As Spring turns to Summer

 The weather has been getting nicer by the day, and so I've been spending as much time outside as possible. Walks through the English Garden, picnics, grilling along the Isar, bike rides. Our second semester just started about 3 weeks ago though, so a majority of this summer will be spent in class. It's weird to think that at this time back in Minnesota, I would already be done with classes for the year and enjoying the summer. But on the positive side, all my classes are only three days a week and the job I work on Fridays and Saturdays is also outside where I can enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of Viktualienmarkt. And in just about one hour, I'm leaving for a retreat at a castle in the Austrian Alps! Hope you all have a great weekend!

A Day in the Alps

 A few weeks ago, a few German friends and I decided to go hiking in the Alps for a day. We got up early, drove out to the mountains and began the trek to the first Alm (a mountain hut that serves Bavarian food and beverages) but were dissapointed to see that they were closed for the week. Instead we hiked on to the second Alm, pictured above (which hadn't yet opened for the year). Still, the view from the Tegernseer Huette was absolutely beautiful, and the the fact that it wasn't open just meant that we had the mountain almost to ourselves.
The path up the steepest I've ever hiked. We ignored the signs the read "Dangerous Path" and continued up the cliffs, holding on to steel cables wherever there the a chance. Surprisingly we made it up to the Rossstein Gipfel, the very peak of the mountain where we had a chance to sign the Gipfelbuch, a type of Summit book that most people sign after reaching the top of the mountain. The weather was beautiful, the view was incredible, and it was well worth the nine hours of hiking. I can't wait to return when the Almen are open!
On a different note, the reason it's been so long between posts is that every time I try to upload pictures, they either appear with an x in the place of the photo, or they're distorted beyond recognition. I have to delete the selections and re-upload each photo individually, which is so time consuming! Does anyone know how to fix this?

Maifest

 Hey lovelies, this post is somewhat overdue, but May Day in Bavaria is definitely not something to miss. I saw two unique celebrations in Egmating and Hoehenkirchen, little neighboring Bavarian towns. The celebration centered around setting up the Maypole, which weighed 4.5 tons and the process took hours. Time went by so fast though with the help of Bavarian music and lots of food. After the Maibaum was set up, there was a dancing celebration, more music, and of course beer. One of the things I love most about Munich is that they seem to find a way to make a unique cultural celebration out of every holiday. Did you do anything fun for May Day?   

Büyükada

 On our third day in Istanbul, Andrea and I decided to take a trip out to Bueyuekada, the biggest of the Princes Islands. It was a rainy boat ride out from Istanbul, but the weather cleared up as soon as we got there. The feel of the island couldn't be more different than that of Istanbul.. there was no motorized traffic and the island had such a peaceful feel. Most of the streets were deserted and we were told this was because many of the wealthier people living in Istanbul have summer vacation homes on Bueyuekada that are still empty at this time of year.
Along our hike through the woods, we discovered a stray dog that followed us around the island for four hours.. so we named her Shadow. The island is such a great mix of little shops along the shore, beautiful mansions and gardens lining the streets, and stretches of lonely flower fields and forests. These are the last photos I'll post of Turkey, but if any of you are in Istanbul for week, this island is definitely worth seeing!