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.