In Old Bavaria - Munich 2008

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Hello All!

If you have not ever been to Munich, go there. If you can’t, then just go to EPCOT Center. But for those who would like to make the trip, I suggest you skip October Fest and come at the end of November. Why? Christmas markets. Germany is famous for the various Christmas markets it as throughout the country. They are so popular, the markets have spread to neighboring countries on the border like Switzerland and France.

Me, Amanda, my roommate Matt, and our friend Sarah all went to Munich for the Christmas markets. This was a really great trip because it wasn’t about seeing sights as much as experiencing the culture. That means drinking a whole lot of Gluhwein (Glue-vine). It a warm wine drink that keeps you warm deep inside. I think I spent most of my money on that while there. You put deposits down on these Gluhwein mugs that if return, you get the deposit back. If not, you have a simple souvenir.

The markets are filled with little Christmas ornaments, woodworks, and FOOD. It’s the German equivalent to a state fair I guess. It’s just a little bit smaller and the food is more home-cooked. After spending Saturday doing the market thing, we went that night to the Hofbräuhaus for dinner and, of course, beer. We had a lot of fun there. Matt had 3 liters of German beer, and was having the most fun out of us all.

Sunday we went to Salisburg, Austria, for another Christmas market. It was a two-hour train ride, so we played cards on the train. The German trains are by far my favorite. They are the most comfortable; much more so than Belgium. Austria was beautiful. We were able to see the Alps from the train and the view from the city fortress was amazing. The market here was much bigger than Munich, so it was really cool to see how spread out it was. The weather was great while there and there was some snow on the ground. It was the first real snow I had seen since January 2008 at home.

Monday we hit up the Christmas market in Munich again for some gift shopping. This was followed by another spell at the Hofbräuhaus. We drank a bit there before hitting the Gluhwein stands again. Finally, we made our way back to London. Bavaria is a beautiful part of Germany. I think Germany has been one of my favorite destinations through all of my travels. Every time I come to Germany, I can feel the Old World still in everyday life. It’s the sort of cultural exchange I always enjoy most.

The next trip is to Basel, Switzerland/Colmar, France/ Freiberg, Germany.

Cheers,

Aaron

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Photos

Me and Matt Atop the Salisburg Fortress
Matt made me laugh by pondering the humor in the event the wall we sat on collapsed as we sat.

The Alps
Amazing view from the Fortress

'Crackling Pork Knuckle' at the HBH
That's what she said . . .

Tombo on Liter three
He loved that Frosty ginger bread