City of Monks

A long long time ago Munchen was the name for this city of Monks.  There are no monks anymore, but the name has stayed as we know it Munich.

Now I had better review our travels as quite a lot has happened since our last blog.  We left Berlin 3 days ago and we were in plenty of time for our train.  We travelled through some pretty country with lots of pine forests and farms.  Again it was impossible to get photos  so we have to commit the views to our memory.  When a town appears, first you spy church spire and then it is a concentration of steep roofed houses and massive blocks of apartments with most of them displaying window boxes of flowers - it does look so pretty.  Some of the buildings are painted in  bright colours eg. Yellow, red, blue but mostly white with the window frames and doors bright colours.

This was a 4.1/2 hour trip and then they announced we had to transfer to another train for the remaining 1.1/2 hour trip.  This is where the our extra fun began!  Not easy transferring trains when the coach & seat numbers do not correspond, so after a quick scramble we took the chance that having the same coach number was good enough.  We were listening for our station so we could collect our gear in time.  Well we were all together and I stepped off with our loose bags and Thommo went to step down with our ports - and whooshka the doors closed!  Nothing I did would open them all Icould do was look amazed as Thommo rolled away!!  All I could do was stay & wait, thought I would be waiting at least an hour, but it was only half & Thommo and I were reunited.  Our station was Munich Passing, and it was a pretty drab siding.  Thommo checked the Garmin and it indicated 5 kms as the crow flies, so, taxi!!  This time our directions had set us off 1 station early, next stop is Munich central, only approx. 400 metres from our hotel!?  This was where Thommo did the back-flip to me, so the 25 euro cab fare was  very unwelcome!

Long day, and I had to leave poor Thommo on his own to have tea, at a cafe down the road, which had been recommended by the barman.  It was an excellent choice, and we went back last night so I could take the photo of the beer!

Sightseeing today, and after a short stroll I convinced Thommo that the tour bus is the only way we are going to see most of this town.  Well, there are just a few of the 13th century buildings standing (tne city was almost flattened in the 2nd WW.), and they are surrounded by huge modern buildings for InternationalBanks, Universal Insurance companies and even more private banks.  The people are pleasant, very business like, no light chit-chat here.  Thommo gave me a rest in the afternoon, as we wanted to check-out the Oktoberfest.

Well, we set off at 6pm, and we just litterally had to follow the crowd,  by there thousands and quite a few looked wobbly on their legs!  Couldn't miss it, it is huge and must cover at least 2 square miles!  Tory you would be in your element here, the rides are awesome, miles of them bigger, scarrier than Dreamworld.  These rides are surrounded with again,huge beer halls/gardens and every description of food and souveniers.  Most of the people are in their national dress, and I guess with the help of the beer, they are all very jolly!!

If we could have made it in to a beer hall that would have been great, but the crowds waiting outside indicated a very very long wait!!  Frustrating for Thommo too, as it wou,d have been an experience to watch the dancing and enjoy a beer.  As it was we made it to his little beer house for tea, and his jug of beer.

After this blog I am off to get some more medical help, must try and fix this malais I am struggling with.  Off to Prague tomorrow, so we should have some special photos from there.  Enjoy our Munich moments below  xoxoxox