Regensburg!

Ummm.  When I hopped off the train I went to an Imbisse and for my last Munich dinner ordered the biggest, most serious sausage I could find.  I have no idea what it is.  I pointed.  It's wonderful!

I took a longish day trip to Regensburg on the Danube in Northern Bavaria.  The city actually deserves at least three days rather than the few hours I was able to give it.  It's a lovely place with an impressive Alt Stadt and a lot of pedestrianized streets and lanes.

My first stop was the St. Emmeran Palace of the Thurn und Taxis.  The family, which is still around, has a long and fascinating history.  The Tasso originated in Lombardy, and one of them conceived the idea of creating a reliable and confidential messenger service, which soon attracted the notice of crowned and mitered heads. The Duke of Burgundy established some of the family at his court, and they ended up working for the Holy Roman Emperor.  So rich did they become and so vital their service that one was appointed a Prince of the Empire--hence the palace.  When Regensburg became part of Bavaria all monasteries became state property, and the Duke of Bavaria let the Taxis have St. Emmeram and they turned it into a lavish palace.

The palace is still occupied in part by the Family, and the current Princess--Gloria--is much in evidence.  Many products in the shop bear her name for example.  One can visit the palace only by guided tour--in German, but a (meh) audio guide is provided for the rest of us.  I carefully timed my arrival using the information in my guidebook which turned out to be wrong, but I got my ticket and explored the town until it was time.

The palace is very worth seeing and to my mind far more impressive than anything Ludwig II came up with.  Most of the rooms we saw were Rococo done in the most lavish of styles.  Then to my surprise someone who appeared to be the Princess herself welcomed us and warned us of a religious service in the chapel. We tromped through as respectfully as we could.

Although the Thurn and Taxis kicked the monks out of St. Emmeran, they carefully preserved the cloisters part of which are Romanesque and part Gothic, and all lovely.  The tour takes about an hour.

Then I walked though the Alt Stadt because I was very keen to see the Stone Bridge over the Danube. And I did, too, by peering under the scaffolding.  It's undergoing a major restoration, and a wooden substitute takes pedestrians across the river.  Since the original was built in the Eleventh Century, I think we can cut the structure some slack in the need for restoration.

I walked back up to visit the Cathedral which is a magnificent Flamboyant Gothic structure.  I strolled some more and made my way back to the Hauptbahnhof and came home.  I tried to check in on line, but Lufthansa does not like my iPad, so keep your fingers crossed for me that I don't end up in a middle seat!

Glory in Green

Guten Tag,

I had a good night's sleep in my new home.  I breakfasted on tea and the bread I'd brought from Austria.  I had nothing to put on it, and I don't have a toaster now, but the bread was so good in itself that I was satisfied.

But it was a situation that could not last. I needed enough to survive for a couple more days.  My first errand was to find an ATM.  Now this is not difficult in Munich or anywhere else in European cities, but I distrust the generic ones, and I prefer when I can to use a European partner of my own bank at home. So I went looking and looking. My first stop was the Hauptbahnhof, of course, because most things can be found there.  I did discover a large grocery store, and I returned later.

I walked and walked all the way to Mariaplatz where my persistence was rewarded.  If one uses a partner ATM the fees are waived, and this results in some significant savings, but I'd walked a long way, so I took the S Bahn back to the train station and attended the grocery store.  After dumping my take off at my room, it was time for the real business of the day.

I'd gotten a strip of tickets when I arrived in Munich the first time, so I am well provided for and I knew the tram I wanted.  I had enjoyed riding it many times on my visit in 2013.

Pil, you do realize don't you that a tram is just a bus on rails rather than wheels?

Not the same at all!  For one thing you don't have to flag them down or request stops.  They stop at every assigned station and the stops are more clearly marked.  Trams are cool, and this one would take me straight to Nymphenburg

When I planned my trip one thought that delighted me was the prospect of wandering once again in Nymphenburg Park.  I'd seen the palace, and it was interesting enough, but the Residenz is more impressive, and I understand that a lot of the rooms at Nymphenburg are closed.  When I was there last I had a pass and could spread my visit over several days.  I had three goes at the park, and while I saw a lot of it, I did not see it all.

I come from a place that is dusty and desiccated--brown with persistent drought.  One thing that I reveled in this trip was the green--deep and intense.  I crave it, and I found it at Nymphenburg under the trees.

Most of the tourists are in the formal gardens with their splashing fountains.  I headed for the woodland.  Most of the park is planted with trees or is left as open meadow.  It is also crisscrossed with streams, and a couple of canals also flow through the park.  There are at least two lakes.  All this water means water fowl.  I liked the swans.  The geese were very active and honking.  They liked suddenly taking off wheeling around and then splashing down.  I disappointed a duck.

Signs urge visitors not to feed the animals, but someone must have violated the rule because one of the ducks associated people with food.  When I sat down to rest a bit, the duck made for me.  It waited expectantly, but then realized all that I was going to give it was kind words.  It twitched its tail and waddled off.

I wandered at length under the green canopy of boughs inhaling the faintly fragrant air and enjoying the bird song and hum of insects.  I had a lovely experience, but truth to tell I am not as young as I used to be, and at length I was footsore.  I returned to the Schloss to inspect the shop.  If you have friends richer than I am you might get an elegant present from said shop.  I got my tram and got off at the Hauptbahnhof.

I walked around poking into stores and looking for gifts for people.  I did not have much luck.  It had turned hot and humid, and I thought longingly of the cooling drinks awaiting me at home.  I picked up some food.  Fortunately my room had been done, so I had some water.  I also indulged in a "mezzo" of stuffed olives and nuts. My new grocery store does not have a good selection of beer. I got beer this morning, but I also got a bottle of Prosecco.

Dinner is a Wiener sausage with mustard.  Frankfurter is a protected product name and can be used only for sausages actually produced in Frankfurt.  But the sausage by any other name tastes just as good.  It's got that rich, complex flavor and snappy skin--great with a dab of mustard.  This is no hot dog, friends.  And the beer I got in the plastic bottle is actually good.  It's called gold and that indeed is the color, and the taste is nice, too.

An Arty Afternoon in Munich

Guten Tag!

Shall we have a sip of beer?  Mmmm.  It's called Urtyp. Yes.  I am back in Germany in my new apartment.

It was a smooth trip despite the rain in Salzburg.  I don't like moving these days, and I like moving in rain even less, but I have done it before, and I know I can cope.  I got my bags down the steep stairs, got my bus ticket, got my train ticket at the machine in the Hauptbahnhof, and there was a train pretty much right away--an express.  I got out at Munich about an hour and a half later, and it was not raining.  I was thinking how odd it was that I had not been asked for help, but at the bus stop a young woman needed to know how to get to the Volksgarten in Salzburg, and I knew!

The lack of rain was good because I was not going back to Citadines.  I couldn't get a reservation for my return.  I don't know why, but I did find an acceptable alternative.  I'm in a room with a kitchenette of sorts not too far from the Hauptbahnhof.  I had an idea where it was, but I did not want to have to manage my bags, my umbrella and the map. And for a wonder I did not get turned around.  I came right here.

My room was not ready, but I expected that, and I had a plan.  I left my bags with the nice young man at reception, and set off--in pursuit of art!

One great thing to do on a Sunday in Munich is go to art museums because the entrance is reduced to one measly Euro.  Munich is very walkable, and if you can't walk you don't even have to take a bus because there are trams and subways.  But I walked about ten minutes to the museums.  It was good walking weather, a bit humid but cool.

My first step was the Alte Pinakothek, a wonderful museum replete with Old Masters.  I shoved my stuff in a locker.  One slips a two Euro coin in a slot and then one can take the key.  The two Euros are returned when the key is.  Many museums do not permit bags, etc. in the galleries. Then I slapped down my Euro coin, put on the green bracelet, and set forth.

The museum is undergoing renovation, so not everything is on offer, but there was a lot of good stuff.  The collection of Rubens, for instance, is superlative and includes his marriage portrait with his first wife Isabella Brant, the Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus--now I can't approve of the subject, but the shiny, shiny hair and opalescent skin of the women are gorgeous.  There's also his Lion Hunt which features my favorite bitey lion in all Art History.  Pretty much everybody from Giotto on is represented.  Don't miss Durer's self portrait (looking like Whom?) or Albrecht Altdorfer's Battle of Issus. The museum is rather a project, but a very worthy one.  A nice young couple at my hotel had to wait for their room to be ready, so I sent them off there.

Then I crossed the grassy plaza to the Neue Pinakothek.  Same drill with the locker and the admission. It's a good museum, but one has to wade through a lot--a lot--of nineteenth century genre paintings most of which are undistinguished.  That did not stop my fellow visitors from taking pictures of works I considered dull.  They should have asked me.  But you can also find Cezanne and the Impressionists.  There's a Modern Art Museum, too, but by that time, I was arted out, tired, and hungry.  I made my way back to the Hauptbahnhof.  It's Sunday in Bavaria again, and things are closed tight--except for the Main Station where the lucky traveler can find an open grocery store and numerous food stands.  I got some beer, and for dinner, I decided to honor the German Heritage by having a Donner Kebab.

Are you being sarcastic, Pil?

Not at all. Many Turks came here as guest workers, and they brought their food, and the Germans liked it, but it's Pan-European now.  There's a grilled bun filled with giro meat, and shredded cabbage and lettuce, onion, tomato, doused with Tzatziki sauce.  I got mine with crushed red pepper, too.  It's good eating!   Goes well with beer.

Auf Weidersehen, Salzburg!

Guten Tag

Today is my last full day in Salzburg, and when I post again it will be from Germany.  Before I go on I want to refer to my first post this trip "Travel in a Time of Tension."  Well, that's what I and many others are doing.  A horrific attack took place in Nice, and today I woke up to the news of an attempted coup in Turkey.  Interesting times.   But since the purpose of terrorism is to disrupt lives, continuing with one's plans is an act of defiance.  You see, terrorism does not work.  It never has.  It kills and maims, and destroys, but never ever has it achieved its goal.

So I am glad that the Tour de France and other sporting activities went on.  Those involved were mindful and expressed their concern and sympathy, but it was appropriate and defiant that they stayed their course.

Since it is my last day in the city, I did not want to get on another bus or a train.  I wanted to take a final tour and revisit the places I enjoyed.  I resolved to return to Hohen Salzburg--this time by foot.  I figured that all the walking around I've been doing had rendered me fit enough to make the climb with no problem.  I was right.  I huffed and puffed a bit, but I was fine.

Once up the hill, I wandered around the footpaths taking those I had not before.  I come to Europe in part to walk, and if the walking takes me through lovely woodland, well then--all the better.  The weather cooperated, too.  It was cool and dry.   Off one path stood an odd rather Asian looking object, and a man was circling it with some enthusiasm.  Eh?  A sign identified the object as a stupa or Buddhist meditation site.

The man saw me observing him and spoke to me.  He switched to English quickly probably clued in my blank expression.  He said he didn't really believe, but walking around was supposed to bring good luck and why not.  "Clockwise," I asked?  "Yes."  "I'll try it."  And I did.  I didn't notice any particular luck, but I did have a very pleasant day.

I carefully descended the stairs down to the Alt Stadt and walked around ignoring beggars, dodging cigarette smoke and tour groups, and licking windows.  At length I fetched up at the market--the one on my side of the river in the Alt Stadt.  The Saturday market is a good deal larger and livelier, and I saw more locals buying than tourists.

Passing what seemed to be a popular bakery stand I spotted some scrumptious looking Apfel Strudel.  The apples were mounded up higher and were more abundant than the bakery version.  Not wishing to be rude I bought some.  I am eating it now.  You can get fancier pastry, especially in Vienna, but there are reasons the classics are classics.  It's just so good.  For dinner I stopped and got a Bosna.  There are good sausages in Munich to be sure, but I don't think they have this kind in Germany, so I wanted to make sure I had another.

I think most folks spend a day or two--maybe three--in Salzburg.  They take the city tour or the Sound of Music Tour and shop and eat.  And that's fine, but I have had the privileged experience of two weeks here, so I have gotten to know the city and the region a little bit.  I want to plead for visitors to stay longer--to linger.  The region is so rich and so lovely.  Please come.  Please stay.

Of course after proclaiming that there were no Priuses in Austria I saw one. It was a taxi.  Of course it was.  I have enjoyed the historical sights and the food and drink, but I think what I have loved the most is the lush greenery of the mountains, woodland, and grassy meadows studded with Alpine flowers.  Breathing is fun.  The air is fresh and has a faint sweet fragrance that comes from the trees and grass. I'll be more urban when I go back to Munich. See you there.

Thar's Gold in Them Thar Hills!

Guten Tag,

It's still rainy, so not good for an excursion to the mountains, but I wanted to take a day trip so I got on the bus for Hallein.

Gold, Pil?  Is there gold there?

Weiss Geld.  White Gold--in other words salt.  It was the basis for the prosperity of this region for thousands of years.  Let's start with the Indo Europeans.

Let's not.

They began to disperse from Central Asia and their languages diverged around the third millennium BCE, moving west and south mostly.

What has this got to do with salt, Pil?

Everything!  Because some of those Indo Europeans ended up in this area.  The Halstatt Culture is the first identifiably Celtic Culture in Europe, and they were drawn here by the deposits of salt.  There are the physical remains, but there's also linguistic evidence.  Our salt word derives from the Latin--sal, and it has a common root with the word the Celts and Greeks used for salt--hal.  You can see it in the place names.  Halstatt and the city I visited today Hallein.

I got the bus at the Hauptbahnhof as usual. There was a trainee driver, and he had a frustrating time because we got stuck behind a couple of slow construction vehicles. But we got there, and I hopped off.  It was drizzling but not badly.  I headed for the Alt Stadt figuring that would be the best bet for tourist information and a toilet.  Nope.  What I found was a lot of ripped up streets and construction and no signs.  I retraced my steps and came across a sign for parking for the Keltenmuseum--the very place I wanted to see.

Now the signs were for parking and not the museum itself, but I figured it was worth pursuing so I followed them down the road.  I was beginning to worry when my eyes lit on a welcome sight.  "WC."

It was nice and it was free.  I felt empowered to go on, and then I saw that right across the street was tourist information.

The young woman at the desk graciously provided a map and directions.  It turned out I was two minutes walk from the museum.  I crossed a footbridge and I was there.  They were glad to see me, too, as I was their first visitor of the day.

It's a good museum and worth visiting.  All the really fancy famous stuff is in Vienna, I suppose, but there's still enough for a lot of good and informative exhibits.  The museum is well set up for kids with some interactive stuff, but mercifully today it was free of school parties.  There are weapons and jewelry and tools and explanations of the environment and how the Celts discovered and processed and then traded the salt.  Some of the trade goods--including an Etruscan vase--were also exhibited.

Now if you are visiting Hallein, you can take a bus to Bad Durrnberg and tour an actual salt mine.  I contented myself with the much smaller mock up at the museum, but it did have a salt slide.  The miners reached the deposits by sliding down and down.

I was also able to solve some of my present issues.

After I finished with the museum I walked back to the Alt Stadt, which is indeed very pretty.  It had cleared up a little, and I was able to find some non-torn-up cobbled streets.  The next task was to find where the bus would pick me up because I figured out it would not be where it let me off.  I had to hunt around, but I found it.  I also witnessed an interesting drama.

A bus pulled up, and the door opened.  It was not my bus, so I made no move, but a young man ran up.  The door closed, and the bus pulled away despite the young man pounding on the door.  It was actually a good thing the young man did not get on that bus although I am sure he did not think so, but he wanted to go to Salzburg, and that bus was going in the opposite direction!  My bus came, and I got on and so did he.  I reached my destination.  I am not sure about him.

To Market

Guten Tag,

It's a very wet day in Salzburg and rather chilly.  I came back rather earlier than usual to commune with some green tea.  I am prepared for weather in Europe and only wish I could bring the the rain home with me.  I have the habit of always carrying my umbrella, and I pack stout shoes.  I did wish when I set out this morning that I had a raincoat or jacket instead of just my cotton sweater, but I was staying in town and not getting on a bus, so I knew I would be fine.

I crossed the river by the pedestrian bridge.  A lot of tour groups were out braving the wet with their umbrellas and rain gear.  I went to treat myself to another stroll through the Mirabell Gardens.  Then I attended the weekly market.  I passed some beggars on the way maintaining their stations under their own umbrellas with their plastic cups awaiting coins.  All the beggars appear to be immigrants.  The stationary ones are older and call out to passersby.  A few days ago I followed an Austrian woman who made a practice of dropping a coin into the cup of each beggar she met, so people do give, and it must pay--although I don't know how.  The younger more aggressive beggars are found at bus stops and the train station.  They approach women.  A couple of them tried to block my path when I wanted to evade them.

I love markets.  Sometimes I buy things, but today I did not, but there was plenty to see as the stalls extended over several streets and even on a rainy day attracted plenty of custom.  Bright blooming flower stood in one corner next to fruit and vegetable displays nearly as colorful and just as enticing.  Most of the stands and carts sold food.  I marveled at the variety of sausage.  I don't think there are varieties enough to make a different one for each day of the year, but surely one could have a different one each week of the year.  Other meat, including poultry was also for sale.  I saw huge rounds and slices of yellow cheese--large enough to supply a family for a year.  A lot of different kinds of cheese was on offer, and, yes, I was tempted.  Other stands sold prepared foods, olives, pickles, Mediterranean products including pasta.  Some merchants advertised their goods as "bio" or organic. Non food offerings included lotions and soaps.

So that was fun even in the rain.  I strolled though the town and licked a few windows and then recrossed the river.  I had decided to spend the day in shopping.  One of the pleasures of travel is bringing back presents, and I do some Christmas shopping if I can.  There are a lot of touristy shops in the Alt Stadt, and I visited them all.  I did buy a couple of things, but mostly I ended up frustrated. None of my friends likes souvenirs, and neither do I.  The stores are well kept, but they all carry the same things, and I don't think anyone at home is interested in T shirts, or little dishes, or key chains--or those mysterious rubber ducks that they all display.  Nor do I think my friends would truly appreciate the Mozart or Sisi themed perfume or liquor. So that was frustrating and tiresome.  I have time to try again, but right now I am going to enjoy the rain--from inside!

And here's a rather random observation.  I notice Priuses because that's what I drive at home, and there were plenty n Germany, which makes sense because of the price of fuel in Europe.  I have not seen a one in Austria.  I have seen a few Toyotas but not a single Prius.  I wonder why.

Dinner was very simple.  I had a couple of hard cooked eggs and some toast thickly spread with that tasty Liptaur.

Country Life in Austria

Guten Tag,

As someone who hates buses, I have been taking an awful lot of them this trip. But the destination today was worthy. Open Air museums are one of the delights of my life and certainly one of the greatest pleasures of travel.  If I can get to one with public transportation, I make sure to go, and so I went today to the Freilichtmuseum near Salzburg.

The weather has turned.  I fell asleep last night to the sound of rain pounding on the windows.  It's raining now.  I even needed my sweater today.  But fortunately for me the rain held off while I was walking around Freilicht.

I got my bus from the Hauptbahnhof, and we wound through some dull suburbs and then farmland until my stop came up.  What the Europeans do is "rescue" old farmhouses, barns, and whatever buildings they can to reconstruct in these parks.  They are a lot of fun and almost always places of serenity and beauty.  One can enter most of the buildings and sometimes there are period furnishings or exhibits.  In addition to the sights, there's the smell of hay, gardens, musty wood, and old stone.

Freilicht is fairly large and the regional villages are spread out, so I got some lovely woodland walks in as well as seeing the buildings.  I ran into some goats, but those were the only animals.

I have mentioned before how compelling I find the remains of the lives of ordinary people.  The houses are dark with low ceilings, small windows, narrow stairways. I would find it fun to live in one for a day or so, but then I'd want my indoor plumbing and running water and electricity.  And yet people were able to create comfort and beauty with what they had.  I did not see every single building, but I spent a good part of the day and saw most of it.  There are picnic areas and a restaurant, too, for those needing nourishment.

One charming feature, I made sure to take advantage of.  A small gage railway runs (very slowly) through the park.  Riding it is included in the admission to the museum.  I love these little trains and after my explorations on foot, I did another round by rail.

If you are in the area make sure you come.  The museum does have a web site, but they don't market a lot to foreign visitors, which is a shame.

It began to rain as I got to the bus shelter.  I had to wait a while--and then the bus was late and the city traffic snarled.  But here I am safe and dry.