The Glyptothek is one of the great treasures of Munich. I love to go there and enjoy these old Greek and Roman statues.

Here are some snaps and videos I made of the Statue of the God Apollo. Don’t be fooled by his feminine looks …

“Ozapft is!!!” - the traditional deflowering of the first beer keg by Munich’s mayor.

The “Münchner Kindl” - the symbol of Munich in the opening parade. It used to stand for monks who founded the city - now it’s a bloody woman …

Try to find some “Gemütlichkeit” in that overcrowded beer hell!

Nah, not going. I am missing that old flair and Gemütlichkeit. Today the Oktoberfest is just an overcrowded theme party - everybody is wearing Dirndls and Lederhosen without honoring tradition or any sense of style.

And the “Kampfsaufen” (combat drinking) has become epidemic. In the good old days the tents closed around 23:00 - and everybody went home. But today people swarm to “afterparties” and other events to continue drinking until they drop. And I mean that literally: the number of death through alcohol has risen in recent years and medical help is more often needed to revive seriously intoxicated party animals.

This has nothing to do with a “family festival”.

My hometown and birthplace München just celebrated it’s 850th birthday last weekend. It is certainly not the oldest city in Europe - more like a middle aged one.

Click image for a bigger shield.

Franz von Stuck - who actually lived here in Munich - is one of my favorite painters. His images are strong and mythical. Many of his paintings have nightmarish qualities and often deeply penetrate the viewers psyche.