Munich

David at Paulaner Brauhaus
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April 30th

We arrived in Munich at 7.30pm and shopped around for the cheapest hostel. Euro Backpackers won over the Wombat Hostel, altho' we did book into the latter for one night. It's an amazing hostel but much more expensive than others in the vicinity I don't really know how so-called budget travellers manage to stay in some of these places. Our first, and only, night here, we were offered a free arrival beer [what else]. Decided on an earliest night but that wasn't to be!! Why?? David managed to trip the electricity in our room so we couldn't boil our water, read, re-charge batteries etc... Reception was so busy with check-ins that they couldn't come to our rescue. We'd gotten chatty with the receptionist - a Durban gal - and she asked if David wanted to try and look for the electricity box on our floor!! She handed over a bunch of staff keys and he "joined the staff" for 10 minutes. After having flipped the trip switch back up, he returned the keys and was given free tokens for 4 more beers and 2 free breakfasts the next day!!! I reckon it's worth trying to blow up plugs more often if you get free stuff out of it!! Tomorrow we move onto the Euro Hostel, 2 doors up from the Wombats. It's a much older place, more Bavarian in style but has a real old cigarette stench to it. Not so appealing but a good hostel non-the-less.

Beer and Bratwurst

David and one the Munich Lions
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1st May

Today is May Day. A public holiday so not much was open but there was a festive atmosphere everywhere because just about everybody was out and about in the streets. We did our own city walk even tho' we were offered loads of "Free Tours". First stop was Marienplatz. Munich's central square. Due to May Day there were demonstrations here. Workers of the world unite and all that....  On the platz is the stunning Rathaus [city hall], with it's famous Glockenspiel Bell Tower. This chimes daily at 11am and 12pm every day, together with traditional marionettes and puppets 'doing their thing' to the music. Marienplatz used to once be the main salt and grain market. We meandered along all the medievel walkways, passing the Frauenkirchen and St Peterskirche, en route to the Isar River. There a wonderful walk along here with the river splitting into 2 sections. There are numerous weirs and the forces of the water gushing down is incredible, considering you are in the middle of a city. There are 'beaches', altho' somewhat stony, complete with nude sunbathers. Yes, right in the middle of the city. The stoll took us up to the Maximilaneum - the seat of the Bavarian Parliament. Quite an impressive building. We continued up the river and park as David wanted to see the spot in the English Gardens where a strange standing wave draws surfers!! Once again, right in the middle of the city. Strange but true. Surfers in the city. Next into the English Gardens proper, the largest inner city park in the world. 5km long and 1km wide. A beautiful place full of cyclists, walkers, joggers and sunbathers - mostly totally nude. Not for the fainthearted or those new to the wonders of world travel!! Anything goes hers. On we walked towards the Chinese Pagoda, one of Munichs largest beer gardens [7000 seats]. It was packed because of the holiday but we resisted buying anything here at their exhorbitant prices. We walked back very weary and hungry, seeking out another place to buy a doner kebab. Our staple diet!!

David, English Gardens
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2nd May

Today was one of 2 beer tasting days. We sought out the Paulaner Brauhaus - a public inn with home brewed ale and local food. A stunning Bavarian building but not too festive inside. We then found the Hofbrauhaus. What a place. A huge beer hall, long wooden tables, oompah band, Bavarian food and beer, beer, beer....! We weakened here and JUST HAD to have some. Delivered in one of those huge tankards. Excellent. Coming from me that's saying something, because those of you who know me, know I'm not really a beer drinker. I think I may have been transformed! Had someone take the obligatory photo with German beer mugs in hand! This is Bavaria at it's boozy best. What else does one do in Munich, the world's beer capital? I can only imagine what it must be like at Oktoberfest time... What is interesting to me, is that however much I drink, I don't appear to suffer from a hangover!!!! Don't ask, I can't explain that one.

The Deutsche Museum
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3rd May

We were going to go to the Monastry today, that brews it's own beer but decided that it was too expensive. One of the downfalls of travelling on a very tight budget. Munich really is an expensive place, especially transport. Instead we opted to walk again, this time to the other side of the town, down to the Isar River again and towards the zoo. Geez did we walk... My feet are actually swollen from all the pavement pounding we've done. I'm so overawed by just how much green  park areas Munich has. It's a really wonderful open and spacious city. the distances are big but there's always something to see and do. We returned to the hostel via the park where the world re-knowned Oktoberfest happens. It's mind blowingly huge and you can only wonder at the electric atmosphere here each year. Apparently Munich brews up to 580 million litres of beer annually... We had our first real German half meter bratwurst roll here!

Horse and carriage in the English Gardens
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Special message for Markie Mark [hope you read this]. If you want to get rid of that waistline, go travelling. I've gone down 2 belt knotches so far, in only 10 days!!! Beat that one.

4th May

Today was a chillout day. Time for the internet and time to rest the feet after having killed them for the past 3 days. We are currently thinking of changing our route!Instead of going straight into Czech Republic, we are seriously plannng on visiting Slovenia and Croatia before popping intl Czech.

The English Gardens
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Special message for Jubbulani. If you see this, PLEASE let me know if you visit Slovenia with Marjana and let me have the dates [via email].