 1 Thursday 24 June, 2010 Today we returned to the Augenklinik in Munich to discuss my options. We left late because I wanted some advice from my own Doctor in Sydney. We caught the 11:01 BOB train for our 2:30 appointment. |
 2 Thursday 24 June, 2010 At the time son Dean was working for Veolia in Sydney with their water desalination program. I had no idea that the company was so large and diverse. |
 3 Thursday 24 June, 2010 We arrived at Munich Hbf around lunch time but we still had 2½ hours to spare. |
 4 Thursday 24 June, 2010 The Palace of Justice (Justizpalast) is a short walk from the Hbf. It is a palatial, hideously ugly, courthouse and administrative building constructed in 1890-1897 on the western side of the Karlsplatz (more of which later). The infamous People's Court operated here from 1934-1945. |
 5 Thursday 24 June, 2010 Hitler established the People's court in 1934 to operate outside of the constitutional norms of law. The court had jurisdiction over a broad array of "political offenses" that included black marketeering, work slowdowns, defeatism and treason against the Third Reich. Being called before the court was essentially a death sentence. |
 6 Thursday 24 June, 2010 The People's Court sentenced the members of the White Rose in the Justizpalast in 1943.The White Rose had resisted the Nazi government and, after the trial, they were all decapitated. Today, Germany honours the members of the White Rose among its greatest heroes. |
 7 Thursday 24 June, 2010 Nearby is the new Justizpalast built in 1905 on the west side of the existing building. The New Justizpalast houses the Bavarian Constitutional Court and the Higher Regional Court. Its style is quite different but still ugly. |
 8 Thursday 24 June, 2010 To kill some time we stroll down Neuhauser Strasse. It is one of Munich's main pedestrian Plazas and it goes all the way to Marienplatz in the centre of Munich. Time passes slowly so we decide to go to the Augenklinik ahead of time and wait. We return via the Karlstor at the top end of this plaza. |
 9 Thursday 24 June, 2010 This is the Karlstor at the entrance to Neuhauser Strasse. The Karlstor originally had three towers but the tallest, central tower was destroyed in 1857 when gunpowder stored in the tower exploded. The two side towers were renovated in 1861. The plaque on the RH tower says Karls Thor 1791 |
 10 Thursday 24 June, 2010 On the north side of the Karlstor's main arch there is a memorial for Herbert Jensen who proposed the creation of a pedestrian zone. The three children playing music were sculpted by Konrad Knoll who also created the fish fountain in Marienplatz. |
 11 Thursday 24 June, 2010 Karlsplatz. This plaza was named after Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria in 1797. it was during his reign that the English Garden, Munich's largest park, was created and the city's old fortifications were dismantled to make place for a modern, expanding city. |
 12 Thursday 24 June, 2010 We waited at the Augenklinik for our appointment but Dr Professor Ulbig called us in a ¼ hr ahead of time. Martin arrived right on time at 2:30 just as we were finishing. To finalise our debt, we received a modest bill for €425 that we had to pay in cash. (This is the inside of a German Post Office) |
 13 Thursday 24 June, 2010 The results were very positive. Yes: the operation can be delayed until our return, I can fly without further damaging the eye, the operation can be done in Australia, he can recommend an Australian surgeon, there is always a risk of complications, Australian doctors could have the Klinik's report. After receiving this good news, we say goodbye to Martin and return to the Hbf. |
 14 Thursday 24 June, 2010 We got on the train at 4:00 pm ready to depart at 4:10. We sat there for 1hr 50 mins and still the train did not move. There were several announcements over the address system that we did not understand until, after one announcement, the train suddenly emptied. |
 15 Thursday 24 June, 2010 Jenni asked a young German lad what was happening and he told her that passengers were advised to catch the U-bahn system to Holzkirchen and then to change trains for Bad Tölz. He agreed to show us the way. That is his head in the picture as we go down the subway escalator. |
 16 Thursday 24 June, 2010 The subway was packed with two hours of delayed travellers and it was very much like Town Hall and Wynyard during the many disruptions to our own rail system. |
 17 Thursday 24 June, 2010 We forced our way onto the train and after 15 stations we reached Holzkirchen where there were many hundreds of travellers jammed on the platform. After about 7 minutes an empty train pulled in and fortunately the door was right in front of us. |
 18 Thursday 24 June, 2010 We poured onto the train and got a seat. After about another ½ hour we reached Bad Tölz and thanked the young man for his help. It took three hours to get back instead of the usual one hour but I actually felt quite good that even Germans can screw up occasionally |
 19 Thursday 24 June, 2010 For dinner we bought a few things and sat on the verandah outside our room and enjoyed a simple meal as the sun set slowly in the east. (I can not shake it - every instinct in my body tells me east is west). Next stop: A beautiful day on Karwendel |
