There’s something that I love about Germany. Maybe it’s the infamous Germany “efficiency” or just the plain good beer. This past week I gave into my need for civilization again, and took a break that started with Munich, Germany.
Streets of Munich.
My thoughts of Munich. This was a great place to decompress and absorb as much civilization as possible. Coming from Afghanistan it’s always good to soak in the peacefulness, order, and fine living from abroad. This time I took off to a far-off place that I had never set foot in before: Munich, Germany. Being the home of BMW, Bavarian beer, and German opera I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to indulge in sophisticated pleasures. Little did I know, this would be just the start of my European luxury indulgence.
The BMW Museum was quite an experience. Having earlier traveled to Stuttgart, the home of Mercedes Benz, I was expecting BMW’s museum to be a similar feat of sophistication and hedonism. True to BMW values, the museum was a mix of class, luxury, design, and a sense fine legacy situated right next to the Olympic Stadium complex made famous during 1972 and the movie Munich.
The structure of the Museum itself is overt in that it mimics divine presence. The architects of the museum wanted to produce a building that reached up on the sky, while publishing that itself was a piece of German invention. The building is a futuristic reach into human desire for fine design, power, and control…all tenets of German engineering I’d say. And it looks like they did it quite well.
BMW Museum
Like Mercedes Benz in Stuttgart, BMW has its showroom in a building right next to the museum. So, of course, visitors will marvel BMW’s latest models alongside the company’s illustrious and colorful history. This is actually one of my favorite pieces of the museum experience…being able to view the hottest car models, although I myself can only dream of owning a recent-version of a BMW. Quite possibly, my favorite is the BMW 7-series…a sporty, yet elegant sedan that sets the standard for all full size sedans. I admit, it screams of ostentatious $bling, but I have to appreciate it as a beautiful piece of machine. Well done, BMW.
BMW 750i on display
Of course, you can’t pass up the BMW drama without taking a peek at its line of motorcycles. Here, BMW is in a class of its own. Its motorcycles are world-renown for their power, style, and reliability…decades after each iteration of motorcycle is born. My issue with the BMW is that it’s always an evolution. Never is there truly a motorcycle that yells “ground-breaking,” but more like its machines give you a sense that given new models and new improvements, you can always rely on tested quality and pedigree. BMW sets the tone for the motorcycle world with its bike that are consistently different.
F650 and some other street-bike I can’t recognize
Maybe the coolest part of BMW history is its old school motos that date back to the pre-Nazi days of the 20th century. Bikes back then were clunky and rude, but BMW had something going on that was totally classy. And classy they still are. I love the look and emotional impact that old, black BMWs strike me with.
Old school in style.
I gave up riding a while ago, but admiring these machines just makes me wanna put on another leather jacket and light up that ignition. With one of these, you could truly cut through Germany’s cold, crisp breeze with incredible creations that meld physics and love.
Behold: the classic BMW motorcycle.
Of course, you can’t pass up Munich without a tribute to its public symphony. And so I dished out 60 euros to see the show at the Munich Philharmonic. I guess studying classical music as a child really has an influence — I actually found myself taking appreciation of the 130-piece orchestra and the opera singer that truly had some oomf behind her voice. Man, with barely a mic, she filled the every corner of that theater with her voice. Simply amazing. I think I have a new interest in opera.. whod’a known../
Theater for the Munich Philharmonic
So…with a combination of beautiful cars and classical music I made my way through the beginning of my European holiday. I was truly pleased. Soaking in the different elements of civilization at Europe’s finest was exactly what I needed. Little did I know that it was barely the beginning…
