Munching in München

I arrived in Munich (München) on Saturday evening and just about managed to get myself from the airport terminal to my hotel at the airport. Sunday I figured out which ticket I needed and how many times I had to validate it and I took the train U-bahn from the airport to the city centre and then up to my hotel - the Mercure Hotel München Schwabingn (for reference ALT+0508 is the short cut for the u with umlaut) on Leopoldstraße (ALT+0223, and no I wasn't just going to write a double 's'). I managed to get to the conference almost on time on the first day and enjoyed the whole thing. I actually attended every session so I get a gold star. 

The hotel was a mile and a half from the conference hotel so unfortunately we had to walk through the sunshine in the park every day for half an hour. The Englischen Garten was created in 1789 and is 910 acres (one of the worlds largest public parks, according to wikipedia). It is lovely apart from the imminent risk of death by cyclist. On the artificial Eisbach stream there is a constant 1m high wave which is a popular thing to try and surf if you are experienced.

The English Garden 

The English Garden

The conference hotel and the river Isar which has a curious ebb and swell like the sea,
 I'm not sure if this is a result of water from the gardens joining it.

Sunny Munich

One of the streams I had to cross over

Ducklings

 On Wednesday evening we had a walking tour of the old town of Munich. This includes several shopping districts and a shrine to Michael Jackson among more interesting sights. Something like ninety percent of the Old Town was destroyed during the war; much has been rebuilt as it was or where nothing was left new things have been built. 

These are real plants growing down because the light below is bright than the
light above, in one of the city's shopping malls. 

Many building had ornate roofs

This Madonna and child was just
nestled on a building  

A model of Old Town

The cathedral. Hastily repaired after the war they are now having to check every
single brick to make sure they haven't retained water as a result of the wrong cement being used. 
A 20 year multi million euro project. 

The glockenspiel in the new town hall.
Not playing when we saw it. 

This is one of the little characters

The New Town Hall has some amazing gargoyles

I have a soft spot for gargoyles

New town hall at Marienplatz with the Mariensäule (Mary's column)

A clock shop

Holy Ghost Church (Heiliggeistkirche)

St. Peter's Church.
Containing a total mix of architecture of architectures and ideas about how to worship God; pre-Merovingian, Bavarian Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque.

The maypole 

Dinner Wednesday: Sauerbraten (pot roasted meat in gravy) with cabage and a bread dumpling

Dinner Thursday: Schweinshaxe "pigs knuckles"  with bread dumpling

A view of the surrounding area from the plane

Beautiful Britain

This April I came home for my final trip before my return to the UK in August. I had a few days in England, a conference in Germany, and then a few more days at home before flying back to Seattle. 

These photos are from 9th of April and the 17th of April. They were taken along the Ridgeway, which is an ancient trackway which 'they' think has been used for over 5000 years. Most of it runs over high ground, hence the name, which would have been helpful in the times when the region was one big marsh. The bit I walked is called of Grimm's Ditch which is a ditch with steep sides, what the original purpose for the earthworks was isn't entirely clear.

We had lovely balmy spring weather, perfect for a walk through some shaded groves. There was plenty of wood sorrel and wood anenomes and some violets.

Wood sorrel

Wood anemone and 'friends'

Primroses on the bank

A blanket of white and yellow with hints of blue

The road goes ever on and on...

After walking Grimm's Ditch (a little bit) we went to the river at Benson and spotted a Deer and her fawns. 

Mummy Deerest

...and after that we checked out the river at Cholsey...

Bee on willow

Superzoom! I was about 5-7m from this little guy and you can see his fuzzyness!

Cormorant in their favourite tree

Friday, I headed down to Bristol. Where my sister, nephew, and I held a belated Easter colouring competition. Judged (very well - I won!) by my brother-in-law. We did hide our names when we asked him to decide. 

If you want to join the fun I got these from www.activityvillage.co.uk.
Can you spot the strawberry egg? Impressive for a seven year old, but I'm biased.

I was in Munich for five days but those photos are going on another page. As I flew back to the UK the next week I had a rather nice view of Windsor. 

Windsor Castle from above

Then it was back to Grimm's Ditch...

... down from the door when it began...

Now eight days further into April the road has brought us... not to Mordor but to bluebells!

BLUE BELLS!

Bluebells, Bluebells, everywhere...

Here you can see the ditch nicely the blue is lost in the green and yellow

Also growing around home, many many lamb future lamb chops!

Note the 'saddle back' lamb in the middle

And I'll leave this with a suitably Easter picture of lambs and a background church.