We just finished our first week in Munich and I don’t think I’d be jinxing it by claiming it a success. We found our house and have settled in nicely. Grocery shopping was an experience – all six times we tried it (we really need to figure out how to plan our food better!). We’ve figured out the bus/tram/subway/train system with all its sixteen rings. And we found the local Gelato place – many times.
With all these adventures I have learned a couple of things:
- The numbers on the left side of the street do not relate to the numbers on the right side of the street. In Munich, it is the same as in the US with odd numbers on one side and even numbers on the other. The difference is that the numbers go up at different rates by number of front doors, so you can be at 262 on one side and 65 on the other. We found this out as we were looking for a concert and walked over a kilometer too far. Oh well. Lesson learned and we at least got some exercise.
- I don’t think the Germans have a snack tooth. While they have aisles and aisles of cheese and salamis there are no cookies and very few chips here. And no ice cream. Stores just have a small selection of Gelato and pops. This is a definite boost for my plans to eat healthier!
- There is music everywhere. We could go to a concert every afternoon and every evening. It is wonderful, but I think my girls would kill me if I make them sit through too many organ/harp concerts.
- I miss seeing people smile. When you get on a train or walk down a street people don’t smile or say Good Morning to each other. Hopefully I am just not looking in the correct direction.
- Adventures are more magical and rewarding when you can share them with family and friends. I first came to Munich over 15 years ago, by myself. I was visiting my friend Gerald before I returned home from a work trip to Romania. That time in Munich was amazing: walking all over by myself, meeting Gerald’s friends, seeing a real castle for the first time. None of that compares to being here now with my family and doing everything together. Of course we may be sick of each other by the time the trip is over, but the memories we are creating are absolutely glorious. I can’t imagine this trip, or my life, without them. I am truly blessed.
The Chance To Fly 