Innsbruck, Austria

It is so beautiful to go into the Alps mountains in southern Germany and Austria.  There is still a quite a bit of snow on the tops.  It has been spoiled a little by all the rain that lasted most of the day, though.  It enabled me to stay inside and get my laundry done, though.  This trip has been mostly rain-free, so I have nothing to comlain about.

Detail from the stained glass windows at the Frauenkirche in Munich.

Kufstein, Austria

Actually, it just means "bright!"

Innsbruck - the Olympics were held here in 1964 abd 1976.

By a fountain.

"Bacon Room."  My kind of place!

Tschuß to Bad Mergentheim, Hallo to München!

I gave my final exam this morning, graded it, and caught the train to Munich, on a 250 kilometer per hour train!  250 times 6/10 equals 150 miles per hour!  It was practically flying.  Even quickly passing the fast cars on the Autobahn alongside at one spot!

Munich is a fun place, and very busy with a) tourists and b) many Middle Easterners.  The area around the train station makes you feel like you are on the streets of Turkey or Saudi Arabia.

Speed monitor on the train

A typical tiny European hotel room.  The bathroom is just barely big enough.

The most decorated church I've ever seen.  The amazing Asamkirche from 1746.

Looking up at the fully-painted ceiling.

Death cutting the string of Time.

The "New" City Hall.

A department store where they don't sell worms.

A version of the Bavarian flag.

Gravestones on the side of the church.

Of course, I don't drink ... but you can't go to Munich and not visit the Hofbrauhaus.

Inside the Hofbrauhaus.

Another food picture ... the best rhubarb tort.

The church bells chiming

I like to just listen to them.

The cool deposit return machines

All sodas, bottled water, juices, etc. require a deposit of about 15 cents here in Germany.  To return them and get your money back, most grocery stores have installed machines to do the job.

The machines have an opening just large enough for the bottle.  You place it in the opening and a tiny conveyor belt takes it in.  Once inside, a light comes on and the bottle is spun around until the bar code can be read.  It registers the amount on the screen on the front of the machine and conveys it into the back room.  If it is a can, it then pushes it aside and you can hear it being crushed right on the spot.  If that store does not sell that item, it will spit it back out to you.  When you are done, push the button on the front and a receipt comes out that you can take to the cash register!

Here it is in action!

Back from the grocery store

I love the German food.  I don't eat out much, since I am staying in a little apartment, so I buy stuff from the grocery store a lot.  German grocery stores are unlike anything in the U.S.  The foods are so very different.  Here are a few things.  (I know ... I should just eat my food, not play with it or take pictures of it)!

Stores are all closed here on Sundays.

They just look like cans of beer in the grocery store, right?

No ... they are mini kegs.  (Just taking pictue of them, not drinking them).

Never had chocolate yoghurt before.  But it is good!

I just like the name of it.

Fresh bratwurst ... ready to cook.

Gotta have a brotchen with every meal!

Raspberry kuchen.

A liitle unusual, but very good ... rhubarb soda.

You can read this one.

I've tried to limit my intake.

Hot weather in Germany

95 degrees F today in Bad Mergentheim.  (35 degrees Celsius). Hot, and very little air conditioning around. Luckily, they installed A/C units in some of the rooms of the castle this year, so it has kept it reasonable.

Obama joined me in Germany today, too!  He is in Berlin.  Do you remember these famous speeches from the Brandenburger Tor?

"Ich bin ein Berliner!" 1963

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" 1987

Also, a few pics from nearby Würzburg.

So good I had to put up twice as many pics: Rothenburg ob der Tauber

I took almost 200 pictures yesterday afternoon.  Because this place is so cool.  Here are a few more.