Goodbye Bonn
Before departing to Munich I said goodbye to my host mom Doro. I'll admit my study abroad experience has felt short and quick. Staying in Bonn was wonderful, Doro not only made me feel at home but she also taught me German life.
Day 1
Our Bike ride in began in Munich Central Station. We rode for two hours around the city and stopped in a couple of spots including Marienplatz, the English Garden, Königsplatz, Feldherrnhalle, Odeonsplatz and the Munich National Theatre. My favorite part of our tour was the English Garden, a large park filled with people relaxing, people sitting by the Bier Garten, near the glacier water river and in a small section even surf on the river water.
Day 2
Munich's Olympic Park was constructed four years before the 1972 Olympic Games. The architect, Frei Otto, designed a web like roof as a symbol of transparency after WWII. One of my favorite features of this park is the hill near the stadium, it is made of Munich's rubble after the WWII. Near the stadium you also find the BMW showroom and Museum featuring BMW's newest and antique vehicles.
Day 3
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial is about thirty minutes away from the city center. Here we had a self guided tour throughout the facilities. It was hard walking on the grounds of torture, hardship and loss. In the memorial only a couple of the buildings remain, many of the bunkers were torn down and now are outlined with concrete. Towards the back there is a orthodox chapel, catholic chapel called the Catholic Mortal Agony of Christ, Protestant memorial called the Church of Reconciliation and Jewish memorial building.
After a heavy morning in Dachau, our class ended the day in a dance room full of Aggies. Three programs from Texas A&M got together to learn traditional German dancing , this dance is called “Schuhplattler“. Our dancing lesson included lots of beer and laughter.
Day 4
Public transportation is a major difference between the U.S. and Europe, here most people ride bikes, use trams, metro system or trains for longer distances. The Allianz Arena is located north of Munich, this arena has a really cool façade design. It had a thin, air filled, double layer of plastic. At night LED lights turn the arena red for the FC Bayern München soccer team. The moment I stepped in the stadium I knew I had to get my dad a cap of Bayern München.
Day 5
On our last day in Munich we took a bus to Priem and a boat ride to Chiemsee lake. At the center of the lake you will find Ludwig II’s palace called Herrenchiemsee Palace. Ludwig II modeled his palace after Versailles in Paris. Inside Baroque style extravagant rooms are decorated in gold plaster. The palace includes the most expensive room of the 19th century and a huge porcelain chandelier. the façade of the building has a tripartite entrance with two large fountains towards the front. the ground plan is filled with trimmed, controlled vegetation all organized symmetrically.
Comments