November 4th – 11th, 2017
We spent two full days in Munich. Our first day, we wandered the streets aimlessly. First we went to Dachau and then we just walked here and there before heading home. The next time we went to Munich we listened to a Rick Steves’ audio tour. That put a bit more structure in our day. It also took us past many of the stops we had planned on seeing. It was nice to do an audio tour that started, stopped, and paused when we wanted it to.
My favorite parts of Steves’ tour was when we paused it to get snacks. The first one was near the beer garden. We passed a little hot dog stand… I mean bratwurst stand. They sold 2 types of bratwurst and one of the types came in 2 levels of hotness. We ordered one of each with the second at the spiciest level.
I stood there with the 2 hot dogs in my hands when a group of tourists noticed I spoke English. The lady serving the hot dogs did not speak English and could not answer the people’s questions, so they directed their questions to me. “Is the spicy one very spicy?” they asked. I took a bite of that one and told them, “A little, but not really.” “Is the other the white sausage that comes from Bavaria?” I took a bite of that one and told them, “Yes, I think it is.” But, I wasn’t completely sure.
Rick Steves’ tour took us through churches, Markets, and past a synagogue. We saw a statue that Micheal Jackson’s fans have repurposed in his honor. We walked down the pedestrian friendly, closed-to-cars streets of downtown through the shopping district. There we saw “that pig” again.
We first saw the pig in Onomichi, Japan. He’s been popping up every so often on our trip around the world. It’s like he’s following us. Every time we see him we give him a pat on his nose if possible. When not possible, I just pretend to pat his nose for the photo.
Next we stopped for snacks and drinks at Hofbräuhaus München a famous Bavarian beer house. Everyone there was happy and, at the very least, a bit drunk. Groups of people kept breaking out in song and I had no idea why. They were singing mostly 80’s pop songs in English. I don’t like beer, so I ordered a cappuccino. I enjoyed being in the beer house with all the merriment and chaos going on around me. Even though I don’t drink, if I lived in Munich I would visit this place at least once a month.
We ended our last day in Munich watching some athletes surfing in a canal on the side of the street. The pavement underneath the water combined with the water roughly forced out from under a bridge causes a standing wave. Here, very skilled surfers come to catch the wave. They are so good, they make it look easy. But, I’m told that it is very hard and quite dangerous for surfers who don’t know what they’re doing.
I loved Munich and I hope to visit again soon.
And here’s that pig again.
How to get there:
- Germany is part of the EU
- visa information
Phone:
- 112 – emergency, ambulance, and fire
- 110 – police
Downloads:
Website:
Data:
Videos:
Books:
- The Book Thief
- Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Nazi Germany
- The Ludwig Conspiracy
- The Metamorphosis
- The Neverending Story
- Prisoner B-3087
- The Reader
Notes:
- Be careful when riding the train outside the city.
- Sometimes the train splits, meaning you are on the right train, but the wrong car.
- At some point in time the train will split up and each car will go to a different destination.
- Don’t walk in the bike lane.
- There is usually a bike lane and it will be where you end up walking if you’re not constantly vigilant.
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
Cost:
- Entrance is free
- Audio guide – €3,50
Hours:
- 9:00 – 17:00
- Closed on December 24th.
Books:
Notes:
- Some parts of the memorial site are not suitable for people under the age of 14.
Cost:
- Menu
- Themed Menu
- Museum – free
Hours:
- 9:00 – midnight
- Museum – 9:00 – 17:00
Notes:
- There is a museum on the 2nd floor.
- It’s going to be crowded.
- Don’t wait to be seated. Just find an empty spot and sit.
- Order when a waiter comes by.
- Pay when you get your food and/or drinks.
Don’t Miss:
- Asam’s Church
- Another Bronze Boar
- Eisbachwelle
- Basic Information
- Urban Surfing
- Frauenkirche
- Marienplatz
- Basic Information
- Things to see here or nearby:
- Michael Jackson Denkmal
- St. Michael’s Church
- Basic Information
- Mad King Ludwig is in the crypt.
- You can see his tomb for €3
- Nymphenburg Palace
- Basic Information
- You can pay to go inside, or just walk around the gardens for free.
- I thought the inside was a bit boring, but the outside was really nice.
- If you do go inside, you will be bored by art, but you will get to stand in the room in which the mad king was born.
- There is a set of hilarious busts of royalty pretending to be Roman gods. (Still not worth going in, unless you just love art.)
- Audio Guide (For the park)
- Leaflet
Hungry?
- There are lots of inexpensive but delicious options here.
- This is a hot dog place, but there lots of other types of restaurants nearby.
Try:
You Could Get:
- Guten Tag Card
- You can buy it from the ticket machine at any train station in Bavaria.
Map: