Six and a half hours by foot – Munich 2

Took it leisurely today as did not join the excursion to Ludwig II’s fairy castle of Neuschwanstein: that is in getting up and in having breakfast.

The day then proceeded to get physically more strenuous!

Bought a day card for the public transport system and headed in to the center of town. Had I not kept notes, there would be no way of recalling most of it: churches are mixed up in my mind, all the streets and paths stayed in my legs but not my brains, the Christmas markets are all starting to seem the same, but it was a great day.

And here is how it went: U4 to Odeonsplatz where I proceeded to walk down Ludwigstrasse past the City (and University) library, past many of the university buildings and to the Siegestor before returning and taking a side street to walk through part of the English garden.

The Bavarian State's Library

One of the most important research libraries in the world it holds almost ten million books!

The Ludwigskirche

The Ludwigskirche was used as a model for several churches throughout the world - the mosaic tiles on the roof are modelled after the original ones (redone in 2007-2009). It also holds the frescoes of Peter von Cornelius, which are arguably among the most important murals of modern times.

rental bikes

part of the Maximilian University

The Siegestor - a monument dedicated to peace

Commissioned by Ludwig I of Bavaria it was originally dedicated to the glory of the Bavarian army, but after its almost total destruction in WW II it was reconstructed and restored only partially (in the manner of the Berlin church dedicated to the memory of peace). The inscription now reads "Dem Sieg geweiht, vom Krieg zerstört, zum Frieden mahnend, "Dedicated to victory, destroyed by war, urging peace".

Then through the English gardens...

 

Bench dedications are popular - this one in English!

 "You're never too old to rock 'n' roll, and you are never too young to die".

local geese

courting mallards (in the end she pushed him away)

one of the entries of water into the park

Back on the city streets past the Haus der Kunst which was the old museum and auction halls where my parents-in-law bought many of the art pieces they possessed, including my Ice Fishermen – I had to have a photo of the steps they walked down after that purchase. 

A short stroll further brought me to one of the more unusual sites in this city: a part of the Isar canal that on its way into the English gardens hits concrete creating a short width of great waves for, of all things, surfing! Always someone around in a wet suit trying their luck staying on top of, and riding the wave.

From there I caught a surface bus back to the Hofgarten and on to Marienplatz where today I visited the cathedral (Dom) and Sr. Michael’s.

St. Marienplatz from a different angle than that of yesterday

Entry from the side to the Dom

Inside the main cathedral

St. Michael's

side chapel to St.Mary

Carved wood nativity - from Oberamergau

detail of the nativity

 For a short break, a slice of the local cheese cake: Käseschnitte, which is lighter than American Cheese cake but probably has just as many calories.

On foot to St. Peter’s church and its gold painted cornices.

 

St.Peter's

Then there was the farmer's market (always open not just a Christmas event) and another beer Christmas market.

Farmer's Market advertising

fountain in the Farmer's Market

wooden statue in the beer Christmas stalls

The Holy Ghost bar...

 This was truly one of the more interesting sights - I mean calling a bar the Holy Spirits! Surprised they weren't shut down for blasphemy.

The Holy Spirit church

 

Before leaving back to the hotel another stroll through the Christmas market that we had seen last night: Hofgarten

bar tables were wooden trees... great idea

And a couple more oddities for those who might be interested: The Maserati store on the main boulevard and part of a wall in the underground.

The also had Panetone as decorations!

beautiful wall at the Odeonsplatz subway stop

 

Weary and ready to move on to the next sights, sounds and tastes: Christmas market’s cruise – we’ll be on board our ship tomorrow night (well tonight actually as I have written these the day after, but pretended for sanity and chronologies sake that it was the day they were experienced – I may soon have you as confused as I am).