#simplyMunich

It has been about 3 months now and I'll be shifting rooms. Many things have changed and will change but perhaps in a good way : ) For the first time, I got to dine indoors at Man vs Machine, the 1st coffee place I discovered and is still my favourite! Some form of pre-COVID life is returning, and I was so happy it was with a good cup of coffee where the staff are always friendly, and the latte art always perfect ;)

I will miss capturing the sunrises from my current room. That was something that did change with the weather, and quite an experience >< It was a shock for me when I first arrived that it could be clear skies one minute and then suddenly pouring, or 22 degrees one day and -2 few days later. I remember going for a walk because it was nice and sunny and my mind was so preoccupied I didn't notice the sky turn a really dark grey. Suddenly I felt these pellets hitting me and I looked up to see hail. I just...laughed. I thought, Munich why are you so moody;- I'm going to have to be more calm to survive this. But everyday it surprised me with more and more beautiful sunrises and even a full arc rainbow.

I've tried some uniquely German drinks like sauerkraut juice (fermented cabbage), which sort of reminds me of kimchi but its not spicy and really sour/salty >< Eizbach beverages which is named after a man made wave located in Munich (yes! in the city!!) that many flock to for surfing. And the ever famous Jagermeister, though I admit I prefer Kuemmerling.

The truth is, it's hard to feel alone in Munich because despite the historical buildings/structures, it's actually very cosmopolitan and you are likely to find at least a small group of people whom you can identify with. Even food wise, I discovered dean&david which is somewhat like a salad bar. It is founded by "David" who travelled around the world and wanted to bring back various tastes from different regions and serve them as healthy meals! I have found Asian supermarkets (e.g Shang Hai Market near Münchner Freiheit) that have all the ingredients to prepare meals at home as well. And most recently, I discovered an art store along Schellingstrasse with art from Tokyo and different parts of Europe. It's such an alluring store with hidden corners, art supplies and a very old school cash register that has a handle to turn to open up the coin compartment.

Munich is home to the BMW Museum and besides the really stylish cars, I liked how they even put emphasis on the design of their offices to enhance the workplace culture;- the honeycomb structure of the building and the staircases are to allow for mingling and to break down hierarchy.

Munich is also home to the very grand Nymphenburg Palace, a summer palace with a huge garden that is open to the public. There is a small fee to enter the palace but it's worth visiting to admire the many rooms.

I still have yet to try a good pork knuckle dish (Schweinshaxe) recommended to me by a friend and after exams I hope to venture out further to get nice views of the Alps : ) I don't quite know how to describe it, but Munich is beautiful yet strong, perhaps partly attributable to its rich history. Anyway, till the next post~

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Update: Though a summer palace, it was quite the experience to revisit Nymphenburg Palace in winter. There is a magical feel to see it coated with snow, and the streams/ponds surrounding it are sometimes semi-frozen. The palace still looks very grand with the huge garden behind and you can see many people building snowmen or playing in the snow, but the way the palace is gently covered in the white coat is as if it's waiting for summer to come again and the sunlight to burst through its windows.