Category Archives: Munich

München

Epiphany

The singers are at the door. Not three wise men but a quartet of sweet children. Two young kings and two young queens, like the Pevensie children at the end of their first Narnian adventure. Their voices are angelsong and my German landlord rewards their performance with a donation for their chosen charity. All of

Munich

It changed my life. (Now, how often does one get to use that sentence and have it be true?) I remember trying my best not to say goodbye. I have never lived abroad before. A trip down south to Singapore, a beach vacation in Phuket, a couple of weeks backpacking in Australia, yes. But living

This Must Be The Day, Part 3: The Storms of Salzburg

Beijing, 2009 I clean up in the guest bathroom. The decor, the finishing is impeccable. I can’t help noticing this. I love good interior design as much as I love a fully-functional bathroom, and this one’s perfect. I remember the small shower-and-toilets in the apartments in StuSta, our little student city. Studentenstadt. Things have sure

This Must Be The Day, Part 2: Beijing Baby Babble Blues

Beijing, 2009 He smiles at me again. “Come on, let’s go in. The wife and baby are waiting.” And he grabs my bag before I can protest and leads me through the door. We catch up on news while walking pass the security guard, while going up in the elevator, while he struggles with his

The Baker, the Baroness & the Delectable Devil

Feast fresh for you have had a fine fast. Now is the time to break it. A little late in the day, perhaps – morning has come and gone – but never too late, in this city where eating never sleeps. An all-day breakfast for the workaholics and the weary: does this sound as good

Almost ménage à trois

The past does strange things to us – we don’t remember half as well as we think we do nor half as well as we ought to. There was a time when my (mis)adventures with my Italian, American and German friends were a daily part of life. There was nothing else. Some of us were

Oktoberfest!

. Oktoberfest ’01: Munich Barely a month since landing on German soil and already it’s Oktoberfest. I have made fast friends with the Italians from Milan and the Americans from Chicago, two of whom are called Mike. We call one Blue Mike — not his real name, of course — after the colour of his