Munich, August '93

After Venice I hopped a train to Munich. It was a day journey that passed through mountainous Austria which to me looked like a storybook-land, although had no sightings of ex nuns-turned-nanny leading Aryan kids through song.

I traveled to Munich ostensibly to met up with my RISD friend Andrea, whose elaborate wedding I had attended a couple years before on her father's Long Island vineyard and horse farm. I can't recall the reason given but in Munich I was instead put up with Andrea's friend, Alexandra who lived out near the Olympic stadium of 1972 lore. (Andrea and her husband may have had another friend staying with them already).

This suited me fine as Alexandra was a rather beautiful redheaded German jewelry designer. I ended up spending a good amount of my time hanging out in her studio or going out for drinks with her. I definitely developed a crush, but alas she lived in Germany and was a single mom at that. And I was just an innocent abroad still getting his feet wet amongst worldly sophisticates.

I do remember Andrea taking me to the English Garden where they were setting up the massive tents for Oktoberfest, which sadly I would miss. Some of the other greatest hits were drinks at a 500-year old beer hall (Hofbrauhaus maybe?) and a teddy bear museum, in that order I believe.