Munich

Richard Strauss Square, Munich

Left Prague by bus enroute to Nuremberg to catch a train to Munich.  The Prague bus station (which is also the train station)  was built sometime in the early 1900's and it looked as if it had not been dusted since then.  There wasn't so much a bus platform, as a door,  and it didn't make us feel much better when our taxi driver told us he "thought" he was dropping us at the correct door.

It seemed as if every bus in Prague stopped outside this door -- there were public transit buses, tourist buses, and buses to the airport.

We were travelling with the Deutsche Bahn again, so we were confident it would be OK, and after some recon we noticed a sign: "DB/Nuremberg".  Exactly on time, a clean, sparkling white bus, with the red DB logo, pulled up beside the sign.

Leaving via highway showed a better developed side of the Czech Republic with large business and commercial malls along the road leaving Prague.   It was nightfall quite soon, so there was not much to see as we crossed the border into Germany but when we arrived at the Nuremberg train station, we had that "we're definitely not in Kansas anymore" feeling -- so great was the difference between the Prague and the Nuremberg stations.  No dust in sight, just clean modernity everywhere and a train that left exactly on time to whisk us into Munich.

We had only one day in Munich and it turned out it was the day of the 25th annual Munich marathon.  The streets were filled with 18,000 runners and almost as many cheerleaders.  It was all very exciting -- for everyone and gave us a nice introduction to the easy going people of Munich (are they Municans? Munichonians? Munikers??).  Had the best beer and meal of the trip (so far)  in a gay restaurant bar.  The waiter was polite and bemused with us,  and it was not until after we had finished our second beer that we took note of our surroundings.  I can only say there was something very stylized about the experience --  i expected Marlene Dietrich to strut out at any minute, singing in that throaty voice of hers.

25th Annual Munich Marathon

Munich apartment building

lots of Bavarian influence

Prague

Prague's Famously Famous Charles Bridge

Oct. 7, 2010   We are in Prague.   The train ride from Berlin picked up the Elbe river after we passed Dresden and the river valley was in full autumnal colours so you can imagine it was quite beautiful.  

Seems the Czech Republic is still recovering from Soviet occupation, as it appears significantly depressed, especially in comparison to Germany where there are no signs of anything except prosperity and visionary planning.  On the train from Frankfurt to Berlin we passed literally a hundred fields of wind power farms,  saw building after building with solar panelled roofs, and the villages were so picturesque as to be out of a fairy tale. 

The train through the Czech Republic revealed a completely different picture.  Fallen and broken buildings everywhere, many of them looked like they may have once been castles or other important structures - such a waste.   It looks like they are still burning coal, because there were rows of blackened stacks spewing black smoke.  And the villages, although geographically placed in the most beautiful of environments along the Elbe river, were sad and decaying.  I felt grateful they at least have gorgeous views every morning.

But Prague!   Prague is an imperial city.  Amazing to see and comprehend the history that lives here.  It's a strange combination of castles, modern architecture and people who seem to be either infused with happy joie de vivre or dark Kafka-like personalities.  Lots of handsome, brooding men, and sexy, smoking women (it seems everyone here smokes). 

And tourists everywhere, overwhelming everything, tainting it all.

Our hotel balcony

View from Charles Bridge

Top of steps to Prague Castle

I Want to Live in Berlin!

A city loaded with but not burdened by its historical past, and possessing a modern zeitgeist second to none, there is so much to say about Berlin that mere words just won't do.

I can say this, I loved Berlin, I would return in a minute.

Remnant of Berlin Wall

Berlin Train Station

Travelogue 1

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof

Oct 1, 2010: Pete picked us up and drove us to the airport. How nice is that? I don't know if there is a nicer guy than Pete, but I know there are not many with his particular brand of appeal. Pleasure to be sent on our way with a hug and a kiss from him.

I guess we are intrepid or at least seasoned travellers because we breezed through the airport de rigueurs and multi-hour plane time and arrived in Frankfurt excited and exhilarated.

A few hours later we hopped the "See Frankfurt" bus and after a whirlwind tour of the city were impressed enough to know we would spend more than one night next time we pass through. In the morning we were stunned by the gorgeous Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, Germany's busiest train station -- handling an astounding 350,000 passengers a day -- and with our first exposure to the renowned German efficiency and their amazing Deutsche Bahn.

On to Berlin.