38 - 6/7-8/2015 - Munich

Saturday & Sunday, June 6-7

Another transit system to learn, this one not as intuitive as Budapest's. Also, just lots of construction around in inconvenient places. The police were certainly out in force. Cars carry at least 3 cops and minivans filled with them are not uncommon. Plus those standing around in groups of two, three or four here and there. Sirens are also not uncommon. Could it be that there were thousands of people in Munich protesting the G7 summit the day before? Despite our abject terror, we bravely followed Rick Steves' self-guided walk and also rode the trolleys to see the sights. This is Norm's father's home town - he was born in Munich at a time when royalty still ruled the roost and 1914 was just another blank-slate year in the future.

The New Town Hall at Marienplatz, famous for its glockenspiel. Carved figures scoot about in the tower at 11AM and Noon.

We weren't at Marienplatz, located in the center of the old town, more than 10 minutes before Pam spotted a shoe store that carried her favorite Finn Comfort brand of shoes. Made in Germany, they are less expensive here than in the states. While she proceeded to buy 1, then 2, then 3 and finally a total of 4 pair Norm sat nearby and began to silently weep as the count crept upward. He hadn't known he'd married Imelda Marcos. But he felt a bit better after Pam explained that with the savings the shoes had practically paid for themselves. Now it all made perfect sense. 

At the Hofbräuhaus, after a couple of beers, Norm considered buying this lederhosen and shirt combo to wear while presiding over Gold River board meetings. Dress for success!

The famous Hofbräuhaus was filled with lively beer quaffers:

We visited St. Peter's Church, the oldest church in town and quite sublime:

We got another culture fix at the Residenz Museum near Marienplatz. More than a museum, it's also the former palace of the Wittelsbach royal family, the longest continuously ruling family in European history. Forget the 1/10th of 1 per cent - these were members of the 1/100th of the 1 per cent.  If you want to see why the Wittelsbach heirs, even though no longer royalty since 1918, have a longer listing in the Social Register than Donald Trump, Google "House of Wittelsbach". For example, the Wittelsbachs were given Heidelberg Castle as a gift by the reigning emperor in 1284. Trump Casino in Atlantic City was given as a "gift" to its creditors in 2014.

Lavish and spectacular describes tour 1 of the great halls and private apartments, nicely restored to gold leaf splendor. The other tour is of the Residenz Treasury with its finely displayed thousand years worth of crowns and other fabulous items of the most exquisite workmanship. Personages at this rarified level gave each other magnificent goodies as much to reflect their own power and wealth as to give a gift. One of the Popes got so into the swing of things that he bankrupted the Papal States. A rough crowd for keeping up with Joneses. But the result for us mere mortals today is eye candy in the extreme.

If some of the above sounds vaguely like our Habsburg descriptions, we're pretty sure that the Habsburgs and Wittelsbachs occasionally had each other over for dinner - and exchanged gifts. But did they engage in re-gifting? You know, like "Hon, we've already got so many of these jewel encrusted ashtrays sitting around, why not just pass this one we received from Louis XIV last Christmas on to Bob and Babs Habsburg for their wedding anniversary? Gift problem solved."

St. George slaying the dragon. Name whatever is precious and this has it. We spent 10 entranced minutes walking around the case it's in. The base has a drawer in which is a relic (body part) of St. George. All well and good until Pope John Paul II pronounced that St. George did not actually exist. Then whose body part is it? And which body part?

This royal crown of Bavaria was never actually worn. It was a gift to the Wittelsbachs from Napolean when he agreed to let them rule as kings of Bavaria. When they joined in alliance against Napolean, the Paris-made crown was suddenly too French. However, on occasion it was carried on a pillow in front of the ruler as he walked in state because let's not get too hung up on the French connection thing.

Yes, this room is that long...no camera trickery.

The palace's way, way over the top banquet hall - for when that dining room table with the two center leaves just isn't enough.

The entire grotto wall is made from fresh water shells. Built in the 16th century as a pleasure room for invitation-only functions, red wine spurted from the mermaids' breasts into the clay colored bowls in front of them. Of course, this risqué decanting of liquid grapes has raised Norm's prurience detection antennae to red alert status.

Here are more photos of the treasures and the palace residence: