Wintertime for Harolds in Munich

Philip’s German conversation partner has a friend who is a staffer for Bayern Parliament.  This contact allowed us to participate on a special tour of the Bavarian State Parliament building, known as the Maximilianeum.  So, on a cold Tuesday morning we all took a train to Munich. 

The tour began with an elegant luncheon complete with fancy beverages (mixed juice and soda), cream of broccoli soup, veal cutlets and “kartoffel puree” (mashed potatoes).  The group then climbed a few flights of stairs and sat in a meeting room with long tables (usually used be representatives while deliberating decisions) and viewed a short video about the current parliament. 

After this, we were able to be ushered into the balcony for the public while the members of parliament discussed a couple elements, mainly details of accommodating the upcoming Winter Special Olympics.  The last element of the tour was questions and answers with a current representative. 

The children were good as gold, quiet as mice and cute as buttons as they tolerated hour after hour (four total) of this very unique opportunity!  We are very very grateful to Hannah and her friend for this once in a lifetime privilege.  Who knows, maybe Edy has a future in politics someday? 

The next day we got to see Theatinerkirche near the Maximiliam Josef Platz.  This church is breath-takingly beautiful;  all white ceiling and pillars, carved with entwining garlands and cherubs.  Maximilian Josef himself is entombed in this church, which was constructed at the news of his wife expecting their first heir.

It was in this platz in Munich that we were picked up in a van to chauffeur us to Franciscan University Gaming, Austria campus for Philip to give a guest lecture.  It was a beautiful, mountainous three and a half hour drive.  As we crossed the border into Austria we realized that this blog post was getting too long, besides we were getting car sick.  More later…

Maximilieum

Plenary Session of the Bavarian Parliament

Briefing with a Member of the Bavarian Parliament

Theatinerkirche

Maximilian Josef's Tomb

Edy in front of the Munich Opera House

The Alps, on the way to Austria

Rome Trip

Philip was privileged to attend a two-day conference at the Vatican this past weekend.  He was the last presenter to speak at the conference, and his talk went well.  In his free time he got to see a lot of the sights of Rome; more than usual, because he had a German guide who has lived in Rome and knows the city very well.  A lot of the trip felt like being home in Germany -- there were two German-language television stations on the television, Germany played Sweden in World Cup Qualifying action his first night there, and he went to anticipatory mass at Santa Maria dell'Anima, the German-speaking parish in Rome. 


But it was not Germany, it was Rome.  The Eternal City, where nothing works actually, but the people know how to live.  He got to see the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, the Roman Forum, St. Peter's (including going up in the dome), Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, St. John Lateran, Santa Croce, Piazza Navona, Chiesa Nuova, and Piazza Populi.  He heartily enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of his hosts, and the unbelievably good Mediterranean food. 

Rome Video III

Rome Video II

Rome Video I

Recent Eichstaett Events

Volkstrauertag was on Sunday and it honors those who have fallen in past wars and all police officers who died in the previous year.  Edy and Rachel attended that Mass and sat in front of 5 rows of police officers in uniform.  There were flag bearers in the procession and after mass there was a brass band marching through Domplatz and playing songs.  Following the band were family members dressed in black of the police officers who had fallen.  Edy and Rachel felt privileged to be able to be part of that solemn event.
 

Dies Academicus is a big deal in German University life.  In Eichstaett there is no exception.  This is as big a deal as Commencement is in America.   On Monday, Philip attended the Mass celebrated by newly installed (as of today, in Rome) Cardinal Reinhard Marx.  There was then an address, the length of which resulted in an inverse correlation between Philip's German Academic Experience and Philip Putting the Children to Bed.

Naturpark Altmuehltal

It was a nice weekend in Eichstatt.  The weather was sunny and 20 degrees celcius, and we took full advantage of it.  On Saturday the children and Rachel met up with some new friends at playground by the river.  From there they could see people on a look out point on a distant mountain.  

The very next day Edy, Max and Lucy made Rachel's heart skip a beat on that very same lookout point.  The entrance to this very large naturpark is right next to Max's Kindergarten.  The trails were just wide enough for people to pass our Euro-stroller we are borrowing that have awesome 15 inch inflatable wheels.  In fact, hundreds of people did pass us as we stopped to pick up treasures consisting of mossy branches, pine cones and dried leaves. 

This is the scary look out point from which we spotted the park from which we spotted the look out point

find Edy and Max

Lucy not falling down hill

The view of St. Walburg's

Libby in stroller with the brakes on

The look out point is actually the white rock in mountain next to Lucy's nose

The fountains are all boarded up for the winter

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