If you like an elegant formal garden that’s not so big as to be un walkable (and really, who doesn’t?!) you’ll love the Hofgarten by the Royal Residence in Munich.

It’s been a subject for paintings by many eminent artists. For example, Max Stern painted it. Stern was a German painter and graphic artist of Jewish ancestry and this is his Hofgarten in early spring.

After days of cold and rain, yesterday was mild and somewhat sunny in Munich. It went from high summer to fall here overnight. The Hofgarten called to me for one last spin before I leave town later this week.

That’s the beautiful little Temple to Diana in the round.

Below is a view of the striking Theatinerkirche with its distinctive black colored domes as seen from inside the Diana Temple.

Bitte MÜNCHEN! I will miss you.

I’ve been in Chicago since October 9, working on, submitting, and waiting for the Visa. I’m very discouraged. This picture summarizes my state of mind.

I’m going to continue hanging on. I hope I can maintain a shred of sanity. Wish me luck!

A gorgeous day in Chicago on November 1 with friends! The recipe for a perfect time.

Two good friends from the days of high school! Last time we were together was in Florence just a few years ago. We like to meet in gorgeous places! Haha!

We’ve spent a lot of time reminiscing about people we enjoyed when we were teenagers and back in South Dakota where we grew up. In particular today I want to mention lovely Laura Karim, whom we both adored. You are missed, dear Laura; rest in peace.

Below, a lovely day for a photo shoot of a quinceañera! Age 15 and spectacular.

What I noticed first of all was the way the trees are cut. I have never seen this outside of Paris. And funnily enough, the last time I was in Paris in the Tuileries, near trees cut like this, I saw a photo shoot of another quinceañera! That young lady was dressed in pink to match the pink blossoms of the flowering fruit trees. It’s always a fun spectacle.

And one shot of Cindy and me inside the fiber exhibit at the garden. Cindy is herself a fiber artist and I really enjoyed viewing the exhibition through her eyes. We saw some fantastic works! Thanks Cindy and Ervin for a fabulous day! I’m so grateful to you for coming to Chicago to see me on this extended layover! Rabbit rabbit!

A beautiful tablenacle in the hills above Florence.

A tabernacle in the hills just outside Florence.

Local flavor! Love the first pic the most!

I physically left the city a while ago, but it still occupies my mind and my library of photos. I have a few strays left over that are just too good not to post.

Above, a great example of local architecture.

I love these kultur kiosks found around the city. In whatever city I am ever in, I enjoy studying the various posters advertising upcoming cultural events. You can tell a lot about a city from these sources.

According to Google Translate, the poster above advertises “a night of Munich singing, called Holy Night.” You can enjoy this event from Dec. 11 – 17 this year at All Saint’s Church. I’d love to attend. Want to go with me?

This next poster advertises something with which I was totally unfamiliar.

So of course I looked it up and Wikipedia tells me the following:

Carmina Burana is a cantata composed in 1935 and 1936 by Carl Orff, based on 24 poems from the medieval collection Carmina Burana. Its full Latin title is Carmina Burana: Cantiones profanae cantoribus et choris cantandae comitantibus instrumentis atque imaginibus magicis (Songs of Beuern: Secular songs for singers and choruses to be sung together with instruments and magical images). It was first performed by the Oper Frankfurt on 8 June 1937. It is part of Trionfi, a musical triptych that also includes Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite. The first and last sections of the piece are called Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World) and start with O Fortuna.

The autograph manuscript of the work is preserved in the Bavarian State Library, and was issued as facsimile edition by Schott Music.

If you want to hear a sample, click on this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carl_Orff-Carmina_Burana-O_Fortuna.ogg. Don’t you just love living in 2024 with the Internet?

If you are lucky enough to be in Munich on November 24th, you can attend this event.

Throughout the city there are random reminders of Munich’s past, juxtaposed with its present. I love this medieval tower that has been preserved.

Below, another example of beautiful local traditional architecture.

I the famous Viktualmarkt I spotted these young trees which are being trained to provide a canopy of shade in the shape of an umbrella. This is a completely new concept to me; I’ve never seen anything like it before and I love it! I want to try it at home!

In the grocery stores I frequented in Munich I spotted these packages of eggs, displayed right next to the offerings of fresh eggs. I explored the containers and found out that the Germans sell colored eggs, much like we make at Easter, apparently all year round! The eggs are hard boiled and they were available every time I was in a store in August and September, far from Easter.

That wraps up my miscellaneous discoveries in Munich for now. I hope to return someday soon!

What a gorgeous illustration! During Fascism and before WWII. Crazy to think about.

In the heart of the Viktualienmarkt in Munich stands this tall, decorative “tree.” I saw a few of these throughout Bavaria and thought they were interesting. I don’t know if this is the so-called “May tree,” but I can’t find anything else to explain it. Maybe one of my readers will know and can enlighten me in the comments?

According to what I’ve read online, t,he May tree is one of the most popular traditions in Bavaria. This custom dates back to the 16th century and has been a symbol for national identity in Bavarian villages since the 18th century.

Anyone walking through Bavarian villages will probably be very familiar with the image of the maypole. Tall, straight tree trunks with no branches at all are a permanent fixture in Bavarian tradition. The maypoles used to be felled during Walpurgis Night or on the morning of 1 May.

Today, this is done much earlier so that the tree can still be festively decorated.

Traditionally it is painted in the colours of the coat of arms, blue and white, and the treetop is decorated with a green wreath. However, the maypole may look different in every region. In some places it is raised with the bark still on, in others this is removed.

Some trees have colourful ribbons hung on them instead of the blue and white painting, others are decorated with carved figures and decorative signs. Whatever it’s like, the appearance plays a major part everywhere: villages compete every year to see who has the tallest and most magnificent maypole.

Other states, other customs – Bavaria is not the only state where traditions have formed around the maypole. The maypole is used as a custom for love in Cologne, Aachen and Bonn. Single men place a maypole in front of the houses of their sweethearts, carve their names into the tree and pick it up again a month later. In return they receive an invitation to dinner, a crate of beer or in extremely lucky cases, a kiss! Our Scandinavian neighbours are also famous for their festively decorated trees for their Midsummer Festival. Regardless of where and for what occasion the maypole is being used, it always ensures a happy moment.

Please enlighten me if you know more! Danke!