Central European Tour, Part 2: Munich

Hello again! It's been a while since I've last blogged. Over the past week and a half I've been making my way around Central Europe - in Budapest, Munich, and Prague, each for three wonderful days. As you can imagine, I have a lot to share. Here is part two, Munich, in pictures and captions:

Our 6 hour train from Budapest to Munich wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Scenes like this certainly helped! Also I listened to this song (made famous by its appearance in the movie Super Troopers) non stop after crossing the German Border. So that helped too.

Munich is in Bavaria, so there is a lot of medieval looking structures around town. This is gate near Karlsplatz marks the entrance to the more historic part of town.

This is New Town Hall in Marienplatz, the most famous square in Munich. It's a really fun place to be - I found myself in this area multiples time each day!

That's Old Town Hall behind me, sort of Disney-esque. Marienplatz is a lot of fun, this bears repeating.

Well you knew it would come to this: Munich is THE BEST place to drink beer in the entire world. Our first night there, Katie and I made our way to the world famous beer hall Hofbrahaus.

This is the standard size of beverage in Munich: 1 Liter! Anything less, and the barmaids or waiters will make fun of you or ask you if you're thirsty. I'm enjoying the Original brew here, but there is also dark, white, and different types of radlers (half lemonade, half your-choice-of beer). I rotated which types I tried throughout different places in the city and can't really say that I have a clear favorite. I tended to opt for White, Dark, or Radlers though because I thought Orginal was really good, but a little boring (given the other options). Also, I bought a huge mug like that because how could I not buy a comically large mug like that?

This place is way bigger than you think. This is one of maybe 12 huge rooms on the ground floor and there are a few floors and an outside area as well. Katie and I had a pretty fun dinner here, seeing people from all over the world enjoy the fine Bavarian atmosphere of the Hofbrauhaus. We liked it so much we came back with friends a few nights later.

Munich wasn't all fun and games. Katie and I decided to make the trip out to Dachau, the first and "model" concentration camp during World War II. This was perhaps one of the most powerfully sad and moving trips I've ever taken in my life.

NOTE: The following pictures are definitely disturbing, so please proceed with caution.

This gate means "Work makes you free" and is meant as a sort of false-hope taunt for the prisoners upon entry.

Those are some barracks that still remain on the site. They were often overcrowded to something along the lines of 6 times capacity. It is quite an eerie feeling to be walking through a concentration camp, even when it is a historical memorial and museum.

This is the main adminstrative building and museum, which was incredibly informative and well-done, at Dachau.

In a few different languages, this wall reads: "May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defence of peace and freedom and in respect for their fellow men."

This is a model of what the camp used to look like.

This area was used for solitary confinement and torture. I didn't feel it appropriate to take pictures inside, but it was a series of small rooms that prisoners were usually made to stand for hours in or endure other methods of torture. Dachau was one of the place the infamous "medical experiments" took place on prisoners. I found myself often wondering how something things like this could ever happen.

The chilling memorial, made to look like the deformed bodies found upon liberation and the end of WWII.

This is a close up of the barracks, which were always overflowing with people. Unnecessary disease, as you can imagine, was quite prevalent.

Barracks and other buildings used to occupy this space.

This is the crematorium, where the Nazis disposed of prisoners who had died in camp, often being beaten, shot, or worked to death.


NOTE: The next few images are perhaps the most disturbing. I felt that they are necessary to include on this post to capture the wretchedness of these camps, but if you'd prefer not to see them, skip ahead.

Innocent and tortured bodies burned in these ovens. Completely heartbreaking.

This is the entrance to the "shower", which was really a gas chamber disguised as a shower. Apparently, the one at Dachau was never used for some unknown reason, but it exists nonetheless.

In chambers like this around the world, many innocent Jews and other groups of people (political prisoners, homosexuals, gypsies, war prisoners, etc.), met death. Memorials like Dachau exists to simply say: "Never again".

These "delousing" chambers were also a lie: filled with poisonous gas, prisoners were slaughtered by the masses.

Dachau was perhaps the most educational and memorable experience I have had in my travels abroad. I certainly walked away with a better understanding of what occurred in Europe during World War II and a true bewilderment of how something like this could ever happen. I would encourage anyone who ever has the chance to go to a concentration camp memorial site - it really gives you a new perspective on history and the world we live in. The take away message from something like this is right on the memorial: "May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defence of peace and freedom and in respect for their fellow men."

Some of my favorite parts of Munich were the beer gardens: outdoor picnic areas to enjoy a fine Munich brew. This one is in Viktualienmarkt, an outdoor market square near Marienplatz.

More Viktualienmarkt - a fun place to be!

St. Peter's Church, which provides a great view from the top of the tower. Katie and I made the trek up., as you soon shall see..

The inside of St. Peter's church is quite beautiful.

Marienplatz, from the top of St. Peter's.

Viktualienmarkt from above.

Old Town Hall from above.

New Town Hall - maybe the only way to get a full picture of it!

Enjoying the view, with Frauenkirche in the background.

So this is Springfest. EASILY the biggest disappointment of the trip, as "Springfest" is basically a rinky-dink carnival that has a few German drinking themed tents where you can have the esteemed honor of paying 10 Euro for a so-so liter of beer amongst thousands of your closest American study abroad comrades. Seriously, there had to be about 75% Americans at this event. I'll rant more on the disappointment in a few pictures, but the bottom line is the: There are much much much better places to drink - better and less expensive beer - in Munich.

This is where Oktoberfest takes place usually. An enormous field called Theresienwiese is completely packed with beer, events, and festivals. However, only the front was used for Springfest, foreshadowing disappointment.

Katie and I met up with some friends and soon discovered that we'd overpay to be in a rowdy frat-like atmosphere. However, we still had fun because we were with friends.

Buddies Mike and Dave pictured with me here. We are at maybe one of 4 full tables of BC kids. After the novel of seeing a billion Americans wore off though, the place got pretty rowdy.

You're looking at a room full of Americans. Some would get up on tables and chug. Others would drop their huge glasses and get thrown out by security. Everyone would overpay for a manufactured Munich experience. Springfest = Scam. Again: EVERYWHERE else I went to drink in Munich was 1000x better and much less expensive.

This is more like it! Kickin' it with Mike and Dave (as well as a bunch of our other friends) at a beer hall down by Marienplatz. We paid a much fairer for these high quality brews.

One morning, Katie and I did a little art viewing at the Alte Pinkothek. It was actually a short and sweet trip through the long hallway-like building. No pictures inside, but it was quite enjoyable!

For lunch, we made our way through Englischer Garten. Nice place!

The English Garden is so beautiful

Hanging at the famous Chinese Tower. I could spend a whole day here in Spring!

Happened to bump into one of my good friends, Chris, who was on a bike tour. Small world!

People surf in the creek in English Garden. Seems like a lot of fun.

Popular choice!

For our final meal, we went to Hofbrauhaus once again, but this time with everyone in town from BC. A great end to our time in Munich!

Katie and I enjoying a dark beer and white beer radler.

Munich might have been my favorite city we have visited so far. I could definitely see myself going back, hopefully sooner rather than later. It was just a fun place to be. Next time, I'll try to avoid being there during Springfest - perhaps see the real-deal of Oktoberfest one day? Who knows. Anyway, our next stop was in Bohemia: that's right - Prague. Stay tuned!