Munich, day 2 - Sept 10 (UK trip day 29)

First stop of the day was to the Marienplatz plaza for the 11 am Glockenspiel event at the Town Hall.  Not to be outshone, the bells of St. Peter's church, on the edge of the square, started pealing 11 am at 5 minutes BEFORE the hour.  It was still finishing up chiming it's eleven bongs when The Glockenspiel high atop the Town Center started its carillon at precisely 11 am.  About thirty seconds into the carillon song, the figurines below the clock started moving, eliciting a collective gasp of appreciation from all of us watching in the square below.  What a show with the carillon music and the figures going round in merry go round style.  After several rounds the first jousting knight  unseated the second knight.  On the fourth song, the first figurines stopped and the maypole dangling  figurines in the alcove  above began circling and dancing.  Overall a fun display.  At the end of that song the square erupted in applause and most people started moving away from the area. Thanks to Jim's research, we knew to wait the extra minute for the golden bird above the alcoves to flap it's wings and cuckoo three times signaling the end of the performance.  Too bad most of the crowd had already moved away and missed that part.

Next priority was to find an optician to fix my glasses.  Somehow they got squished on the bed during our packing and the arm on the right side wouldn't sit on my ear. I was in a panic thinking I wouldn't have my glasses for the entire 2.5 weeks of our trip!   Pantomime was no longer just a game as we attempted to converse with the locals - the Visitors center sent us around the corner, then someone in a jewelry store sent us back the other way until we finally found the store and tried to explain our problem.  The girl looked doubtful and apologetic hoping she wouldn't ruin my designer Swiss glasses - but she was thankfully successful.

Afterwards ensued several hours of walking and taking in the sights and sounds as we followed the self-guided tour book and map that we'd purchased at the visitor's center.  We saw the food market, 2 churches and walked thru the upscale shopping areas squeezing in lunch at a bakery.

The 2nd church in the video on the left is The Frauenkirche or Cathedral of the Blessed Lady and is the largest church in Munich.

A quick stop by our room then around the corner to The Munich Residence.  Actually a museum and something we would have termed a palace or castle, this is where we spent the entire afternoon.  With it's sprawling buildings and over 90 rooms, Jim had to constantly pull me along saying we would never see it all before it closed.  So hard to imagine living in all those opulently and lavishly furnished rooms.  And yes this was the residence of the Bavaria ruling families.   Throughout was a common theme, some parts had been renovated over the years due to new rulers, fires in 1676 and 1762 but most had been rebuilt or restored as the Residence had been almost totally destroyed in 1944 from bombing by the Allies during World War I.

For centuries the Munich Residence was the political and cultural centre of first the dukes, then the electors (from 1623) and finally the kings of Bavaria (1806-1918).  As the residence and seat of government of the Wittelsbachs, the history of this palace is inseparable from that of Bavaria's ruling dynasty.  The various rulers furnished and extended the rooms to suit their own personal tastes, engaging important artists for the purpose.  The Residence was also the place where rulers kept their art collections and treasure.

After the Residence we spent a shorter period of time going thru the Treasury which contained goldsmith's work spanning several centuries from the Middle Ages to the neoclassical era.  I really enjoyed the displays of ancient crowns, swords and quartz dinnerware.

After closing down the Cuvillies Teatre and taking more pictures outside, we strolled nearby and found another great restaurant with outdoor seating for dinner.  So I again enjoyed Wiener schnitzel while Jim this time ate roast pork with sauerkraut.  Walked back to our hotel the long way to walk off some of our dinner but needed to pack for tomorrow's journey and turn in early.

 next - Hohenschwangau, Day 3 >>