16. Munchen; Easter Approaches

Monday 13 April.  Munchen.  We begin our day with a walk down the main pedestrian areas in sometime sprinkles and rain, following one of the suggested tour routes.  We visit the tomb of Father Mayer, an anti-Nazi priest, stop by the Burgher house and St. Michael's.  I am captivated by the smell of sausages being grilled, and we share a table with a couple and their two small children for a lunch of bratwurst and sauerkraut and beer.  Afterwards we walk to the victuals market, St. Peters and the Hoffbrau where I have a few liters of beer and Cathy manages to put a good dent into her tall glass.  We stop in at the Fortunam and Mason of Munich afterwards, and then return to the hotel for a room service meal, where I figure out how to pay the taxes.

Tuesday 14 April.  I'm up early for a walk to the Hauptbanhopf, a few blocks away, for the International Herald Tribune and English novels.  Mara is not feeling well and stays with me, while Cathy takes the boys to the Deutches Museum.  Around noon Mara and I go to the Mowenpick for lunch, including weiss beer.  On our way back, Mara and I shop: beer glasses, an electric razor and perfume for Mara.  Joop is the latest in men's cologne.  In the late afternoon Cathy and I visit the Alte Pinothethek, the city's famed art museum.  We like the Druers and concentrate on Renaissance paintings and Middle Ages icons. 

Monday 13 April.  10 a.m., Drein Löwen Hotel, Munchen.  Breakfast with the children.  They invented a new language last night.  As if Italian, French and German were not enough!  It was, however, two hours of peaceful group effort.  "Train" and "deterbrice" were two words.

Spoke to Brian last night.  Has taxes and $ figured out with borrowing from me and second mortgage on home.  A good solution, and, above all, a solution!  I think that means that we are officially out of money, but for my salary.  We have known for sometime that was the case, we just ignored reality!

Went to Palm Sunday mass at the Salzburg Cathedral yesterday.  Listened to the long gospel in German, making out a few words, "Simon," "Judas," "Jerusalem."  I think there were a few others as well.  We happened in at 11:27 and mass was at 11:30!

Took the funicular up to the Fortress, built in 1077.  Salzburg is a beautiful city, nestled against high rocks, reminded me a little of Edinburgh; but the city is really located in something of a plain.  Not far off in the distance are the Alps; in fact at the Fortress restaurant, having beers and Cokes, looking over to what looks like a ski slope, one had a feeling of being at mid-slope at a ski mountain, spring skiing.  Cathy noted yesterday was our first warm day, quite beautiful.

Tossed and turned last night; too hot.  The bed has no sheets, just a down duvet covered in a sheet and a bottom sheet.  My duvet kept coming off.  I could use just a sheet.

Mara and Jeffrey are telling us what they want for Easter: Jeffrey a fountain pen and Game Boy tapes, Mara a summer dress and pen and pencil, beautiful basket.  Trying to teach Thomas to blow his nose.

The weather today is cloudy and it looks like sprinkles.  Reading St. John's Passion narratives this morning.  There's a lot there!