When we got to Munich the hostel was indeed close to the train station which was extremely convenient. The staff was extremely friendly and the rooms were huge! We decided we wanted to start our time in Munich in a famous beer hall called Hofbräuhaus but first we went to the bar at our hostel for happy hour. During happy hour drinks were extremely cheap so we each bought a drink. Shortly after sitting down we made friends with the people on either side of us. Everyone at the bar was so friendly and by the end of happy hour we had finished a few drinks and made friends from Australia, Canada, South Africa, and some places in the US. Once happy hour ended we told our new friends that we wanted to go to Hofbräuhaus so a big group of us made our way there. The inside with all the booths were closed so we had to get a big table outside. When we got to the table there was a delicious looking pastry thing sitting on the table that the people before us had left behind. Somehow I agreed to take a bite of it if one of our other friends did so when he did I was forced to. It was amazing. Probably one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. I don’t know what it was but it was good. When they cleared off the table and our waitress came we all got beers that came in huge liter sized glasses. I got a wheat beer that was really good. Our Australian friend was hungry so he asked the waitress what to get to eat that was could and she pointed to one that she said “you people” like. When it came out it was bratwurst and sauerkraut. Surprisingly I liked it all! I thought I would hate sauerkraut but it was actually really good. We ended up sitting there talking until we were kicked out because they were closed. Then we walked back to the hostel and got some Snicker’s gelato on the way back. After our first night it was official ... I loved Munich!
Mackenzie and I woke up early the next day to start exploring the city. We saw a lot of the famous landmarks including the famous clock in Marienplatz called Glockenspiel. We also walked through the palace gardens which were pretty. When it was close to noon we walked back to the clock to see it play. There are little figures that spin around and stuff which was kind of cool but definitely overrated which I had heard. After watching the clock we went back to the hostel quickly and then headed to Viktualienmarkt which was a cute market with tons of German specialties. We treated ourselves to bratwurst and big pretzels which were really good. Then we took the S-Bahn to get to the place where the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial was. When we got off the S-Bahn we decided to do the remembrance walk to the camp instead of taking the bus. We only got a little lost once on the way but we found it and there were interesting panels with information about the camp on the way. When we got to the camp it was a lot to take in. It was huge and only had a few buildings remaining that had information in them about the camp. The pictures were pretty graphic and there were also quotes from prisoners. They also had the gas chambers and crematorium to look at. Overall it was a very interesting experience and although it took up a large part of our day I was happy we got to do it.
When we got back to the city center we walked to the English Gardens. First we found where surfers ride an endless wave on the river. It was really cool to watch and I was impressed how good they were at it. To be able to jump into the wave and avoid the walls on both side definitely took skill. After we saw the surfers we went to a famous beer garden in the park called the Chinese Tower. It was like a buffet in the middle of the park with picnic tables surrounding a chinese looking tower. I tried the weinerschnitzel which was really good and got a lemonade beer which was one of the best beers I had in Munich. We had to pay a one euro deposit for our beer glass and I decided for one euro I wanted the glass. Mackenzie decided to keep hers too but she also wanted a liter sized one so she stole one sitting on a tray. Needless to say she got some very strange looks walking back through Munich carrying two empty glasses.
We walked back to the hostel, showered, and walked down to the bar just in time to get a drink before happy hour ended. Some of our friends from the night before were there and the longer we sat there more of our friends started showing up. We were planning on going to another beer hall but everyone was hanging out at the hostel bar and apparently the beer halls closed around 11. Our Australian friend walked in soaking wet saying he walked through the fountain at Karlsplatz. Then later somehow we started talking about Vegemite, which is some gross Australian spread, and he went up to his room and brought down a tube. He had tried to convince us to go run in the fountain and then he tried to convince us to eat the Vegemite. Mackenzie tried the Vegemite and said it was gross so I said I’d run through the fountain but I wasn’t eating that nasty stuff. A few minutes after I agreed to run through the fountain someone spilled almost their whole beer on me and I was literally drenched. I decided it was a sign that I needed to run through the fountain (even though Mackenzie refused to do it) so we took the camera and walked to the fountain. We ran through about 5 times and even stood under it for awhile. It was freezing but so much fun. When we finished I was literally wringing out my hair and my dress which I decided was now clean. After our fountain adventure we treated ourselves to a brownie McFlurry from McDonald’s which was delicious.
When we got back to the hostel I went upstairs and changed into my pajamas because it was the only thing I had sitting out and I didn’t feel like taking out more clothes. So I ended the night in the hostel bar soaking wet wearing my pajamas (and no I wasn’t even drunk). We ended up sitting on the stairs of the hostel and talking for hours until I realized if I went to sleep I would only sleep for two and a half hours which wasn’t worth it to me so I ended up just staying up all night. Around eight we started getting ready for the day and Mackenzie and I went to get bratwurst from the market. On the way to get the brat we stopped and got warm peanuts covered in some sort of sugar and other stuff which was delicious. After our brat we each ate some form of apple strudel which was also good. Then we picked up some last minute souvenirs and I bought myself a pair of Birkenstocks. At 10:30 we met our friends from Canada in the lobby because they were taking the same train as us to Berlin. Our train left around 11 and we should get to Berlin around 5. I am currently on the train to Berlin with Mackenzie in front of me sleeping with her mouth wide open as usual and the Canadians around me speaking in French. I was really sad to leave Munich because I loved it so much. It was the first city we have visited that I didn’t think we had enough time in. I am definitely going to go back one day, hopefully during Octoberfest :)
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