Looking up...

I found myself looking skyward today, a lot. I craned my neck to take in the facade of the spectacular, Gothic Revival-style Rathaus, or City Hall, in Munich's Marienplatz. This is no ordinary town hall. There's so much to look at, including the famous Glockenspiel on the front of the tower, an ornate clock with large moving figures depicting scenes from history including something called the barrel-makers' dance. (Gotta learn that one.) And, oh!  The window boxes overflowing with red flowers! I'm tempted to add a few more exclamation points here, but I'm holding myself back.

Also: the Theatine Church in Odeonsplatz, with its two tall towers and dome, and its gorgeous golden ochre color. Some of the guidebooks call it yellow, but no: it's definitely golden ochre! I remember that color distinctly from those fancy 24-pack Crayola crayon boxes and knew it would come in handy some day.

And then I sat on a bench under a couple of trees near the office of my son's school in Starnberg, waiting to take him home. I looked up, and the leafy canopy above was so fresh and green and the shade so welcome, it made me glad.