München...

In one week from today, I will be swim-suiting it up in Santorini, soaking up the Greek isle sunshine!!! Woo hoo!!! Ok, sorry, had to get that out of my system. The constant English cloud and drizzle are getting real old real fast. On Cinco de Mayo, it was around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Not exactly what I'm used to. It was literally double the temperature at home in Oklahoma. But anyway, back to Munich!

We started out at the BMW factory and museum. We got to see this motorcycle demonstration. He went up and down the stairs on only one wheel! Impressive! Then, he went up and down about 20 more times. That was enough.

I thought I wouldn't be too into the car scene, but I found my happy place. I understand why you'd want to drive one of these babies. Luxurious. Maybe a Christmas present for Mrs. Dr. Matthew Grant?! Not holding my breath.

Or maybe this could be an anniversary gift to each other? Equally as unlikely as my previous suggestion.

Just down the sidewalk from the BMW Museum was the Olympic Park. Munich hosted the Games in 1972. Now, all of the former facilities are used as public gyms or for other sporting events.

Outside the aquatic center, we saw the Champions League soccer trophies on display. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were playing the semi-final game the next day.

We ducked into the swimming pool area to escape the rain, and wouldn't you know it...

... they used a shot of Matthew, Reuben, and I in an advertisement without our permission. I'm sure we are owed some hefty royalties.

It was time to visit the next item on the agenda - Schloss Nymphenburg, the former summer palace for the rulers of Bavaria. I think I would have appreciated it more had it not been so dreary out.

This picture only shows about a third of the length of the place. It was vast, although not as ornate as Versailles. Then again, what is as ornate as Versailles?

Matthew had a nice long chat with this mallard. Hubby finds it amusing to see how close he can sneak toward water fowl before they notice him. Every time a swan sticks its head under the water for a bite to eat, hubs runs right up to the water's edge to scare the poor bird when it brings its head back up. He really visibly freaked one swan out. It practically jumped, feathers all frazzled.

This edge of the rear gardens was my favorite thing about the palace. What a happy pop of color against the gloom!

We weren't feeling an interior tour of this Schloss, but we were feeling some hunger pangs. Hofbräuhaus, anyone? Back to the old city center!

We had been told that this was the place to go for some hearty eatin'. I couldn't get over the sheer scope of the place. It's massive! Tables and benches and beer steins galore!

I don't know how much you have to drink in order to get your own personal mug locked up and stored for you, but I'm guessing it's more than I could drink in my lifetime.

They sell beer by the liter here, no puny pints allowed!

This was an appetizer plate! I wasn't particularly keen on all of the meats that were on it, but all in all, it was a great sampling. The cheese and bread were delicious, and I by the time I finished, I was beyond stuffed.

"Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel!" Scratch the ponies, but definitely add apple strudel to my list of favorite things!

Oh, and add this vanilla/bread/custard culinary wonder. Thing sat like a brick in my stomach, but it was so worth the pain.

I was surprised by the number of locals in the restaurant. I figured it was strictly a tourist trap, but this guy was definitely native. In the time we sat and ate next to him, he downed three refills in his stein! Honestly, I expected him to slump over and pass out, but he was clearly a pro. (As was Push-Up-Bra McGee in the background. Girl was workin' it for her tips.)

With such a heavy load in our midsections, we were in desperate need of a walk about town. So, we headed for the Rathaus-Glockenspiel in the heart of the Marienplatz. We arrived at the top of the hour, and were thus expecting the clock to chime and the figurines to rotate. When the tower remained silent, we concluded that the clock was out of operation due to the construction on the other half of the building. However, upon further investigation using Wikipedia, I have discovered that it only goes off at 11:00am in the off-season. Oh well. It was still cool to look at. Reminded me of the Grand Place in Brussels. 

Pointy!

Here's a close-up of the part that spins when it chimes. I read that it reenacts the wedding scene of the Duke who founded the Hofbräuhaus. Apparently, the show lasts like 15 minutes, depending on the tune it plays that day.

Bringing my gaze downwards a bit, I spotted this awesome dog. He was carrying his owner's shopping bag! How do we teach Bullitt to do that??? He likes bags, but only when he gets to rip them to shreds.

Behind the clock tower, and through an alleyway, a couple of light fixtures caught my eye. This one...

... and this one.

Despite all the restoration projects going on around the city, some facades were uncovered enough to reveal some beauty.

And once again, I enjoyed some yellow and turquoise combinations.

This hilarious pup was outside an eyeglasses shop. I don't know if a human spilled the contents of the water bowl to make it appear that the statue doggie had taken a drink, or if a real dog took a sip as it passed by the store. Either way, it was entertaining. Loved the goggles.

From pooches with spectacles to city dwellers who surf. I can only imagine how cold and how dangerous this is. It's just a canal running throughout the city, and the concrete is only a few feet below the surface of the water. As indicated by the sign, this is a risky place to catch a wave.

I actually watched a video of these guys in my study abroad seminar during my last semester of college. Really didn't think I'd see them in person!

This was the only girl brave (or uninhibited?) enough to compete with the males. She wiped out multiple times, but always got up to try again.

Gnarly, man!

Not exactly the North Shore, but I guess it is a creative solution for a water lover in a landlocked city. I can't imagine how cold that water would be. I wore two wet suits while scuba diving in the tropics! Maybe that makes me a wimp. Moving on - Matthew, Reuben, and I decided to stroll through the English Gardens. Why aren't these the German Gardens? Don't ask me. But, I can say that they are peaceful. And huge. We only walked across one tiny corner, but we could have easily gotten lost in there for hours.

This colonnade was the most identifiably English feature in the park. And I only associate it with England because it reminds me of the scene in the most recent Pride & Prejudice movie when Darcy confesses his love to Elizabeth in the rain. But in reality, columns are Greek, correct? Whatever.

Purdy.

This squirrel certainly didn't appear English to me. The ones in our backyard are gray, puffy-tailed, and chubby. Not brown, pointy-eared, and erratic.

No, that's not a Baby Gap model. Yes, Matthew and I were obligated to give this brown lab some love. Reuben explained to the lady that we had to leave our black lab in America and that we were missing him. So we didn't appear as creepy. She kept apologizing because the dog was all wet and muddy. He saw the surfers and wanted in on the action.

On our way out, I snapped this horse trail sign. We did indeed spot a couple of equines (and their riders) prancing around. All these critters smack dab in the middle of a city with millions of inhabitants. Crazy.

Welp, 33 photographs and captions later, we have reached the end of our time in Munich. The three of us grabbed a bag full of bread and miscellaneous cheeses and chocolates to take to our hotel for dinner. And we sat on the floor while we chowed down. Those are the types of meals I love. Assorted goodies in cozy surroundings with good company and conversation. I'd take that over a fancy schmancy Michelin bistro every time.

Sorry it is taking me an eternity to get to the end of this trip. One more post should do the trick. And it's an unmissable one because it involves Disney. We visited the castle that served as the original inspiration for the Disney castle! Sure, half of it was covered with scaffolding, but the resemblance was unmistakable. Get excited!