BEST OF EUROPE in 14 Days
After driving down an incredibly scenic route out of the Swiss Alps, we stopped in a quaint German town for lunch. This little town, a frequent vacation destination for many Europeans, officially introduced us to our first authentic German biergarten.
Welcome to Munich
After a long day of travel, we checked into our hotel and then headed downtown to explore Munich. Our first stop was the Glockenspiel, famously known as the cookoo clock tower.
Hofbrauhaus
Our guide Roy took us to the Hofbrauhaus for a traditional German dinner in the most famous bierhall in the world. While the food and beer were amazing, the highlight of our night was climbing the main stair case inside to see where Nazi-ism was born and the swastica was once painted on the ceiling, but has since been covered by art.
Oktoberfest
After spending the morning exploring old Munich and watching the Oktoberfest parade, we ended our time with our German guide at the Oktoberfest grounds, learning a little bit about it's history. We explored a flea circus, one of the oldest attractions at Oktoberfest, and then spent a few hours enjoying the spectacular beer tents, people watching, and enjoying a cold beer, served by one of the famous beer girls as we sat next to four older German men. Before they would allow us to sit at their table we had to tell them a little bit about ourselves so they could decide if we were "ok" to sit with them. What an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience!
The Residenz
After lunch, we headed to check out the Residenz, the former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs of the House of Wittelsbach. It is the largest city palace in Germany and displays its architecture, decor, and royal jewels. Much of the palace was destroyed during "the war" as it was most commonly refered to, with little to no mention of Nazism.
English Gardens
After a busy day exploring the city, we spent a relaxing evening walking around the English Gardens. We stumbled upon a group of surfers, who come from all around the world, to "river surf" on the Eisbach River.
