It really started at Peter Pan BMW in San Mateo where I bought a 2006 Mystic Blue BMW 550. As I had done in 2000, I agreed to a Euro Delivery, which saves about $4000. I did the trip myself which began with a non stop Lufthansa flight out of SFO. I sat right at the edge of first class, from where I could spot Al Gore who would pop out of his seat now and then. Never got to meet him tho.
From the Munich Airport, I took the S train to the HauptbahnHof train station. The King's Hotel was only 2 blocks away. I decided on the King's since BMW recommended it and it was cheap and there would be plenty of other Euro Delivery people there. It was a good idea. They had a great and plentiful breakfast every morning. And every night, since Germany nearly closes down at 7:00 pm, I downed some Beck's with a gaggle of Americans from Atlanta, Tracy, Ca. and Pennsylvania. One couple was on their honeymoon. Munich seems like an unlikely spot for such, but then what is?
I wanted to walk Munich as much as possible, which is fairly easy to do, since its not a large city. It was difficult to explain BMW to the Germans, which I found was because they pronounce a W like a V. What often looks like a beta on street signs is their double s. There is way too much drinking and at early hours than I am used to, but you can get into it very easily. More singing going on in the beer gardens than is really necessary. Wonder why?
Munich has something like 47 museums and I had earlier decided to see the best of them on this trip. At the Alte Pinakothek, I found that Rubens was my favorite old master and of course bought a book there that explained much about the man and his art. Every day in Munich was a sunny one, which is rare in Munich. Marienplatz had not changed a bit in the years since I had last gone there.
BMW had vastly expanded their Euro Delivery operation since I was last there. They were delivering about 6 cars an hour in 2000, now they are delivering about 25 per hour. A much larger site is being used, but it didn't have all the BMW shirts and ties and such for sale, as did the other site. Finally, I had to leave the beautiful 550 the E. H. Harms in Garching, which is a suburb of Munich. What is tricky is that German addresses mark not only the first floor but can mark the second floor. This made for a slight panic when I could not at first find the Harms office, which was marked EHH rather than by their full name. Now for the 6 to 8 week wait for the 550 to make its way across the ocean.