Day 7: Murren, Bavaria & MunichIt's day seven, and we finally figured out how to use our thumb to count one instead of our index finger! Here we are then, day seven counted the German way!
Today was our travel day as we said goodbye to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, a passing good day to Lichtenstein and Austria and finally a big hello to Munich! Transitions across the borders were seamless, and if we hadn't been told, we would not have known we had even crossed. Along the way, Iris gave us some good history lessons, and we got to see a lot of really interesting countryside. |
Lunch on the road
On the way out of Switzerland, we stopped at Cindy's Diner to spend out the remainder of our Franks on Swiss Chocolate and then made a stop at a roadside cafe in Austria. Abby and I had the traditional schnitzel, which was a breaded and fried chicken patty with fries. It was very tasty, but the portion sizes were HUGE! Then it was back on the bus. Iris shouted out her traditional "Hit it, Wim!" and we were off to Munich!
A taste of Europe: "Oh my!" Nothing like an enormous helping of Schnitzel for lunch. We ate it all, and it was excellent!
Our arrival in MunichAs we were getting close to our arrival in Munich, Iris prepped us with some history and context. We really appreciated that and feel it's one of the strengths of a Rick Steves tour. If we were to travel on our own, there is so much context we'd miss out on.
On this portion of the trip, Iris talked about the rich beer tradition of Munich and just how huge Munich Fest is. She even passed around the lyrics to the drinking song our musicians had sung for us. This was to prepare us for the Hofbrauhaus should we go there. This is all very interesting to me as I grew up two miles from New Munich, Minnesota which featured (of course) its own Hofbrauhaus. In fact, central Minnesota, where we grew up, is very heavily German Catholic in heritage, and as we traveled through this region, we continually saw the origins of many cultural influences we experienced growing up. It's part of what drew us to this trip and what continues to provide us with new and renewed perspectives on our lives growing up. Christopher Street DayIris shared that tomorrow is a special day in town. Munich will be celebrating Christopher Street Day, a tribute to the gay uprising in 1969 on New York's Christopher Street. There is a parade scheduled for Marienplatz tomorrow at noon, and we saw banners displayed throughout the city as well as a big stage in the main square. Pam read that they expect 200,000 people for the 40th anniversary celebration tomorrow. This will be a unique day to be in town!
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Orientation walk and a look inside the Hofbrauhaus
After settling into our rooms (and doing a little laundry in the sink), we took an orientation walk on our way to a group supper. We saw a Dirndl and Lederhosen shop as well as a mouthwatering display of pork knuckles. We took a quick walk through the Hofbrauhaus and heard the brass band play to get people drinking. We also saw the bell that is rung when a new keg is tapped and the lockers used to reserve people's private beer steins under lock and key. It was a really interesting atmosphere, and Pam and I planned to return for lunch tomorrow for the full experience.
A city walk to supper
We walked through town and wondered at reconstructed Munich, which was heavily bombed during WWII. We were curious to hear how much is original and how much has been rebuilt. About 80% of the city sustained significant damage, and about 90% of Old Town was destroyed. This is a concept that is so foreign to our insulated lives of central Minnesota.
We ended our tour at a smaller beer hall with a private room in the back for our group. Despite it's smaller size, it still had the bell to ring for a new keg (which we heard!). I had sausages because it seemed like the German thing to do. We also had Bavarian pretzels for appetizers and, of course, beer. I ordered a hell (or light) beer which was very good. Pam's not a beer drinker, but she had some really good wine as well. It was a great evening of good food, good company and much fun! We love our group suppers!
We ended our tour at a smaller beer hall with a private room in the back for our group. Despite it's smaller size, it still had the bell to ring for a new keg (which we heard!). I had sausages because it seemed like the German thing to do. We also had Bavarian pretzels for appetizers and, of course, beer. I ordered a hell (or light) beer which was very good. Pam's not a beer drinker, but she had some really good wine as well. It was a great evening of good food, good company and much fun! We love our group suppers!
Day 8: All day to explore MunichWe spent our morning getting a behind-the-scenes look at Munich with a walking tour by our guide Anna. Her family has been in Bavaria for over 700 years, and she had some very authentic Bavarian German perspectives to share, not to mention the fact that her English was superb! She was one of the very best guides we've had on a Rick Steves tour, and we've had many good ones!
As Anna took us on our tour through Marienplatz and into the town's historic Old Town, she was kind enough to point our her favorite coffee and cheese shops while giving us insight into the local culture. She explained how the public beer halls are required to have a place where locals can bring their own picnic lunch. She also talked about traditional Bavarian dress and Octoberfest traditions. The traditional dress had been a bit out of vogue for awhile, but now it has become very popular again, even with the younger generation. She said she has about eight dirndls, and she wears them a few times a week, not just for festival. It was interesting to hear how each weekend of the Octoberfest attracts different nationalities. The first weekend is the Australian weekend, who are rowdy and drink a lot! The second weekend is frequented by the Italians, and the third by the British, who also drink a lot but also like to fight. She said the locals go on Wednesdays or midweek. Smart locals! The Munich Fest lasts 16 days and brings the city a billion Euro in profit. In fact, the Hofbrauhaus makes 40 percent of its profits for the year in those 16 days. Six different breweries provide the beer for the fest, and they must be local beers that are able to handle the large quantity needed for the celebration. |
We enjoyed touring the churches and visiting the tomb of Mad King Ludwig (a foreshadowing of our trip to his castle tomorrow).
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Take-aways from the walking tour
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A free afternoon to exploreAfter the tour, we hurried back to the square to watch the noon Glockenspiel. Wow! It was so crowded due to the Christopher Street pride celebrations. Still, we found a clear spot to watch the clock play. It started at 12:05 just when we thought it wouldn't go. It was a cool thing to see. After taking in a little of the parade and festivities, we split up for a bit.
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Abby and Lori went shopping, and Pam and I headed to the Hofbrauhaus for lunch as planned. Iris had coached us up about how to ask about empty seats at a table. We were lucky enough to find two together, and we were welcomed in just as she said we would be. We felt a bit like locals even though the place was filled with tourists. We enjoyed the good food, good (and large) beer as well as the festive atmosphere. The band played a few times, and I even sang along to the beer toast song we'd learned on the bus. "Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, Der, Gemutlichkeit!" We toasted during the song as is tradition. Abby and Lori found us just as we were finishing dinner, so they came and sat with us for a bit to take in the atmosphere.
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Together, we headed out for a walk in the local gardens which are the biggest in Europe outside of England. We took in more sites along the way and really enjoyed the park. The highlight was watching the river surfers that Iris told us about. They rode river rapids right in the heart of Munich. That was really cool, and we marveled at their skill, quick timing and generous turn-taking. We ended the night with a little shopping at nearby stores, mingling with the revelers, visiting and enjoying the area around the hotel.
As I sat on my bed writing my journal for the evening, I was reminded how the city had really embraced the Christopher Street celebration, even changing the images on its traffic lights to honor the day. As I was typing that in my journal, something really odd happened. I don't know if I hit a key code combination or what, but my keyboard started flashing in the colors of the pride flag. Was it a coincidence or the spirit of the day? Either way, it seemed appropriate.
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