The End

After Schloss Nymphenburg we just had make our "last" biergarten stop the largest in the entire world - Hirschgarten! Yummy beer and roasted chicken! We were all a little weary and a little sad. Two weeks would have not been enough time, but by the end of a month, it was time. Although, I need to go back ; ).

AUF WIEDERSEHEN~!

Sports: Soccer Game & Bocce Ball

So I'm on a study break, but all finished with midterms so thought I'd write another post. I think I left off at the Chucky Cheese of beer gardens, and here we are (Andrea, Christopher, Denise, Eli, James, Chris, Trent, CJ and me), drinking of few mas beers and eating roasted chicken and fish. Yum! Okay, so I didn't try the fish, I was going to but was always drawn to half roasted chicken and the fish always seemed to have it's head attached : (.

After dinner, the entire group of students had the opportunity to attend a Munich soccer game! Not the famous Bayern team, but the TSV 1860 team, which was just as good because they won... not mention they were very very cute! We tried but did not find the bar/beer garden where these German men traveled after their games. Bummer ; ).

Siemens. Our last study trip. Quite interesing as this used to be one of the clients I worked on as a paralegal. We had a lecture by the their IP counsel and an inventor. Then we received a lengthy (in my opinion anyway) guided tour of their museum. I really think that I would've been more interested if we didn't have final exams the next morning. After the tour, I went to my apartment and studied until midnight.

The farewell get together was held at an Italian beer garden in the Hofgarten of the Residence. A few of us had been here multiple times already. We walked by it everyday on the way to and from class, and it was so convenient for the quick lunch (or beer : ) ) between classes. Nearly all of the students who attended the last session showed up, including many of the L.L.M.s. Prof. Brauneis brought his Bocce Ball (I just know I'm spelling that wrong) kit and a few of us played. I must admit, I'm not very good, and it seems like such a simple game! Most people left the morning after this event : (. (see post entitled "Quiet" for melancholy reflection : P).

BUT, some of us were still around, AND had vistors from the States that we needed to show around "our city." The next day, after working on my papers - neither of which were completed and both due within two weeks - I met a group to go to Schloss Nymphenburg. Elector Ferdinand Maria built this palace as a summer villa upon the birth of his heir, Max Emmanuel in the mid-1600s. It was a beautiful place with swans on the lakes and in the gardens, not to mention a nice sunny day to conclude our summer trip abroad.

A Solitary Weekend

After the eventful trip to the EPO, and with many students traveling to foreign lands in the last weekend before jetting back across the pond, I looked forward to a solitary weekend. A little exploring by myself was what I needed after three weeks of constant social life : ). I went for runs in the English Garden and brushed up on my German at coffee shops and restaurants. I started to feel a little like a local, and liked it.

One the of places I traveled that weekend was Konigplatz. This is a large plaza architectually based in Greco-Roman style. Historically, Maximillian built this area as a tribute to old Rome (I believe). Hitler gave his propoganda speeches to his ranks from the steps of the building above. I'm sure you have seen the films, here is where they were set.

A favorite place to hang out, shop, eat and drink beer was Marienplatz. Above is a picture of the entrance to Marienplatz. It is the center of city, and blocks from where we had our classes. I decided to travel to Marienplatz to do a little shopping on Sunday afternoon, but forgot that everything is closed on Sundays: shops, grocery stores, basically everything but restaurants. The Germans need a place to drink their beer of course!

The weary travelers came home on Sunday evening and a few of us went out to dinner at the Augustiner and catch up on each other's weekends. This was my dinner. All German food was wonderful, but this was my least favorite dish: wienerwurst. It is basically just a fancy hot dog. But you can't go wrong with the German potato salad - yum! I miss it so much!

Everynight we had to eat, and German food, as great as it is, was getting tiresome. We wanted other things to eat - like Chipotle! But alas, no Chipotle, so we found this fantastic Mexican restaurant with great drink specials. Think mas beer sized margaritas ; ). Here we are at a table outside, the weather was perfect. From left to right: Ely, Trent, C.J., me, Chris, Denise, Andrea & James. After dinner the waiter gave us mojito shots and did one with us, just like they did at the Greek restaurant! We must look like a crowd that likes to party ; ).

The Chucky Cheese of beer gardens, Menter-Schwaige. The program acquired a group of tickets to see a soccer game (TSV 1860), so of course we had to go to a beer garden to warm up before the game : ). This garden was near the stadium, but in a very residential neighborhood. There was a playground and lots of families. Thus it was coined "the Chucky Cheese of beer gardens". Kids were drinking apfelschole from little mugs, which looked exactly like beer. They train them young over here! Must sign off and get some sleep - busy day tomorrow - back in the real world ...

Greek Food - It's the Best in Germany

Mmmmm.... Greek food. Before traveling to Germany, I had never really had Greek food before, but pictured above is the best meal I had in all five weeks abroad. I think I mentioned earlier that a bunch of us went to - oh no, I forgot the name, but it was a Greek restaurant that started with a "P." I blame Criminal Law for my lack of brain cells this evening... I had to make room for 52 pages tonight... I guess the name of the restaurant was pushed out : ). Anyway, we loved it and wanted to share it with others. So we did. What I ate they called Gallos.

Here is Andrea, me, Denise and Trent at dinner that night. There were two bottles of wine instead of one and lots more Ouzo. I was bad off at the end of the evening...
We invited three professors out to dinner with us that night. Luckily I only had one of them for class, Prof. Carroll. He taught Internet Law. Above is the director of the program, Prof. Brauneis. With him (and Deanne, on the right) is Germany's version of a bachelorette. Instead of just an evening out with the girls, these would be brides have to work for their wedding. They go from venue to venue, U-Bahn stop to U-Bahn stop selling little things to make money for the wedding/honeymoon/home. They sell items like breath mints, gum, condoms, whatever. It can get pretty funny. It looks like Prof. Brauneis isn't going to participate : (.

The next morning, all hung over, I dragged myself to the European Patent Office, and subsequently got sick... from all of that red wine and Ouzo - blah. But really, that was an experience in itself. How many can say that they got sick at the EPO right in the middle of a lead examiner's long (very long) lecture?? No worries, I made it to the restroom : ). By that evening I felt tip top again and was able to work on one my papers.

Many folks left that same morning (some as hung over as I) for various places throughout Europe, including Rome and Amsterdam. For me, I was planning on going to Rome with Tom and felt the need to work a little bit. I stayed in Europe an extra week while other students were planning on heading back to the States and knew I wasn't going to work on any papers the last week I was there. I was strolling through Marienplatz that weekend in solitude and stopped to listen to these muscians. This was nothing unusual. There were always musicians somewhere, and they were good too. Quite unlike the NYC subway crowd : ). Okay, better go crash - work AND two classes tomorrow - I'm back - ugh!

Get on the Bus!

I just finished the last paper of my summer career and am about to send it off. Back home, back at work, back to the relationship, back to the friends, and soon back to school and the stress that comes with it. A large part of me feels a little lost, and that lost part of me wants to go back to Germany. But who knows, if I was still there, I might be longing for home. Funny how the grass is always greener...

But this blog will go on, because I'm only on weekend no. 2! So, I will get to remember and relive, if just for a little longer.

Above is the Castle Neuschwanstein. Beautiful, isn't is? Too bad it was never finished and really never lived in. King Ludwig II was claimed insane, and they hauled him out of this very castle. He was found dead in Lake Starnberg the next day, the shallow part of the lake. He was a great swimmer.

Here's me on the way in to the Castle! It started to rain, again, right after this picture was taken.

Another beautiful shot of the Castle. It kind of resembles the Disney Castle here, doesn't it? This picture is currently the desktop of my computer. I need to remember good times as I sit down to Con Law next Friday : (.

Okay, off-roading time! We were waiting for the train to take us back to Munich (the castles were two hours away in Fussen), and all of a sudden a woman comes out of the station and notifies us that the train will not be coming! There was something on the track and we all had to get on a bus to take us to a station where the train would arrive. All of a sudden a mad rush of us, other Americans and Japanese tourists running to get on the bus. By passing a couple of pushy people five of the six of us found that were the last allowed on with standing room only. Hmmm... did I say five of six, oh yes, I did. One of party decided not to get on the bus and let others push past him. Hello?! Just get on the bus!!

The ride was a trip! We went off-roading in a coach bus! We traveled down little dirt country roads, so narrow a BMW had to back up to let us pass. No two cars could travel down the road at the same time!! Finally, we made it to the train in the pouring rain and traveled for another hour until we reached Munich. Fun times : ).

This is a picture of the Max Planck Institute where all the magic happened ; ). Our classes were held here. It is a really nice building. I took this picture before a group of us met to go to a reception at the law firm of Bird & Bird.

Now that I'm home, in my messy apartment, I am feeling the urge to straighten it up. I miss living abroad, it was so much cleaner in my apartment there!!

Quiet

Most of us are gone, a few remain. Final exams are finished, final papers are not. Unfortuately I fell for the paper scam. I have two to complete. So today I did research for most of the afternoon. It is slow going.

It is quiet here, as most students left this morning. The few of us that are here traveled up to Schloss Nymphenburg, one of Germany's largest baroque palaces, and then to Hirshgarten, to finish the evening with some hendl and apfelschorle. Sadly enough, nothing is novel anymore and it is shame that tonight at Munich's largest beer garden, a couple of us didn't even have any beer, and we all headed home before the fireworks. As is becoming the pattern tonight we said goodbye to another friend. This will repeat itself tomorrow and maybe the next day. Sad really. Most of them traveled from D.C. and are already making plans to see each other again. I am the only student from Minnesota.

But enough of that! Maybe if I shut off this Yanni (what the heck?!) that is streaming over my online radio I'll be able to pull out of this mood. As James would say, I am being way too "emo" : ).

Above is what we all looked like after Session I finals: happy, with beers. This is the Seehaus Beer Garden, and my favorite beer garden so far. From left to right, me, Andrea, James, C.J., Trent and Kate.

That evening, was Munich's 850th Birthday Celebration. Pretty much everyone in the program enjoyed some part of the celebration/festival that night. If you scroll down, I've posted some videos of my experience. Above is the giant ferris wheel you could take a ride on. Right down from the ferris wheel was this crazy band, Chicks on Speed... and that is exactly what they sounded like .... I didn't get too close ; ).

The next day a bunch of us traveled to "the castles", Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. It is a day trip and two hour train ride but its worth the ride. Above is Schloss Hohenschwangau, King Maximillian's family castle.

Here it is, the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, from afar. This picture was actually taken from Hohenschwangau. 'Mad' King Ludwig commissioned this castle and watched it being built from Hohenschwangau. He actually hired a set designer rather than an architect to design th castle. He was in love with Wagner's operas (and perhaps Wager himself?) and wanted to build a fairytale castle to make the fantasy world of his operas come alive. Walt Disney fashioned the famous (and trademarked) Cinderella Castle after Neuschwanstein.

After visiting Hohenschwangau, you have the option of walking or taking a horse drawn carriage up to Neuschwanstein. Here are Denise, Corrina, Andrea and C.J. starting up the long and steep path. Notice the smiles... they were gone when we reached the top. I think we all burned off a couple of beers that day! I have more pictures of the castle trip, but they will have to wait. I am tired and am picking up Tom at the airport early in the AM : )!

BMW Welt

It's a quiet Tuesday night. After a couple of invites to go to dinner, I think it is time for a night off, of socializing that is. Last night simple plans to go to dinner turned into a nightmare on the U-Bahn. After a wonderful Mexican meal (yes, Mexican, I know I'm in Germany, I miss Chipotle, okay?) we all decided to look for more drinks. So, doing what any logical tourist would do, we pulled out the map :). After walking up and down the same street for 20 minutes, we found a potato bar. No worries, they didn't serve only potatoes... of course, there was beer!

The U-Bahn shuts down around midnight, and I make sure I leave around 11:30. I get to the platform and train is going the wrong way! Someone assured me that it is coming back, the right way, so I wait. I get on going the right way, the train goes two stops than then starts going in reverse! I get off at the stop where I got on, and the train keep going. It then comes back on the same track going the right way, so I get on again. By communicating the best I can with a couple of folks, we all have to get off and transfer to another train to get home. What was a 10 minute trip took an hour with all of the confusion. There were announcements about all of this, but of course they were in German. When I frantically asked in German if anyone spoke English on the train, they all answered in perfect English, "No, I don't understand." It's very strange that just after I posted the video on language barriers the same situation happens to me!! So, given that not so pleasant adventure, I think I'll just cook my frozen microwave lasagna dinner in a saucepan on the stove top and stay in tonight.

Continuing with the BMW trip, above is Riccardo in one of the luxury cars. They were everywhere. It was a showroom and business all in one.



This is the corner stone of the building. As you can see it is fairly new. Many sponsors and businesses wrote little notes of prosperity and placed them in the corner stone before it was placed in the ground, kind of like a time capsule of sorts.



This is the "handing-off area". When you purchase or lease a BMW here, you get to go through a type of ceremony. They actually call it the "handing-off ceremony." You are brought to a room where they tell you all about your car. While you are going through all of the features and benefits your car is brought up from the basement in a glass elevator and placed on a spinning disc. You are then "ceremoniously" brought down to your car, which is shiny and new and spinning slowly for you to admire. You then drive it down the ramp within the building, out the door and on your happy way. Trent actually leased a BMW in this way and picked it up the first weekend to drive to Salzburg. It will be waiting for him upon his return to D.C.. Nice. I'm jealous.



This is where you can customize your BMW. You sit here with your salesperson and go through a computer simulation of exactly what features you want your car to have and can see exactly what it looks like on the screen. Cool.



The building we toured was the new building which purpose is the mostly sales and new cars. This is the older BMW building, which purpose is the manufacturing business. This older building also houses the museum. I haven't been to the museum. It wasn't part of our trip. Maybe I'll go next week. However, the BMW Welt trip was pretty comprehensive and I really don't feel the need to return... outside of my visit to pick up my new car that is :).

After the tour we went to their corporate office and sat for a presentation from the head of their trademark legal counsel. Unlike the presentation at the German Patent & Trademark Office, this one was all about trademarks. I loved it! And I want our presenters job :).