Steins, Knuckles and Umpas

Munich's Town Square
see all photos »

Journal Entry 20, 14 November 2006 - Steins, Knuckles and Umpas

After the various day trips from Munich I felt that my last day and a half should be best spent in Munich - After all this is where the legendary Octoberfest is held and there must be a reason why this city plays host to such a lively event. I spent the morning wondering the various streets that ran around the main town square, a routine that I was beginning to really enjoy in every European city I visited. I stumbled across a fantastic traditional German market selling everything from cheese and meats to Christmas decorations and freshly corked wine. The smells were fantastic and it felt like I had stepped into the countryside, the only thing missing were the German farmers.

It is a funky city with laughter running through its veins.

The "Naked" Park
see all photos »

After buying a few bits here and there I headed to the Munich technology Museum. I have to say that the Germans are brilliant in terms of technology and ideas. This museum housed some of the greatest collections of engineering, astronomy, machinery, manufacturing and technology pieces I have ever seen. With many of them being invented by the Germans. I spent easily 3 hours here climbing in and out of planes and exhibition halls but left feeling like there was so much more to explore and learn about. I then headed of to its sister museum, the Automobile museum. With a vast collection of cars, trains, and trucks it’s was a great exhibition even if you are only slightly motor orientated.

Automobile Museum
see all photos »

It was about 4pm when I left the museum and this had become my favourite part of the day since arriving in Germany. It was cake time! It’ a custom/tradition that everyone eats a cake and coffee at about 4pm, and I have to say this is one of my favourite traditions. The cakes are to die for with many different types, flavours and styles, certainly one for everyone. I grab my fantastic slice of, yes you guessed it, black forest cake and headed to a park close by.

The park was full of mothers and their young babies, sitting and watching the world move by. This was my type of pace! I sat there for a while just watching everyone and feeling the fresh wind hit my face and chowed down onto my cake. I was watching people walk, throw balls to their dogs and just generally lay around. They had these great umbrella too, that protected from the sun and made sure no one could see. Then it hit me. THEY WERE NAKED! They were naked? “That’s right the Germans like to bath naked and it looked like they didn’t mind doing it 10 degrees Celsius either.” It was quite a comical scene as I quickly hurried out of the park full of naked people.

The Umpas
see all photos »

That evening I headed back to the hostel and was dead set on finding some people to join me for a night on the German beer halls, actually I just wanted to see an umpa. I managed to find Mietta who I met the night before and we headed of to the famous beer hall, Hofbräuhaus. Tit’s well known for its great beer, massive knuckles and of course for the lesser known fact that Hitler once stood in the rooms above to gather support. The Hall feels instantly touristy with 80% of the people being foreigners but the atmosphere was GREAT. The traditional umpas playing music, the waitresses dressed in traditional outfits and of course the steins. Ok in all fairness I'm not a beer drinker and I was sure I couldn’t handle 1 litre or a stein of beer. However I wanted a stein so I could take the photo and be the manly man and drink from one. I had idea, an idea so great it was ingenious and it would get me a stein…… I mixed it with lemonade! Okay okay it’s not my idea, but it tasted sooooooooo good. Another great thing about German culture is at dinner you can just join a table, which I loved. It just makes you meet people and socialise. It was fantastic!

Town Square by night
see all photos »

After dinner Mietta and I headed back to our hostel but not before we bumped in a German Busker at 12pm, yes 12pm. He was hilarious! I kid you not he had a crowd of 20 to 30 people at midnight and he was telling some of the best jokes I had heard, of course taking the mickey out of everyone as well.

This was the moment I realised why Munich is the home of Octoberfest, it can laugh at itself and it can be relaxed. It is a funky city with laughter running through its veins. Munich's life style and I say Munich, as I believe other parts to be different, I found strangely similar to Australia’s in its relaxed easygoing way. I felt strangely at home here and the Germans were warm, welcoming and happy. My stereotype of them being stern and grumpy (I know shouldn’t judge a book by its cover) was wrong this time or at least in Munich it was. I can’t wait to go back to Munich for Octoberfest and it’s a great base to see the attractions and towns around it. I said goodnight to Meitta and made plans to meet up with in a few days time in Salzburg, Austria. It was time to go to bed, a hangover was approaching I could tell, I knew I shouldn’t of drunk that much lemonade.

To be continued...