Munich

Once again, long overdue but my trip to Munich was great! It was completely different than Italy but all of us raved about how cool the city was. We took an overnight train from Florence and the best way to describe that experience is cramped. There were 6 of us in one room with 3 beds on each side stacked on top of each other. We were able to get 11 of us in one room at one point so we could drink wine together on the way there. The german conductor came by and informed us that this was a SLEEPING car. We giggled and finally went to sleep. At 6 am the next morning we woke up in Munich and it was COLD. 

A former professor of UT Architecture moved back to Munich last year and took us around for the next three days. He is one of the jolliest men that I have ever met which is pretty opposite to the the typical german stereotype. We were very lucky to have him as our tour guide! But, true to the german ideal, we had our itinerary planned down to the 30 minute interval so in order not to get to wordy here is my brief synopsis of Munich...

The colors of fall here were so beautiful. The first place that Werner took us was the area near his university. 

One of the first modern pieces of architecture that we had seen in a while

Wood exhibit. Being architecture students...we LOVED it

Interior courtyard of a shopping district

FIRST GERMAN BEER! Super exciting for us

At Augustiner's

Church of the Sacred Heart on our second day. It was really cool for me to see this church because one of my good friends, Melanie, and I studied it in construction 2 as a material study. To see it in person was even better!

Olympic park

The one thing that Smilja, my professor was super adamant about was stops for a drink every couple of hours. This is definitely an italian ideal but it made it really fun for us because we tried a ton of different beers! 

The group

In front of Marienplatz. We got to watch the Rathaus-Glockenspiel chime at 11am which was completely by luck!

Huge pretzel at the Hofbrauhaus 

Coolest thing I have ever seen. Part of the park in Munich is river surfing. There is no turbine or any kind of jets causing this wave. It is completely the flow of the river and a piece of concrete below the water causing the current. These guys were so good. All of us said that we could have stood there to watch them all day.

I loved this park so much. 

The soccer stadium

Last beer of our trip. I have plenty more picture like this that I will save for later! This is Aventinus beer. It was one of my friends' favorite beer and she had no idea it was brewed in Munich. It is also now my favorite. For a girl who wasn't a huge dark beer fan...I have been converted. 

After three completely packed days, we got back to CF early on Sunday morning tired and in need of some Italian R&R. I am so excited we got to go to Germany on this trip! It was such an awesome experience and completely different from anything that we had done in Italy. So many more stories to tell. 

I can't believe it has come to this point but I am now 5 days from being back in Houston. I knew this would happen but I feel like I have blinked and my trip is coming to an end. I am so grateful for everything that I have seen and been able to do...life couldn't be better!

SNM Rome

After we made it to Rome, we immediately started our day. I took S and M to Piazza Navona. This is the Four Rivers fountain. 

 Chiesa San Agnese, Megan's confirmation saint! We noticed that in many of the places that we went over our trip little special moments happened without us meaning for them to happen like realizing that this church was dedicated to St. Agnes. 

 After walking around in the Piazza Navona, we went to the Pantheon. Here are the girls inside

 On top of one of the famous hotels near the Pantheon. The sun was setting and the view was so beautiful. The bar was closing but the man let us get glasses of wine anyway. As M said many times this trip..."Everyone is just so nice!!" 

 View of the top of the Pantheon

 My meg

 I took M and S to one of the places that we went to as a group when we were in Rome near the Pantheon. This time we sat outside and got to watch the waiters who were basically a bunch of frat boys who stood in a line waiting for people to come to the restaurant and made jokes. One of the restaurants specialties is their lemon sorbet and vodka dessert. Delicious!

 This is us with the frat boys

 After dinner we went to the Trevi Fountain. I was so excited because we didn't go there as a class when I was in Rome in September. We threw our three coins in the fountain, especially the one that meant that we would one day come back to Rome. My mom had come to Rome with my brother 15 years ago for his 21st birthday and threw her 3 coins...she came back for me and we will come together again soon!

 And then there were three

 This bar is called Costanza bar and we had to take a picture for Brian. The guy didn't get the whole name in the photo but the other ones that I took S is completely covering M's face with her arm as she points to the name. So for Brian...we love you

 The next day, we did ancient Rome. Megan and I took a picture when I was 16 in New York with my head on top of her's at the Empire State Building...we had to do it again but this time at the Colosseum. 

 Rea engraved in ancient stone, once a part of the Colosseum. Of course S had to take a picture in front of it for her man!

 After the Colosseum, we went to the Forum. This is little M in front of the Basilica Maxentius. 

 Campidoglio

 We finally made it to lunch at Piazza Navona, after we walked around the whole city. Much needed wine and pasta! We then walked around and shopped for the boys and of course I had to find a jewelry store that I had seen last time I was in Rome. After aimlessly leading S and M around in a circle I found it and got momma her Christmas present! 

 Then dinner...awesome wine bar. All we could think about was how much David would love it there. 

 Oh how I love you momma

 The only word to describe the next day was incredible. For a year all of us are patrons of the arts for the Vatican. We got a private tour which started a little before the Vatican actually opened so we were inside before most of the other tourists. Above are the papal rings 

 And I got to sneak a picture of the Sistine Chapel

 Dome from the back

 M and S in the Mary Room... a whole room dedicated to Mary and her immaculate conception and assumption to the side of Jesus in heaven. 

 Raphael's School of Athens. I have learned about this in art history since I can remember. Pretty cool to see it in person. 

 One of the courtyards 

 We also got to do a tour of the Vatican gardens. Even though it was pretty chilly outside, it was really nice to walk in the gardens with the sun. 

 Our tour guide, Anne, and the girls at the grotto of the garden

 We got to take a photo with one of the swiss guards. This one was really nice and obviously really really tall. He made my little mommas look even smaller.

 Bernini's stairs. Something very few people get to see. It was especially important to me because I am studying the urban design of Bernini's square (St. Peter's). The stairs are an essential component to the design of the movement toward the church and I got to experience them. From an architecture student's standpoint it was a highlight of my day. 

 Pieta....only describable in person

 S and M in front of the facade.

 We had lunch in Trastevere which is across the Tiber river. This is the girls on the bridge on the way back from lunch

 View from on top of our hotel near the Campo di Fiori

 View from Hotel Eden after we saw the Spanish steps. 

 Mom stayed here 15 years ago and then we came just for drinks.

 Our last dinner at Girarrosto Fiorentino's. Michael Marz suggested it and it was an amazing meal. The owner, Johnny was great. And convinced me that I was bringing my friends back in two weeks but knew that I couldn't. He also made me get up to show me the architecture of the restaurant. The guy who took the picture thought he was being funny and cut out our waiter who was next to me. 

Our last night. We had so much fun together. There was lots of laughing, lots of "oh my god we are in ________", and lots of memories made. I am so glad that S and M came to see me in Italy and I got to show them around. I know that someday we will all travel back to Europe together, maybe next time Paris. But for now...I know that life couldn't get better! I love you S and M