Mom and I just arrived back in Germany today after our long train ride. We were so happy to stretch our legs and walk around. So far, I believe Munich is a combination between Berlin and Prague. A perfect mixture. I thought Berlin was modern and, at times, a little too depressing. While Prague was romantic, medieval, and, unfortunately, swarming with tourists. Munich is a city full of charm and history. There is a great blend of old and new. There are various styles of architecture here that range from medieval to contemporary. For example, in the center of the city there are buildings that have clean and simplistic lines right next to ones modeled after old Romanesque and Gothic movements.
Off to the side of the busy town square, there are beer gardens and outdoor farmers markets. Many of the venders sell fresh fruit, veggies, olives, mushrooms, and dried flowers. I love looking at all the different types of food and goods that are offered. It’s interesting to see and compare the items that are sold locally in different countries. For instance, markets in Prague sell fruit, wooden puppets, and home-made candy. In Munich, they mostly consist only of fresh food and nothing else. Surrounding the booths, are outside restaurants that serve local beer. So far my favorite has been dark, sweet beer. Very refreshing. The only problem with these beer gardens are the food. Each restaurant has a buffet consisting of meat, meat, and more meat. That does not go along well with my eating habits. But my grandpa and grandma warned me about this and we did not eat there (thank god).
My mom and I did something very unusual tonight. Probably something that most tourists do not even think of doing in a foreign country, especially a country that does not speak the same language as you. We went to the movies. Yes, you heard me right. We saw a movie that was in German with no English subtitles. One of the main reasons that supported this bizarre idea was due to the fact that all the museums in Munich close at or before 5. Another main aspect was because it actually sounded fun. The man who sold us our tickets thought we were a crazy for wanting to see a movie only in German but I thought of it as a good experience. Luckily, I had already seen the movie before (Letter to Juliette) and wasn't a big fan of it but thought the cinematography was beautiful. It just so happened to be filmed in Italy, so of course it was beautiful. Throughout the movie, I tried to interpret and describe it for mom to the best of my ability. I have to say, I think I did a pretty good job. Not only did she thoroughly enjoy the movie, I ended up liking it even more!
Watching this movie tonight was a big contrast from what we did last night in Prague. Mom and I went to the Czech philharmonic concert. The scores that were performed were full of sorrow, charm, and mystery. All of the composers were Czech except for Mozart. I don’t know much about classical music but after listening to this concert it has made me more interested in it. I truly enjoyed it and would love to go again.
Prague was very romantic and medieval. As I have already pointed out, Prague very full of tourists but if you walk around the city during the right hours it can be very relaxing. The best time to enjoy Prague is in the morning. Everyone and everything is much more calm and subdued.
Although I did enjoy strolling along riverside, my favorite things in Prague were the Prague Castle and the Mucha exhibit. Prague castle is massive, to say the least. It contains a grand Gothic cathedral, the president's home, and many museums. Art Nouveau is a new favorite style of mine. I love Mucha's intricate details, soft geometrical shapes, and movement within his work.
I can't wait to explore Munich more tomorrow. Hopefully I will get a better feel of this city in these next couple of days.
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