Bavaria-Day 1: Munich

 Day 1:  Arrival in Munich

We are finally back to traveling after about an 18 month hiatus.  Check in at Logan was pretty easy.  The only additional steps  to our passport check were the CDC vaccination card and the Digitale Einreiseanmeldung (digital form for the German govt. about vaccination status). The airport and flight were not well attended, making us a lot more comfortable  flying.  

Arrival was on time, and the train to the main Munich station was German punctual.  

Our biggest problem was finding our way out of the train station and to the hotel (which was directly across the street, if you exited on the correct end of the station).  

Iwona and Lothar were waiting for us outside the hotel.  It was great to see them again after almost 2 years.

After a quick shower and lunch at the hotel, we met our guide for the next 3 days, Hymie.  Hymie is the son of 2 Holocaust survivors (Italian father and German Mother) that met in Bergen-Belsen.  He is a retired comparative religion professor who now guides visitors all over southern Germany. 

Today we took a walking tour of the Altstadt (old city).  Much of our tour centered around the role that Munich played in the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party in the 1930's.  One of our first stops was at the Kuntsler Haus, an art studio that Hitler frequented.  It was pretty creepy thinking about him there with his cronies, Himmler, Göebbels, and Goring. 

 It was from this window, his favorite seat, that he gave the order to destroy the main synagogue in Munich which was offending his sensibilities.  

All that is left is a small stone memorial remembering the Holocaust on this site.

We continued to meander around the old town.

Stute of Moses parting the Red Sea

Either Jeri and Iwona grew, or this is the tiniest car in the world.

Memorial to Michael Jackson who spent much time in the Baterischer Hof Hotel across the street.  His business manager lived nearby and he met with him often.

We stopped at a small cafe for a beer and hot chocolate (for Jeri).

Next stop was another very disturbing site.  This is Odeonplatz, the site of many huge Nazi rallies, one of which triggered the beginning of "Cristalnacht", when Jewish businesses and synagogues throughout Germany were destroyed in one night , and thousands of Jews were rounded up in what would soon become the Holocaust. 

Our last stop was Marienplatz. This is the central market square of Munich with the Old and New City Hall (Rathaus) and  tower with its famous glockenspiel.  

The figures in the tower move as the glockenspiel plays several times each day.

Just around the corner from Marienplatz is the Munich Dom, an iconic landmark of the city.

After leaving Hymie, we cabbed to the English Garden to sit outside at a Beer Garden to enjoy what may be the last of the sunshine here.  We sat by the lake in the garden and drank hellesbier and ate a light dinner.  

We also had to have the world's largest pretzel (Reisenbrezel)

Finally, back to the hotel to crash after a long travel day.

I am having significant technical problems uploading photos.  I'm not sure why, but the program is not allowing me to upload in a normal fashion.  I'll keep at it, though, but be patient.

( I finally figured out the problem.  I had to update my operating system last night, so I believe we are now good-  just have to catch up!)