8 Hours in Munich

Have I mentioned Christy & I tend wander?

Well, wander is what we do oh so well when we are together, and whoever gets the privilege of adventuring with us is dragged along for the ride.  For better or worse.  In this instance it was my sister!  Corridors, alleyways, open doors that may have been locked, human sized doggy doors, up towers, down sewers (yep), circles and straight paths, getting the lay of the land. WALKING MILES. Its just so much better to walk a town when it is your first visit there, particularly those that have cobblestone streets.  So many little distinctions may be missed if you are not afoot! Here are a few of the typical places you will by default find yourself as you wander Munchen....

1. Marienplatz & Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall)

When I see old buildings my first instinct is to somehow find a way inside; perhaps by a legit entrance or perhaps not.  I'm sad to say that after walking around this beautiful building and then "sneaking" into it via an unlocked door, we find that it is indeed the town hall and accessible to all--free and with many open doors apparently on all sides of the structure. Dang it. We climbed stairs after stairs ascending to the highest possible floor of which we could gain entrance.

 

 The United States Alcove? For reals.  Those are random stain glass of Lincoln, Edison, Carnegie, Washington and Franklin? We found it intriguing. 

 I promise the clock tower is not leaning...just my unsteady vertical panorama hand...

2. Hofbrauhaus

One of the oldest beer halls in Munich with events from many centuries occurring on these very floors.  Do you see those beautiful floral designs upon the ceiling? Do they remind you of another pattern? Perhaps a swastika?  Yep.  Definitely may have been redesigned... Look at all that wood!!!  Floors, benches, trims, walls, stage in the middle of the room with a live band, all so very beautiful.

3. Maypoles, maypoles everywhere!

4. Viktualienmark (Victuals Market)

Beautiful farmer's market-like atmosphere.

5. Chocolaterie Beluga

Chocolate (along with Paris) is always a good idea. Especially when it is a blustery, slightly rainy day and you've already been walking for 6 hours and might be suffering from a bit of jet-lag.

6. Side-Street Sightings

7. Alter Peter Tower Climb

If you love spectacular landscape city views, I highly recommend this trek.  Just make sure you get your correct change from the gate keeper as he charges you to go up.  I was not a sucker to his scams but my sister may have been....its ok.  I got scammed my first day in Paris a few years back at a gelato shop and I have never forgotten my lesson.

8. Odeonplatz

Now that I have had my first introduction to Munich, I look very much forward to hitting it again.  This next time I hope my wanderings to take me through various side streets, neighborhoods, lesser known beautiful restaurants, and squares not so overrun by tourists.  It truly is so beautiful and so filled with such a history, both good and ugly.  I am so honored to have been able to visit and I'm sure next time will be just as great, yet to a different degree. :)

An Outing with the Huntingtons

How I never visited The Huntington Library and Gardens when I lived in Southern California the first time around I will never know.  Call it school overload, college athletics exhaustion or country girl ignorance, none of which are acceptable excuses, this year seems to be a chance to really delve into all the different cultures and histories that fill Southern California and that I MISSED the first time.

Such as THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS!

(this is how I felt the entire time I was there)

Legend (or history!) tells us that when Mr. Huntington first stayed on the San Marino Ranch owned by the Shorb family (one of the great "royalty"-like families of the area), he fell in love with California.  The beauty of our land plus the foreseen business capital to be had eventually led him to buy this working ranch of hundreds of acres as well as many other properties in Southern California.  Sound like folks we know who moved from other locations to Northern California, investing in land ownership?  :) Anyways....back to Huntington....

Unlike some infamous wealthy folks, Mr. Huntington did indeed seem to "have enough" and he "retired" from his business to devote his time to his collecting tendencies.  Super legitimate collecting tendencies!  Famous artwork, tapestries to rival Louis XIV, artists' entire writing collections, books from all eras and genres, and incredible gardens all representing different locales around the world, this is what filled his time.  Everything he did in his life he did with a purpose and this "collecting" was no different.  He and his wife Arabella eventually signed the estate over as an "educational trust" to be enjoyed as well as studied not only by people with intense scholarship purposes but everyday locals like you and I. They had such a vision to see that their legacy endured and today we get to reap the benefits of their determination.

So please enjoy this small taste of The Huntington's as I take you to my favorites (at least for now!)...

1. The Huntington Chateau

I felt like I was transported back to one of those homes in Europe that now functions as a museum such as Hotel Carnavalet and Hotel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau located in the Marais District of  Paris.  They are all a testimony to the architecture of the times and FILLED with beautiful collections of books and artwork, some rotating and some permanent.  All the corridors and galleries, patios, terraces, and entrances....ahhhh.  I love them all.  Am I just easily pleased or in love with history? I think its a mixture of both.  

 look familiar? :)  

Parisian Streets 

 Shoutout to my Dutch ancestors...all the windmill paintings I have yet to see have always been so foreboding! This one can definitely be cached in that grouping as well...

2. The Library

Yes.  The infamous library.  Though only part of it is accessible to the public, to be able to view the documents, letters, and books on display is such an awesome honor.  From advertisements regarding the history of our great state of California to journal entries by Muir to letters by Lincoln, photographs all accompanying of course, to a Gutenberg Bible to a Tyndale Bible to Virgil's Georgics and Aenid, just feast your eyes on these beauties!

 Virgil's Gerogics and Aeneid

 Muir

I LOVE images such as this one!  This is Beverly Hills.  THE BEVERLY HILLS.  It looks like Chino, Temecula, Sacramento and (gasp) those small towns in Northern California.  How long will it be until they end up like the first listed cities? We have so many now locals up north who moved out of Southern Cali who have told me they remember when their towns were just like our small hometown.  Crazy to think that it has changed so much just in their lifetimes.  Just talk to my Oma and Opa.  They will tell you stories of Knott's Farm and the beach towns, driving down the roads with kids and all their beach gear loaded in the bed of their calf truck. :)

 Tyndale Bible

Gutenberg Bible

Again folks, remember, this is just touching the surface of Henry Huntington's passion for books.  The real good stuff is stored away deep and dark, with restricted access granted to those who apply and are deemed qualified.  Truly amazing stuff!

3. The Gardens!!! (of all sorts)

The Desert

Not my favorite...sorry.

 These roads surround the estate and weave all throughout it.  

The Jungle

Japan

China

This may have been my favorite for the day.  The sudden burst of a structure between the growth as you round the corner, the clouds on display in the pond, and the buildings all perfectly reflecting upon the waters?  It was such a moment I will not soon forget.

Roses

The highlight of roses?  The smell. It smelled absolutely amazing as I wandered.

There is so much more to be enjoyed and uncovered at The Huntington's and these were but my highlights THIS round.  I'm sure every visit will bring to light another angle on the rich history of the Huntingtons, the area, or California in general,  or perhaps a feature that I completely passed over every other time. Take time to visit and learn about our past as a state and country, the passion that Henry Huntington had for his beautiful collection, and all the botanical genius on display in the gardens.

This may be your face during the entire visit....

All photos and opinions are very much my own.  Enjoy!