Saturday, 26 July 1952:

I had continental breakfast in the hotel. Then we met the missionaries, Bruce and Bob Neville, downstairs as we started off on foot to see the sights. Dr. Watkins was under the weather today. I happened to be walking with Bruce when he decided he had to stop in a watch shop to get a new watch band. Consequently, we got separated from the group. We looked for them at Peter’s kirche. Nope. No luck.

After some discussion we decided to head for Kurst Art Gallery through the gardens. We met Rowland Larkin, a serviceman from Ogden, who was taking picture of Prince’s House near Kurst. He was visiting Marg, Henry, and Dick at American Express.

Bruce and I spent the morning in the art gallery and it cost 50 pfennigs to get in. During our tour we had an interesting guide for 2 marks. She was an artist and explained the pictures to us and the technique of the artists. We experienced many of the masters: Rubins, VanDyke, Rafael, Botticelli, Titian, and Tintoretti.

Afterwards we walked back to the American Express from the Kurst House. At last we met up with Margaret, Rowland, Dot, Dick and others there. Rowland cashed $50 into script for me so I could get a camera. Then we dashed back to the hotel for lunch. Rowland and Bruce Neville ate with us. I endured another dainty meal at the Esplanada.

After lunch Rowland took the $50 of script to go camera hunting along with Margaret’s script. Then we all took off for the famous Deutche Scientific Museum of Munchen. Inside the museum we learned about coal mines, oil mines, and salt mines. In short we saw the mining business as it really used to happen and how it happens now. There was a history of the mining industry depicted through sample mines such as big oil drilling. It included a physics division of all kinds of instruments. A physicist would really have a hayday here.

During our tour there was a big huge clock that told all kinds of different times and position of earth and planets during different seasons. At 4 p.m. we went into a dark round domed room and heard a lecture in several languages including a few words in English about the heavens. I gazed at the stars, planets, sun, and moon moving across the sky as the guide talked. He pointed out the varied positions for all the different seasons of the year.

Next was the music room that had all different kinds of musical instruments from way back. The guide played them for us to show us the great progress in instruments. Another room included engines that varied from little ones to great big ones, and soon after a textile room which displayed all different kinds of materials. Finally we came out of the last door at 5 p.m.

As I exited Margaret with other kids was waiting for me in the entrance lobby and handed me a box. It contained a brand new beautiful Retina 1a camera with a case and all for $39.95. Rowland had apparently gotten the only one in town and had to go to the PX on the other side of town to find it. Grateful, I window shopped back to the hotel to get cleaned up for the concert. Dinner was early and good but once again not enough.

I caught a trolley on the other side of a big bombed out station for a Baroque Nymphenburg Palace for the concert. The conductor who spoke English was helpful and told us when to get off. At twilight the beautiful grounds surrounded all around us and then we scurried off to a gold concert room. Unfortunately we missed half of the first number.

After intermission we strolled on the grounds by candlelight. I was struck by the fact that Mozart and Beethoven were being played by German musicians. We hurried back to catch the trolley. There were fireworks on the way home as we stopped at the Bahnhoff square to get postcards. I observed four German men who were talking to Alicia. I bought a ham sandwich to eat. Later the elevator man in the hotel showed us pictures of his wife and little boy.