Holy Wedding Cake.

Dear God. I have been in Vienna for barely two hours, and I cannot pick my chin up off the ground! This place is the most decadent city I have ever had the pleasure to wander through. Gilded in gold, bronze rooftops, cleaner than Munich... everything is just pristine! The gardens, the palaces, the monuments, the statues, the cafes, the... well, the everything. Its amazing. And this isn't even at its most prominent point in history! And to think I almost skipped Vienna. Funny how a quick change of itenirary can change your mind about an entire continent... I always thought Paris was it. Well, my dear city of light, you are getting a run for your money!

Decadent is the word I would use to desribe this place. Every building, at every turn, looks like its overflowing with fondant used to make wedding cakes. Layer after layer it builds, and then edged with a thin vein of gold that makes it all sparkly in the sunlight. I feel very small here. Piquena. Yet, I know my eyes cannot get any larger at the grandeur they are exposed to on every street corner. With every turn of the next, are more delights to see. More spectacles to overwhelm... and this idea that this is a city where people work, play and live... Who knew?!

I do feel honored to be here for the next two days. If only my eyes can stop bulging and my chin can hold itself in place!

My 2-Night Neighborhood

Because I go and do and see so much in these European cities, I am a constant fixture walking up and down the streets of Munich. Always going somewhere, but always going. I have passed the corner bakery at least a dozen times in the past 36 hours. I have waved at the barman at two cafes along Baadkerstrausse more times than I can count.

And as a result of wanting to take in everything in my hood, after such a busy day in Munich, I am hanging out in my 'hood' this evening. Local meal followed by local drinks followed by a quick walk down the street to my 'house' before crashing for the evening.

I am beyond exhausted from a day of sightseeing. This will be my version of relaxing... I hope!

Touring Munich

When I travel solo, I have a tendency to wear myself out. There is so much to see and do, and me being me, I feel I can do it all. So I do. Today, was no exception.

There is a Palace to see, a festival to attend, a bell tower to climb, and German food to enjoy. Not to mention the countless markets, streets, churches and interesting courtyards I will pass along the way.

Here are a few photos from the day:

Running thru an English Garden

The next day I awoke early and was ready to see more of Munich. As I have found, a morning run in a new city is the best way to take in a lot while burning off any restless energy so as soon as the sun came up I hit the streets.

I was headed to the English Garden and while that sounded cool, I had no idea what to expect. I ran past several historical sites, and found the path leading to the garden. And what a garden it was! With the morning mist still hovering on the lake and in the meadow, this place was straight ouf of a fairytale.

"You Have Beautiful Eyes"

In order to get the most authentic experiences in my travels, I always stick to menus that are true to what is typical in a region, and for me that meant venturing to a German Ratzskellar following drinks at the Hofbrau Haus. Ratzskellars are typically situated in basements or some subterranean set-up; and offer fresh and varied offerings each night; which usually involve potatoes of some sort. This place was exactly that.

I found a table in a cozy nook of the restaurant, and loved the glow of the wine bottle candles and the atmosphere the dim lighting created. I had purposefully sat on the opposite side of the room as a large group of older Italian men who were quite rambunctious as not to be bothered.

Tough luck. No sooner had I ordered than the group seemed to morph into my space, and the whole game of "translation" began as a VERY basic conversationin VERY broken English ensued.

This was not the idea of a quiet evening for one that I had envisioned, and I asked for my check and headed out. But not before one very pursuant man told me five times "che bella due ochi"... He was clearly on repeat, and I was clearly exasperated so out into the streets I went to get lost in the Munich crowds. City living is great for quick escapes, I just hope there are not too many more of these instances instore for this trip!

Oktoberfest

Finding "the fest" in Munich was easy as pie. It was happening everywhere in the city. I simply had to venture out of my hotel and the crowds sweep me along to the next beer house. From Paulaner to Augusteiner to the most sought after Hofbrau Haus; which was a bit more difficult to find. I had an address, and a map, and neither seemed to help me as I followed Liederhosen around in circles until BAM! there it was.

The crowd to get in was maddening, but somehow I slipped to the front and got in the door. I went where the stairs lead and found out what everyone was talking about... a beer hall, filled with lots of manly men drinking beer out of gargantuan mugs, an "oompah band", and the chanting that filled the room. How fun was this!

Now the art and the act of getting a beer. As I would soon learn in most German (and Austrian) spots and beer halls in particular there is not a "bar" that you would find in most American drinking establishments. You don't walk up to a bar order a beer and just stand around... instead you sit at a table and wait on the bar maid/man to bring it over to you (like you were at a restaurant) and then once you pay you can get up and mill about. And that's exactly what I did. Except I decided to venture out the to the 'biergarten' and found a stoop to sit on and watch the crowds. Rowdiness and revelry were in full effect, and I was the fly on the wall taking it all in.

A City full of Liederhosen

As the train rolled closer to Munich, I realized I had no idea what to expect once the train stopped. I had mapped out the city related to my hotel, I had a list of "must-sees" and "hope to sees" but not a list of "what I am going to see". As I stepped off the train, I would know soon enough!

Walking out of the station with my bags in tow, had me standing in the warm sunshine waiting for a taxi to get me to my hotel. The sky was brilliant blue, and it seemed that everyone was outside enjoying the 80 degree weather. Beers were in hand, and liederhosen was the garb of choice.

As I rode along in the taxi, taking in the city-scape of Munich the two words that came to mind were 'tidy" and 'systematic". Everything was so organized, nothing felt wasted, it was a simply laid-out city, with everything in its place. An element of tight perfection exuded from the buildings. Kind of like being in IKEA, and the trendy sense of organziation that comes from those walls. It felt very, well, very German from everything I had learned of the country.

My hotel on BaadkerStrasse was very much the same. A tightly organized room for one, with cupboard kitchen, junior full size bed, study area, and full bath. Yep, something straight from an IKEA catalog.

Bags in room, key left with the front desk, I was ready to get going on this Oktoberfest adventure. Here. we. go!