Deutschland Dispatch # 6: Munich is Amazing.

The "new" Rat haus in Munich, with famous Glockenspiel

Driving from Freiburg to Munich is an incredible experience, namely for the view of Lake Constance, with Switzerland on the other shore. Though I was initially focused on this being the setting for the infamous Council of Constance (1414) where Moravian founder Jan Hus was executed, the beauty of the region became overwhelming - and was undeniable.

Entering Munich, it was clear that this city takes its architecture seriously.  Around every corner there seems to exist another amazing building, most of which are either churches or palaces built by the Bavarian kings (Ludwig or Maximillian).

Free day in Munich, by bike

We stopped at the Olympic Park (constructed for the 1972 Olympics, which turned into a nightmare due to the terrorist kidnapping of Israeli athletes) where we ate lunch and took in an extreme sports showcase...which was awesome.  From there we traveled to the BMW headquarters (in a building built to look like a four cylinder engine no less), where we learned about the famed German apprenticeships.  And it was as impressive as advertised - seeing 16 year old students completely immersed in the BMW business, and learning the skills while on the job.  Our group seemed unanimous in our appreciation for it, and discussed the opportunities (and barriers) to implementation in the USA. It was also a relief to meet students who were not necessarily University bound, as we had spent much of our time learning about the Gymnasium schools, and University systems.

A surfer on the Eisbach

By day 2, we truly started to drink deep from Munich - we walked around the city, explored on our own - and navigated the U-Bahn.  Seeing the famous Rathaus and glockenspiel, walking along the Isar River, and consistently finding amazing Turkish food was the order to the day.

Eventually we found the famous English garden, a massive park (larger than Central Park) that stretches for miles.  In addition, it is a favorite local haunt, and being around all of the everyday folks from Munich made me feel most at home.  Sunbathing, tossing frisbee, and (of course) soccer games were taking place as far as the eye could see.  The park is dotted with pedicabs, monuments, and the river.

The English Garden bike riding gang

Overall, it was clear that the English Garden was the coolest place in all of Europe, and we had to return the next day.  So, on Sunday -we rented bikes, and headed out.  We decided that we needed to emulate the locals and take a dip in the extremely cold river, the Eisbach that runs through the park.  (Munich has created a fast flowing channel, with man made waves that allows for surfing.  But many folks also just jump in this channel and allow the fast current to carry them down.)  So we did it, and it was exhilarating, though cold.  (But upon getting out, I quickly realized that my wedding ring...was gone!  Indeed the extreme cold of the river had allowed it to loosen, and now it sits somewhere at the bottom of a German river.  Initially, I freaked.  I looked for it to no avail, but my friends all made me feel better about it.  I decided to try and find a new one while in Munich- to no avail.)

The Doner- Turkish food in Munich

Concluding this trip is bittersweet, as I am so excited about seeing my family at home, yet hate to see this experience end. After ten days in Germany with 29 friends, who started off as strangers, my concluding thought is simple:  Everything is about human connectedness.  Everything we do is driven by relationships with each other.  From the deep depths of emotion that I experienced in Dachau, to the thrill of leaping into the Eisbach river in the English garden - the ties that bind these emotional experiences together remain my feelings towards those that I love.  Walking into the crematorium at Dachau was an overwhelming fear of loss.  Swimming in the Eisbach was joyful, as it was a shared visceral experience with 10 of my friends.