As we get closer to our destination we look for a parking deck to park the car. By this time it's close to 3pm. The Glockenspiel schedule is at 11am, Noon and 5pm. It looks like we will make the 5pm schedule.
Ted parks the car on the 4th floor of the deck. I grab my sweater and my travel guide and off we go! We take the elevator down to the street making note of our surroundings (so we can find the deck when we get back). The deck is right across the street from the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
We start walking down the street and I'm trying to get my bearings based on the map in the book. As we pass by a jewelry store we look in the window. I admired one ring that would go beautifully with my wedding ring. I perused the next few windows and stop at the corner. I turn and Ted is MIA. Where in the world did he get to? I waited and looked around and didn't see him. He wasn't across the street drooling over the exotic sports cars parked in the street in front of the hotel and he wasn't behind me and I KNOW he didn't get ahead of me. Where in the world is he? I figured he would show up eventually so while I was waiting, I kept looking at the map and trying to find where I was in relation to the Marien Platz.
A nice German stopped and asked (in English) if I needed help. I proceeded to ask him where the Marien Platz was. He told me to walk to the traffic light at the bottom of one street (I could see it from where we were standing - it was about 900 meters away) and turn right. He said to go under the tunnel and I'd be there. I asked him how far it was to the Platz, he said about 500 meters from the light. I thanked him profusely! (But I actually think he wanted to speak English! ;)
Finally, Ted was there. It turns out he had gone into the jewelers to check on the price of that ring. Fool Man! I asked him how much and why he wasted that poor man's time. He said to me it was about 7800 Euros (over 10K). Not in THIS lifetime! He also said that if I will buy him that sports car parked in front of the hotel, he'll buy me that ring. Yeah, Right! Not exactly a fair trade! LOL!
We began to walk. We walked past the Police station and past Italian Pizzerias to the light. Across the street there is a place that sells "Lieder Hosen" (Lieder=suspenders, hosen=pants - in this case short pants). These are the kind you see in the movies that older men wear. There were also those beautiful peasant dresses that you see in the movies with the white blouses and trussed up waists. These were intricately embroidered not only with brightly colored threads but also with fine crystals and beads. I took photos of them but they did not come out because of the sun's reflection on the window.
As we enter into the tunnel there are hundreds of bicycles in the tunnel and street musicians setting up to play for money like they did in San Francisco. As we emerge from the tunnel, there are people everywhere. They are like ants! Apparently there is something going on further down the square. But let me describe to you what I'm seeing. There is a huge building to our right. It spans the whole right side of the square. I cannot even get a photo of all of it even if I stand on the opposite end of the square! So I'm giving you several photos of parts of the building. The architecture is phenomenal and the details are absolutely amazing. Half-way up the tower is the Glockenspiel.
Behind me is the old town hall (where the tunnel was - you can just barely see it above the guy's head). All of the people and I couldn't get good shots. And opposite the old town hall, is a street with more stores.
In the middle there is a fountain and there is a statue with a golden image of the Blessed Virgin. Across from the big building (which houses the Glockenspiel) are many separate buildings that have stores and/or restaurants on the first floor. I haven't seen Swatch or United Colors of Benetton for years! There's also a Sworski Crystal store.
We're a bit early. It's 3:00 and we have two hours to kill but Ted is very uncomfortable with this many people so we decide to have a late lunch/early dinner at the outdoor cafe across from the Glockenspiel. The menu is in German and English so that helps. Ted orders a beer and the local fare which is a Bratwurst and Fries. I ordered Wasser Stilles (prounounced Vas-ser Steel-less) and is bottled water - no carbonation. If you don't order it like this, they bring you mineral water and since I don't like mineral water, it's Wasser Stilles. I ordered a margherita pizza. The water was good but the pizza was not good at all. Ted loved the Bratwurst and the wonderful German mustard. He didn't like the beer so he ordered another one. The first one came in a large mug and the second one is called Weis Beer (pronounced Vice Beer) and translates to "White Beer". It came in a very tall glass - not a Pilsner but similar. He says the beer was THE best beer he had ever tasted and didn't want to drink the first beer, which was fine with me!
We decide to prolong our lunch as long as we can to keep out of the crowds and we do some people watching. My husband, who was feeling no pain and making me nervous, begins to talk about the two guys that were sitting cate corner from us. He not only thought they 'could be' terrorists, but he pointed to them as well. I wanted to smack him! I told him to be quiet. But I looked around and saw these guys with these interesting hats. I'm certain they were from one of the Nordic countries.
I wanted Ted to drag the last of the beer in his glass because it was only 4:15 by this time and we really didn't want to walk in the crowds. He said he couldn't drag out the last of the "good" beer and he would have to drink the "bad" beer. Whatever!
We finally got the bill and it was about 4:45. I needed to go to the restroom so Ted looked for one in the restaurant that we ate at. It was downstairs in the basement. Oh Great! So I walk through all of the people in the bar watching Soccer and go down the steps. The men's restroom is being cleaned by this older woman and the door to the ladies room is open with a girl waiting in line. I see nothing changes. There are lines in Germany for the restroom just like we have in the states.
After washing my hands - and there are no paper towels, the older lady says "Madame!" and hands me a paper towel. By this time there are four women waiting in line. On my way down the stairs I noticed there small tables that had a dish with coins in it. Apparently you have to pay to go to the bathroom so I put a Euro in it for the nice lady.
Ted was waiting outside and talking to his friend Wayne in California. He has to QUIT calling his buds. Our phone bill is going to be outrageous!! I look at the clock and see that we only have to wait another three minutes until the Glockenspiel starts. The Glockenspiel is world famous and is housed in the 278 ft tower opposite us. They are mechanical figures on a carillon or carousel. There are two animations. The first one depicts a tournament held in 1578 (it's on the top) and the second one depicts the Dance of the Coopers which commemorated the end of the Plague in 1517. Such History. It's simply amazing!
The clock strikes five. The unusual tinkling sounds coming from the tower perks up every one's ears and they wait expectantly for the Glockenspiel to start. People are poised to take pictures just like me. We take the following photos. First the top figures move and then the bottom. The sounds change from the top to the bottom. It was over in less than 15 minutes but held young and old alike, enthralled. Well, at least I was enthralled! Poor Ted had a different expectation of the Glockenspiel. He thought they would be life size (they were) and he thought they would be at ground level. Not so. I had no such illusions as to what it was. I just knew what I read in the travel book and it didn't say where in the tower it was.
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Now that we've seen the Glockenspiel, I do not want to do anything else because I'm afraid Ted has drunk just a little too much beer. Ted wants to take a bicycle cab back to the Parking Deck. OK, I'll go along with that. I don't want to be dragging his butt back to the deck anyways.
We hire this young kid and I actually felt sorry for him that he had to bike our big butts to the hotel. UGH! He drops us at the front of the hotel. We only have to walk half a block to the parking deck. We arrive at the deck and the deck is closed!! Uh oh...how in the HECK are we going to get our car. I walked down to the cafe at the end of the street and ask her about it. Luckily she speaks English and says that it can't be. That deck is open 24 hours.
By this time Ted needs the restroom. I go looking for the other entrance to the parking deck. The lady from the cafe walked down to me and said she would show me where to go. There was another door for parking deck that I didn't know about. So I waited for Ted and we paid for the parking and went upstairs to the car. I told him I was driving and he didn't object. Unusual for him at best. He wanted to know if I thought I was able to get the car out of the tight parking space. I simply rolled my eyes and squeezed into the car from the drivers side.
I was able to get the car out of the space and went out of the deck. I asked Ted to program the GPS for home but to wait until we get out of the deck because it won't work in the deck. We get out and the GPS isn't working. Great! I just kept driving. Ted doesn't know why it's not working. So I just kept driving in the streets of Munich. I didn't turn, just kept driving straight. Finally the GPS started to work but NOT until after I saw the sign for the Autobahn for Stuttgart. UGH!
So, today I drove not only in a HUGE city in Germany but also on the Autobahn. Ted was a little nervous how I would do on the Autobahn but truthfully, I didn't have a choice. There was NO way I was going to let him drive after having had almost two whole beers! No way.
I drove on the autobahn just fine (except for the one time a Porsche went zooming by me like I was standing still) and I was traveling about 120-140km per hour. After making sure I was OK driving on the Autobahn and actually being impressed that I was able to do so, he promptly fell asleep. All I could think was, for crying out loud, I drove in Italy years ago. Germany is actually easier than Italy!
Ted woke up off and on just to inform me how many more kilometers we had to go. Great. Thank you. Like I can't read the signs or hear the GPS lady when she speaks.
Finally, we are in Filderstadt and Ted wants desert. OK, so it's Gelato at Eis Cafe Venezia (our usual Gelato place). I go up Markt Strasse (Market Street) and see that some sort of a festival had taken place today. They were in the process of taking down the different vendor stalls. I park in Ted's favorite spot. Parallel park, no less. Ted was impressed that I got it in one try. Geez!
As we get out of the car, we run into my new friend Dustin whose wife works on base. He's pushing the baby stroller with a friend. He introduces us to his friend Van who also works on base and who also lives in Bonlanden. I proceed to introduce my husband to both men and ask them what was going on today. Apparently it's "May Pole" day! Go figure! I haven't seen anything like that since I was a little girl.
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After having our usual two scoop gelato cones, we go home. And am I ever ready to go home - it's been a really long day - fun but long!
It's time for bed. Until next time...Auf Wiedersehen!
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