2017-07-01

【Aiden in English】

        German culture has seen great changes in modern history. From being the antagonist in so many conflicts, the country has made striding steps in reform. Ironically, it is the rest of the world that still have not shifted their view on German. Recently, on a separate trip, I experienced a snippet of German culture in Berlin. However, I am back for more, this time a much more personal look at Germany.

        Munich is surprisingly strong and well as a city, despite losing ninety percent of historical buildings to bombs in World War II. Many of the heritage has been preserved. Combined with modern culture, most of the historical Munich is now transformed into shops and restaurants. Locals, as well as tourists, waltz the streets in search of something that catches their eyes. However, mom and I were not here to shop. Munich is one of the more populated cities in Europe, hosting around 1.5 million residents. Furthermore, tourists come and go all year round, regardless of the weather. Therefore, it's no surprise that Munich has immediately sky-rocketed to the top cities I've seen yet. 

        In a short description as to why Munich mildly reminds me of Rome. Cities with rich histories and integrated modern civilization resulting in spectacular cultures and unique aspects, Rome and Munich truly mimic each other almost identically. Munich only slightly differs from its historic roots because of World War II, which caused a little more than just property damage. However, Germans quickly rebuilt the city, restoring much of what it had lost, which is understandable due to their legendary mechanical skills.

        What we have left is a bunch of parties and fairs on the streets for no apparent reason or purpose, like the Go Vegan Festival. The streets are really something that sets Munich apart from the other cultural cities in the world. The fact that random carnivals can just be generated is a sign of great cultural step. People were not afraid to be themselves, riding bikes and smoking and drinking beer on the street. Granted, some aren't good hobbies, but most people seemed healthy enough. 

        However, every city has not escaped its roots quite yet. Munich, like nearly all large cities in Europe, had a church around every corner. Truthfully, the churches are nothing compared to Notre Dame in Paris or the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Nevertheless, its people and the atmosphere on the streets are what sets it apart. The contrast between street havoc to the quiet nature of the churches depicted two sides of Munich. These two sides can be found in many places. For example, the plaza with the food market and music had a backdrop of medieval statues and ancient fountains. Parks with people racing through the trees were surrounded by old chiseled pillars and bygone arches. Essentially wherever people looked, they could see the two sides of Munich. Much like the two sides of the coin, one could not exist without the other.

【紅霞譯文】

        在當代歷史上，日爾曼文化發生了翻天覆地的變化，德國曾幾度成為世界公敵，如今正力求悔過自新。滑稽的是，全球其它國家依舊無法改變對日爾曼民族的看法，最近一回我初訪柏林，多少能感受到這點。然而當我今年重返這片土地，想必對德國會有一個更加深入的了解。

        儘管第二次世界大戰摧毀了慕尼黑百分之九十的古蹟建築，但這座城市卻以驚人之舉重整家園，從而使許多文化遺產得以保留下來。老城業已注入現代生活氣息，大多數繁華地帶擠滿了商家店鋪，當地人也伴隨遊客們華爾茲節奏曼舞大街小巷自尋樂趣，不過我和媽媽沒想買啥東西。慕尼黑算作歐洲人口密度比較集中的地方，大約有一百五十萬居民住在這裡，何況一年四季無論天氣冷暖，到此一游的觀光客川流不息，難怪慕尼黑很快成為我所走過的都市中出類拔萃的佼佼者。

        之所以給予高度評價無非在於，慕尼黑讓我不由得想起羅馬，兩座城市歷史悠久，現代文明洗禮又讓原本輝煌強盛的民族文化和別具特色的地域風貌大放異彩，在這方面彼此發展得竟然非常相像，只不過二戰才使慕尼黑透出稍有迥異的歷史根基，遠不止財產損失。好在德國人很快振興，憑藉祖傳的機械技能，竭力讓自己從戰後廢墟中重新崛起。

        我們所到之處五花八門的聚會慶典層出不窮，像“素食節”就是其中一例，街頭巷尾充斥各種活動的確讓慕尼黑成為天下盛開的一朵奇葩。事實上，隨性即興的狂歡方式標誌着一種極佳的生活狀態，人們無拘無束，滿大街騎單車抽香煙喝啤酒，千萬別誤解，有些嗜好未必算得上好習慣，但多數人看起來挺健康的。

        然而，歷史定會給各地打下不可磨滅的烙印。慕尼黑像歐洲其它名城一樣，每個角落都建有教堂，說句實在話，這裡任何一座都無法與巴黎聖母院或者梵蒂岡聖彼得大教堂相媲美，不過倒自然而然地把行人及所在氛圍區分開來，街道上的喧囂與教堂內的寧靜形成鮮明對比，恰好再現了慕尼黑雙重特色，並且反映到老城內外，譬如：廣場上前面搭滿吃貨地攤唱歌舞台，後面矗立中世紀雕像古式噴泉；公園裡穿梭林中之人被舊石柱和老拱門所包圍，基本上無論你走到哪裡，都能親眼目睹慕尼黑動靜兩種狀態，正如硬幣兩側，誰都離不開對方。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2016: Moscow the Third Rome, Russia(俄羅斯莫斯科─第三羅馬)

2016: Moscow Red Square, Russia(俄羅斯莫斯科紅場)

2016: Moscow Kremlin, Russia(俄羅斯莫斯科克里姆林宮)

2015: Medieval Mdina, Malta(馬耳他古都姆迪納)

2015: Capital Valletta, Malta(馬耳他首都瓦萊塔)

2015: Colonized Nation of Europe, Malta(歐洲本土殖民地馬耳他)

2014 World Cup—USA vs. Belgium(美國對比利時世界盃足球賽)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

Germany(出遊德國)

Europe(出遊歐洲)