Church next to the office
My new job is quite demanding. I never would have imagined that I’d be productive on day two, but I was already getting stuff done on even the first day. Our CEO Helmut wants to get stuff done quickly, so I’m thrown in the deep end and expected to sink or swim. That leaves me with no downtime during work, and my evenings are spent fending for myself, trying to get all my affairs settled.
Without a car or bicycle, I’m left with walking around the city, searching for essentials like grocery stores, house goods, and other such mundane necessities which no one needs to think about when one is settled. The area around my office is a joy to stroll around. With temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and plenty of sunshine, I am fortunate that I don’t have to contend with the freezing temperatures and copious snowfall Munich receives in winter, during this time of transition.
There is a lovely path next to a river which flows parallel to the main road leading to the Pasing train station:
Walk between train station and office
The tracks coming from the station, which is roughly 200m to the left, pass above the river on the bridge in the photograph above. Most of the architecture I have seen around Munich so far is bland, other than the major buildings and churches. The homes and apartments look quite plain from the outside, compared to cities such as Vienna and Budapest. However, there are some pleasant surprises, such as this one, also from Pasing, the area where I work:
Stately home in Pasing
After work today, I scouted a laundromat in the area. It is 1.6km away on foot, which may explain why my predecessor in the office guest room just did his laundry in the sink here at the office. Or maybe he just wanted to save money.
Every day I try to get one essential settlement task done. Today, my goal is to research banking options and hopefully open an account on Friday, or early next week. Not tomorrow, because tomorrow is my first public holiday, and everything will be closed. I work three days, and I already have a day off.
Park and ride
I am looking forward to getting a bicycle. Munich is relatively flat, and it will make grocery shopping a lot easier. There are cyclists everywhere you look, on paths as well as on the roads, where drivers are courteous and pay attention to them.
Wow! Munich! Good for you and we are sending good thoughts your way. Brenda and Ian Watts
We’ll send an e-mail soon with more information and updates.
It is great to hear from you. Lauren has been sending me your correspondence, and it is always lovely to read. I hope we’ll get together on this side of the Atlantic next time you’re in the neighborhood.
Thanks for the updates Raul. It really is green there. Seems like a good place to take some walks and clear your mind.
You mentioned that you will soon be getting a bicycle. Will that be your main form of transportation for local things, or do you still plan on taking the rail?
It will be a combination of the two. I’ll still ride the train, but I’ll use my bike to get to the station, instead of walking. Right now, when I buy groceries or do laundry, I carry everything and walk. With a bike, that will be much easier.
I also want a bike just to go on rides in the area. It is quite flat, and there are a multitude of trails, so I can go for longer distances on a weekend.