June 3rd-June 10th: Salzburg and Munchen

I’m on a train right now…

I’m pretty sure that this was one of the ones I had to make a reservation for…

No one has checked yet…I’m trying to blend in.

Why did I wear my purple SwetZ today. (my future sweat pants store is SwetZ)

I am leaving Munich and going to Nuremberg.

WHAT! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO WEIMAR!

I was-but I’m a fuckin’ badass and I do whatever the hell I want.

Speaking of Badass.

I FINISHED MOBY DICK!

It was fine.

It’s possible that reading two Hunger Games books in the middle of the final confrontation with Moby Dick killed the momentum a bit.

If I can find the first HG book at some book exchange, I think I’mma just read that again.

Unfortunately book exchanges almost always feature a mix of guidebooks in Korean and very worn copies of “Eat, Pray, Love”

I read some Sherlock Holmes as a pleasant denouement to my HG depression. Each chapter is quaint, light and soothingly pleasant.

Today I will move on to reading “Richard III” with a book called “The Year of the King” about a guy preparing to act “Richard III”. I’m just a wild and crazy guy.

Oh, I read the third Hitchhiker’s Guide book…meh.

Don’t worry. I’m not just reading. But it’s been like 7 days since last we chatted.

SO

Salzburg was quaint, light and soothingly pleasant. Strangely, I had my best Italian meal there at a place called Mangia and Vino (translation: Why Are We Here and Not In Italy?).

There was a high school group from Indiana of 15ish 18-year-old guys. There was no more alcohol in Salzburg after their visit. They had the misfortune of traveling with me on the:

Sound of Music bus tour!

Which was quaint, light and meh…I did get to sing through some of my “Some Enchanted Evening” repertoire. “Doe a Deer” is genius btdubs.

Literally and metaphorically around 30% of tourists come to Salzburg JUST because of the Sound of Music.

Also, almost NOBODY who lives in Salzburg has seen the film.

By the way, if YOU haven’t seen the film, SEE IT. That is the best musical-to-screen adaptation EVER. CAPS.

Second? Reefer Madness The Musical.

Third? (Singing in the Rain doesn’t count) Wait…Cabaret is actually no. 1.

I saw Liza Live in Brooklyn about 7 years ago!

Did I ever tell you the time that I danced down my stairs singing, “Singing in the Rain” and my Mom stopped me saying, “Gianmarco, you can tell me.”

…

FOCUS.

Okay.

Best part of Salzburg was going into the Salt Mines.

We went 6,000 km into the ground. It might be 600 km. Or 60. I have no idea what a km is.

We got to go down slides, see a light show IN A CAVE, and got a souvenir container of Salt.

You should have seen the struggle I just partook in trying to spell the word ‘souvenir’.

You know that you’re really off when Word has “No spelling suggestions” for your horrifically spelled word.

(Got off train. Got to hostel. My suitcase handle just snapped off. FUCK)

MUNICH

Lots of stuff to do. Stuff is the vaguest word ever created.

Lots of things to do. Less vague?

The best part was going on a tour of Dachau, which was a gigantic concentration camp that was around until the very end of the war. The gas chamber and the crematoriums were horrifying.

I had an incredible tour guide (which makes all the difference) named Marcin who has a website at http://www.marcinonabike.com/ check it out :0

Other places visited in Munich:

Augustiner Beer Garden (meat, meat, bear…beer, meat)

Science Museum (I was no where near smart enough to understand the exhibit on nanotechnology…or any of the other ones with some form of –ology…I couldn’t even find where the bathroom was)

English Garden (Basically Central Park*10. They even have a channel where people surf!)

Modern Art Museum (I don’t get Warhol. I. Don’t. Get. It.)

Pub Crawl (Oh wait…it was canceled because the tour guide broke his leg? I’ll go tomorrow)

Pub Crawl (Oh wait…it was canceled because people would rather watch soccer. SOCCER? ARE YOU KIDDING ME! SOCCER????)

Soccer is a really big deal here (Europe). Every game right now (Eurocup) is like the Superbowl*11. I’m gonna have to learn to love it.

Soccer and I have a poor history.

When I was forced to take soccer in 8^th grade-I was warned that I would receive a C+ for the semester (because I sat down if the ball was more than 10 feet away from me)

I got that shit up to a B-. I changed the proximity to 10 km. Whatever that means.

So I’m in Nuremberg for two days, Dresden for three and finally BERLIN!

While I have you-I want to start a series called “Meeting New People!”

Meeting New People!

 I have been forced to meet a lot of new people.!

Here are the three responses I’ve received to “I’m an actor”

Most Common:

GM: I’m an actor.

Stranger: Oh, what have you been in?

GM: Um…well have you seen….uh…did you happen to see Georgetown Day School’s production of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”? I was in the ensemble.

Stranger: I thought that was you!

Only happened once with a very kind Korean girl:

GM: I’m an actor.

Yi: (That’s her name) WHAT! WHAT! YOU’RE AN ACTOR!

GM: …yeah.

Yi: THAT’S AWESOME! OH MY GOD! An Actor?!

GM: I haven’t been in anything really-

Yi: Still! THAT’S SO COOL! AN ACTOR! WOW!

(it should be noted that Yi and I are married now. I have 10 times as much self-worth. Still 0.)

Happened once…and still hurts today:

EvilLady: Where are you from, what do you do?

GM: I’m from New York City. I’m an actor.

EvilLady: Ugh, really? That’s so cliché.

yes.

Be well,

I’ll write sometime after Dresden if there are some more exciting stuff or things,

Don’t text while walking,

GM