I first heard about Munich’s top surfing spots during a business trip last year. At first I thought I was the victim of a practical joke until a staff member brought photos into the office. Incredibly, Munich has two popular surf locations, both located on the Eisbach, a tributary of the River Isar.
The first is a pro-surfing wave that forms as the river flows out of a tunnel under one of the city’s landmark roads, right next door to Haus der Kunst (a monolith modern art gallery built by the Nazis). The second location is a wave ideal for beginners. It’s located further up the river at Flosslande, close to the local camping ground at Thalkirchen.
Earlier this month I finally got to see the pro-surfers in action next door to Haus der Kunst. I spent several minutes watching a line of hardy surfers take turns riding a swift flowing one-metre wave. The wave is only about five metres wide so only one person can ride it at any time. It’s incredible to see surfers in action, in the heart of the city, standing on a city sidewalk while heavy rush hour traffic flows by.
I spotted the surfers while enroute to Haus de Kunst to see an exhibition of photography by Andreas Gursky. This German artist was born in Leipzig in 1955. He's reknown for his giant photographs of natural and digitally manipulated scenes. Each photo is several metres high, capturing some of the most remarkable images you're ever likely to see. Highlights from his current exhibition include images of the Arirang celebrations in Pyongyang (capital of North Korea) and surging crowds at a Madonna concert.
While Andreas' work was fascinating, the artist that amused me most was Yayoi Kusama. This Japanese artist is know for her work involving dots. Her latest creative output takes up an entire hall. She'd filled the Haus der Kunst atrium with a series of giant pink polka dot balls. Some were suspended from the ceiling while others were hollow, with signs inviting visitor to walk into their interior. The effect was rather entertaining and actually brought a smile to my face. They say good art should stir the soul. Kusama certainly had an impact on me.
The first is a pro-surfing wave that forms as the river flows out of a tunnel under one of the city’s landmark roads, right next door to Haus der Kunst (a monolith modern art gallery built by the Nazis). The second location is a wave ideal for beginners. It’s located further up the river at Flosslande, close to the local camping ground at Thalkirchen.
Earlier this month I finally got to see the pro-surfers in action next door to Haus der Kunst. I spent several minutes watching a line of hardy surfers take turns riding a swift flowing one-metre wave. The wave is only about five metres wide so only one person can ride it at any time. It’s incredible to see surfers in action, in the heart of the city, standing on a city sidewalk while heavy rush hour traffic flows by.
I spotted the surfers while enroute to Haus de Kunst to see an exhibition of photography by Andreas Gursky. This German artist was born in Leipzig in 1955. He's reknown for his giant photographs of natural and digitally manipulated scenes. Each photo is several metres high, capturing some of the most remarkable images you're ever likely to see. Highlights from his current exhibition include images of the Arirang celebrations in Pyongyang (capital of North Korea) and surging crowds at a Madonna concert.
While Andreas' work was fascinating, the artist that amused me most was Yayoi Kusama. This Japanese artist is know for her work involving dots. Her latest creative output takes up an entire hall. She'd filled the Haus der Kunst atrium with a series of giant pink polka dot balls. Some were suspended from the ceiling while others were hollow, with signs inviting visitor to walk into their interior. The effect was rather entertaining and actually brought a smile to my face. They say good art should stir the soul. Kusama certainly had an impact on me.
Munich isn't quite the dull place it sometimes appears!
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