Auer Dult

So I am too lazy to describe this market which is right next to where I live. So wikipedia will:

The Auer Dult is a traditional annual market in Munich, Germany, taking place three times per year on the Mariahilfplatz in the Munich district of Au. The first fair of the year, the so-called Maidult (May fair) is held in the first weekend of the month. The Jakobidult takes place in July and the Kirchweihdult occurs in the week after Kermesse. Each one lasts nine days.

The Auer Dult is considered to be the largest crockery market in Europe: Pots, porcelain, and other ceramic wares wares are available at numerous Standl (stands). In addition, other household accessories, natural healing remedies and clothes are available. Many stands also offer antique books and commodities. The assortment of items ranges from chamber pots to rustic furniture.

So that being said, here is what it looks like...

First thing Gretchen did? Buy a huge pretzel

ahhh, lots of junk!

Ok the book stands were more interesting

Teas

One of the many ceramics stands. We tried, unsuccessfully, to find a mug with the name Gretchen on it.

They didn't have Gretchen, but thank god they had this

Presumably for Guido's girlfriend

Really?! How can you top this Munich. Immer klasse!!!

Sunday in the Park with George (Ok actually Gretchen and Jonathan)

The weather has been amazing and I finally feel like Munich is not so dreary. So for Gretchen and Jonathan's second day in Munich the agenda was: Alte Pinakothek (only one euro on Sundays) and the Englischer Garten.

Our "Beach"

Finally! Sunshine!

Gretchen, Jonathan and part of my thumb. Stupid iPhone! (Just kidding iPhone, I love you!)

Beer Garden by the Chinese Tower. It is weird to see this many people and so overexposed...

No curling!  Got it!!!

Gretchen with a very hungover Susannah

 For a second I was amazed at how clean the water was, but then I remembered it is Munich

It's Asparagus Time

Random Modern Sculpture

Gretchen in front of the Munich branch of Sotherby's. She just can't get away...

Tram Party

Hey do you want to come to the tram party on Saturday?

You mean be squished next to a bunch of drunk people on a rented city tram for four hours? I couldn't imagine a worse thing to do.

Really?! It sounds like this could only go well...

 

Waiting with Marie to board the tram

 

Let's get this tram party started. 

Ok for the first thirty minutes it kinda sucked

 

Getting Better...

 

Yay Americans

 The Tram Dance is like regular dancing but you all fall over when the tram comes to a sudden stop

No room to squeeze past? No problem!

 The first of the bathroom breaks.

The Men's Room

So yeah, that was the tram party. Was it worth 25 euros? Um...do you need to ask?

The Rules of the Road

So I have noticed a few things as a pedestrian and (now that I got the back wheel fixed) a bike rider about the drivers here in Munich.

1. They are very competent

2. They pay attention to cyclists

3. If you are breaking the rules in anyway they do not make allowances!

Are you crossing against the light? Well they are not going to slow down or swerve, you just better get out of the way. I am not saying this is a bad thing. When I drive I would like to do that. Just a word of warning to anyone who visits Munich.

Home Again, Home Again

So I am kinda feeling guilty about cheating on Munich with Italy and soon with Greece. I thought I better work on our relationship and try to remember what I fell in like with in the first place. (It wasn't love at first sight, more like slowly learning to appreciate its good points. Christmas time here helped).
Stands downtown selling asparagus and strawberries. I wonder what they would taste like together.

Activists in front of the Rathaus. Mostly being ignored.

Street performers in order of crazy.
1. Elf all in green who makes bird sounds. I see him here a lot

2. Glass ball manipulator

3. Yeah and these guys. I am thinking if I become a busker I want a small instrument.

4. Ok these are technically not street performers. But come on, they have no shame about wearing the exact same shiny lavender trench coats. That takes guts.

Ravenna when it drizzles

I finally made it to Ravenna. I now am officially a medievalist. I also have sweet Ravennan/Ravennese/Ravennian? souvenirs. Unfortunately because it was overcast most of the day it was hard to get good pictures of the mos-EYE-ics.

Sant' Apollinare Nuovo.
I am struggling here to hold an umbrella, my sandwich, a bottle of coke and take the picture

This was built in the early sixth century as the palace chapel for the Ostrogothic king Theodoric.

When the church was later converted into an Orthodox church the depictions of members of Theodoric's court between the columns of the palace were replaced. You can still see their hands though on the columns themselves.

Create your own mosaic. Bags of tesserae that come with nothing to stick them on or even instructions. Unfortunately they were too expensive

The Arian baptistery for Theodoric et al.
Yeah I am too lazy to rotate this picture.

Quite possibly the cutest raising of Lazarus I have ever seen.

San Vitale
Also built in the 6th century and one more monument I can check off of my UNESCO World Heritage List. Although you can't swing a cat in Ravenna without hitting one of these (is that even an expression?)

The Byzantine Empress Theodora. I now I have an eyeglasses cleaning cloth with this on it.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. My favorite building here. Unfortunately it was so dark none of my pictures came out.

Straw into Gold, Straw into Gold, Impossible I'm told!
Ugly contemporary art near the Mausoleum of GP

Opus Sectile in the Orthodox Baptistery

Dome of the Orthodox Baptistery

Stucco work. If only someone would write a dissertation about this place. I bet they could win some awesome fellowship or something...

I've come to wive it wealthily in Padua...

If wealthily then happily in Padua!

So my love of university towns meant that I had to go to Padua, whose university was founded in 1222. The town is close to Venice and really kinda creepy on a Sunday when no one is around.

Near the Arena Chapel

Air-lock before you can see the Giotto paintings in the Arena Chapel

Yay Spring! I just had to go down to Italy to see you.

"Ok guys, if we just put Pippo on Martino's shoulders Maria can hold him up and we can just about reach. Who cares that we are all wearing our Sunday clothes" (Do you like my stereotypical Italian names?)

We loved that this crane was here and there was nothing stopping you from walking right under it. Padua's motto: Safety first!

As usual, Boffa looking at something boring.

Something, something, Dante, something, something

I was ridiculously amused to see a Schlecker in Italy

Going for a 70s style sun glare here

The Prato della Valle

It is lined by 78 statues portraying famous citizens and created by Andrea Memmo in the late eighteenth-century.

As a tourist it is always best to see other tourists more annoying and ridiculous looking than you

The Santo which has the relics of St Anthony of Padua and was begun in 1230. They don't allow pictures inside. Needless to say I snuck some.

Donatello's equestrian statue of of the Venetian general Gattamelata

Inside the Santo

Pretending to be Dr McHam

Cafe in front of the Santo

Church of the Eremitani. The church was largely destroyed during WWII because it was near German Headquarters

Mantegna bits inside the Ermitani