Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Livin' the temporary expat dream...

The weather is an ideal 75 degrees F and no humidity, so we decide to meet Scott for lunch at his favorite pizzeria and play at the park across from his office. And, I have a sneaking suspicion that with the weather perfect, Scott will want to meet up again later at a favorite biergarten. Why not? We are soaking up as much culture as our next 4 weeks will allow! Here's our day in pictures...

Here's our train to take us about 6 stops away on the U5 to Scott's office. Colin is a pro at the underground now!

On the subway train to see Scott

Favorite Pizzeria, Ecco, just down the block from Scott's office. We are drinking a Grosse Cola and Grosse Coke Light, respecitively, no ice of course! It's actually really cold, and with no ice you get A LOT! Mini puzzle I put in a ziploc is the entertainment on the table for Colin. And, Thomas the Train made the trip too...

Ecco Pizzeria, pretty authentico!

Pizza margherita for Colin, and Scott and I have Ham and Mushroom...the chile oil is so great on it!

He's such a big boy...don't even have to cut it up for him anymore. Scott's coworker, who has become a good friend, Daniel, sat down for a chat on his way back to work. He's helped us out on more than one occasion with luggage storage,  financed a week or more of our living when Scott misplaced!? his ATM card...he's a great guy, and we'll miss you "Uncle" Daniel. 

After lunch, we head just across the street to the AWESOME "wood park" as Colin calls it...but there's much more than just the kid playground here! The parks and green spaces in Munich really are amazing in their quality and quantity! 

Skateboard and shuffleboard area

Shaded picnic table for resting while playing chess...see the covered bench area--there's a big storage box with giant chess pieces in there! 

Soccer/Fussball area

covered benches and picnic table sized for little humans

port-a-potty...it was very stinky, but necessary....not every spielplatz has one, sorta rare actually!
Colin can pee on a tree, but Mommy cannot!

It looks like the Swiss Family Robinson built a spielplatz!

Big boys making a sandy-mudslide

Colin really wants to get in there with them...

But instead, he just runs Thomas the Train along any surface like it's a track...

he's ready to play and the shoes come off...

Thomas goes everywhere....

I'm blowing up a (free PBS logo, compliments of Colin's Nonna) beach ball that has provided hours of entertainment in several countries now...it's the simplest toys that are best!   

He picked a flower for me...aaaawwww

A quick break for an Oreo

Back in the sand...found a stick...he has a thing for sticks these days! This one is shaped like a gun...

He shoots me...guns and shooting, in his boy DNA...we didn't show him these things...

"watering" the leaves he pulls off the vine behind him with his free water gun we got at a kid's store

watering the graffiti wall

time to slide

My view...prone for a minute on the park bench...why not? It's hard work chasing after him...

Colin's mixing it up with the big boys

I reward myself with a Mascarpone Kirsch Mandel pastrie from the backerei in the U station...I've worked hard today....

Colin, in the Gladiator, his second home, waiting on the train. I want to go one stop away to Theriesenweise to see where they are building all the stuff for Oktoberfest. And, Colin played for three hours and I think he'll fall asleep if I stroll...

And we see another awesome spielplatz along the way and he wants to get out...arrggghh! The awesome green spaces and spielplatz are a blessing and a curse...

And stumble across a beautiful church just in front of us by the Oktoberfest entrance...so gorgeous...I couldn't see a name or a plaque

Paulaner kiosk going up for Oktoberfest

Paulander bier kiosk being built for Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest grounds....I'm SOOO excited--I didn't realize it was like a State Fair with rides!!  I'm even more excited than I was before...our visitors (my sister and Casey and Jennifer Smith), coming soon for Oktoberfest, are also going to flip too

And Colin tries to get out of the stroller when he sees more kid play spaces along the Oktoberfest grounds...gggrrrrr

We've been told that all the "old" folks go to the Augustiner "tent"....looks like way more than just a tent to me! 

Oktoberfest grounds....they build it and tear it down each year. Scott said they started back at the beginning of August.

Polizei station at next intersection I turned down...coincedental? I think not... We've been told that all the Italians come the second weekend of Oktoberfest and to not go anywhere near the Hofbrau tent because it's so crazy and out of control. Sounds a lot like when the Yank's come down to NOLA for Mardi Gras and doing things that end up getting themselves arrested.  

I walk down another street toward to stoll a bit more and come across ANOTHER amazing spielplatz! This one is on Nussbaumstrasse near Sendlinger Tor....

The parks are so great...a shady shortcut in the middle of a busy part of the city. 

people sunning themselves...very common sight...

Tire swings! We need these in Olmstead Park in Mt. Laurel....

Gray-haired men playing life-size chess and drinking bier. And see the bikes? They road their bike here to play and hang out with each other. I love it! I think I'd like to live in Germany when I'm old...

As I stroll, I pass Peter Anderl Trachtenhaus, the store where I bought my dirndl...
Yes, I bought a dirndl and it's very pretty, flattering, and comfy too!

And he's out! YES!! I'm near a major shopping area so I think I'll do some window shopping at my leisure

Sendlinger Tor (Tor=Tower)...one of the only remaining parts of the medieval city wall that wasn't destroyed by bombs in WWII

Great people watching and window shopping

Another view of Sendlinger Tor. I leave here to catch Tram 16 to Hopfenstrasse, conveniently right near one of our top 5 favorite biergartens, where we planned to meet for dinner. 

So, Colin woke up as soon as we hit the gravel in the Augustiner Keller biergarten.  He had an hour and a half nap and is ready for another spielplatz! Leftover cheese pizza for him for dinner :)

Aaahhhh....gemütliche

First time Colin's climbed all the way up this! 

He's getting more and more confident about jumping in to play with anyone here--love it! So proud of him!

And Scott rolled in from work and got our dinner...helles for him, weissbier for me, grosse bretze and obatzda to share.
After having Obatzda at a few different biergartens, some better than others, Scott looked it up on wikipedia to see if there was a recipe. Oh man...2/3 whipped camembert, 1/3 whipped butter, S & P, paprika and/or other seasonings, and usually topped with shaved purple onion and/or green onions. It's soooo good, but I've to really cut back on it because it was quickly becoming the reason I was "Oh-Bust-A"-ing out of my jeans--seriously! But it's sooo good! If you love cheese, or butter, or both you must give it a try. Don't blame me if your jeans soon don't fit you as well. 

Some Daddy love...time to go home! What a great day! It will be bittersweet when we have to pack up and go home.