Europe 2019, Cont.: Munich--and Hall in Tirol

Munich—and Hall in Tirol, June 18-23

As on an earlier trip to Munich, we stayed in Unterhaching, a suburb southeast of the city, where we could catch S-Bahn trains for a 20-minute ride to Marienplatz.  The city’s rail system was a special plus on June 20, for the streets were crowded with marchers for the annual Fronleichnam (Corpus Christi) holiday, which celebrates for Catholics the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  Emerging from the U-Bahn, we followed the marchers, who represented parishes and Catholic organizations throughout Munich, from a mass on Marienplatz to a closing ceremony on Königsplatz.

Catholic organizations await the monstrance with the Host

The monstrance enters Königsplatz

The timing of our visit was governed by the date of the 80th birthday party of Dirk-Peter Müller, whom Todd came to know in 1963, when he gave Dirk a visa to work briefly in the United States.   In addition to the party, staged at a suburban Gasthaus with live music, Dirk and his wife Frauke entertained us on other evenings with dinner at their home and a marvelous performance of La Bohème at the Munich’s Nationaltheater, where we sat in the former royal box.

Dirk and Frauke at the party

Nationaltheater

A night at the opera (minus the Marx brothers)

La Bohème, Act III (Spoiler alert: It doesn't end well.)

Marienplatz on the way home

A further treat was a car trip over the Austrian border to Hall in Tirol, Dirk’s birthplace.  With Dirk as tour guide, we toured this charming town, which is a smaller version of neighboring Innsbruck between two Alpine ranges.

Downtown Hall

Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus

Our week also included a welcome reunion with Peter and Gisela Wild and Rupert Pfeffer, also friends from Todd’s vice consular tour in Munich.  The Wilds had moved into the Augustinum, a Seniorenresidez not unlike the retirement community we have chosen in Palo Alto.  The visit gave us an opportunity to compare the German and American approaches to senior living.  Like most such American institutions, the Augustinum offers cultural programming—on our evening, Spanish guitar music and a flamenco dancer.

A week in Munich would not be complete without a visit to Dallmayr, a 320-year-old delicatessen purveying the best in Bavarian goodies.  Our purchases included elderflower syrup and elderflower liqueur, for we had become favorably acquainted with “hugos” on board the Navigator.

Central Munich near Dallmayr