Germany, here we come!

September 14, 2024September 15, 2024 edithted1 Comment

It took us 26 hours door to door. It’s a drag, but I don’t mind. All the shopping and eating you can do at the airport, all the reading and watching, talking and walking: all is good!

Munich is a nice airport to arrive: it is modern, bright, light, clean, everything works, everything makes sense. German efficiency. Kind of the opposite of the Frankfurt airport, which I would title: German inefficiency / what were they thinking? But that is another story and that’s why I try to avoid Frankfurt. So I booked a flight from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles and from there directly to Munich. And we enjoyed every minute of it! We had great seats, lots of legroom, (relatively) good food, we had good talks, we watched good movies [OMG: “The Zone of Interest”. What a great movie about Germany’s worst time in history, written out of a perspective you’ve never seen before].

And then we arrived, had another hour car drive until we were at our final destination: the house I grew up in, where I spend my childhood, where I walked or biked to school from, where my sister and I shared a room in the attic, a room that took 7 years for my busy dad to finish. Up there it is very cold in the winter and brutally hot in the summer. I guess, I know that my parents didn’t have much money back then, so they must have saved money on insulation materials. But it was always like that, maybe that’s why I don’t like winter or wet, cold weather. Up there in the attic, the winter is inside, the wet, cold weather is crawling under your blanket and barely anything can keep you warm. Except the furnace and that is too small for the room. But here we are again! And every time I arrive I feel like arriving in my childhood again. I participate as if I never left. And today I baked bread…

And that bread has a funny story: just before we left California I had asked my friend Kimberly if she could give me some of her sourdough, since mine had died. Sure, no problem, and since both our husbands wanted to meet for lunch that day, it was an easy transition to get her sourdough over to our house. Except that it was another hot day in Paso Robles, except that the marmalade jar that contained the sourdough was very full, except that Ted put this jar in his cargo pocket of his shorts, except that he and his friend went to wine tasting after lunch, until….. until Ted felt something crawling down the side of his leg. The leg closest to the cargo pocket with the sourdough jar. Can’t blame it: it was hot and it was bored inside! So the sourdough made it into the cargo pocket until that was full and out and down that sexy leg. Fortunately there was enough sourdough left to take to Germany. Inside a ziplock bag, that was inside another ziplock bag, that was inside a plastic drink bottle, that was inside a plastic bag, that was inside my suitcase. No leakage here, you just need to be professional! The sourdough survived and got to be transformed into this delicious bread! Not that we need to bake our own bread here in Germany because Germany is famous for having quite a few varieties. 3200 to be precise! The sourdough has to make it to Italy, that is known for pizza and pasta. Not for bread, especially not for dark, wholegrain, hearty, healthy bread. So I’ll bake my own. And that’s why I brought my sourdough – or whatever was left in Ted’s cargo pocket…..

Soccer

July 5, 2024 edithtedLeave a comment

And then there was soccer and the German dream of another European championship. But it ended in a disappointing loss at the quarterfinals, which was – of course – questionable. What should have been called a penalty kick was not acknowledged, what should have been a win ended up with a loss, just a minute before overtime ended. Darn! What a disappointment!!! We were so close and the German summer dream ended prematurely…

Ok, the Spanish team wasn’t bad, they were mostly lucky. Lucky and skillful, but I just liked the Germans play, not giving up until the very end, with leg cramps and everything. But it is what it is – the German are going home….. well, they are already home because Germany is the host country. So the Germans are just staying where they are already!

Bavaria – this & that

July 3, 2024 edithtedLeave a comment

Neuburg, where I spent a nice day with my sister Petra…

Munich with everything your heart desires, family,

My niece Saskia and her huge portion of tiramisu. I swear, I only tried a tiny bite! Or was it half of it? I can’t remember and it’s not that important…

Flying

July 3, 2024 edithtedLeave a comment

This time I chose to chop up my flight to Germany in three segments. San Luis Obispo, CA -> Phoenix, AZ -> London, UK -> Munich, DE. It is nice to get off a crowded plane, stretch your legs and walk around before taking the next part of your journey. It is nice to use a restroom that is not miniature size and has a line waiting outside, it is nice to visit some stores, watch people stress about their connection and it is nice to walk seven minutes from your arriving gate to your departure gate when you have 90 minutes between flights.

And then there is Heathrow International Airport in London. Layover: 90 minutes. Time to use a restroom or watch people = 0 minutes. Because at Heathrow, they don’t want you to pee and they are very successful with people who watch you stressing from your arriving terminal to the departing terminal. Visiting store time = 0 minutes, walking = 0. Everything has to be done running. And then you think you arrived at what you thought is terminal 5, but this is just a bus station with a mile long line of people who are all stressed catching the next bus or the second or third bus, because time is running out. And when you finally made it into a bus, you get a sightseeing tour of the Heathrow Airport, because there is no direct drive from point A to B. At Heathrow, the connection is the longest possible way from A to B. It took me 90 minutes to hurry to my connection flight, and I hate to be forced to hurry. I wanted to use the restroom, I wanted to watch people and not be the one being watched. I don’t like Heathrow. Never have, never will…..

But I made it just in time, jumped onto my third airplane and safely flew towards my final destination: Munich! And then there was this mayor storm. The airport was shut down, because a mega thunderstorm decided to give us a little hello party. The delay itself was not so much of a problem, but all the catching up the airport had to do. All those airplanes that had to circle around before landing were in a big rush to land and unload all those people, who were in a sour mood by then. Don’t ask me how the pointy elbows felt at the baggage claim. Everybody had a reason to feel more important and therefore use their elbows to make their way to the luggage. Maybe because they didn’t know that the suitcases, once on the distribution belt, will circle around again and again. It is coming back eventually. It is not falling off the edge of the flat surface of the earth if you can’t get it off the luggage belt the first time around. But people know so little sometimes!

Fashion! Or is it Art? Or both?

July 2, 2024 edithtedLeave a comment

„Viktor&Rolf is the avant-garde luxury fashion house founded in 1993 by fashion artists Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren after their graduation from the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design. Widely recognized and respected for its provocative Haute Couture and conceptual glamour, the house of Viktor&Rolf aspires to create spectacular beauty and unexpected elegance through an unconventional approach to fashion.“

Why do we wear clothing? Is it to show our religious or societal rank? Or because we need protection against the elements? Or because we want to be modest? Whatever the reason, that piece of garment has to be designed and produced, it has to follow rules of chemistry and physics. Materials like icecubes won’t work, especially in warm climates. And then there is gravity. And Viktor&Rolf, who question everything I just mentioned in this paragraph.

This long dress with its simple silhouette is made of fabric that is usually used for blue-screen technology. When the models walked down the runway, the blue-screen material was replaced by videos of thunderstorm, fireworks, nature, etc. The material of the dress was used as a screen, a canvas to go beyond and dissolves the material itself. This plays tricks with your imagination and dissolves the boundary an outfit usually has: inside the dress is the body, and the dress is the border to the outside.

Another way to break all the rules of convention are those outfits below. Fashion designers create gaps and openings in fabrics to stimulate curiosity, to enhance comfort and wearability. But an opening doesn’t have to be limited to a strapless or one-shoulder top, a backless dress or a miniskirt. Why not remove areas in-between? It’s still a long dress, but with maximal exposure.

And don’t forget the fun! Fun with fooling gravity, fun with questioning symmetry, fun with material choices that get your heart smiling and your mind remembering times when you scribbled your first fashion designs with no rule catalog weighing you down.

Viktor&Rolf also show those classics that awe everybody who has an appreciation for a garment that took 600 hours of work, haute couture at its best! This dress was worn by the Dutch princess Mabel van Oranje-Nassau‘s nuptials with Prince Friso. The white satin dress, including a 3-meter train is decorated with 248 silk bows.

Another favorite: it looks like it’s made of 1 yard of nude jersey and some fabric markers. Simple, comfortable, and why not? It takes guts to design an outfit like that, but hey, it’s Viktor&Rolf!

Leaving

June 25, 2024 edithted2 Comments

Leaving California is not easy. You leave gorgeous weather, perfect temperatures, crisp ocean water, and a lot of happy people, because the weather does affect your mood, in case you didn’t know!

Leaving California is also great for your wallet: nowhere else are prices so ridiculous, over the top and beyond, nowhere else they expect tips for services not performed, and nowhere else those tips are expected to be 30% [[additionally to a $790 dinner at Justin – I almost had to postpone my trip 😬! But I have to admit that we did receive a gift bag, a special goody bag, filled with a tiny micro jar of seasalt (1/2 teaspoon) and a small bottle of Fiji water, I’m talking plain drinking water]]. So I’m glad to go to „anywhere-is-cheaper-than-California“ country now! Good bye!!!

Anticipation

June 20, 2024 edithted3 Comments

Anticipation is a mixture between expectation and prediction. Expectation leans more to wishes, predictions more to the known. Maybe it is a right side vs left side of the brain thing? Who knows???

I know anticipation really well, I’m in the middle of an overdose right now: the next trip awaits me and it’s packed with predictions (high school reunion in the heart of Bavaria! Cruise through the Caribbean! Broadway shows in New York City! etc) and expectations (will I recognize those people I went to school with? Will the hurricane season be in full swing? Will my non-profit loose momentum during those 6 weeks while I’m gone?, etc) All those hard facts, the predictions have a „!“, whereas the expectations end up with a „?“. What’s more exciting?

We shall see and I’ll make sure to keep you posted. Let the journey begin…

Oktoberfest – Part 2: beer tents and amusements

September 23, 2023October 9, 2023 edithted2 Comments

Imagine a big beer tent in the US, a few hundred people in it, live music of course, good mood and great food and drinks. Now that would be the equivalent of a small tent at the Oktoberfest. And there are 21 small tents, usually specialized: fish, wine, sweets, etc.

Additionally to the small tents, there are big beer tents. 17 of them to be precise, and they are BIG! They seat 6-10,000 people and the have additional outside beergardens for a few thousand people. It’s amazing!

Seating is not difficult before 4pm, if you want to get a seat after 4pm, you need a reservation (that you can do at the official website: http://www.Oktoberfest.de) Don’t book through any other source, they’re not legitimate! At the entrance of each tent is security, they check bags, sort out drunk people and count how many people get in and out. If the tent is full, it’s full and there is no way of “schmusing” your way in – even a low cut dirndl doesn’t help! Believe me 😜

Entrance

A general good idea is to not carry a big handbag with you. At the entrances is a bag check and – unless you have a baby with you – they don’t allow bigger bags inside the “Wiesn”. They also sort out glass bottles or anything an airport security check would not allow. So just be smart and bring: nothing and your wallet!

One big difference to any American Fairground, where you pay ~$15 or $20 to get in, the Oktoberfest is a free event!

No entrance fees!!!

😍

Amusement

There are 2 main streets at the Oktoberfest, the Wirtsbudenstrasse and the Schaustellerstrasse (Beertentstreet and the amusement street) with several streets connecting them.

At the south end is the big Ferris Wheel. It is 50 meters high (~150”) and has 40 gondolas for 8 people each. It is not the biggest Ferris Wheel on earth, but it has the most beautiful view. To the south you see the Alps, to the north, at the foot of the Ferris wheel, is the Oktoberfest, surrounded by Munich with all its beautiful landmarks. it costs €10 per person and goes around 5 times. Since I’m afraid of heights, it was 4.5 times too many and my photos are not taken from the top. That’s where I had my eyes closed and my hands were holding on to the seat with a death grip 😖

My friend Lisa leaning over to me – emotional support!

And of course there are numerous rides you can try, some of which originated from the 19th century, some brand new, super fast and scary like hell! more than 50 different choices, from the little fairytale ride for the little ones to everything that challenges the beer you just drank. They do recommend to wear “throw-up proof shoes for a reason! 😳

Oktoberfest – part 1: history and food

September 21, 2023September 21, 2023 edithted2 Comments

History

Oktoberfest, annual festival in Munich, Germany, held over a two-week period (with three adjacent weekends), and ending on the first Sunday in October. That’s why most of the Oktoberfest is happening in September. The weather in October is sometimes a hit and miss, that’s why the organizers moved it to earlier times.

The festival originated on October 12, 1810, in celebration of the royal marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

The locals call it “Wiesn”, because it happens at the Theresienwiese, meaning “Theresa’s lawn“, a huge fairground area in the middle of Munich.

The Beer

The beer is specially brewed for Oktoberfest and extra strong! 5.9%. It is slowly fermented throughout the summer months to allow the beer to pick up the rich malt flavors. Only beer brewed in Munich is allowed at the Oktoberfest!

1.8 MILLION GALLONS OF BEER (7 million liters = 7 million mass) are consumed at the Oktoberfest each year!

PROST

The Food

But the beer is not the only specialty at Oktoberfest. The food is awesome too! For example grilled oxen. In 16 days, they grill ~150 oxen, roughly 10 per day. Along with 500,000 chickens, 15,000 ducks, half a million sausages, 52,000 kg of fish, etc. Walking around the fairgrounds makes you hungry; the smell of every booth, every tent is just like heaven!

“Steckerlfisch“ – fish (usually Macarels) are grilled on a stick

Sustainability

If the Oktoberfest would be in the US, you’d end up with a mountain of waste, a garbage pile as tall as the Zugspitze! But here in Munich, they are more environmental conscious: they use porcelain plates and “real” silverware! No paper plates or plastic cutlery! The silverware, roughly 1 million knives, forks and spoons DAILY are brought to Passau, a town 200 km East of Munich on the border of Austria and the Check Republic, where they are washed, dried and wrapped in a napkin and shipped back to Munich. 4 truck full loads of silverware per day. The porcelain plates and the glass beer mugs are cleaned on site. One of those special beer mug dishwashers can clean 2800 mugs an hour with a cold rinse at the end, so they can be filled with the liquid gold right after the cleaning process.

People

About 6 million people visit the Wiesn each year! It gets very crowded at night and on weekends. No baby strollers are allowed the fairgrounds at those times, otherwise the Wiesn is very kid friendly. In the morning there are many school classes to be seen, lots of rides especially for the little ones.

Transportation

For Americans, the most unusual fact might be that there is not public parking at the fairgrounds. None! Zero!!! So you take public transportation, which is excellent, easy to use and self explanatory. Take the underground lines U3, U4, U5 or U6. Or S1,2,3,4,6,7,8. Or tram 18,19. Or bus 58, 62, 53, 143. Or a taxi. Or a bike. etc. And just follow the crowds, go where everybody else is going. Or just ask anybody. Or, if you are a shy person, follow the sign “Zur Festwiese” (to the fairground)

Let‘s Go!

Edith & Ted explore, eat, and enjoy

Tag: Munich