I went to the Munich Mineral Show this October 2011, but the Show was only a fraction of my total trip, so I didn‘t title this article “Munich Show.“ From my viewpoint as a first time attendee, there were three notable things I saw at the MunichLeft: Hall A6 of the Munich Show. Right: I‘m the only one from the US in this photo at the Show: not many adult Germans wear running shoes.Show: everything is in one location, there was a section where..

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 I went to the Munich Mineral Show this October 2011, but the Show was only a fraction of my total trip, so I didn't title this article "Munich Show." From my viewpoint as a first time attendee, there were three notable things I saw at the Munich

Show: everything is in one location, there was a section where the strahlers and cristalliers from the Alps gathered to sell their specimens, and the special exhibit "European Classics" was exceptional. I didn't take any photos of specimens for sale because more knowledgeable people have been doing that very well for years. The variety and quality of specimens available was excellent. "European Classics" had so many bestest specimens that were almost beyond words. Thanks to those who arranged and contributed to this exhibit.

Aside from the Show there are a wealth of things to do in Munich. I can see why this city was awarded the Olympics many years ago. I have heard that the people of Germany have perfected bread and have perfected beer. In restaurants and in one famous beer garden, I saw that the beer can't be beat. My grandfather graduated from college in the US, and in 1908 he travelled to Berlin 

to attend graduate school. He didn't just study but also visited many European cities and collected postcards from each. In part because he went to the Hofbrauhaus, of course I had to go. Inside the Hofbrauhaus are vaulted, painted ceilings, and because I was by myself, I sat down at one of the mostly full tables, which is a common thing to do. Seven pm with a beer in hand is a good time for everyone to start making up stuff. Before I finished my half liter of beer, my table mates and I were clinking our glasses to Chancellor Merkel, to my running shoes, etc., and the oompah band accompanied us. An acquaintance I met in Munich, Reinhart, from eastern Germany asked me if I had previously been to Germany. I said yes, in 1979. We both laughed at his reply, "Ah, 1979, that was the good old days! Back when you knew who your enemy was!" Other things to do in the Munich area range from the fun to the serious. One day I took a twenty minute train ride to Dachau and toured the former WW II concentration camp. Very sobering. Within metropolitan Munich, the subways are fast, clean, and the obvious choice for getting around.
I left Munich and took the five or so hour train to Freiberg. The TU Bergakademie Freiberg is the oldest mining academy in the world, and Curator Andreas Massanek oversees two important mineral museums: the Werner Bau (Building) and Terra Mineralia in 

Freudenstein Castle. He was a knowledgeable host in showing me a little of the Werner Bau collection. Later I toured Terra Mineralia. This also was filled with spectacular world-wide specimens, but at the present time it does not display specimens from 

Germany. Those are in the Werner Bau. Also in Freiberg I took an underground tour of the Reiche Zeche Mine. The Reiche Zeche used to be the Himmelfahrt Mine, but it now is an educational mine and research facility. The Alte Elizabeth Mine is only open May 

through October, so I was not able to cram that tour into my schedule.
Next was Dresden. It is a half hour train ride from Freiberg and is a world class city with many treasures for the non-mineral tourist. I was there mainly for the minerals and knew that the mineral specimens formerly in the Staatliches Museum fur 

Mineralogie und Geologie were no longer in that building. I figured that they were now at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden, and I was able to arrange a visit to see their collection. Professor Dr. Klaus Thalheim was extremely knowledgeable and showed me many Senckenberg specimens. The specimens are not on public display, but for a too brief period he showed me spectacular specimens. I saw both of the oldest traceable mineral specimens (native silver/acanthite from 1477) and other 

wonders. Another impressive aspect of the collection is the thorough documentation on so many specimens. I saw very old handwritten bills for specimens purchased. I saw their 1755 catalog with colored sketches of specimens, and a few centimeters away in that same case are the actual mineral specimens. The Senckenberg mineral collection is, unfortunately, less well known than it should be.
Eventually I spent the last six hours of my last full day in Germany travelling by train back to Frankfurt. I've found the people of Germany friendly, interesting, and interested.

"Twenty years from now you'll regret most the things
you did not do, not the things you did do."
- - Mark Twain