Moonshen/Mew-nick/Munich

Last week I went to visit my friend Naomi in Munich. So begins the first sentence of many a GCSE German writing prompt or translation task, and so begins this entry. Although it does make the whole blog a little visually tedious, I think I will first and foremost direct ye to yet more delicious photos, which will facilitate easier visualisation of my subject or some other such waffle.

I set off on the TRAIN at 8.20am. I heart the train. After all those hours spent in aeroplanes the lack of security checks, massive legroom and huge chairs were extremely welcome. No safety briefing, but there was one of those cool screens like you sometimes get in planes that shows a map of your journey, the amount completed so far and the speed the train is going at, which is fun when you get to 200km/h because it really does not feel like that much. Okay planes fly higher and go faster, but apart from the bonus of actually arriving fresh at your destination and being able to do things I really value the way it actually feels like you've travelled. By plane, you go through the same process to get to Israel as you do to get to Berlin or Northern Ireland or Gatwick, the timing of the intermediate step changes, but not the experience. The ground is more often than not hidden from view by clouds. The result is a bit like the effect you get if you only travel around London by tube, your departure point and destination completely divorced from each other, only a vague sense of distance and different weather. But on the train, you (or I) can stare out of the window the whole way, actually experience the journey, watch different landscapes and styles of architecture (both aspects of the much more important geology of course) slowly grade in and out. Trains, woo!

Arriving in Munich I was taken for a tour around the city centre by Naomi, in a short time taking in the many many churches of stunning impressiveness scattered around, as well as the super gothic neues Rathaus, bratwurst and sauerkraut in the Viktualienmarkt, and the Beer Hall where the Nazi Party used to meet, back in the day. We then hunkered down in a coffee shop avoiding the rain and afterwards went back to the flat to cook some delicious fake risotto and to 'test'/drink many different varieties of delicious beer we procured at a nearby Supermarshay. During this we had an unexpected but very pleasant skype call from one of our friends from halls who is still in the UK, trudging his way wearily through the last year of his degree. It is strange that life goes on without one, even if to think otherwise is very self centred.

The next day I headed of alone to find the Haus der Kunst, the gallery the Nazis built which most famously hosted the massive 'degenerate art' exhibition where they condemned most of the artists of the day. I sought it out because most of the so called 'entartete' artists were german expressionists, m absolute favourite artists of all time. Sadly I hadn't paid attention, and the Haus actually houses no permanent collection, instead showing changing moder art exhibitions. Undeterred I was treated to the weird combinations of unrelated words and pop art pictures of Ed Ruscha, and a highly weird exhibit grouping together four current artists uinder the loose theme of examination of history. Really, although they justified it in art language I didn't feel the theme of the latter really came through. It was enjoyable, but not really beautiful. The 'coolness' factor of the sculptures and darkened sculpture and video filled rooms was in immersing yourself completely in the weirdness. How often do you get the chance to wander around a completely designed but utterly surrealist place? It is fun to be confronted with really confusing things occasionally.

Refreshed I wandered out into the joyous joyous sunlight and spent the next hour exploring the area around Odeonsplatz and the Residenz of the Bavarian Princes/Dukes/ whatevers. The big yellow church I can;t remember the name of had some rather lovely baroque statuary going on, along with a healthy dose of bigness. After a quick look at the nice old buildings of the University I met up with Naomi and she took me to the Brauhaus. These are much more prevalent in Munich than in Vienna, and pretty much replace the cafes we have here. They are wonderful friendly places where all the staff wear traditional bavarian dress without a hint of irony or tackyness, and where the beer is delicious and very cheap, only surpassed in deliciousity by the food. I had a massive roasted pork slice with mushroom sauce and fried gnocchi like things (kaesespaetzle in German, what a mouthful...). Extremely satisfied and a little intoxicated we set off for an aimless wander around the streets, literally picking whichever street looked nicest until we reached the river at sunset. The Isar isn't quite in the centre of Munich, but it is beautiful, a little ribbon of park and river, big white smooth river stones and incredible architecture and ornate bridges at regular intervals.

Bidding goodbye to Naomi earlyish the next morning as she headed Londonwards I made a beeline for the palaentology museum, only to find it seemingly closed for renovation. I travelled further to the Neue Pinakothek, the newer (duh) of a pair of galleries slightly north of the town centre. I was aiming for the expressionists again, but it appears they are housed in the Pinakothek der Moderne. Not the first person to get their Pinakotheks mixed up I reckon... There was an OK collection of german and landscape painters, a few massive religious paintings (MASSIVE) some cool impressionism, a Van Gogh sunflowers, pleasant stuff, but not ultra exciting. I still spent a good 2 hours in there though! The best picture came near the beginning, Wilhelm von Kobell's 'The Siege of Kosel'. I think my favourite thing about this was the viewpoint, the perfect impression of distance, and the great clouds. The picture i've linked to is a bit of a rubbish one of it actually, but it'll do for an impression.

For lunch I hung out in the Viktualienmarkt and consumed yet more nourishing nourishing roasted pork with dumplings, and then (perhaps unwisely after a big meal?) scaled the 92m tall St Peters Church tower to be rewarded with brilliant panoramic views of the city. It was a perfect and very clear day, and the Alps seemed very near indeed. After a final wander along the Isar river and up into the big park of the englischer Garten, it was time to go home!

Munich was a beautiful place, though I have no doubt that my impression was significantly improved by the appearance of the first proper warm spring day, judging by the grey and bedraggled snow and grit heaps all around, it wasn't so pretty a few weeks earlier! Really Munich wasn't that different to Vienna, but it had more of a city-like feel to it due to its increased size. The beautiful buildings are ever present, but don't come in such intimidating blocks as in Wien. Plus, the beer was cheaper! All in all, a good not-weekend.