Munich

I've come back from my travels with the Sound of Music soundtrack stuck in my head and a renewed appreciation for the Madrid metro system.

Observations of Munich: spacious, clean, quiet (compared to Madrid), with beautiful restaurants, lots of bike riding, good beer, delicious food, and some very handsome people. I felt very comfortable there.

For once I didn't have to worry about pickpocketing, which was a huge relief. I could really enjoy myself in public instead of having to be alert and vigilant all the time.

It seemed that everyone spoke English, which was lucky for me because I don't speak German. I'd like to speak German, though. I thought it a beautiful language...almost as beautiful as French.

The public transportation system in Munich is decent, but on the old side and very expensive. Just to get into town from the airport on the S-Bahn costs almost €9! Ouch!

Unfortunately I didn't actually get to meet any German people, aside from the shop clerks and food servers that is, but they seemed orderly and subdued but content. I got the impression that a German person's idea of a good time is taking a long walk along a river, as opposed to the Madrileño tradition of gossiping with neighbors or staying out all night drinking and dancing. The Germans seemed just as family-oriented as Madrileños, and they love their dogs too. The preponderance of tall, pale-faced people wearing dark colors was a stark contrast to the olive complexions and vibrant colors of Madrid.

On the day I returned to Munich from Salzburg I took a walk in the Englischgarten. It was very cold and snowing hard (though not sticking), but the weather didn't deter the joggers, dog walkers or baby strollers a jot. And as I meandered through the streets I caught several handsome young men smiling quietly at the snow as if surprised and delighted by it.

To see the rest of my Munich pictures, click on the title of this post or copy and paste this link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=33724&l=b8a37&id=595126014