Munich

Festivals ohne Ende...

MUNICH, and not a moment too soon! It's great to finally be here, and have a place to finally call our own. We realize that we've been in transition, more or less since May, and despite the fact that we've enjoyed all the places we've been to, and all the friends and family that we've seen, it's great to settle down and resume a normal existence again :) 

At least that's what I thought...

Ever since we got here, it's been one huge party after another, and there always seems to be something exciting going on! We haven't spent very much time in our apartment at all, because once again, we always seem to be on the go!! The greatest thing about our apartment is the location. We are less than 10 minutes walking distance away from the Altstadt (historical downtown), and closer than that to Englischer Garten, which is larger than Central Park, and where we can ride our bikes along the river and then stop for refreshments at one of the many beer gardens that seem to be everywhere (Yippee!!)

Although our new neighborhood is extremely busy, and always bustling with people because we live right in the middle of the University district, the location is amazing. 

Our apartment is 1 block away from Leopold Strasse, which is the main boulevard leading into the heart of the city. So whenever there is a festival, or a party, or a special date that needs to be commemorated, they basically just shut it down to traffic, and have one giant street party after another. Best of all, though, is that we live smack dab in the middle of all that! We just go out the back door, and around the corner, and we're there! And because school doesn't start until the middle of September, the kids seem to think that they don't have to go to school in Germany. So we're going to let them live with this illusion for a little longer, because their reality is looming around yet another corner...

In the meantime, we invited Grandma on very short notice to join us for Oktoberfest, and surprise Samuel for his 8th birthday! We had amazing weather while she was here, and the city of Munich did their best to roll out the welcome mat for all of us!!!!

Watch the video: Tag der deutschen Einheit - "German Unification Day"

The following video was actually taken from YouTube. It's not necessarily in chronological order, but they did a really great job of splicing it together, and it really captures the essence of the moment. Tag der deutschen Einheit is the German version of Canada Day. It's their national holiday. 

We consider ourselves so fortunate to be able to take in all of these wonderful moments, but there's also a sombre side to this day. Being of German descent, we are well aware of Germany's history, and the terrible atrocities that Hitler and the Nazi regime were responsible for. We also know that Germany, as a nation, has atoned for many of these actions; though no one can ever really set a price for crimes against humanity. Unfortunately, this is the burden of history that all future generations must bear. 

The neighborhood that we presently live in, was very relevant to the history of that era, and we often find ourselves pausing to reflect on the magnitude of that. Military parades and political rallies once took place along Leopold Strasse and Odeonsplatz; not street festivals and open air concerts. 

Personally, I have always felt that with great privilege comes great responsibility, and as parents we are trying to convey this to our children by example. We consider ourselves so fortunate to live in Canada, and live in an era where our children and our cities are not affected by war. Tag der deutschen Einheit is a good example of a nation moving forward, but it also serves as a stark reminder that we need to maintain our vigilance as good citizens, and take action against the many perils that exist in our world today.

We were very moved by this day. We hope you enjoy the video.