Days 35 and 36 - Munich

 Germany is very welcoming to motorhomes, and always makes provision for them. Here in Munich we are parked up right outside the Bayern Munich FC ground, Allianz Arena. Although motorhomes are not allowed on match days, there is room for at least one hundred vans, at €15 per night. Basic sanitary facilities (ie toilet cassette emptying, cleaning and re-chemical loading by a machine!), fresh water and rubbish disposal are all to hand.

Furthermore, there is an U-Bahn (underground) station at the other end of the arena, which takes you directly into the city centre, at the pleasing cost of only €5 for a day ticket. 



We just spent Tuesday at the arena doing a little admin, for we knew we had three or four full on days in Munich ahead of us. So, Wednesday morning was a U-Bahn trip into Marienplatz, smack bang in the middle of Munich. 

Some of the buildings there were magnificent, but the shopping area could have come from and large city centre - big names and high prices. The best building was the "new" Rathaus (town hall), with a very ornate clock.








In the afternoon we had a walking tour around the city on the theme of the Third Reich. The guide was excellent, and he told the story of the years between 1914 and 1945, and explained modern German attitudes to the period. It was very well done, and brought together all the little snippets of knowledge I had of the period.

After the tour it was evident that a beer was called for, so we called in at probably the best known beer cellar - the Hofbrau Haus. It was huge, with everything you thought you knew about these cellars - an Umpapa band, communal seating on long benches and tables, and huge steins of beer. The noise level was incredible, but although huge quantities of beer were being consumed there was absolutely no sense of anyone being out of control.

The Bavarians are very proud of their national dress, lederhosen and dirndls, and will wear it if going out for an evening on the town. So it was great when a local lad sat down beside me, and we had a great conversation. Marco had spent three years at the Nissan factory in Sunderland (something to do with supplying roofs for convertible Micras!), where he said he had the best time of his life.


 

We were also joined by a retired German Army Colonel called Achim. He had met Giles and Linda several years before on a camping site in Sicily, and they got on very well. Hence when Giles rang him to say we were in Munich, he immediately came to the beer cellar. What a cracking good evening!

Today, Thursday, Achim is coming to collect us and take us on an off-beat tour. Should be fun! 

Comments

  1. Vicky Garcia Rodriguez23 September 2021 at 12:12

    Oh David I am enjoying these updates. You seem so happy and by the looks you are flushed with beer or getting plenty of rays. Carry on enjoying!

    ReplyDelete

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