1st Week in Munich!

Wow, what a first week! I've had a very interesting week here in Munich. I wish that many of you could meet Peter and Judith and explore the city with me, but alas, you cannot. I have gotten to know Munich very well and can navigate the Ubahn successfully on my own. That does not mean I can help someone without a pass or navigate the city, but maybe in a few more weeks! Some rules of the week:

1)Always stay to the right!
2)Do not follow Peter! Apparently he is really bad with directions and that sort of thing.
3) make sure you always have euros, unless you can ask, in german, "do you take credit cards?" because if you can't ask that and you don't, and you are planning on paying with a card, then all bets are off!!!

So I had my first class at LMU and was slightly disappointed. But tomorrow morning will be another and we will see. Unfortunately I will not really get to be part of a research team here. Germany is not progressing well in the early childhood research field and they look to the USA. But I will get to meet lots of interesting early childhood professionals and take data on that as well as observe the school system out here, which is good enough for me. Plus, it's pretty much a 4 month vacation and cultural experience!!!

For all those that have read or seen, "Eat, Pray, Love," I think I will be THAT woman. I have never eaten so much in my life. Every day is like Thanksgiving! I mentioned before that meals last forever, and they really do. And to those who think that Europeans do not eat as much because they are not obese, well, they're not obese, but the portion sizes are HUGE!!! Tonight I had the best dessert that I think I ever ate, it surpasses the molten lava cake at D Bar Desserts in Denver, CO...it was basically an apple streusal with this vanilla probably pure milk fat sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was just heaven, and I'm usually a chocolate person.

I think I am falling in love though, with Munich that is. I love the small cars and the Ubahn and the nice people (though I can't talk to them, though they try to talk to me). I can't wait to explore more of Europe!

I have also not been sleeping well at all, at most 5 hours a night for the last week, so if anyone has any suggestions, I will take them...

Here are some photographs:

 These are both pictures of the, , in Odeonplatz. It was extremely beautiful inside, and I am not one for churches...

 Wow--the most beautiful display of desserts/cupcakes that I have ever seen. They were like 5 or more euros for one, but they sure were beautiful...

 So we went into this 'magazine' (aka department store) and there is this fat mannequin!! Something you would not see in the USA.

 The best German dish so far...'Kasespatzle' I don't know what it really is except there is no meat and roasted onions are on top. It is super rich and yummy!!!

So I had to end with this photograph that we had the 'luxury' of starring at during dinner tonight...that's all I will say, but this was a very nice restaurant as well.