DCIM101GOPRO
Just a few hours train ride Northeast of Zurich you’ll find Munich. If you’re looking at a European map, Munich will be called Munchen. Munich is in the heart of Bavaria and you’ll find it to be just what you might imagine Bavaria to be like. As soon as you arrive at the train station you’ll find many restaurants and lots of activity. Munich appears to be alive in many respects, people are on the move and they seem to be well focused and on a mission. After the sun sets, you’ll find many of these people enjoying their lives, drinking beer and enjoying the camaraderie of friends at a restaurant or beer garden. Suzy and I were ready to explore a real authentic beer garden. Here in Munchen you have many to choose from and the beers as varied as the beer gardens. The Augustiner, just outside the train station is one of those places you might hope to find. Suzy and I arrived early for dinner and found everything we expected. You’ll find wooden barrels, waitresses in original Dirndl garb and friendly faces eager to offer up a conversation or whatever you’re seeking. When exploring Marketplatz in the old city, you’ll find a nice wooded area with outside tables and beer abound where people gather to socialize and spend a few hours. People here in Munchen seem to be enjoying their lives and are able to take all of their worries, set them aside, and act on them at a later time. “Hell” beer is prominent here; Suzy enjoyed every steinfull especially when accompanied with a Bratwurst on freshly baked crusty bread. There is a lot happening here in Bavaria. You’ll find Ludwig II’s Neuschwanstein Castle here and also Castel Lindenhof. We made a day trip of wandering off from the city into the mountains to explore both of these sites. Along with some of the beautiful sites lie some darker historical sites like the Dachau War Memorial. Suzy and I enjoy history and felt we would be remiss if we passed up on this site because we find it an important part of history. We found the trip both informational and quite moving. The Neues Rathaus or city hall was an architectural wonder; you can sit in awe of this accomplishment for hours. We happened to be walking past the Rathaus as protesters gathered peacefully opposing the G7 summit. Walking the Marienplatz is delightful as you’ll find flowers everywhere and street minstrels abound. Suzy and I extended our time in Munich as we had a lot to see and enjoy. If you’re in the South of Germany, you must make Munich or Munchen a place to stop and visit.