Ich liebe Deutschland!

This was my first visit to Munich, a city I have always wanted to see. It did not disappoint me in any way. The obvious first place that any tourist goes to is the Marienplatz. This is the central link where visitors meet. Once you get off the train and exit the station via the steps, you will find tourists coming from different directions. Some are walking from the Hofbräuhaus in Bräusstraße or from under the Altes Rathaus (old town hall), and the chances are good that they come from Neuhauserstraße, a well-known street for shopping. The Marienplatz is surely a great meeting place or the perfect spot to eat a german delicacy on one of the benches.

Like the typical tourist we went to the Hofbräuhaus to taste the famous beer and food. The place was packed with tourists. We were able to find a spot across a lonely Japanese tourist who were kind enough to let us sit with him. We had a great time and went back the next day to see if the band was playing. I took a few photos and made my way out. The place is less crowded during the day, so I’d suggest if to go during the day if you’d like to experience it.

We went to see the Residenz München. It is a beautiful palace and well worth the visit. The closest metro is the Odeonplatz, and the entrance to the palace is on Residenzstraße. You will receive an audio guide that explains a lot of history and interesting facts about the Residenz.

A cool place to visit if you are heading towards the English Garden, is Eisbachwelle where surfers meet and showcase their skills. You can watch them from the bridge.

If you enter the English Garden from there make sure you visit the The Chinesischer Turm (engl: Chinese Tower). This a great place to relax and eat a pretzel after the long walk. The beer goes well with the pretzel.  You will find a few interesting people in the garden. From sunbathing without any clothes, to wannabe fighters like the ones in the second photo below.

Close to Marienplatz is the famous St. Peter’s Church. You can climb the nearly 300 steps to reach the top and enjoy the stunning views over Munich. It is a bit cramped up there but it was worth every step.

A bucket list entry of mine was to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich. You can’t help to think what happened here to so many people. I think the crematorium was the worst place to visit as well as the gas chamber just next to it. It is definitely not a happy tourist place but still a good place to visit.

If you wander around Marienplatz you will definitely pass through the beautiful place called Viktualienmarkt. You will see the crowds in the beer garden and fresh produce that surrounds it.

We made our way to the Olympiapark where they hosted the 1972 Olympic Games. It is a good place to stroll around and you will pass the BMW museum as well as the BMW Welt. There is a few vendors that sell crepes and coffee. We took ours and sat on a hill overlooking the whole place.

Security during our visit was on an all time high after a terrorist attack in the city. Despite this, we had a great time in Munich and enjoyed our visit. Danke Munich!

Phillip is a teacher in Oman during the school term, but a traveller and photographer whenever he gets the chance! The travel bug has bitten him from the first time he has stepped on a plane for his first flight. From there on there was no turning back!! Visit www.saffatravels.com to see more of Phillip’s blogs and beautiful photos.