Happy New Year's!
New Year's Eve was truly a grand night here in München. Many people from the program had returned so we had a good crowd. I also had a couple of squatters staying with me (pictured left on either side of me at the U-Bahn as we head to Mariensplatz). The are the girlfriend of a fraternity brother of mine who transferred schools and I haven't seen in a year and a half, and her friend. Out of the blue I was contacted by this girl who I had never met before looking for a place to stay and something to do on New Years. Normally I would have been less trusting, but the holiday spirit was strong in me. They're good people and their stay was a lot of fun. They are at Illisheim, which is a small town with a big army base. They work in the daycare/school of the base and get to babysit army-brats all day. Sounds like a blast. They were overjoyed to get to a big city for New Year's.
Per usual, the gang of Americans assembled at my house for a little New Year's Eve Party before going to Mariensplatz, a plaza that is the heart of the city, around 11. Fireworks are legal here for New Year's. Not just little crappy fireworks, but roman candles and mortars and whatever else you please. When we were in the train station at Mariensplatz, it was full of smoke from people lighting off fireworks inside the station. New Year's is apparently the most un-German night of the year in terms of people's conduct. Mariensplatz was a madhouse, though by no means dangerous or anything like that.
Here is a video I took at midnight, at the right hind side you can see the New City Hall (Neue Rathaus) with it's great belltower with an enormous Glockenspiel which features not only dancers, but jousting knights. The Bavarian knight, in white and light blue, dismounts a knight in the red and white of the rival Hapsburgs of Austria three times a day. The Hapsburgs were one of the longest dynasties in Europe, spanning 600 years and at one time controlled Germany, Spain, southern Italy, and the Netherlands, until their reign ended with the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I). It is a beautiful building built in the late 19th century in the historical style, combining ornate High Gothic architecture (peaked arches, spires, flying buttresses) with Renaissance influences. To the left, in the distance, the Onion-Topped domes of the Frauenkirche's bell towers are barely visible through the smoke (and my camera's motion recording quality is not great as it's mainly meant for still shots). The cathedral is enormous and continues to dominate the skyline. Built in the 15th century, it houses some relics, as well the the grand tomb of Kaiser Ludwig der Bayer (Louis IV of Bavaria), King of Germany (1314) and Holy Roman Emperor (1328) until his death in 1347. During the video I will turn behind me to see more of the celebration. The building you will see is the Old City Hall (alte Rathaus) constructed in the 14th century in typical early Gothic style, still maintaining some Romanesque features (rounded arch windows, for example).
We ended up not traveling over our Christmas break, partly because of weather, and partly because we wanted to save our money for our semester break, when traveling will be much cheaper than during the holidays, and when we will have more time (9 weeks).
Monday our semester resumes for the last 6 weeks. The most pressing thing on my mind is a 10 page paper I have to write, in German, for my Devil and Demons class at the University. I am dreading it. It will be nice to resume my Art History course, though, which is taught entirely at München's wonderful museums.
Just a short blog this time, not much to write about besides going to the market and being cold. The days are getting longer, thank god, for a while there it was dark by 4:30.
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