Day Two • Munich
Day Three • Altötting
(Page 2: Prague)
Day Four • Prague
Day Five • Krakow
Day Six • Divine Mercy
Day Seven • Wadawice • Zakopane
Day Eight • Czestochowa • Auschwitz
Day Nine • To Austria
Day Ten • Vienna • Salzburg
Day Eleven • Salzburg
Day Twelve • Traunstein • Schwaig
Pilgrims

Staying in touch
 

Day One • Munich

We arrived on a beautiful, warm (around 70 degree) day and after stopping at our hotel, began with a walking tour of downtown Munich. the streets were filled with pedestrians of all ages, many taking in the sun at outdoor cafes.

The only noticeable downside was the amount of second-hand smoke that was obvious throughout the airport, in the cab, in the hotel and throughout the streets. We don't realize how far we've come in America in creating a smoke-free environment until we find ourselves in such smoke-filled places.

But away from the smoke, Frühling (spring ) has arrived -- flowers are in bloom, the grass is deep green, the open-air markets are featuring the famous Bavarian Spargel (white asparagus) which has been freshly harvested.
                       
                                                                 
                     
       
         
 
                                       
                         
 

I'm standing next to a statue of a local journalist named Sigi Sommer.

No relation.

           
                                     
                                                                             
                                                                                         
      A Tale of Two Churches                  
Ansamkirke •
Dedicated to Sr John Nepomucene		              
Cathedral Church of Munich •
 
     

We celebrated our first mass in Germany in this
ornate church built in 1746.

         The cathedral has a more modern feel since it was rebuilt after being bombed in World War II.  
     
       

Here are some of the stained glass windows
in the Cathedral

  
           
           
The exterior of the Asamkirche        
       
 
                       
And how's THIS for a confessional...                
 

The Ansamkirche is not named for St. John Nepomucene (whom it is dedicated to) but rather after Egid Quirin Ansam who designed the church starting in 1729 when he plans this "chapel" in the house he bought.

Read about St John here

The pictures don't do it justice. Every nook and cranny has some kind of religious artwork and there are "layers" of three-dimensional religious art that go to the very high ceiling.

  
                 
 
       
     
          The Resurrection shrine in the Cathedral's crypt chapel.                  
                                                                 
                                             
                 
Germans like time. Here is a two-story high clock in the cathedral.
            
                                             
    In the evening we went out to dinner. One of us made a pig of himself.                        
       
   
   
                                           
      We enjoyed the speciality of the region: roast port, potato dumplings with kraut salad.    
                               
                           
                          See the whole itinerary
                           
Our chef brings out the dessert.  

Time to get some sleep and go on to

Day Two!