After our breakfast picnic and a slight incident with the in-room coffee machine, we catch our first München tram and find the expansive Schloss Nymphenburg sitting in the middle of a suburb. Following the lines of kindergarten children with backpacks we admire the approach – and realise this is only the back entrance.

Inside the Schloss is a Gallery of Beauties full of portraits of young women admired by Ludwig I of Bavaria. All beautiful, and one slightly familiar.

Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (aka Lola Montez)  one-time mistress of Liszt arrived in Munich in 1846 and took up with King Ludwig. In 1855-56 she also had a fling with Australia, performing on the Victorian goldfields and causing a stir in Ballarat according to many Australian press reports of the day. It is interesting to compare how the German Wikipedia article treats Lola. No separate sections on the United States and Australia, and a long list of Lola references in the arts subdivided by artform, whereas the English article has an unordered list entitled ‘legacy’.

There are many more beauties of the horticultural kind outside the Schloss in the extensive gardens including mini Schloss and greenhouses.

On the way back school is out with kids on bikes filling the streets. Another stop at a fruit stall to replenish our Erdbeeren and Himbeeren box.

Next challenge is the train to Großhesselohe-Isartalbahnhof where we arrive at Biergarten Waldwirtschaft for our rendezvous with Mr 32 just in time. English jazz plays in the  background to pleasant catching up on cycling adventures and downing the mass bier, some roast pork, sauerkraut and pommes.