Day 2 - Munich

Got 12 hours of sleep and it was still hard to get up.

Arranged to meet Pants for a day starting with the Maharajah exhibition and headed off to tackle the underground with Pants's directions in one hand and the underground map in the other.

Having successfully made it to Odeonsplatz was gobsmacked at my first real sight of Europe. Coming out of the station the first thing you see is a vista of beautiful architecture which is exactly as I'd imagined the place to be, but more impressive because it's real - and while it's imposing it's not overwhelming. You can see it all and take it in at a glance. Not like a lot of the middle eastern historical works, and not as determinedly imposing as the major US edifices.

Recognised Pants the moment I saw him - even without checking out the colour of his shoes. Proceeded to have a wonderful day learning a something of Munich, a bit about the Indian maharajas and life in colonial India, a little about a friend and generally greatly enjoying the first day of the journey. I'm glad I decided on Munich to begin this trip - it's not a huge city, it's old without being overwhelmingly so, there are lots of happy-looking people surrounding you and the transport system isn't the tangled nightmare I've experienced in other places (including Australia).

Pick here from the underground exit - and includes my Bavarian friend.

Love the architecture. There's a symmetry to everything and a feeling of permanency. It's a quite different feeling than I had in any of the middle eastern or Asian cities I've been to (they just feel like they're part of the natural geography). Cities in the US felt impermanent, as if they're built to be recycled, much like those in Aus.

The city must look truly beautiful in the late autumn by the time all the trees are green - though I rather like the aesthetic of winter-bare trees which provide vista access to all around. There's a sense of impending life to them too, as if they're waiting for the spark that turns them back on.

Pic is from my chair at the end of a leisurely lunch.

The light is soft even though the sky is quite overcast. It was a little cool, but otherwise a not unpleasant day weather-wise. The street also appears to be 2-way even though you'd think it only one way on first glance (as I did).

Impressions:
Coffee, rabbits (of all shapes and sizes - I know Easter is coming, but these fluffy toys are as prolific as their namesake), Stone, walls painted to look like ornate stonework, soft Merlot, unbothersome greyish sky, indoor hanging forest, fast trains, helpful people - oh, and did I mention the coffee which is really good, a friend.