Munich

Our train ride to Munich was incredibly beautiful, yet horrible. The train was was charming in that it had little private cars throughout (think Hogwarts Express), and we were seated with a family with three children. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet and well behaved the children seemed. The train car was comfortable, and the six hours of picturesque views of Austria were extraordinary. However, soon after the train departed we realized that all three of the children in our car were sick. They were coughing up a storm, and not once did any of them cover their mouths. For a while, one of the kids was standing, staring out the window at the beautiful views, and coughing directly at my face. We were stuck in this tiny enclosed space with them the entire six hours, with germs floating invisibly throughout the room, and (in my imagination) permeating every fiber of my being. Not only that, but the small girl had a poopy diaper the entire train ride. Every time she shifted I got a horrible whiff, and her parents seemed (or pretended) not to notice. Needless to say, the ride was torture.

When we arrived in Germany it was an enormous relief to get some fresh air. 

We quickly realized that in all the fuss of the last few days we hadn't thought to look up any German words or phrases, so finding the apartment that I booked on airbnb was a bit of a challenge. Our reflexive Ciao's and Grazie's were met with confused stares. Luckily, people in Germany seemed a bit more willing to help out the lost, confused tourists than the people in Italy.

When we got to the apartment we were too tuckered out from a day of traveling to do much, plus our host Matthaus informed us that beer gardens were closed due to the weather. Bum bum bummm. 

So the next day we set out, eager to make up for lost time. I had a list of sights to see and the determination to check them all off.

We managed about half.

We spent the day wandering through the town square and down various side streets. While waiting for the famous New Town Hall bells to ring we stopped in to see a couple churches, and were pleasantly surprised by Sunday morning services. Neither Luke or I are particularly religious, but the famously majestic choir of St. Peter's church was so beautiful I suddenly felt myself believing in some higher power. Don't worry, it didn't last long. But between the music and the German language service I was certainly touched. It was a beautiful thing to experience.

When the New Town Hall bells finally chimed noon we huddled among the other spectators to watch the Rathaus Glockenspiel. It reenacts historical events from the 16th century; The top half of the Glockenspiel tells the story of the marriage of the local Duke Wilhelm V (who also founded the world famous Hofbrauhaus) to Renata of Lorraine. In honour of the happy couple there is a joust with life-sized knights on horseback representing Bavaria and Lothringen. The Bavarian knight wins every time, of course. The bottom half depicts a dance celebrating the end of the Plague. The whole thing was very festive. 

We walked around the town for hours enjoying the sights. We were frequently reminded that it was a Sunday because many attractions were closed. In Florence, many businesses stayed open Sundays because of the steady stream of tourists in the city on weekends, and instead took Monday off. But apparently in Munich is much more strict about it. 

We still had plenty to see regardless, and enjoyed all the Bavarian charm of Munich.

New Town Hall at Marienplatz

Closer shot of the glockenspiel

Old Town Hall

 We stopped in Augustiner for a hearty lunch and a pint 

After a quick nap back at the apartment, we headed out to go to the famous Hofbrauhaus. For Luke's 21st birthday back in May we went to the Hofbrauhaus in Las Vegas, Nevada and had a great time. So we were really looking forward to going to the original one in Munich! It was absolutely enormous and insanely crowded with tourists, but the festive atmosphere was well worth it. Seating arrangements were... interesting. In Germany, you do not wait to be seated; you must walk in, self-assured, and take whatever seat you can find. And at the Hofbrau, where the building is bursting at the seams with patrons, that means sitting down at a table with random strangers. We were relatively lucky and found a seat next to a nice, polite couple. This seating arrangement didn't exactly produce the boisterous affair I had imagined for the night, but between the oompah band and the delicious Bavarian food (and beer!!) we had a great time. 

 The good stuff!

Now, we are leaving Germany and headed for Prague. It was nice having our own apartment for a little while, but it's hostels from here on out! I loved Germany and wished we had more time here, but I am looking forward to our next adventure!

Our studio apartment from airbnb