TUM slides in Munich

A few months ago, a friend of mine shared this link on Facebook and she commented how she wished her college had an inner building slide to get from class to class.  Only recently did I realize that this installation Hot Spot is located in Germany. These giant four-story slides are in the interior of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). In 2002, the Munich-based artists, Johannes Brunner and Raimund Ritz, were inspired to make the slides look like a parabola due to their location in the Math and Computer Science department. The two “Parable” slides allow students to forgo the elevator or stairs and ride a tube from the top to the ground floor. It’s like having an amusement park in your university. Below is a funny video showing you the slides.

BMW in Munich

You can probably guess from the title that this post is about “the ultimate driving machine.” It is no joke when the company brags about their customers creating a special bond with their cars because I have a friend who would have a panic attack if something happened to his precious BMW M3. Although BMW cars are a bit luxurious for my taste, I feel like royalty being a passenger in one.

Bayerische Motoren Werke (translates to “Bavarian Motor Works”) started as a manufacturer of aircraft engines that then transitioned into cars. Below, I share with you the history timeline behind the company.

Rapp engineering his motors.

• 1913: Karl Friedrich Rapp established his own aircraft engines in a former bicycle factory near Munich. Unfortunately, the business didn't do so well.

• 1913: Gustav Otto set up a business building small aircrafts. Otto’s father was the inventor of the four-stroke internal engine.

Popular Cuisine from Germany

Food is one of my passions and I want to dedicate this post to it. The idea of endless combinations of ingredients to create delicious dishes is so exciting. I love trying new ethnic cuisines and experimenting with new recipes. I’m quite adventurous when it comes to food. I have tried a pigeon stew in Italy, a cow's tail in France, and a crocodile sausage in New Orleans to name a few. So you can imagine that when I travel, my taste buds are in heaven!

Germany will be no exception. I’m looking forward to going to different regions and tasting their unique cuisines. Each state has distinct ingredients than vary their dishes. 

Germans are known for their hearty and meaty dishes with tons of sausage and potatoes. Below, I have chosen four regions I will be visiting and explored their local foods dishes. The links on a few of the foods will lead you to a recipe. Maybe you will want to give one of these German specialties a try.

Oktoberfest in Munich

Everyone knows about Oktoberfest, but do you know how it started?

The First Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities on the field in front of the city gates. That land was renamed Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s fields”) in honor of the Crown Princess, which the locals later abbreviate to “Wiesn.” The public occasion was such a success that it became an annual event.

1810's Oktoberfest

Today's Oktoberfest Festival

Viktualienmarkt in Munich

The Hot Spot for today’s post is Munich’s Viktualienmarkt, meaning “victual (food or provisions) market.” Located near the Marienplatz Square with the New and Old Town Hall, the bustling outdoor food market is the heart of the city’s old town. With 140 stalls, it truly is a feast for your senses. Each stall is decorated to its liking, such as with garlands of sausages or pyramids of vegetables. You can fill your basket with flowers, Bavarian specialities, exotic fruits, local cheese, fish, and so on. Bargaining has no place in the Munich conduct, so don’t be tempted to haggle with shop owners.

Top 3 German Cities

Fun fact: Germany is the 5^th most traveled to country in Europe and the 7^th more visited worldwide. It is one of the safest travel destinations worldwide.

The goal of this post is to give an introduction to three major cities in Germany I plan on visiting. I will be in Germany’s capital, Berlin, for two weeks attending a contemporary dance workshop at the State Ballet School of Berlin. I am looking forward to this exciting opportunity to explore a country I’ve never visited before and dance in a country I never have before. Following the program, I plan on traveling to several of Germany’s other great cities, including Munich and Cologne.

Berlin is the capital of Germany and indeed the largest of its cosmopolitan cities. Its population is close to 3.5 million and has become the center of politics, culture, media, and science of the country. It is the home of the renowned Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The city’s most famous landmark is the Brandenburg Gate; it used to be a symbol of separation, but now the gate is the scene of artistic and cultural inspiration. I look forward to wandering the charming streets of Berlin and making feel like home for two weeks.