I arrived in Munich on Saturday afternoon and although I had never met my wonderful hosts, Rudy and Ingrid, we found each other almost immediately in the crowd of people (thanks to a short description from my grandma). After my first ride on the Autobahn (not as scary as I thought it would be considering there is no speed limit), we arrived at my temporary home in Munich. Rudy showed me to my room and I spent a couple of hours relaxing and unpacking before dinner. For dinner, Rudy and Ingrid's son, Christian, his wife, Christine, and their adorable son, Paul, came over and we enjoyed weiner schnitzel, beans, carrots, potatoes, and a delicious chocolate/cherry dessert.
The next two days were spent in Munich, visiting various areas around the city. I got to see the Olympic Park where the 1972 Summer Olympics were held, the BMW headquarters, more churches than I can count, the Town Hall of Munich, Nymphenburg Castle, and some other (not-so-memorable) things. I ate lots of delicious food and found the only English-speaking channel on TV (CNN).
On Tuesday morning we left for Maria Alm, a village in the Austrian Alps where Rudy and Ingrid have a flat. The three days in Austria were awesome! The beautiful mountains, the gorgeous weather, the fresh-fallen snow and the amazing skiing made my time truly unforgettable! I wish I could describe how beautiful these mountains are, but I think you have to see them for yourself in order to truly appreciate their beauty. I also had the privilege of hearing an Alp Horn (think "Riiiiiicolaaaaaa!"). Apparently it is only played in the Alps, so it was a real treat. While in Maria Alm I also had the most delicious meal ever--a sort of Austrian macaroni and cheese, served in my very own pan! 
On Friday we visited Neuschwanstein Castle, also known as "Cinderella Castle". Unfortunately it was the worst weather day, and it was really foggy, so my pictures are quite disappointing (but I did buy some postcards!). The castle has a fascinating history. Building of the castle began in 1869 by King Ludwig II who was apparently a bit crazy. He spent money on pointless things and many people did not like him because of his frivolous spending habits. Anyways...Ludwig "mysteriously" drowned in a lake while on a trip with his "friends" and building of the castle ended following his death. Only two of the floors were fully completed, so our tour took us to all of the finished rooms of the castle. It was incredible. My favorite room was his bedroom which was made almost completely of carved wood. Basically Ludwig was a spoiled brat, but I'm glad I got to enjoy his castle. After the castle we went to Garmisch which is the town where the World Ski Championships were held just last week (Rudy and I watched the final day on TV the Sunday before!). It was neat to see the place where so many famous athletes had just been.
On Saturday Rudy and I went back into central Munich and visited the Modern Art Museum. It was much different than the museums I've been visiting in Florence, and I must say I like modern art much more than Renaissance art. I then did a little bit of souvenir shopping and then we headed back home where I packed up my stuff and enjoyed my last dinner with Rudy and Ingrid. During the week we also played a lot of cards, and on the last night I finally beat them both for the first time all week! :)
I had such an awesome time in Munich and I definitely want to go back again one day! Now it's back to the daily grind of school and homework (although I can't complain...it's not nearly as bad as it would be back in Harrisonburg!). This weekend I am planning on doing some day trips to towns near Florence. Stay tuned for more updates!
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