much too small to eat inside, especially a lunchtime on a weekday. So I sat outside on one of the many tables with the other folk. There's nothing like having a hot bowl of soup on a cold, wintery day. And the bread was perfect for dipping in it. I haven't had a piece of bread yet in Germany that I haven't liked.

After that, it was on to more sightseeing. I took the train to see Kaiserdom, or Imperial Cathedral (the official name is the Church of St. Bartholomew) and the Museum of Modern Art. Coming out of the train station, you're greeted with a view of the tower of the church. It's 300 feet high and is made of red sandstone.

The Holy Roman emperors were chosen and crowned here from the 16th to the 18th centure. It survived World War II with most of its treasures intact. The inside columns are also built with the same red, sandstone as outside. It was really beautiful. I actually was compelled to sit down in the pews for a while and just take it all in. It was a short, peaceful respite.

Back outside, I made a turn hoping to get to the Modern Art Museum, but stumbled upon the Christmas Market by accident instead. Well, I haven't met a Christmas Market I didn't like, so...

That, my friends, is a vat of frying, starchy goodness. Potato cakes in the deep fryer. I plan on having some tomorrow.

But this is where dinner came from. I couldn't pass up another bratwurst cooked over an open flame.

The bratwurst, along with my second glass of Gluhwein, made for a tasty treat. The Gluhwein mugs are also collector's cups commemorating the city and year of the Christmas Market.

Views from the bridge over the Main River, which was next to the Christmas Market.

Of course, I couldn't leave the market empty handed. And since I love the pretzels so much, I thought what could be better for an evening snack? What could be better than a pretzel? How about a pretzel covered with chocolate!!!

I think I'm a bit ill from it, but ohhhhhhhhhhhhh was it good!

I went through more things today than I had planned on. So I need to find some more things from my trusty guide book to do tomorrow. I still haven't found a Stein yet, but I'm not losing hope. That was the one thing I said I was going to really spend money on here. My dad collected a ton of them when he was stationed in Germany in the Army. So I have those at home. But I wanted to add to those with one of my own. If I don't find it, I won't be upset. I'm looking for one to kind of stand out for me. I don't want to buy one just for the sake of buying one. I want it to be the right one.

Today's Observations:

The crowd at the Christmas Market was much younger than Munich.

Germans always clink their glasses together when they start a drink. There's no toast, just clinking.

Frankfurt has more business men and women than Munich.

Even though I've left Munich, remember.....Greta still loves you!

Saying goodbye to Munich

Today started out to look like the same. Although instead of 4am, I slept an extra half hour and woke up at 4:30! I quickly fell back asleep and woke up just a few minutes before my alarm went off at 8. Yea, a night's worth of sleep!!

I decided to have a late breakfast, so immediately went out to find the Viktualienmarkt (Victuals Market). It's a large open air market with fresh fruit, fish, meats, drinks, bread, and anything else. It was about mid-morning and it wasn't crowded at all. But oh, the smell!! It was wonderful! I walked past all of the shops with meats first. It was heaven. The smell of the sausages wafting thru the doorways, enticing me to come in.





In the middle of the market is a giant May Pole.




Around the May Pole are all of the stands and stalls filled with everything under the sun. If I lived in Munich, I'd have a frequent shopper card at this place!

Today's lunch was courtesy of the Victuals Market. Actually, I guess it was brunch. I ate it while waiting for the 11am chiming of the glockenspiel at Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall). The very nice woman at the counter sold me a few pieces of many different sausages. She even told me my German was better than her English! Between the two languages, we got it all sorted out. I also had my first pretzel. The pretzel!! Oh lordy was it good! When I broke off my first bite, I thought, "This is all hard and crusty. She sold me a stale pretzel!" But oh no, my friends! It was the perfect blend of hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Mmmmm. Hard, soft, salty goodness.

While the outside of the New Town Hall has the glockenspiel, the inner courtyard has some interesting architecture and some more Christmas Market stalls. I found a glass work stall with some beautiful stuff that I bought. I don't have pictures of it because it is all nicely wrapped and packaged for the trip home.

You can take an eleveator to the top of the Town Hall to get a great view of the city. Of course, you have to cram inside the tiny thing with other people, but the views are worth it!

The Siegestor, or Victory Arch, was built to honor the achievements of the Bavarian army during the Wars of Liberation (1813-15). The inscription on the side facing the inner city reads: Dedicated to Victory, Destroyed by War, Admonishing Peace.

Before I decided to go back to my room for the night, I wanted to hit two more places. I wanted to go back to the glass blowing stall to pick up a few more things (after an additional stop at the ATM). It was a good thing too! The man remembered me and told me I left some things there this morning. They had forgotten to put them in my bag and held them in the back. What are the chances!!!?? He was very apologetic, but mistakes happen. I didn't mind. I was just glad that I actually went back.

Then I went to a store called Dallmayr. It's a great little gourmet food store with all sorts of things. I made out like a bandit in there! I have no idea what the things are that I bought, but people were buying them up in droves. So I figured I'd give them a try too. They're also known for their coffee, so I selected a blend at random. Can't wait to try it. And of course, chocolate!

I did also buy something at the Victuals Market to try at home. I chatted with a very nice lady who spoke English. She was so sweet. We actually talked about some friends of hers who live in New York, where I was from, and why I was there. It was so nice that she took the time to just chat. She operates an organic farm outside of Munich and brings her things in to sell. So I bought some local honey made with their own bees and garlic flower buds to put on bread and cheese. I had never heard of doing that before. It sounded intriguing.

One of the stores I saw on the city tour had some cooking items in the window and I knew I wanted to go back (if only I could remember where it was!). I tried to back track as well as I could and happened to stumble upon it on my way to the Victuals Market. While inside, I found some springerle boards. Springerle is a type of German cookie with an embossed design made by pressing a mold onto rolled dough and allowing the impression to dry before cooking. My grandmother made these cookies all the time when I was young. They're thick, but light and flakey with an anise flavor. I don't particularly care for anise, but it's more the memory of the cookie that I want to preserve. My aunt makes them now and I want her to teach me how to do it to keep the tradition going. Now I have the boards to do it if I can get her to come visit.

Dinner was a sandwich from a corner deli. It was raining, my shoulders ache from carrying my Man Bag (which I can call it now that I'm in Europe), and my back hurts. So I just wanted something to enjoy in my room.

And my late night snack was landjager sausage from the Victuals Market and another pretzel. Mmmm...pretzel.

After all this eating and typing, it's time to pack. I've really enjoyed my time in Munich, and now that I've finally learned my way around, I have to head off. I didn't get to see everything I wanted to, but there's no way I could. There's just too much.

Today's observations:

There are no pedestrian rules of the road. They walk where they want, when they want.

Blogspot's formatting sucks.

Soda in Germany is fizzier than soda in America.

Germans take their dogs everywhere (even on the trains).