Backing up just a couple of weeks, we recently spent a long weekend in Munich drinking enormous beers and eating enormous pretzels, both of which were delicious. It's funny, too, because there is a strong north-south tension between Hamburgians and Muncheners. I'm not quite sure what the fuss is about, but there seems to be a bit of snobbery on both sides and some monetary jealousy up north. I can't figure out what the Hamburg folks are crying about - this town is loaded. I understand some of the animosity, at least from Hamburg - a real liberal bastion. Munich is conservative, especially politically and they are really pushing for more work, less benefits and all the same crap that has been a mainstay of the American economy since the industrial revolution.
One area that Munich is absolutely not in the least tiny little bit conservative about is beer consumption. Those cats can put away the beer any time, any place. David and I were at a weekend market downtown and by 9:30 the place was filled with (obviously) locals getting their breakfast drink on. Beer is nutrition in Bavaria. Not that I'm complaining, I just don't think the neo-liberal labor approach is compatible with such a serious beer drinking schedule. I'm personally rooting for the beer drinkers in this battle - they clearly have a leg up.
Some of the definite highlights of the trip were
- Dachau concentration camp (really a lowlight - stark and sad)
- Munich biergartens. The one in the Englischergarten is particularly nice
- Neuschwanstein and Hoheschwangau Castles. The Neuschwanstein is what the Disney castle is modeled after and you can really tell. The setting was indescribably beautiful. Snowcapped mountains, cool mountain lake, dreamy castle with a waterfall in the background. Really worth a visit.
- The Residenz Museum. Formerly the home of the king and queen of Bavaria. A nicely done museum of royal life through the last few centuries.
Not worth it in Munich (at least as a couple)
- Hofbrauhaus (one of the Oktoberfest hotspots). It was sort of loud and moist when we were there and someone rifled through my bag when we were in a crowd. Thankfully all the crap I had crammed in it obscured my wallet and camera.
Ok. Totally different subject. In Hamburg we have some left-wing friends who are politically active, particularly against the far-right nationalist (read 'Nazi') party. On May Day (May 1), there was a demonstration in Hamburg. The details are thus: the nationalist party wanted to march in a working class neighborhood to celebrate May Day (usually recognized as Labor Day or Laborers Day). To counter this, the anti-fascists staged a counter-demonstration largely to protest the wanker Nazis and to actually celebrate May Day. As a side goal, a signficant effort of the demonstration was to disrupt the Nazi parade.
As it happens, we got the insider's guided tour to one of the most raucous demonstrations that has hit Germany in nearly two decades. The police, who were tasked with protecting Nazi assholes from getting attacked by the left demonstrators, were outnumbered on all sides and were obviously scared. I was just glad they don't carry guns. As it was, I saw way too many demonstrators getting the crap knocked out of them by hopped-up, nervous, baton-happy cops. It was really like something from the evening news. Or, oh, I don't know - YouTube (have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ALYMaPU8Og for Nazi car burning or the first minute of the news clips here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lp7Mn4P_A0).
We and folks we were with were nearly whacked by crazy, baton-wielding cops, but we had the sense to get out of the way of the rush when it happened. However, I saw a girl get knocked down as a line of a hundrded or so cops rushed past. A few of the cops stopped to beat on her a good bit before they moved on. A particularly disgusting show of force.
We also got to witness the aftermath of the anti-fascist's attack on the Nazi buses. All of the windows of the big tour buses were totally smashed, the buses were badly damaged and many of the cars the Nazis came in were set on fire. This we saw personally. I imagine the bus company will think twice before they agree to haul a bunch of neo-fascists to a demonstration.
It was really chaos and there was a feeling that these guys, the left-wing demonstrators had a big impact. Maybe even made a difference that day. In the neighborhood where the Nazis marched, a lot of the working class folks (ethnic minorities) living in the neighborhood also demonstrated with vigor - carrying anti-fascist flags and getting into the spirit of things. Something you don't see too often, largely out of caution. It was something pretty special and I am glad I got to see it. I felt proud of Hamburg and the anti-fascist movement. It's sad that we need an anti-fascist movement in Germany after everything that happened here. But, I'm glad that there is one.
Of course, after all this excitement, I still love Hamburg. Here is my favorite photo of the day:
