Day 20: Munich, Germany
Monday, September 26th, 2005After last nights beer indulgence it was time to go see the City and take in some sights. With just today left here I just headed off into town and would just let my feet take me anywhere that looked interesting.
Walking through Munich’s main streets, it was far more commercialised than I had anticipated. I guess it felt more like walking through a City Centre back home than anything else. After opting for a fast food breakfast to get me going I stumbled on a street market. Contained within was an open air seating area, arranged somewhat like the inside of the tents at the Oktoberfest. The tables seemed pretty much full with everyone outside drowning themselves in Bavarian Beer. The time? 10:30am. I guess it’s never too early to start drinking around here!
Sure enough my feet just carried me here, there and everywhere, taking in buildings or areas that just looked like they may be interesting. I wound up somewhere by a University and rather grand looking building. The grounds led into a small park, a maze of little paths shooting off and a band stand in the middle where you could be entertained by the rather talented busker. I wish I knew more of what I was seeing but without a guidebook or anything similar it was just a case of wonder and take it all in.
My brain and feet feeling a little jaded and last nights endeavours catching up with me I grabbed a seat at a bar on my way back and just let the day unwind for an hour with a coke until I felt rejuvenated and headed back to the scene of the crime….Oktoberfest.
Ahhhh, Oktoberfest! My return this time was of an entirely different nature. This time it was alcohol free! No, don’t choke on your peanuts in amazement. I had an agenda. I actually wanted to take it all in, go see what the Oktoberfest had to offer, and besides, that 6.44am train was going to be hard enough to catch without the aid of the amber nectar!
The place had the feel of a big carnival or fair, super rides most of which would cause even the most steady of tums to lose its grip on reality (man, imagine going on some of these things after a few steins!! – That’s just going to be messy!!). Amazed as well by the sheer number of people in traditional attire, walking about as if it was normal (which in many ways, I guess it is) and the sheer size of some of those hotdogs! I had to try didn’t I! The Germans certainly do their beer in style!
Sights taken in, pictures taken, brain and body in need of a rest, I headed back to the hostel, this time successfully, in about 15 minutes and get my stuff packed and ready for an early exit in the morning.
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