I just have to say I am proud to be German. Munich I think has moved up my list of the most favorite places I have been. Last weekend I took an 8hour drive to Munich which actually was not nearly as bad as it seems (I think I have just gotten used to bus rides now).
The first day we were there we woke up early for Mike's Bike tour. The guide was funny and entertaining which made it way better because I am a little tired of the typical tour by now. We rode all around the city seeing famous squares, standing exactly where Hitler stood in some instances and learning the history of Germany. Then the tour went through the English Garden (where there is a nude grass area...yes we saw things in only 70 degree weather). And then we stopped at a beer garden. I got Currywurst and shared a radler beer (beer with lemonade) with a friend of mine. Of course some people didnt share and so getting back on the bikes was a funny sight as some people were a little bit happier. The weather was absolutely amazing and everyone we met talked about how lucky we were. After the bike tour we got to explore for the day, so of course the group all wanted to go to the famous beerhouse called the Hofbrauhaus. There we met a group of German boys who were wearing sweatshirst full of bells, signatures, and crazy feather hats. Turns out they has just been released from the army and were celebrating. We found out that before you go one to any form of higher education in Germany you used to be required to enter the army or do civil service for a certain amount of time. This requirement had just been abolished so these 20 year olds were celebrating. It was fun to learn all about Germany and the culture. Later that night I ate a traditional German dinner of some sort of pork and a potato dumpling (honestly its kind of rubbery). But the group I was with sat for hours at our table just relaxing and chatting which was great and of course I had to get my first apple strudel of the trip.
The next morning, Saturday, was the Dachau Concentration Camp tour. Dacchau was the only concentration camp to be open the entire time of WWII so it is full of history and stories. We had a great tour guide who was actually a historian and a concentration camp specialist so she led an amazing tour. The camp itself was built for 6000 people and at its highest point had about 40,000...I could not even imagine. It was an erie and sad experience but I am very glad that I did it. There were definetly moment where I was stunned and felt uncomfortable but I think that is normal. Its is honestly hard to explain the experience.
That afternoon we had free so a large group of us went to an open air market, which of course had another beer garden...those things are everywhere in Munich!!!. But I got a Bratworst and walked around with my friend Hannah. We got fresh fruit juice, honey gummy bears and endless samples for the super nice German people. Then we ventured up to Olympic Park to see the stadiums. The park is huge and with 70+ weather it was the BEST thing to do. Hannah and I sat on the grass for at least 2 hours chatting away and enjoying the amazing view of the lake, watching paddleboats and soaking in the sun. I could live in Munich easily. The BEST part of the trip by far was when a small group of us decided to go check out another beer hall by our hostel that night. Turns out we encountered the HUGE strong beer fest. There was a live German Band standing on barells barefoot playing instruments. Everyone was dreessed up in traditional clothes (we were almost out of place in normal clothes) and everyone was standing on chairs dancing and drinking out of steins...I love Germans thats all I can say. We sang and danced along. It was the true experience...and I took plenty of videos to document how cool it was. Needless to say my dinner that night was amazing beer and applestrudel...welcome to Germany.
The last morning we woke up for a shorter bus ride to Neuschwanstein to see King Ludwig's Castle which is the one that Walt Disney based his sleeping beauty castle off of. We got tickets to go inside and everything was lavishly paintied, with jewels and mosaics everywhere. Everything you would ever hope a castle would be. There were even secret doors and cave passageways. It was very fun....I just wish I had a crown:)
Finally it was time to take the long bus ride home, but overal it was a great trip. Only two weeks left with Souther France trip next weekend and then finals. My aunt Kat and uncle Tom are here this week so it is very fun to have familiar faces around!
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