München

Since the time that I moved to Italy I did not feel a big need to really travel anywhere. I kind of felt that I needed to become a local of Taranto before I could really feel like a tourist anywhere else in Europe.  This past weekend I decided yep, I'm from Taranto GRT area, time to travel!

 Keeping true to my roots I also decided to make Germany my first port of call, by coincidence it was also Oktoberfest in the city of Munich.  My trip was short, landed Friday at 11am and left Sunday at 6pm, but still had a lot of time to see the city center.

 Munich has a strong beer culture, sings of fun everywhere.  First time I saw a lion in a beer stein doll as a souvenir, Mexico has not even bothered to copy this one.

 This city also has a strong history, a mix of old and new.  All over are cool buildings, parks and fountains.

 And beer gardens.

 I was concern that when I landed here I would have a difficult time communicating and finding my way around  But really the train is easy to use, most people speak English.

 This is the Maypole at Vikualien Market, time for Lincoln Square to step it up a little bit.  

 I'm not sure, but I'm guessing the concept of Octoberfest is year-round.

 This is a fountain outside the New Town Hall at the city center of Marienplatz.

 The first German beer I had in Germany was an Erdiger at a small arts and music festival.  Good beer.  Note the red small disk next to the beer glass, that is my deposit.  Upon returning the stein and the little red disk I got back two Euro and avoided being arrested.

 All over Munich was people enjoying Octoberfest.  The Original Steindl is a store many people go to get suited up for the festivals.

 And everywhere else was people just acting German, wearing Lederhosen and Dirndl.  Actually when a majority of everyone was dressed like this, it becomes normal - nothing special.  

But I was to cheap to drop 199 Euro's on a complete Lederhosen set.  But after some careful thought I determined just the red button up shirt combined with being half German was sufficient to fit in!

Night fall on my first evening in Germany.

Saturday morning was Oktoberfest 2013.  I was waiting outside the tent at 7:15am.... With 1000's of other people from all over the world.

First round was served by 9:45am.

It is nearly impossible to describe how epic this event is, so I wont try.  Please check out the video!

Handlebar

I got this bike used from an English teacher who was returning from Japan to New Zealand, it cost 3000 yen (~ $30) and I used it almost daily as my transport from my apartment to Chikusa Station and back.

Since the time I got the bike it had a bell and a weird black plastic block on the handlebar.  I was not sure what the plastic thing was for but I also could not remove it because the screws were rusted and I did not have the correct wrench.   Today, while biking from my apartment to dinner, I realized the black plastic block was for holding the cable lock.  I use to just hang the cable lock around the T in the handlebar.

Honestly, I'm not sure if this is the actual use of the black plastic block, but it seems to work well.

Quartiere Delle Ceramiche

The old town of Grottaglie is famous for ceramics.  There are many shops and artiest in this area who make ceramics, even made to order.

 Roosters area a theme of many of the ceramics here, you can find roosters on plates and other objects at most of the stores.

In the center of the ceramic district a the old castle that houses the Museo Delle Ceramica or the Museum of Ceramics.

 Someone left their art supplies inside a statue.

 A major theme of this museum is the Nativity of Jesus in ceramics.

 This is just a small number of scenes in this museum.

 I think I could have a shop reproduce one of these sets for me, when you walk through the museum you start to realize the skills locals have in this area.

 Best of all, I think this a free museum, at least no one charged me for admission.

 This was a really cute statue, birds in a bird bath.

 The court yard of the castle is really old-school, the museum is located in the halls around the courtyard and on the roof.

 A few old trees in the corner of the courtyard.

 Across the street from the main entrance is a garden with grape vines and walking path.

 I swear I can't figure out when it is time to pick grapes.  These things look ready to pick but yet they just sit on the vine.

Sunday Mass

I stumbled upon Sunday mass in the old town of Grottaglie today.

 This is the Parrocchia Collegiata.Maria Ss. Annunziata, the main church in old town Grottaglie.

 There was about five different groups of nuns.

 I think most churches in Italy have an old statue of religious relic of some sort. When they do an outdoor mass, that after mass they walk around the relics through out the old town area of the city.

 I'm really not sure what's going on, mass is in Italian, but their seems to be a few different groups of people, each has a banner.

 Live marching band.

 Another group passing by.

 He was managing the statue movement through old town.

Approaching Storm

A storm passed over my apartment today, it came from the Ionian sea and exited in the direction of the Adriatic Sea.

 Strom out over Taranto.

 Some clouds passing over my apartment.  This is not as crazy as a typhoon in Japan, but still kind of dramatic.

 Strom approaching TAG Airport.

Storm over my apartment....

Monteiasi and TAR Airport

My second bike ride was round the Taranto-Grottaglie Airport.

My office is located at this airport, it took me about 15 minutes to bike to my office from my apartment.  For now, it's still to hot to bike to work but  maybe later this year I can do that.

 This is Papafico's, a morning coffee and afternoon sandwich shop.  I go here a few times per month, papafico sandwich is great and only 3 euro.

 This is downtown Monteiasi during 'nap' time.  It's quiet here but in the evening this place becomes alive, people everywhere.

 I was lost until I found 'Via Roma'

 As quickly as you enter Monteiasi you exit Monteiasi.  This is the sign as you leave on 'Via Roma' through to SP81.

 View looking north'ish on runway 35.  Taranto-Grottaglie Airport is important in the history of World War II, the United States Army Air Force used this airfield.  Today it is used by limited commercial and Italian Military use.  I want to get a telephoto lens for my Nikon camera, from the view of my balcony I can see planes taking off and landing at this airport.  These planes include the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is kind of cool.  It's like a weekly air show.

Wind-sock, during my bike ride wind was to my back!!!

 Large planes also use this airport. AN-124 and 747 LCF's.