Hello Munich!

We have arrived and settled. The city is still feeling Christmas, but life will be back to normal by January 7. Sinem and I will walk around and familiarize ourselves with the neighborhood. The Center of Advanced Studies building is within walking distance. Until we return on January 31, I hope to have a peaceful and productive time, including finishing up a piece on localizing AI development. Our very first food stop was not creative; we ended up having the German döner! I spent part of my morning learning about the limitations of ChatGPT’s custom GPTs and could not actually find a good solution yet. Let me have a break and explore the public transportation system in town.

I ask Perplexity to teach me one thing about Munich. Here is what it told me today:

Einstein’s Unexpected Oktoberfest Job

At the age of 17, long before he became a renowned physicist and Nobel laureate, Albert Einstein had an interesting job at Munich’s famous Oktoberfest. The young Einstein worked as an assistant, helping to screw light bulbs into the ceiling of the Schottenhamel Festhalle tent. This surprising fact connects one of the world’s greatest scientific minds to Munich’s most celebrated festival, showcasing an unexpected intersection of genius and Bavarian tradition. This little-known detail about Einstein’s youth not only highlights his humble beginnings but also adds a fascinating layer to Munich’s rich history. It demonstrates how even world-changing figures like Einstein were once part of the everyday fabric of Munich life, contributing to the city’s vibrant culture in unexpected ways.  via