February 4-10

Monday, February 4th

Oh snow! It feels like we've had snow nearly non-stop since the beginning of January. But it's oh so beautiful and I don't have to drive in it, so as long as the sun comes out to make it all sparkle, then I'm happy to let it be. I walked to Vits Café for the monthly new member coffee hour with the Munich International Women's Club group. I took my rolling grocery cart with me and made a stop on the way and hit up another grocery store on the way back. Walk? ✔ Groceries? ✔ Fresh air? ✔

Leaving our building to walk to the store on Monday morning; the clouds were clearing and temps were brisk.

One of my favorite spots in Munich: Gärtnerplatz; the columns of the theater on the right.

Sunlight, blue sky, and beautiful old buildings!

Temps stayed below freezing so the snow stayed frozen to the tree branches all day!

From my kitchen window

Tuesday, February 5th

I went to German conversation group in the morning and then after lunch took the bus to Implerstraße to meet HR. She had an extra cello lesson since she has a little recital tomorrow evening at the Klenze Gymnasium, but didn't have time to take the bus home, get her cello, and get to the cello studio on time. So I met her at the U-Bahn station near her school and swapped her cello for her backpack. On the way back, I snapped some more photos of the classic Münchener buildings against the blue sky in our neighborhood.

Roecklplatz down the street from our apartment building.

"Our" canal: Westermühlbach

Our apartment is in the furthest yellow building on the right side.

Wednesday, February 6th

J and I went to the big library at the Gasteig after lunch since I wanted to see if they had a set of art songs by Dominick Argento that I'm going to learn for the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. I found two of the songs in an anthology of American art songs, but will have to get the rest another way. Snapped some shots of the Volksbad from the Ludwigsbrücke as we walked up the hill from the bus stop to the library. Sorry that the sun is gone, but grateful for the fresh air and wintry beauty.

Müller'sches Volksbad

Church spires from the city center as seen from the Ludwigsbrücke

HR played an excerpt from a Vivaldi piece with her cello teacher at the winter Klenze Musik Konzert.


Thursday, February 7th

I've picked up another little editing job. This time a journal article by some JMU professors that they want another set of eyes on, so I set aside several hours today to work on that. In the evening I had another double choir rehearsal for the Himmelfahrtskirchen Chor and the smaller Capellchor too. Full, long day!

Friday, February 8th

Today I went to the Lunch Bunch gathering with the MIWC (I'm really taking advantage of everything they have to offer and am having fun getting to know several of the regulars). We met for lunch at a Sri Lanken restaurant, Colombo, on the Prinzregentenplatz. Great food and conversation! So good I forgot to take pictures... But as it was the first time I've been to this part of the city and the sun was shining so wonderfully, I took photos of the plaza and buildings.

Saturday, February 9th

ME and I had been planning for several weeks to go costume shopping today. I'd gotten a Facebook event notification that the Gärtnerplatztheater, Munich's light opera and musical theater venue, was having its annual costume sale where they clear out their old costumes. Ranging in price from a few € to as much as 300€, the costumes are from their opera, music theater, and operetta productions last year. We were hoping to put together something for Karneval/Fasching which is coming up fast, the first weekend of March. At 9 a.m. they started handing out entry numbers and at 10 a.m. they opened the doors to the first numbers, posting the next group on their Facebook page or by calling their theater office number. We couldn't believe the line! We arrived around 8:40 and the line went around the corner and down the street! It was raining when we got there but as we waited, the sky cleared and we were blessed with some blue sky.

After getting our numbers we headed to a nearby café, Café Crème, for some hot drinks and to warm our hands and toes. At 11 a.m. we headed back for our entry time, waited in the lobby area for another 20 minutes or so until our numbers were called. Then took the stairs up to the mezzanine where there were 4 rows of racks stuffed with costumes. Bins and baskets lined the walls with hats, scarves, and random accessories. We grabbed as much as we could manage and then found a spot by a window to try things on as best we could over our clothes, stripping down to jeans and t-shirts so as to get the best fit possible. We both came away with a few things. I have the beginnings of a steampunk outfit... Just need to find a hat yet!

Waiting in line....

Mint tea from fresh leaves, hot black coffee

Walking around the traffic circle at Gärtnerplatz with the theater in the center.

Waiting inside for our numbers to be called.

The costumes from their Romeo and Juliet went fast. We didn't see much except for some leftover bits and pieces from that show. Too bad! We also heard those were the most expensive pieces though.

Waiting for the bus to head home... Sun is out, but it hangs so low in the sky at this time of the year.

Soaking it up whenever we can!

Steampunk... Ordered a few accessories online... Photos of the whole getup will show up mid-March after the Karneval parties in Köln.

Sunday, February 10th

I had originally planned to try to go to church somewhere today, but the weather was so amazing, I couldn't stand the thought of being inside if I could help it. Kicked the girls outside and headed to the river park for a long walk myself. The snow has been melting rapidly since the temps reached the high 40's yesterday. Today it should reach up into the 50's! EVERYONE is outside. The park was teaming with people walking, running, a few biking, lots of dogs and babies in strollers.

In the afternoon GE had a play date with her friend SH from school. I walked her over around 3 p.m. and they walked her back a little after 6. So glad the girls are making connections. 

Looking back at our neighborhood from the path along the river.

Sun trying to break through the trees. Grass finally showing through!

A father and son search the rocks for... pebbles to skip? treasure?

I was inspired to walk down to the rocky shore and sit for a while--there were 2 people up the shore from here with mats, meditating near where the water pores over a dam (just below the bridge on the right) with a steady roaring sound. I sat on a long stump and turned on my own guided meditation app.

 

When I got home I set the laundry outside and added the wet stuff from the washer.

It was so warm and sunny, I just sat at the table and let the sun shine on my face for a while. It's these moments that I'm hoping to be able to make more time for when we get home to Virginia. It'll be hard. Going to have to say "no" to more in order to slow down enough.

After dropping off GE at her friends' house to play for a while, I took the long way home, swinging through Roecklplatz near our apartment. I love the different colored stucco. The playground was full of kids and parents, taking advantage of the good weather.

The Eis Café was busy!

Close up of the Eis Café on Roecklplatz... folks enjoying their coffees, ice cream, and tea!

I also took a sneaky peak at ME who was at another coffee shop with her "friend"...

J has been working and writing mostly from home with the occasional morning or afternoon at a coffee shop. He's set up some meetings with people he needs to talk with here in Munich and another in Amsterdam in March. His book is coming along, but he keeps finding more books or articles he needs to read...