Thursday at the Deutsche Museum

Our 46th wedding anniversary! My time flies. Mike kindly went out in the cold mid-morning to buy croissants and with our usual breakfast we had a slow morning in the flat before venturing out in the cold, breezy day to visit the Deutsche Museum. Again a huge place that would take days to see. We visited the aviation section first and found it fascinating. It is great that most exhibits have an English translation. Amazing old Junker planes, Messerschmidts etc. all displayed around a huge exhibition space. We learnt from the man at the cafe that you only see about 15% of the museums collection - it is so vast.

As we were reading and watching early film clips about the feats of the first German aviatrix I noticed a man in a uniform who was guiding

the crowd as Elli Bleihorn taxied her single engine to a stop at Mascot, Sydney. She had flown solo from Germany to Australia in 1933. How amazing is that in such a small plane? She was going to go to China and Japan but as they were at war decided on Australia instead.

We rewatched the film several times and I think that the tall fellow was my grandfather Harry Stewart, who as a policeman used to provide escorts to dignatories etc. He rode a police motor bike and only the year before was in the motorcade to make the crossing of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with various VIP’s when it opened. I have photos of him on that occasion and the gent in the film at Mascot was so like him - especially the way he walked - just like my Dad. The timing of 1933 would be right too, anyway it was amazing to see the crowds at Mascot which looked like a paddock in those days!

We walked all around the aviation, space, code and encryption, printing and camera/film exhibits…all fascinating. The old printers and typewriters were in excellent condition and with qwerty keyboards way back then. We found the Arri cameras - so huge and cumbersome back then you would need muscles to lug them around but I guess today’s are a similar size. After many hours we decided to leave and promised to return on our next trip. So much still to see.

Fortified with a late kaffee and possibly a kasekuchen at a nice cafe we then took the tram to Globetrotter Equipment on Sean’s suggestion. I bought a cute Christmassy top and a woollen neck warmer that also combines as a balaclava…it is cold here especially at night walking around the Christmas markets. Sean said at dinner that if you buy a canoe there you can try it out in a swimming pool that have on the lower floor! Now that is customer service for you!

Our dinner for the night was at the Hofbrauer Keller. A delicious dinner of schnitzel/ pork roast etc. Not a great place for vegetarians! Huge meals though to warm us up on cold nights. Anna came to dinner after spending the day in bed as she has lost her voice.

She did not feel up to visiting the medieval Christmas markets with us so went back to Sean and Michaela’s flat and the four of us continued onto a very different market with the stall holders wearing traditional medieval garb. Sean and Michaela treated us to a….feueryongenbowle! It was a goblet of a type of warm gluhwein with schnapps poured on top and lit. It looked very impressive with the dark brown pottery goblet all flaming on top.

Wandered around the stalls for a bit then took the U Bahn home. Another great day and a very special wedding anniversary!