Munich in September + October

Rather than writing about everything we've been up to I figure people enjoy photos more anyway.

Here's some of the fun September and October brought our way...

September

visitors decked out in their Bavarian best at the Oktoberfest

brotzeit

plenty of pretzels and beer

Münchener Kind'l street art

October

views from the Gaisberg

Auer dult

Autumn leaves

incredible weather

... as for November, we were once again traveling and trying to decide where to spend Christmas. 

Jedermann

This is the 90th year for the Salzburg City Festival where the see and be seen Jedermann (everyman) play is performed. The cathedral is the perfect backdrop for this medieval play about mortality.

Aren't those hairstyles and outfits fantastic?

The joys of my job

This summer seems to be constantly keeping me on my toes. The good news is that I've been meeting all kinds of hilarious characters from all around the world. The bad news is I haven't had too much time to write here, finishing editing photos from our trip, or have much of a life.

That being said I love my job. I know I've said it before, but the world is filled with so many amazing people. Each day I learn something new about dealing with various cultures, how they interact, and how to manage 20+ people who may speak English as a second language.

All of this has been similar to what I experienced in my German course except on a more global level. Everyone has a story and I love listening to whatever they want to tell me - whether it's their view on the state of the world or customs and their favorite things to do in their home lands.

Some days I can't believe a Midwest American girl like myself has the opportunity to chat with people from Iran, Saudi Arabia, and far away lands. I've been called naïve before, but I do believe in the kindness of strangers and that regardless of religion or political beliefs people can unite as humans. (As a result I loved the book The Kindness of Strangers by Don George. It's great to read if you're sick of doom and gloom.)

Here are some of the people I've met the past few weeks:
- A Turkish couple from Istanbul with the husband having learned his English from American police shows like NCIS and CSI. He would go through his repertoire saying, "Drop your weapon - NOW!" or "I'm going to break the door down." I love that he was trying and laughing hysterically at my reaction.

- A single mother from Brazil who kept asking her son and niece "Do you love me?" She said telling people you love them is essential, even if it meant embarrassing two teenagers.

- A wonderful Saudi family, from Jeddah, who I shared the afternoon laughing with. They also loved to give hugs. At the end of the day the father told me he felt the people we spent the day with were people that he knew better than friends he'd known for a long time. The mother then started to embarrass her teenage daughter by saying "Do you love me?"

- A Greek couple who was concerned about sustainability and believed the world will revert to going local again. They talked about wanting to grow their own food, but not having enough time to do so.

- A couple from Malta that talked about their foods and traditions. Pastizzi pastries filled with peas or ricotta are something I have to try when I visit.

- An Australian woman who swore to me that Louis Vuitton stores have different prices around the globe, although they say they don't. She compares a certain purse in each country she goes to and has seen it differ up to 100€. She said the cheapest place to buy is in Frankfurt. (If you like 'luxury' items I'd recommend Deluxe by Dana Thomas, which I recently read - very fascinating.)

- A young American/Senegalese guy that now worked in Cairo as a children's advocate. He does speaking engagements around the world and had some pretty humbling facts. In 1998 the US spent $8 Billion on cosmetics + Europe spent $11 Billion on ice cream. He reasoned if people purchased from more ethical companies that money could easily give sewage sanitation and clean water to everyone in the world.

- A Canadian film maker that takes photos to create 3D images. He uses a wooden stereoscopic viewer with images he takes on his holidays to combine modern technology with some old fashioned depth perception tricks. Pretty cool!

There were plenty more that I could go on and on about.

I also had my foray into leaving tourists behind. I have honestly dreaded this day and even slightly prided myself on never having it happen. I gave everyone a marked map with the meeting location and time, I announced the meeting point when we passed it, and I waited an extra 15 minutes. Unfortunately there was no sight of the couple. I later found out they chose to stay behind, but didn't inform me, which made me feel marginally better.

The rest of the group tried to keep my spirits up. They were humorous about it too, saying 'maybe they already went to the train station'. Then it was 'maybe they are on the train'... 'maybe they are back in Munich'.

One said on another tour the guide said a 10% loss is acceptable. Then a man said I could now tell people I've left people behind to instill a bit of fear in them. With 18 other people we had to get back to Munich.

Hopefully the rest of my tours this summer will be as much fun as the past few weeks - even despite the rain.

Heat Wave

We are currently having a sweltering heat wave over here. I'm really not one for heat - unless of course I'm lounging on a beautiful beach with crystal clear turquoise water, but the closest I've been to any water ways lately is the Isar here in Munich or the Salzach in Salzburg.

For some reason I think I have a mental block on how miserable Europe can be in the summer - who decided that air conditioning is overrated anyway?

I've also been working nonstop now that the tourist season is in full swing. Some days it's amazing and other days I feel like I am herding cats. None the less it's usually fun to interact with people from other cultures and to have interesting conversations. Yesterday we talked about traditional dishes from our home lands and how people celebrate festive occasions.

I'm convinced I need to make a trip to Malta. I had a tour last month and one of the women actually makes the Air Malta uniforms for the flight crew by hand. This week I had another couple that was affiliated with Air Malta and they were just as delightful as the couple from last month. They both gave me their email addresses to get in touch once I make it over.

Working in the crazy sun can be very exhausting, but last week I came home to flowers, a tiny cake, and a delicious fruit salad courtesy of Stefan and a sweet package with a beautiful and delicious bar of chocolate from a faraway friend.

I also was able to check out the Roman ruins / excavations under the Salzburg Cathedral. They are only open during the months of July and August, so if you are in the area it's definitely worth checking out. (These images definitely do the place justice - just trust me on this one.)

As much as I'd love to update more often sitting anywhere near this inferno of a computer is just not happening. I probably seem like a hermit when I'm not working, because all of our blinds are closed in hopes to keep the sun from heating this place even more.

Back to Work

We're back in Germany now and trying to fight a bit of jet lag. I read that eating a handful of cherries before bed is supposed to help naturally regulate melatonin, so I went with that method.

My tours are back in full effect and a few new stores are popping up around Salzburg. I wanted to see the new movie 'Knight and Day' while I was in Ohio, because it has scenes filmed in Salzburg, but it looks like I'll wait for it to come to DVD.

This past week I noticed they were packing up Jaume Plensa's 'We' sculpture from the Residenz. I'm curious where it's heading.

Gone but not forgotten

This past Monday was Memorial Day in the US. It's a day to remember those that have sacrificed in serving the country, which unfortunately is a very real and harsh reality for many families even today.

I was surprised and delighted to see that General Harry Collins' grave in Salzburg was visited by his military division. He was largely credited in variety of ways with helping Salzburg after World War II and is also responsible for liberating the Dachau concentration camp.

Mirabell Gardens

Lots of rain this week... but even so, the flowers are blooming and growing. The whisteria is looking as if it's straight out of a Bob Ross painting and the ornamental cherry blossoms are falling like confetti.

It's so nice to sit at Mirabell Gardens and enjoy an amazing pastry while being showered with cherry blossom petals. Definitely no complaints from me!

I always try to sample something new when I'm there.

This time I went with something passion fruit + pistachio from from Patisserie-Konditorei Fingerlos. It's was just as delicious as it was beautiful.

sign of the times

After all of the travels it's back to work. I guess work and travel have become synonymous in my world, but never the less I was able to join tourists on their vacation to Salzburg.

It's been a long time since I visited - September to be exact.

That was right before we left for our trip... when I decided it would be fun to take my husband to work and had a crazy awful group, which included the wandering off guy (who by the way was left at Neuschwanstein the next day), and the entire group showing up to the meeting point a good 15 minutes late, which is impressive since they all had marked maps and weren't traveling together.

We made it to the train with about a minute and a half to spare. Thankfully someone took to pushing the Grandma in her wheel chair through the city or we never would have made it. Stefan ended up schlepping some woman's bag of beers back to the train station so we could make it on time, because she decided they were too heavy. They drank their beers on the train and didn't even offer Stefan one for all of his troubles.

All in a day's work. When working with the public, various cultures, or those with so so English skills that sometimes feign understanding nothing surprises me anymore, but it's also the reason I love what I do.

Today I did get an unexpected surprise - one glaring sign of the times. So many stores have closed.

Yes, there are several new places that have opened, but there are plenty of empty store fronts. I'm not really sure I can complain, because I did only partake in window shopping at a lot of them - the gorgeous rose shop (Gerhard Swarovski Rosentury) with the wedding gown made of fresh flowers - gone.

The egg shop... downsized. Don't worry, it is still there, but now those windows that seemed to go on and on filled with beautiful painstakingly decorated eggs doesn't have the same affect in such a small window.

I try not to make a big deal out of the things that people wouldn't know they are missing, but today was different.

I love seeing how the city changes - the scaffolding comes off the cathedral, when an archeological dig is going on, or where the horse carriages will be moved to accommodate whatever is new, but I am surprised the winter was so harsh to so many stores. I know that's the nature of business and new shops will hopefully fill the vacant spaces, but it's a real bummer that this economic crisis has taken its toll on the independent shops - and beautiful ones at that.

St. Peter's Stiftskeller

Stefan joined me on my final tour before we head out on our big 4 month adventure. It was so nice to have him, because it was a long day. We had some characters including the kind that turn up over 15 minutes late, which required hauling it to the train station - complete with a grandma in a wheel chair. We thankfully were able to catch our train with only a minute or two to spare.

Stefan and I decided to stop at the St. Peter's Stiftskeller for lunch. This is one of the oldest restaurants in all of Europe and dates back to 803! On one of my tours, a few weeks ago, I had a couple who invited me to lunch there, however I had already been invited by another couple to another place, so I had to turn them down. (Bummer!)

After their lunch they were raving about the schnitzels. The woman was telling me she had the veal schnitzel and she was so impressed she was asking about it and they said they have a special schnitzel oven. Most schnitzels are made in a pan with way too much oil, so I try to avoid them... and I don't eat veal, although I will on occasion eat poultry, which they also have.

We both ordered a schnitzel today and I still think mine are better, although these were decent. I think I'm just a sucker for home made food, even if I have to be the cook. I make my own - from scratch, using this schnitzel recipe. If we have a loaf of bread that needs to go I will use that, and if not I use panko (Japanese bread crumbs). We usually eat ours with Heinz curry ketchup instead of making the sauce. You can make them to celebrate your own Oktoberfest at home.

Gesellen - auf der walz

Every year I spot these young guys around town that are doing their traditional wander. They aren't exactly hard to spot due to their distinctive costumes, but I never had a camera with me to capture them - until now. (The man in the pink is wearing his own costume of sorts --only in Salzburg I tell ya.)

They are called Gesellen and said to be auf der walz - on the road.

After they finish their carpentry apprenticeship they head off to learn about life, working, and to get a bit of free time before starting their careers. Their journey lasts 2 or 3 years and 1 day. During their journey they are not allowed to go within 50km of their hometowns / villages, nor can they stay in any one place longer than 6 weeks. Hamburg is said to be filled with them, so I might get to see more next week.

What is incredible is that they rely entirely on the hospitality and kindness of strangers, as depicted here. Evidently this is a dying tradition, so I am amazed that I see them so frequently, but it is nice to see they have the support of the community.

I also get a good laugh when I think about gesellen, because I was trying to tell some of my language school classmates about them and was met with puzzled looks. We even taught one the word hobo after drawing a bag on a stick. That was about as close as it got. My other friend from Spain thought they were from some strange religious sect when I pointed a pair out to her here in Munich.

Der Spigel has an older article about them (in English) or there is another from the German Times that is worth a read.

I love the yesteryear traditions and the helpful nature of people helping people.

Salzburg in the summer

We have had a dreadfully rainy summer here.

Even so, it's still nice to accompany tourists on their first visit to Salzburg. The city doesn't miss a beat, even when the weather isn't exactly cooperating.

Here are a few details from my most recent trips:

The cathedral is finally finished its facelift and the scaffolding is gone. The printed ads for the radio or of scantily clad women in swimsuits have made way for a refurbished 17th century Baroque façade and the angels crowning the Virgin Mary are once again visible.

Others are still searching for peace. There was an Iranian demonstration that brought tears to my eyes. Seeing the images of Neda Agha-Soltan and simply knowing how many people have been displaced breaks my heart. There's so much violence and struggle for the freedoms that many take for granted.

Fortunately there are small details that offer a bit of hope from the evils people put upon each other. Jaume Plensa has an interesting piece of work in the Residenz courtyard, which is aptly titled 'We'. You may be familiar with his Crown Fountain at the Millennium Park in Chicago.

'We' is made from powder coated steel and has letters and characters from various languages, which he says create building blocks for words and thoughts. I always appreciate how art can often transcend things that language barriers cannot.

I think this piece of work would have been better appreciated in a large open area, where many people would be sure to see it.

At the Residenzplatz were the ever present horses waiting to work. Horses always remind me of Austria, probably because they are present both in Salzburg and, of course, at the Spanish riding school in Vienna.

Salt Chocolate

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is salt chocolate. Slowly I can see that it's becoming more mainstream, because I am seeing more companies manufacture it - even the salt companies. That puts me in a bit of a conundrum, because of course I have to try them all.

Here are some of the latest:

in't veld (Berlin) - milk + dark 75%

chocolate orgánico (Spain) - dark 70%

sal de ibiza (Spain / Germany) - dark 70%

domori (Italy) - milk

solnce (Slovenia) - dark 62%

The other new thing I've noticed is in trends is beer and chocolate. That seems especially fitting here in Munich. I still think it's rather unfortunate that the breweries here don't offer tours like the champagne houses in Reims.

There is a combination of the two at a seminar here in Munich on 5 June, at Stolberg Schokoladen for 49€ / person. You can find more information at der biersommelier.

While in Salzburg I picked up a bar of the Bachhalm Schloss Eggenberg bierschokolade. Evidently they even bottle their own beer to go with it, but they didn't have any available.

Mozartplatz

At the Auer Dult I found a fantastic old book about Salzburg. It's given me so much more information to include on my tours that I haven't found anywhere else. The information is probably more exciting for me than my tour groups, because I actually get to see the excavations and changes.

I can always tell if people are interested in the topic by how much their eyes are glazing over or if they wander off to take photos. Often times English is not their mother language or they do not speak English very well, so I'm sure it's exhausting for them to take everything in.

Something new that I learned: During one of the WWII bombings (16 occured from 1944-1945) that destroyed 40% of the city, Mozartplatz was hit, however it also revealed 6 foot thick walls of a Roman temple beneath the ground. There was also an inscription stating 'Here lies happiness, let no evil enter'. This city really has so much history and I wish it came with glass floors.

These are the things I ponder while I admire the little details and enjoy Demel ice cream at Mozartplatz (this time I had raspberry and grapefruit basil). If you go to Salzburg you must try their ice cream - it's nothing short of amazing. The flavors are as intense as the colors, but they are not saccharine or overly sweet. Even my tourists full heartedly agreed that it's delicious.

All of the small things do make Salzburg feel like a city where a musical could burst out on the street at any minute - and not just because of the Sound of Music. The blue skies, the little birds, the open plazas, the colorful flowers, and the charming cafés give it a movie set feeling.

First Tour of the Season

Even though I have been giving tours to Salzburg for nearly two years, I love going back. Not only do I get to meet interesting tourists from all around the world, I also get to appreciate the different restaurants and changing beauty.

The Mirabell Gardens are blooming and absolutely perfect at this time of year. Everyone was out enjoying the flowers and the sun. The reactions of the tourists are priceless. They are intrigued by The Sound of Music, Mozart, and the fact that this is my job.

My other favorite aspect is stopping at Demel for their amazing pastries. Since the weather is warming up they currently have ice cream and sorbets as well, which are very very good. Today I had green apple and blueberry, although I'm sure I'll work my way through their rotation.

If you live in the area you definitely should consider a day trip - just look at those flowers! If you go, be sure to check out my Salzburg Visitor's Guide with all of my favorite places to visit.

Krampus

The days of Christmas are near when Krampus makes an appearance. My sister came for the Christmas markets the first year I lived in Germany. We had read about the Krampus Run and were intrigued when we learned about Krampus and Knecht Ruprecht, who join St. Nick on December 5th, only with more sinister intentions. Of course being good little American girls this was something we had never encountered.

When we went into the market I was horrified at how scary the Krampus actually were, even though I knew they weren't 'real'. We also got at good laugh out of a mini-Krampus who was a child dressed in a similar furry suit and his larger companion that smacked Stefan with his switches. Nothing delighted my little heart more than seeing my husband singled out for being a naughty one.

Salzburg gets an early start on their Christmas markets and started theirs on the 20th, while Munich will begin theirs on Friday the 28th. As I meandered around Salzburg's markets I was constantly struck by the devilish grin of Krampus on everything from masks better suited for halloween, to chocolates and gingerbread.

Then there was my favorite - an entire Krampus army made out of dried fruit. I also saw my other Christmas favorite - decorated apples.

On occasion we also have the 'Frohes Weihnachten' variety, as well as the hearts. They are made with stickers while the apples are ripening. I still have to admit they are pretty fascinating, which they should be considering they cost about 2€ for a single apple.

I decided to surprise Stefan with his annual advent calendar, which are quite a big deal around here. I thought the less traditional 'tea a day' was more interesting than the random chocolate. Besides, we don't need an excuse like advent to eat chocolates!

I was reminded on my tours that I absolutely love Salzburg in the winter. I'm not sure how I really forget it, or if I block it out so that it's always something magical. Mirabell gardens slowly take the back seat as all of the stunning colors fade to brown and the rest of the city shines with beautiful lights.

They have a large variety of different kinds of glühwein and plenty of warm mugs to go around. Then there is the ice skating rink in the middle of Mozartplatz that makes my inner teenager squeal with delight. All of it combined really make for a romantic atmosphere.

This year, only half of the Christmas market is up due to the continued excavations, which hold my interest. They must be fielding many questions because they have put up a sign denoting what exactly is happening there. It makes me wonder where they will sell their pitifully small and completely adorable christmas trees this year. The best items at the market that I saw were the wood carved animal pens. They have everything from rabbits, frogs, flamingos, and dogs, to sea horses and sting rays.

I'm really looking forward to getting paid to shop around at the Christmas markets, sample all of the seasonal foods, and of course being able to share this little gem with tourists from around the globe.

autumn's end

I'm fearing this is the last week before colder temperatures come for good. While I don't mind completely, I will be sad to see the beautiful foliage come to and end... and for the days to get shorter.

I have been very fortunate considering I was able to spend some time in the beautiful Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg. I can't get enough of the horticulture and the colors of the changing leaves. It's really something special.

Salzburg Excavation

Two weeks ago I had a tour to Salzburg and they were filming a movie in the Mirabell Gardens. It was about an Austrian actress, and didn't have anyone in it that I would recognize, but it was still interesting.

Then today I had a tour with a great group. Thankfully they weren't a difficult bunch considering I had to get up at 6:30am to see Lauren off.

The highlight of my day was undoubtedly seeing the excavation work going on near the cathedral in the Residenzplatz. I always think being an archeologist would be a fascinating job, and the workers didn't change my opinion. I couldn't stop watching as one woman dusted the bones off ever so gently, another had pieces of bone crumbling in her gloves and delicately would wrap it in paper towels, and finally they were surveying the site so they could see precisely where the bones laid.

It makes me view the area much differently - it's the same area where the horse carriages would stand, or the Christmas markets would appear - and to think it was actually a burial ground. Considering Virgil built the cathedral in 767 on Roman ruins, I am assuming those are some very old skeletons.

I hope it's not morbid to post photos of the skeletons, but it's not every day you get to see an excavation in the middle of a city. I guess I view it more as a momento mori.