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Carrie Rodriguez 
Monday, August 02, 2010
Made it to Munich. Andres was able to get out and ride this morning before we left. It was good to know he made it out. Off for gas and air. Then off we went. It took a couple hours and hit some construction which added a little to the time. We arrived at Dachau about 1pm. We found the parking lot locked and looked for a space in the area. Got around the corner and found the front building were closed and hoped the museum itself was open…but no, closed on Monday. We were able look at the main entrance to the monument and several informational markers with photos. It was hard to conceive of 32,000 people living in that small area. Even the 6,000 it was built for is hard to comprehend. For 12 years the citizens of the community lived next to the camp. The 20 minute film and extensive material inside would have been informative but we will wait for another trip to go again.
Next was the Dachau Shloss but it was being remodeled and not open today. It was an interesting drive through more of the city suburbs and a view of Munich. In to Munich for lunch. Took a tour through the city on our way to the Swabian Germany food restaurant Andres found on the gps. While the German food was suggested, I was the only one ordering it. There were American burgers and fries ordered all round except for my roast, potatoes, gravy, bread dressing and slaw. There was 80’s American music playing and a pleasant atmosphere [and those wonderful spinning toilet seats which sanitize themselves with each flush].
Next the gps took us to the center of Munich where we selected our next stop by what we saw. The fountain with Neptune won. It was in a nice park with parking available on the side. Andres found the parking ticket vending machine and we got the kids out- Diego got a nice walk in with Tata. It took several minutes to walk into the middle of the shopping area past the park and then we needed a few minutes to look at the water fountain here, too. Diego did not want to touch the water or walk into the splash area with Adrianna, “No tankoo”. The open shopping area looks much like it did in Stuttgart with multiple stores of the same brand as you go from one block to the next. Many of the stores looked to have been built in old buildings [perhaps 80 years old]. Fruit venders were set up on the mall and we heard, “Wait a minute…” as Diego spotted the buttons [his name for raspberries]. We should have stopped right then and fed that sweet boy fruit. Instead we suggested he wait, and later did not come because we walked back another way. Even Cesar had said he’d wanted to pick up fruit and this is beautiful, farm fresh selections we will not be able to find when we shop tomorrow. There were several building which looks a few hundred years old with statues and architectural details of great beauty. Many buildings had clocks and one we hoped would show the moving people in them, but no. We waited passed a quarter hour to see if perhaps the next quarter would produce a show. Instead we saw a mime who engaged those who gave him coins and made us laugh; he would strike a single pose until a contribution was made. Then he would move to the one who gave the money and have them act out pulling a rope or mime with them. GPS took us to Starbucks and some coffee to enjoy as we walked back to the car. We passed the German cafes and bakeries which serve a wonderful coffee to add to the mug collection which Adrianna and Andres have started.
It was a nice walk back to the car. Diego had to keep pulling up his shorts as they dropped below his diaper. There was a toy store with Disney characters in the window and Diego did not know whose name to call out first: Pooh, Minnie, Mickey, Pluto…And the “Toy Story 3” posters were a hit which made his whole trip worthwhile [he found them in Paris; there was even a bus wrapped in the film]. Got the kids back into the car and almost buckled when diaper changes were remembered. So we added feeding Isabella to the stop and Diego had time to almost get his buckling done by himself which was of course followed by cheers, high 5s and pound its.
Andres had estimated a 2 hour stay very close to the 2 hours and 10 minutes we were there. I was able to talk Cesar into a couple pictures on his phone before we got back into the car. You would think this was a chore or something he did not want to do…yet he had mentioned wanting to have pictures on his phone of memorable things he took while he was here and not just photos others had lovingly sent him. It was not possible to get a family shot in Munich, either. Andres suggested taking one when we got home. Maybe he meant tomorrow because we didn’t take one tonight.
The drive home included several more episodes of “Everybody Loves Raymond” which was one of Diego’s requests; the other was, “Watch Larry” for Veggietales (who did not win the popularity vote with his parents). There was also a stop to feed Isabella; she was sure it was much longer than an hour since she had been fed last and cried continuously until the car stopped and her seatbelt unbuckled. Adrianna decided to sit in the back next to her just in case she started crying again before the last ½ hour of our trip was completed. Andres brought some fries and chicken ‘numnuts’ for Diego and we were off again.
Home was the setting for an hour of bike conversations with Andres and Cesar who compared their travels and experiences. We heard tales of equipment and its failure, what is carried with on a trip, plans or the lack thereof, and the differences of the trips now versus 20 years ago. Andres was surprised there were no helmets or replacement tubes and of course there wasn’t a phone with gps.
We don’t have a travel plan for tomorrow. We had hoped for a train trip to Berlin. But when he checked online, Andres found the tickets would be 509euro each! An annual pass is only 250euro…If we buy the ticket a couple weeks in advance it is only 80euro. Anyway, we are not heading out. Andres said annual passes are occasionally available for about 100euro. That may end up being a good value for those who come back and are looking to travel again to Paris or to Rome or Berlin.
Home, rest, peaceful night with family who love us, we are thankful for our Jesus who is our example of love.
Made it to Munich. Andres was able to get out and ride this morning before we left. It was good to know he made it out. Off for gas and air. Then off we went. It took a couple hours and hit some construction which added a little to the time. We arrived at Dachau about 1pm. We found the parking lot locked and looked for a space in the area. Got around the corner and found the front building were closed and hoped the museum itself was open…but no, closed on Monday. We were able look at the main entrance to the monument and several informational markers with photos. It was hard to conceive of 32,000 people living in that small area. Even the 6,000 it was built for is hard to comprehend. For 12 years the citizens of the community lived next to the camp. The 20 minute film and extensive material inside would have been informative but we will wait for another trip to go again.
Next was the Dachau Shloss but it was being remodeled and not open today. It was an interesting drive through more of the city suburbs and a view of Munich. In to Munich for lunch. Took a tour through the city on our way to the Swabian Germany food restaurant Andres found on the gps. While the German food was suggested, I was the only one ordering it. There were American burgers and fries ordered all round except for my roast, potatoes, gravy, bread dressing and slaw. There was 80’s American music playing and a pleasant atmosphere [and those wonderful spinning toilet seats which sanitize themselves with each flush].
Next the gps took us to the center of Munich where we selected our next stop by what we saw. The fountain with Neptune won. It was in a nice park with parking available on the side. Andres found the parking ticket vending machine and we got the kids out- Diego got a nice walk in with Tata. It took several minutes to walk into the middle of the shopping area past the park and then we needed a few minutes to look at the water fountain here, too. Diego did not want to touch the water or walk into the splash area with Adrianna, “No tankoo”. The open shopping area looks much like it did in Stuttgart with multiple stores of the same brand as you go from one block to the next. Many of the stores looked to have been built in old buildings [perhaps 80 years old]. Fruit venders were set up on the mall and we heard, “Wait a minute…” as Diego spotted the buttons [his name for raspberries]. We should have stopped right then and fed that sweet boy fruit. Instead we suggested he wait, and later did not come because we walked back another way. Even Cesar had said he’d wanted to pick up fruit and this is beautiful, farm fresh selections we will not be able to find when we shop tomorrow. There were several building which looks a few hundred years old with statues and architectural details of great beauty. Many buildings had clocks and one we hoped would show the moving people in them, but no. We waited passed a quarter hour to see if perhaps the next quarter would produce a show. Instead we saw a mime who engaged those who gave him coins and made us laugh; he would strike a single pose until a contribution was made. Then he would move to the one who gave the money and have them act out pulling a rope or mime with them. GPS took us to Starbucks and some coffee to enjoy as we walked back to the car. We passed the German cafes and bakeries which serve a wonderful coffee to add to the mug collection which Adrianna and Andres have started.
It was a nice walk back to the car. Diego had to keep pulling up his shorts as they dropped below his diaper. There was a toy store with Disney characters in the window and Diego did not know whose name to call out first: Pooh, Minnie, Mickey, Pluto…And the “Toy Story 3” posters were a hit which made his whole trip worthwhile [he found them in Paris; there was even a bus wrapped in the film]. Got the kids back into the car and almost buckled when diaper changes were remembered. So we added feeding Isabella to the stop and Diego had time to almost get his buckling done by himself which was of course followed by cheers, high 5s and pound its.
Andres had estimated a 2 hour stay very close to the 2 hours and 10 minutes we were there. I was able to talk Cesar into a couple pictures on his phone before we got back into the car. You would think this was a chore or something he did not want to do…yet he had mentioned wanting to have pictures on his phone of memorable things he took while he was here and not just photos others had lovingly sent him. It was not possible to get a family shot in Munich, either. Andres suggested taking one when we got home. Maybe he meant tomorrow because we didn’t take one tonight.
The drive home included several more episodes of “Everybody Loves Raymond” which was one of Diego’s requests; the other was, “Watch Larry” for Veggietales (who did not win the popularity vote with his parents). There was also a stop to feed Isabella; she was sure it was much longer than an hour since she had been fed last and cried continuously until the car stopped and her seatbelt unbuckled. Adrianna decided to sit in the back next to her just in case she started crying again before the last ½ hour of our trip was completed. Andres brought some fries and chicken ‘numnuts’ for Diego and we were off again.
Home was the setting for an hour of bike conversations with Andres and Cesar who compared their travels and experiences. We heard tales of equipment and its failure, what is carried with on a trip, plans or the lack thereof, and the differences of the trips now versus 20 years ago. Andres was surprised there were no helmets or replacement tubes and of course there wasn’t a phone with gps.
We don’t have a travel plan for tomorrow. We had hoped for a train trip to Berlin. But when he checked online, Andres found the tickets would be 509euro each! An annual pass is only 250euro…If we buy the ticket a couple weeks in advance it is only 80euro. Anyway, we are not heading out. Andres said annual passes are occasionally available for about 100euro. That may end up being a good value for those who come back and are looking to travel again to Paris or to Rome or Berlin.
Home, rest, peaceful night with family who love us, we are thankful for our Jesus who is our example of love.
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