OUR LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN

Pasing-Obermenzing is the name of our little village just on the edge of the big city of Munich. It is just a dot on the map, and on many maps we don't even exist! We are situated on the west side of the city, about a ten minute train ride from city center, the Marienplatz. Close enough to go the the big city, if we want and far enough away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. Here, we can walk or ride our bicycles to the the train station-- just five minutes away as the foot walks, and a mere two minutes on the bike. We can leave our bikes at the station, hop on the train, and be nearly anywhere in the city within minutes.

We chose this part of the city because it is part of a big city, and part of the rural countryside in Bavaria. So, in many ways, it offers the best of both worlds. The photo above is a church set in the middle of a field of sunflowers. We are fortunate to have this scenic setting just down our little lane (Weg) in the village of Pasing-Obermenzing..

Image via Wikipedia

There are bicycle trails all along the fields that run parallel to the river that is in front of our building. This river runs into the Isar. It isn't hard to see that Bavaria is a treasure of nature's beauty. It is our pleasure to have found a setting that suits us so well. We are just now beginning to appreciate the romantic scenery that surrounds us.

Fields of sunflowers that take our breath away, lakes that are crystal clear where we can view the fish swimming inches below the surface, rivers and streams in front of our building with fly-fishermen casting their lines for the local delicacy, are daily sights. The bike trail across our lane runs all the way to the Alps, just an hour away by car, and visible on most days. I have never lived in such a magical place as Bavaria, and I fear it has spoiled me. How am I going to adjust to a life one day that doesn't offer these spectacles in such close proximity?

Here is an example of the romance Bavaria provides. Walking along the Isar at dusk......

Image by LI Refugee via Flickr

Walking along the Isar in the early hours of the morning as the fog settles in over the river.....

Image by meironke via Flickr

With all of this beauty, why would we need anything more? Well, once in a while we like to mingle with the locals and the best way to do that is to go into our little village's center. Below is a view of the large metropolis of Pasing-Obermenzing. For my son, Shane, and his lovely wife--notice the gentlemen on the left seated on their camp stools. It is our version of Dearborn! I took this photo from the outdoor cafe just in front of the train station. The Donner K-Bab is just inside, and so is the Deutch Bahn ticket office, a tobacco shop, a cafe, the news store, two bakeries, a carry-out, photo shop, a Burger King, a travel bureau, and a ticketmaster for Munich's operas, symphonies, theater, and olther cultural events. Outside of the train station are clothing stores, shoe stores, hairdressers, a post office, butcher, more bakeries, optical shops, restaurants, and every conceivable shop you could imagine.

Our little village must be something to see because today there was a field trip to the village square. Here is another photo I took with my trusty i-phone of the elementary students taking a walk through Pasing-Obermenzing. It is anyone's guess where they might have been going. I'm sure they all had a great outing. And why not? They are in "our little slice of heaven!"