Fint i Danmark: Munich

March 16. 2009-
Amy and I departed in Poland

and I flew to Germany to see my friend Jon. I was greeted in the Munich airport by a huge BMW hood that revved its engine at me, and five friends with beer. Before we left the airport I was sitting in a beer garden in a huge courtyard outside the terminals. I liked Munich before even leaving the airport!

The highlight of my stay was the Starkbierfest which is a celebration of the strong Easter brew that comes out during Lent. It was made by the monks to help them through their fasting, and it was strong. We went to the Paulaner beer hall and watched as it filled up with hundreds of people from 4pm on, on a Wednesday afternoon. There was a full brass band and a lot of singing and dancing. It was so much fun.

Jon and his friends.

Really enjoyed my drindl costume. The mass, or Maß in German (I love the ß double 's' letter), serves a liter of beer. Its made of ceramic and you get a work out lifting one, but waitresses walk around with 8 or more at a time. This was my best attempt at becoming a bar maid.

Many, many drinking songs and classic(?) songs turned drinking such as Hey Baby from Dirty Dancing, Country Roads Take me Home, Anita, Summer of 69, and a children's song that's been commandeered and given a little dance. I will try to find an example of it on youtube. In the meantime this is "Viva Bavaria" performed about half-way through our evening.

The rest of the week I hung out and explored Munich. This is Marienplatz, the main square. I took this picture when I climbed to the top of the neighboring St. Peters church tower.

Another view down on the rest of the church and city center.

This market is called Viktualienmarket and its filed with fruit stands, food vendors and of course beer gardens. I had already tried apfelstrudel and Wiener Schnitzel so I complied with a beer in the courtyard and felt very Bavarian.

The city was wonderful to walk around in. There was so much character and it almost looked like it could fit in Disney World.

A memorial/rally for the students and teachers who were killed in the German school shooting a few weeks ago was taking place in one of the plazas. I signed a book that was addressed to the surviving students at the school. Afterward a guy asked if he could interview me. We'll have to see if I show up in some German newspaper.. I felt bad when I had heard about the shooting but I didn't realize until I was asked to talk about it how hard it was, coming from the states, to see that kind of thing happen out here.

I took some side trips outside the city. I went to Olympiapark where the 1972 Summer Olympics were held. Its a great complex with some cable and tent-like sculptures that really got me excited. They also had a big hill you could climb and overlook Munich (and the alps if it was clear enough). I read this mini mountain was constructed out of the rubble from Munich after WWII.