Odds and Ends

Sadly, we have a little over a week until we return home.  We have already said some good-byes, started to plan for the last things we want to do, and the last of our favorite restaurants to visit.  However, we still have some pictures and experiences we want to remember and share with you, so this post will be a little bit of this and that.

Kleine Gartens
We have visited Germany many times over the years and always been interested in the several-acre gardens that you see in the cities that appear to be divided into many smaller individual gardens.  We recently had two opportunities to visit inside these gated entities and talk with the owners about their gardens.  

The gardens were started after WWII by the German government to help alleviate the food shortage, particularly in the cities.  Families living in flats were able to rent a plot of land for a very reasonable price and grow some of their own food.  Over the years they have evolved into a family's "back yard" with a room-sized cottage, patio, BBQ area, grass, and areas to grow flowers, fruits and vegetables.  Water is provided, but there is no sewer or electricity, and overnight "camping" is prohibited. Each garden is approximately 30' x 50', the rent is still quite low, and they are so popular that there are long waiting lists.  Each "Little Garden" is unique, and the common thread is definitely a love of gardening!  Here are some examples:

Public Transportation In and Around Munich
For the last six months we have not had a car and relied on public transportation, which is easy, convenient, and relatively inexpensive in and around Munich.  Having lived in the West Coast, we are not used to having good public transportation, so although we were a bit hesitant at first we are converts and will miss it when we return home and have to drive everywhere.  We have purchased monthly passes that have allowed us unlimited use of the Buses, Trams, U-Bahn, and S-Bahn for 40 Euros each per month.  Greater Munich is divided into three rings - the inner city, the X ring, and the XX ring. Each mode of transportation has its place in the city and are all clean and well maintained.

Buses are the most common, run frequently, and travel on side streets as well as on major thoroughfares, but we actually don't use the bus too often.  Since we like to walk, we usually use the Tram or U to get to the general area, then walk to our destination.

Bus 154 on Schellingstrasse

Trams, what we call street cars, operate on major streets and stop at major intersections.  They run about every ten minutes during the day and every twenty minutes or so in the later part of the evening.  We are half a block from the #27, and we use it frequently to get to church, downtown, and connect with the U and S.

Our #27 Tram at the Sendlinger Tor Stop

A Typical Tram Station

Denise on the Tram

The U-Bahn, or Underground operates on a larger grid than the trams with six U-lines that mainly traverse the inner city.  We are 2 1/2 blocks from the nearest station at Universitäte and it is the U3 and U6 lines.  To take another line, we need to connect at other stations.  The U runs every 5-10 minutes most of the day.

Our Universitäte U Station

Interior of a U Train

Not all the trains are as new as these two examples.

The S-Bahn trains also operate in the very central part of Munich, but are the primary access for the outer areas of Munich including the airport.  They are underground trains in the city, but above ground in the outer areas. There are eight S-lines and generally run every 10 - 30 minutes.

The S arriving at Karlplatz

Gary on a Recent Outing on the S

Deutsche-BahnTrains  For trips farther afield than the S-Bahn serves, trains are the way to go.  In the state of Bavaria, D-Bahn offers several special day passes that are quite reasonable.  For 22 Euro for the first person, and 4 Euro for each person up to a total of five, one can travel anywhere that the train and most buses serve.  So you could go from Munich to Salzburg and back on the day pass.  There are also weekend passes with similar conditions for around 50 Euros.

A D-Bahn Train in the Munich Hauptbahnhof

The Interior of the D-Bahn Train

Beauty around Munich

As one walks around the streets of Munich, in front of many of the newer buildings and some of the old, there are pieces of art and sculpture that decorate the courtyards.  There are also statues and structures that celebrate figures or events from the rich history.  Below are a few examples:




Artwork

Statues

Max Joseph on Ludwigstraße

Honoring Bavarian Generals in Odeonsplatz

Bavaria in the Wies'n

Structures

Monopteros in the English Garden

Propyläen in Königsplatz

Wittlesbach Fountain

Friedenengel in Maximilianplatz

Sidewalk Cleaning
Munich makes a good effort at cleaning the sidewalks.  The sidewalks in our neighborhood are cleaned every Monday.  First, two men with brooms sweep the trash to the center of the walk, then a machine comes through picking up the trash and dirt.  Unfortunately, the many smokers and the teeny-tiny trash cans that are always overflowing, make keeping the sidewalks clean a challenge.

Note the Natural Straw Broom

Wouldn't you think that German ingenuity would
figure out that larger trash cans would
make sense in a city of 1 1/2 million people?