Oh, the Places You'll Go!

View of NeuschwansteinCastle from marienbrucke, a bridge that was about a 15 minute walk from the castle!

MUNICH, GERMANY: March 1-3

Our final with kent went considerably longer than expected so we couldn’t make the 12:12 train to Munich that we were hoping to. They leave every hour though so we weren’t concerned. However, at 1:59 I sat in the common room wandering where Bryce was (someone didn’t pack the night before), we had to get the next train at 2:12 but the train station is two minutes from the montarina. We book it down there platform three, all is good. Until we look at platform 2 which also says it’s going to Zurich and we have no idea which is the one we need to be on. The whistle blows and we hop on the first one, fingers crossed! Both trains were going to Bellinzona but we didn’t know where to after and if one was a longer route because we had to make it to Zurich to get our connecting train to Munich. We both think we got on the wrong one. We get off at Bellinzona to check the time table and realize it’s the same train just two minutes apart.. Haaa we feel stupid but pleasantly surprised. Next up for our poor planning, we didn’t take a good look at what time our train leaves Zurich or the platform or how much time we have in between. Another surprise win! We check and have about an hour until our connecting train leaves, which means we had time to find WiFi and get directions to our hostel. I don’t know how we managed to get through this with our poor planning, but we did! We found our hostel, got some late night food at McDonalds, and then crashed for the night. We also managed to get an 8 person room to ourselves haaaayyy.

The following morning we woke up early and got the train to Dachau. Dachau was a concentration camp close to Munich, actually the only camp that was open during the entire duration of the Holocaust. Afterwards we booked it back to the center of Munich to go on the free walking tour. I think this was the best tour I’ve ever had. Our tour guide was really enthusiastic and really knew his stuff.

After our tour we went back to St. Peter’s to climb to the top and got an amazing view of the city. Then we headed back to our hostel to get cleaned up for dinner and Hofbrauhaus. We went to Augustiner’s for dinner where I got a traditional german meal; pork knuckle and potato dumpling! I was a little nervous but it was actually delicious. Augustiner’s was another beer hall with large tables and you just sit wherever there is room. We found a table and cozied up next to some Germans and ate and drank for a few hours! Then we headed to Hofbrauhaus, even though Augustiner’s was a really cool atmosphere we knew we couldn’t go to Munich and not get a beer from Hofbrauhaus. Unfortunatly we wished we had stayed! Hofbrauhaus was dying down by the time we got there, the beer was more expensive, and I think it’s better to be in a larger group. They had live music and a huge dance floor, but people were clearing out and it was only like 11!

The next morning we woke up to catch a 6:52 train to Fussen to see the Castle that inspired Walt Disney! We also got tickets to get the tour inside which may not have been worth the 11 euro, but was definitely cool to see. On our way down from the castle we found an outdoor food market and bought some pizzas for lunch. These were really different and like nothing I’ve ever had before. We only had about 15 minutes to catch our train back to Munich where we got our next train to Salzburg. As I got up to walk away I realized my invisalign was gone. Just disappeared, no clue where it went. We checked all around the table and the floor and the trash and it was very upsetting. But no time to waste, if we didn’t get this train we were stuck for another 2 hours and would miss our train to Salzburg!

So we hop on the train and about an hour later I hear “oh shit babe,” … we had just missed our stop to catch our second train back to Munich. Panic, why do we keep screwing up the trains?! We asked someone to double check and we she confirmed we were 2 stops away. We got off at the next one to see what we had to do, and by some miracle we look to the next platform and it says Munchen. !!!!! The train we should have gotten on goes in the same direction for a few stops and luckily this was one of them. I don’t know where this good luck came from but I’m taking it!

Made it back to Munich, made it to our hostel, got our bags, and hopped on another train!

No pictures were allowed on the tour and cameras were everywhere, but I managed to snag this one! Inside of the castle was amazing, so detailed, nothing was done minimally. Including Ludwig’s bedroom… it took 4 years for wood carvers to create the top of this bed. It was so beautiful and intricate and I have no idea how it was created. I can’t even describe it, my words would do it no justice!

View from on top of the castle!

The castle that inspired Walt Disney! This was going to be home to King Ludwig, but he died while the inside was being finished so all construction was permanently halted. The second floor was never finished and has been turned into a  cafeteria and gift shop for those visiting the castle on tours.

We paid 1 euro to climb to the stop of St. Peter’s (oldest building in Munich) and were rewarded with this amazing view!

These two lions were donated by King Ludwig. I thought they were interesting because one’s head points to the church with it’s mouth closed; symbolizing that church is supreme and that the people will always abide by the church. The other lion’s mouth is open and faces the government, to symbolize that the people will always speak out against the government when they feel they are wrong.

The famous Hofbrahaus, a beer hall. Liters and liters and liters of beer! This one is really famous and has been around for a long time. Hitler actually made one of his speeches in this beer hall, and beer halls have actually been a prime spot for political debates and speeches (you know people will be there).

Fun Fact: making beer was actually a woman’s job! They were responsible for brewing beer for the household and worked in the beer halls!

A church contructed by an engineer who fooled the Devil. The Devil came upon the half built church and liked how it was dark and had little windows. It is said he made a deal to not put any more windows in the church or else the engineer would have to give him his soul. The Devil returned and saw the church lined with windows and demanded the soul. However, when making the deal the Devil stood in the back of the church where the sides of the building could not be seen; the windows had already there, so the engineer just didn’t add any more! The foot print is said to be that of the Devil stomping his foot with fury as he left.

The oldest building in Munich; Saint Peter’s. If you look closely, you can actually see a cannon ball that is stuck in the building! The building had some construction done to it after the war, so when the cannon ball fell out, it was replaced in the same exact spot.

Fun Fact: before the war blue prints of every building in the city were taken and so after the war it  could be rebuilt and look just as it did.

Juliet, of Romeo and Juliet. It is good luck to rub her breast, or if you are hoping to find your soul mate, you can bring her a rose!

Saint Mary’s Column, created after she protected Munich from being overtaken. Their King had run away from the battle and upon return the people were ashamed of him, but he said the reason they did not lose was because he left to pray to Mary, somehow they fell for it and created this statue completely made out of gold!

Old Town Hall!

The New Town Hall of Munich. Interestingly enough, this is actually older than the Old Town Hall, because the Old Town Hall burned down and had to be rebuilt, but was rebuilt after the New Town Hall. That’s a mouth full! At certain times of the day there is actually a ‘show’ given by the figurines on the building. Dancers going in a circle and then two men joust. We never saw it, but heard it is rather disappointing.

“Work will set you free.” This helped maintain the image that these were “work camps,” and were merely trying to regulate the behavior of these ‘misfits’ so they could then return to function properly in society.