Sunday, December 25, 2011

Picture dump!

The Sendlingertor in München. This was a half-block down from our hotel, and part of the old city wall. You can see the old ironware sconces, as well as where various windows have been punched through and bricked up through the centuries. München.

  
Otto Fürst von Bismarck. This statue was a good thirty feet tall- very impressive! To the right is the bridge across the river to the Museumsinsel (Museum Island) and the Deutsches Museum. München.


Plaque for Fürst Bismarck. München.

A cut-away ship (not a model- an actual ship!) in the Deutsches Museum. They had a lot like this- huge things, cut away. A U-1 submarine, airplanes, etc, etc. München.


Amy posing with one of the larger steamengines. They got a bit larger, and a lot smaller- all real and still reeking of oil. Deutsches Museum, München.


And beer. Oh, yes, the beer! This was in "Münche's Kleinste Gaststube"- Munich's Smallest Pub. A three-chair diner with a tent out back expanding by another 12 tables or so.


The decorated verandas on the tower inside the courtyard of the Neues Rathaus- the New City Hall in München.


The Martinstor (Martin's Gate), my favorite Tor in the world, and about four blocks from where we're staying. Freiburg.


I believe this is the City Hall, or was at some point. Notice the brightly colored roofs and heavy gilding. Freiburg.


Amy standing by a rosette in the sidewalk. There are several of these every block. All those stones, the large and small, are round, flat river stones from the Dreisam that were split and laid in broken side up. Very sturdy sidewalks with excellent grip in the wet. Freiburg.


We found an excellent playground on the way back from my uncle's place, in a churchyard. Freiburg.


The church near my uncle's house. This is NOT the Münster- the Münster is much larger and more ornate (although not painted). The bells here were impressive when they rang at the end of Christmas morning mass. Freiburg.


Hemingway's pub. Not sure how I resisted. Freiburg.


A plain (non-decorated) sidewalk, and some locals- even the older people (these were in their 60's) believe in fashion here. Notice the gilded owl handbag. Freiburg.


Germany still has a tradition of fanciful storefront signs. Here's a  jeweler and watch repair store, with interlocking gold rings and a working watch clock. Freiburg.


It's the mate to the Starbucks mermaid! A decoration in a window frame at the side of the Rathaus. Freiburg.


Another decoration in a window frame. Freiburg.


Amy standing in front of the lovely painted ironwork gate to the Rathause. You can see the city arms and the dates inlaid in front. The stripe isn't raised, but not many sidewalks are around here.



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