Blog Of Good Cheer

Mooching Around München

felix — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:38:07 +0000

The last time I was in Munich was October 2011, about four months ago. It was a cold damp weekend but I’d two free days to explore and rediscover the city and I was delighted to have the chance.

I say rediscover because I was there in December 2009 and I’m pretty sure I was there two or three times a good few years ago when I worked in Germany.

But you forget things. Not the obvious things like the Marienplatz and its Glockenspiel, or the endless choice of really good beers, but perhaps the more subtle things like the smell, the taste and the pace of the city.

But once I got a whiff of the heat coming up from the U-bahn (Untergrundbahn) and the S-bahn (Stadtschnellbahn), once I tasted my first bratwurst with sauerkraut and once I had an opportunity to wait patiently for a green man with fellow pedestrians as we dared not cross the car free street – I knew I was in Munich.

We arrived and easily found our way around the airport to the trains that would take us to the centre. We stayed about 30 to 40 minutes walk from the Marienplatz, across the river Isar, and our stroll into the city brought us past the Englischer Garten (English Gardens).

I love Munich. I love the imposing buildings that tower over its many open spaces, I love the effortless way in which you can get around on foot or by train or tram, and of course I love the beer.

It was October but I’d no chance to enjoy the Oktoberfest. If you ever feel the strong tug of Bavarian beer and want to be part of this great festival then you should note that the Oktoberfest usually starts in September with the tents being well and truly packed up by early October.

No Oktoberfest, no problem, as there are plenty of places to visit to sample the best Munich has to offer. Löwenbräu, Hofbräuhaus, Augustinerbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr all ensured that I didn’t work up too much of a thirst while exploring the city. Somehow I missed out on Spaten, don’t know why. (Report card: must do better next time!)

What surprised me most was that Paulaner turned out to be my favourite. You can get it easily enough in Ireland and I’ve always liked its taste. I felt that an untried brew might win me over and give me the opportunity to gloat with an “ah you haven’t tried beer till you try a whateverbräu on the banks of the Isar” but it didn’t work out that way. Paulaner was my favourite with Augustinerbräu taking second place.

I’ve read that Munich has a strong Italian influence. Certainly there are plenty of Italian restaurants and people had the very Italian habit of sitting outside with their coffee or beer whenever they got a chance. If blankets and heaters were required, then blankets and heaters were provided.

The best meal I had while we were there was in an Italian restaurant. I think if I’m back again I’ll avoid the various variations of roast meat that you tend to get in the beer halls, a bit too heavy and unexciting for me. I did feel I had to try the schnitzel, which was good, but they can keep the dumplings.

Here is a list what I think are the must see and do items if you are in Munich for a short break:

Stroll around the English Gardens (Englischer Garten)
Sit a while in the Marienplatz and watch the tourists wait for the Glockenspiel to chime
Take in the view from St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche), even on cloudy days
Try a few beers
Try some wurst and sauerkraut
Visit the Munich Residence (Residenz München), definitely a highlight for me. It poured rain outside as I wandered around loving every minute. Opulent is the word. Make sure you see the Antiquarium and the small chapel.
Watch the locals river surfing on the Eisbach (a tributary of the Isar which runs directly through the Englischer Garten)
If you have time and the inclination for another museum then it has to be the Deutsches Museum
Stoll from Schwabing to the city centre, stop for coffee or…
…try some more beers, there has to be one you haven’t tried yet!

None of the activities listed require you to travel too far from the centre and all are accessible on foot. If you feel like travelling a little further there is always the Nymphenburg Palace, the BMW Museum and the Olympic Park.

On this occasion I gave them a skip and didn’t regret it.

Would I go back? Every chance I get.

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Mooching Around München

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The Crocuses are Coming

felix — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:37:30 +0000

This morning, in St. Anne’s Park, I spotted a bed of crocuses peeping out not too far away from the Red Stables.

Has Spring sprung? Maybe not quite yet but surely it’s on the way.

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The Crocuses are Coming

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No Particular Place to Go

felix — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:12:42 +0000

Heading to Westmeath last Saturday morning we had no destination in mind.

Mullingar was mentioned but we weren’t planning on stopping there. But thinking of the home of Joe Dolan got us singing Good Looking Woman (Have I made you sigh?) and we decided to engineer a brief stop at the Wines Direct shop and pick up a few bottles in their sale. Paddy Keogh and his team never fail to have a few tempting reds and whites on offer and after selecting more than we intended (always the way) we headed on to Lough Owel.

I thought Lough Owel was part of the Children of Lir legend and when I saw the sculpture I was convinced I must be right. A quick check later and I discovered it was nearby Lough Derravaragh where they spent 300 years as swans.

The light on the lake kept changing as I tried to take some photographs. I think my favourite is the lake with the pier and the ladder up to the heavens.

Where to next?

Weirs of Multyfarnham beckoned. Although we did make a brief stop beside Lough Derravaragh we were beginning to feel a bit hungry and since the best light of the day had gone we decided to eat.

We kept it simple, I had the burger and P had the fish and chips. We’ve had lunch in Weirs before and I have to agree with their own website’s description…a charming old world, family run pub that serves some of the best food and drink in Ireland.

While waiting on the food to arrive I had a chance to take a photograph of the front bar while it was empty. I can see how you could get very comfortable on those high stools while indulging in your favourite tipple.

I’m going to leave you with Joe Dolan…Oh me, oh my!

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No Particular Place to Go

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Prime Property Going for a Song

felix — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:11:12 +0000

At the back of our house there’s an empty, newly built property looking for new residents.

I know this is not the best economic climate for a house exchange but I’m hopeful we’ll soon have new neighbours.

The most unusual feature of this property is its construction. It’s entirely made of wood. Although a few wooden framed houses have cropped up in Ireland over the last decade they’re not the norm and they’re hard to come by unless you build one yourself.

Why consider a wooden frame home you didn’t design yourself? Well perhaps the most important reason is thermal insulation which is a great advantage in these colder winter months. Keeping the fuel bills down can make a difference to your cash flow.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on weather patterns you’d realise that certain areas of Dublin have suffered flood damage in recent years. Thankfully this area hasn’t had any trouble so far and since the house is in an elevated position I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.

The house is located half an hour from Dublin city centre by public transport but I expect the new owners will have no trouble flying about the city. To be fair everything they’re likely to need is close at hand so trips to the hustle and bustle may easily be avoided.

There’s a second highly unusual feature of this property. It’s completely open plan.

The interior walls have been left undefined. Essentially once you enter you see the inside of the four exterior walls all the way up to the roof.

You might think that sounds a bit unfinished. But the flexibility allows the new owners to feather their nest any way they choose. I like this idea.

There have been a few interested parties looking around but I suspect no decision will be made until spring.

I think some viewers were a bit surprised by the external decor, the builders obviously have an ironic sense of humour, but once they see the quality of the build I’m sure they’ll be singing its praises.

Here’s a photo so you can see for yourself.

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Prime Property Going for a Song

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I Believe in Father Christmas

felix — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 10:40:53 +0000

Why the song?

This Christmas I’ve enjoyed listening to this song more than any other.

Why this clip?

Because it emphasises the lyrics and I think they deserve emphasis.

Enjoy!

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I Believe in Father Christmas

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Welcome to the future…

felix — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:31:02 +0000

from xkcd A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.

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Welcome to the future…

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The Beading Rain

felix — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:05 +0000

I’m still working on trying to capture rain with my camera. I had 5 minutes on Sunday and spotted a car with nice beads after an overnight downpour.

I think the image was inspired a little by the album cover of Peter Gabriel’s first solo release from 1977 called Peter Gabriel.

If you’ve never heard it give it a shot; it’s really worth listening to for Solsbury Hill alone.

(Warning: Peter Gabriel’s first four solo releases were all called Peter Gabriel.)

Looks like the beading rain is back again this morning.

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The Beading Rain

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What a Wonderful World – David Attenborough – BBC

felix — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:30:46 +0000

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What a Wonderful World – David Attenborough – BBC

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Three and A Half Hours in Galway City

felix — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:57:49 +0000

Yesterday I was in Galway City for the first time in years. I knew it was going to be showery, Met Éireann left me in no doubt what to expect, but since I had a chance to explore and reacquaint myself with the city I decided to grab it.

I was prepared for the worst of weather. I had a woolly hat, scarf, gloves, a Gore-Tex lined rain jacket, leggings and a waterproof backpack to carry the lot in. I also brought a book, A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry, just in case things got really bad and I had to take shelter for a couple of hours. But apart from a few showers, the heaviest around 2pm, I was able to walk around, listen to the buskers chat to the locals and enjoy what is a jewel of a city.

My first stop was what looked like a temporary tourist office on Eyre Square. The very helpful lady behind the counter gave me a map with all the highlights marked. We chatted a little about the city, the amount of time I had and we agreed the best route to take.

I started with Shop Street and all its side streets taking in Lynch’s Castle, St Nicholas’ Church (I was St Nicholas’ Feast Day after all), Kirwan’s Lane, Spanish Arch and over to Claddagh. I didn’t feel I had enough time to head out to Salthill so after Claddagh I went back towards the pedestrian area and on to Lynch’s Window, over the Salmon Weir Bridge To Galway Cathedral and then to the University.

I loved the feel of the centre and I though how lucky a student must be to go to NUIG with a campus only 15 minutes walk from Eyre Square!

The Buskers were great. First of all there were three lads who gave a rousing version of Spancil Hill and later in the day a man in a dark hat and a bow tie comfortably switched from opera to Dean Martin! Fantastic stuff.

Was there any disappointment? The only one I can think of is that I didn’t pop in to one of Galway’s many fine bars for a pint. There I was within a few steps of McSwiggan’s, The King’s Head and Neachtain’s and I didn’t take the time to savour a scrummy pint. But I didn’t really have the time and it would have been a bit of a rush – another time definitely.

Was there a highlight? I think walking around Claddagh talking to a local man who kindly took the time to give me a little history of the village.

He told me that the village got its name from the Irish word cladach which means stony shore. When the fishing village was at its height 160 open fishing boats (hookers) would regularly put out to sea. The best time to go fishing was decided by the village King, an elected leader considered to be the wisest member of the community. They sold their catch at a market beside the Spanish Arch just over the river.

I think we could have talked all day if the rain had held off.

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Three and A Half Hours in Galway City

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Great Food, a Wonderful Walk and Some Unusual Gift Ideas in Dublin

felix — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 11:47:14 +0000

I’ve eaten in Juniors deli and cafe on Bath Avenue, Dublin 4 twice in the last week. Although the circumstances where very different on each occasion Juniors delivered. Putting it simply Juniors do great food.

They describe themselves as follows:

Juniors is a New York style Deli, serving generous sandwiches, salads, soups and specials by day, and an Italian influenced Cafe by night.

I’ve not had the pleasure of eating there in the evening but if the popularity and taste of their soup and sandwiches are anything to go by then I bet I’d walk away well satisfied from a dinner.

I’ve only eaten there at lunch time. The first occasion I confined myself to the char-grilled chicken sandwich and the spicy tomato soup. The second ocasion I stayed with the chicken sandwich theme but this time I had it with salad.

You might think that at €6 the sandwiches are pricey, but this is definitely a case of you get what you pay for. I defy anybody to walk away from a Juniors sandwich feeling hungry.

They do a roaring take-away trade but if you want to sit inside then you should get there early as this place is very popular with the local office staff.

As I said the first time I was there I had a soup and a sandwich for a tenner. Yes it’s a big lunch but I had just walked there from Terenure!

I was visiting my Mam and normally I take the public transport combination of a DART to Tara, followed by a 15A to Terenure Road West. The return journey is usually the reverse unless I have to take care of something in town.

This time, inspired by a conversation I had with a fellow Jazz fan in JJ Smyth’s, I decided to walk along the Dodder to Lansdowne or Grand Canal stations and take the DART home. It seemed like a great idea. I had the time, the weather was overcast but dry and it was a chance for a bit of exercise along a really nice route.

Starting from near the KCR, I walked into Terenure Village and joined the Dodder as it crosses Rathfarnham Road. Following the Dodder away from Bushy Park you pass plenty of weirs, millraces, bridges and some more unusual structures like the Ely Gate (once an entrance to Rathfarnham Castle), the former grazing ground for the Bewley’s Cafe Jersey cows (near Mount Carmel Hospital), the Nine Arches Bridge (Milltown) and the tall chimney which was once part of the Milltown Laundry.

Before long you find yourself passing through, Rathfarnham, Churchtown, Dartry, Milltown, Clonskeagh, Donnybrook and on through Herbert Park to Ballsbridge.

It’s a great walk, probably best on dry days. You can understand why I was feeling peckish when I reached Juniors.

This walk, along with many other Dublin walks, is described in detail in the book Walking Dublin by Pat Liddy.

So how was it I was in Juniors a second time? Well the reason this time is a lot less energetic. I was at the National Crafts and Design Fair in the RDS and since I was only a short stroll away once again Juniors seemed the perfect place for lunch.

The annual Craft and Design Fair can be a good place to pick up some inspired Christmas gifts and once again it didn’t disappoint.

There were some fantastic skills on show in the RDS including clothing, jewellery, wood turning, photography, pottery, games, books and of course food.

The highlights for me were the photographs of Michael Gannon who just seemed to capture light and colour perfectly in all his images and the most unusual handcrafted jewellery and gifts on display from May Fly of 11 Fownes St Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Unfortunately the fair ends today but perhaps you still have time. Note there is a charge (€10 I think) to enter.

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Great Food, a Wonderful Walk and Some Unusual Gift Ideas in Dublin

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