munich (münchen)

Hi ladies! :) How are you all doing? I missed you! We got back last night from our trip, and I thought perhaps I'd share some photos with you this week. We had a really great time, and I have absolutely zero complaints. :)

Tanya, you are the winner of the Christmas ornament drawing! If you email me your address, I will mail your ornament to you right away. It is so funny that you won, because I was flying right above you last night! St. John's came up on our screen on the airplane (the one that shows you where the plane is . . . so cool) and we just flew right over it. I waved at you. :) I was thinking about you and liking how you and your fellow St. John's folks are just sticking way out there in the Atlantic, ready to face whatever comes your way. I am completely intrigued by Newfoundland and Labrador, I have to say.  Anyway, congratulations!

I especially thought you all might like to see some fun German and Austrian Christmas decorations. Today I'll post about Munich, which was our first stop.

We flew into Munich on Saturday evening (November 29th) and stayed at a hotel at the airport, which was nice, since we were pooped!  There was a sweet little Christmas market set up right in the interior courtyard of the airport, with a skating rink and some stalls, and delicious hot chocolate. Claire pointed out that she has never in her whole life been allowed to drink as much hot chocolate as she was this past week. :D

The next morning we got up and went out to see Munich for a few hours before we took the train to Nuremberg. During our entire vacation, I just couldn't get over how almost every business, big or small, was entirely decked out for Christmas.  Often, windowboxes that hold geraniums and other flowers in the summertime were planted with greenery.  And there were Christmas trees everywhere!

I really liked how the greenery followed and enhanced the architectural details of the buildings.

This building had big gold-colored metal candles on all sides. It was striking!

We headed down to Marienplatz and the pedestrian zone.  (If any of you are nerds and ever played the Gabriel Knight video game that took place in Bavaria, on his second Schattenjäger case, you will remember Marienplatz. If I am the only person who knows Gabriel Knight, let's just pretend I didn't mention him, okay?)

This is the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall, built from 1867 until 1908 . . . it survived WWII bombing, so was US military headquarters in 1945), which dominates the Marienplatz.

The Neus Rathaus is famous for its glockenspiel, which has a little show every day at 11 and 12, depicting a 16th century royal wedding and a jousting match. The Bavarians are in blue and white, and they always win. (Here on the top tier you see the enemy falling off his horse. On the bottom tier are the coopers, who were the first people to dance in the street when a deadly plague lifted. They do a little jig. It's cute.)

 

There was a big Christmas market set up in front of the Neues Rathaus. I liked this soap-on-a-rope.

I also liked the signage. When I am in charge of the world, all bathroom signs will be this cute.

The courtyard inside the Rathaus was full of interesting gargoyles, ironwork, windows, and more pretty Christmas greenery.

We headed to the famous Hofbrau House for lunch. Claire absolutely loved the oompa music.

It appeared to the casual observer that the band would play a song, and then stop and have a beer, and then play another song, and then have a bit of beer. And so on.

 

Then we walked back to our hotel to get our bags and catch the train to Nuremberg. There was more lovely Christmas greenery as we walked. So simple, really, but just my very favorite type of decoration.

Even the drug stores were decorated.

Claire really liked these mistletoe balls.

I liked it that all the shops were closed on Sunday. It was a peaceful, pretty stroll.

I love these arched windows with the greenery!

 

I have no idea how these trees were affixed to the corners of the buildings, but I saw several of these. Cool, huh?

And oh my goodness, I am in love with Smart Cars.

So, hey, that's a quick view of Munich! Then we grabbed the train to Nuremberg, which I'll talk about tomorrow and the next day. :)