MUNICH, GERMANY
We finally left the USA for our Expat adventure on March 8, 2022 after a two year delay due to Covid 19. We left Newport Beach and sold the Volvo as the final divesting of our possessions. The photo below is photo of our belongings that we are taking for the first year of our journey overseas. Three suitcases and our backpack carry-ons.
We arrived early to the airport and spent our waiting time in the Star Alliance lounge in the LAX international terminal. This is the way to wait for your plane boarding. In the lounge there are comfortable seats without being crowded with a mass of humanity in the terminal. We were able to have a nice lunch of cheeses and fruits. There were hot meal options available but we wanted the lighter fare. Plenty of drinks from juices and soft drinks to beer wine and a full bar with top shelf liquor. All complimentary
Mary Kay had her first taste of travelling Business Class. After enjoying the lounge pre-flight, She was ecstatic when we sat down in our seats on the plane. not only were the seats recliners but they were able to be fully reclined to enable sleeping for our 10 hour overnight flight to Munich, She enjoyed it so much that she says she wants to always travel business class. ... Oh well ... there goes the travel budget!!!
We had a 22 hr layover in Munich. So we took ubahn train from the airport to Karlsplatz and then walked to our hotel.
We are staying in the City Aparthotel in the center of Munich.
Sonnenstraße 18b, 80331 München, Germany.
The room had a kitchen & living room with a bedroom
Marlenplatz
We had a beautiful Munich late afternoon that was crisp and clear. We left our hotel to walk a few blocks Marienplatz, the central square of Munich’s Altstadt (Old Town).The architecture around Marienplatz is simply iconic.
The first building that caught our eye was the neo-Gothic New Town Hall home of the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel.
We did not arrive at the right time to watch the Glockenspiel’s “cooper’s dance” perform to the tune of 43 bells clanging, but it was still a sight to see.
The building that dominates Marienplatz is the splendiferous Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), a structure with architecture that would turn the head of anyone who sees it. It was built in the late 1800s.
It’s simply a feast for the eyes. There's something new to notice in virtually every square foot of the neo-gothic edifice. Its elaborate façade rises over a grand arched arcade at ground level. There are statues-galore on the upper stories – paupers, gargoyles and dragons. Turrets line the gables and a grand clock tower, with the Glockenspiel. It is not limited to the the exterior facing Marienplatz square is continues into the courtyard that also has a Restaurant nestled into one of the corners.
Elsewhere on Marienplatz, we spot the beautifully Gothic Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus). Confusingly, Old Town Hall is actually younger than New Town Hall; it took a thorough beating in WWII and was later rebuilt. The impressive medieval interior houses a Museum which we were not able to visit due to time constraints for our layover visit here.
We leave Marlenplatz and move north to find the Munich Residenz on Max-Joseph-Platz. Here you can see how the other half lived at this stately former palace of the Bavarian royalty.
The incredible Munich Residenz is spread across several buildings, courtyards, and gardens that span several city blocks. As the largest city palace in Germany, exploring to its fullest will take you a couple hours.
As we continue down Max- Joseph- Platz we can see copper domes on a mustard yellow building which draws us to it. It is the Theatine Church of St. Cajetan, or Theatinerkirche as it is more simply known in German, is widely known for its impressive mustard-yellow Rococo façade, twin towers and large dome.
I was really impressed by the ornately carved wooden confessionals in contrast to the white interior in this beautiful Catholic Church.
Past its Rococo-style exterior, the church's interior is richly decorated in Italian Baroque style, with sweeping white stucco arches and ornate domes gleaming in the light.
From Marienplatz, look up to the northwest from New Town Hall and navigate a couple streets over towards the graceful Frauenkirche and glimpse the twin onion domes of Frauenkirche piercing into the sky.
Frauenkirche is the most enduring symbol of Munich. The church was heavily damaged in World War II.
One of the quirkiest features of Frauenkirche is the “Devil’s Footstep” at the entrance. Legends claim that the 20-year construction of the cathedral in the 15th century would have been impossible without some kind of divine intervention. Or rather not so divine. The lore is; seeing his project timelines slipping away, the builder enlisted the help of Satan himself to finish erecting the cathedral on time. In exchange, he promised to keep the interior windowless to bathe the church in darkness. The builder fulfilled his end. Or so the devil thought. The devil was fooled because once he stepped out of the dark vestibule hew as bathed in light, so the devil slammed his foot into the floor of the entrance, forever indenting the concrete with his footprint because he was displeased with being fooled.
Viktualienmarkt
The market stalls at Viktualienmarkt carry an array of fresh fruits and vegetables and bakery items along with local specialties. Along the perimeter are meat markets selling all sorts of meats and sausages. At the center is a beer garden of course since this is Germany.
We were hungry so we decided to experience the the flavor of Germany by dining and drinking at the Hofbrauhaus. If Munich is the capital of the beer-drinking faith, this must be where pilgrims come to pray. The mighty Hofbrauhaus it is like a mini-Oktoberfest all year round. music.
Inside the restaurant was a cacophony of sounds, from the polka band to the young men singing drinking songs. there were women clad in lederhosen selling big pretzels and everyone was hoisting glass steins of beer. We found that most of the young people were singing that popular Bavarian Polka song written by Jack White "Seven Nation Army"
We drank the dark Hofbrau Dunkel beer and I ordered the HB Fried sausage with sauerkraut and Mary Kay ordered the Crisp Roast Suckling Pig.