Optical Allusionist

Germany's been nice. Certainly busy, as is the general ideology of most busy cities. We rode around on our bikes (rental) for a few hours – around town and eventually to the English Gardens. BEAUTIFUL. I only wish we had something like that in utah. Dad says Liberty Park is there, but what with the modern price of gas these days, I'm not sure how that would work out. Munich's amazing. A bit like las Vegas in the pornography realm, though. Not soaked to the bone kind of Las-Vegas-likeness. Only that when it does appear it's generally extreme. Not yet hard-core. But near there. Strip clubs, condoms, and “XXL” female enhancements. We passed about 10 missionaries in the park, though, and they seem happy and bonded. I have seen more Muslim women here in Munich than I have in my entire life time (when not watching tv or looking at a newspaper) One Muslim couple was holding hands. Mom (who lived in Saudi Arabia for a time) said she's never seen that before. We're careful to keep dad in check- he seems to have a tendency for criticizing their life style (like covering their head, and, at times, their face) Mom and I have decided that if they're comfortable with it, then it's all good. Alles gut! A few Germans have spoken with me today, but they speak so quickly, most of the time I can't understand them. My family has come to the general conclusion that the average German never allows themselves to make an ounce of effort towards looking even a bit happy, while on the subway or the underground train.

Everything is SO much more expensive here!!! Perhaps it's the fact that I'm in Munich, and so all the stores know the tourists will come, but it's all so expensive!. One euro is about One and a third dollar. So, it's hard to find a drink that isn't less than two euros (and those are the small ones), meaning about just under 3 dollars! ONE drink, THREE dollars! We've been hungry, tired, and starving ourselves, but still fairly happy. (oh, for the record, we have found one happy german woman on the train.) Munich is the city of museums, particularly art museums. (oh, there is one ethnicology museum, though) The art is amazing! More nude art than anything American I've viewed yet, but it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it might. While the pornography mocks the body, the art seems to hold it in a royal esteem somehow, leaving one with a beautiful respect for another of God's creations.

Have you heard “Stolen” by Dashboard Confessional? We heard it on the TV last night- dad and me. Oddly, they listen to a lot of English music. Most speak English fluently. It almost seems essential in this highly-tourized town of Muenchen. Well, I'd like to continue talking, but it's 12:30 in the morning here (4:32 there)