Munich

After traveling all day through inclement weather, our host (we couchsurfed for the first time in Munich) took us to eat at the Hofbräuhaus, the most famous beer hall in the world...

where there is live music...

the food comes in shank form...

and hefeweizen is served by the litre. They kept us out until 4 am.

The next morning we wandered through the English Garden, a massive park with outdoor biergartens. Even in the rain the crowds had gathered.

We found shelter at the Alte Pinakothek Gallery and escaped the drizzle.

Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Commode 1887

Alfred Stevens, In the Boudoir, 1870

I forget whose this is, but I love the movement vs resistance of the lines.


William Stott, The Bathing Place, 1881

Eduoard Vuillard, Cafe Scene, 1910

Monet's Waterlilies, 1915

Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Anselm Feuerbach, Peonies, 1871

Mihaly von Monkacsy, Visiting a Mother in Childbed, 1879

I learned from a friend that this man's paintings are disappearing. The ingredients he used to mix his paint cause them to darken with time. They are all turning black.

The next morning we took a train to Rothenburg, and were pleasantly surprised.

Britain's Best Kept Secret

We arrived in Edinburgh by train and were greeted with incredible skies, consistent with the rest of the trip. The clouds were different than in England, higher and wispier.

After living in England, I was very impressed by the first "mountain" I saw in Scotland, Arthur's Seat of Hollyrood Park (don't they have funny names?).

In Edinburgh my parents and Jeffery and I rented a car and drove towards the highlands. The scenery was constantly changing and very surprising. I had no idea that this is what Scotland looked like.

We stopped for lunch at the House of Bruar, very posh and boasting "fine country produce and clothing." Our cafeteria-style lunch for four was 75 quid, more than Jeffery and I had spent on food for three days in Amsterdam.

Next stop, Loch Morlich. Here we stayed in a really nice hostel overlooking the loch, and hiked up to get the view.

There was still snow on the mountains.


But that didn't prevent people from enjoying the beach.

The next day after driving past Loch Ness, and about a dozen other lochs and castles, we headed towards the Isle of Skye, and were not disappointed.

Skye's sky and mountainous terrain.

Portree, Isle of Skye

Portree Harbor

Small village of Portree. We stayed in a very colorful hostel and cooked ourselves a meal for the first time since being in Norwich. (Look closely at the background, then the next photo.)

The next day we drove around the island. This is famously known as "The Storr" or "Old Man of Storr."

There were a lot of sheep.

Leaving Isle of Skye.

This is the Glenifinnan Monument on the head of Loch Shiel.

This is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, but more famously known for being crossed by the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films. This area milks its pop culture ties for everything they're worth. But the area is also stunningly beautiful and deserves the tourism.

Before taking the train to Bath, we stayed a night in a very nice hostel in Oban, a small port/resort town.

Goodnight, Scotland.