Munich: Part I

Upon arriving to Munich by bus on Saturday, we visited Schloss Nymphenburg which is the castle built by Ludwig I King of Bavaria made to look like Versailles. Though the weather wasn't too lovely, we enjoyed looking at the gardens and surrounding buildings. We then proceeded to the King's Hotel where we have been staying. The remainder of the day was spent on a walking tour of the city. We went all over the city's numerous centers and squares learning about its history from the Middle Ages through WWII and on to the present. Since much of the city was destroyed during WWII as it was the center for the development of the Third Reich and the Nazis, there is an odd mix of architecture. The city is a blend of modern steel and glass buildings alongside Medieval, Renaissance, and 19th century architecture.

After our city tour, we went to one of the oldest beer gardens in Germany, the Augustina Beer Garden here in Munich. It has been around since 1328. Ironically, the brewery was first established by the Augustina Monestary. We sat in a long stone hall down deep below the Beer Garden because of the rain. Where we sat was once the place where all of the beer was stored. It reminded me of scenes in Brave Heart for A Knight's Tale where everyone is gathered in big halls at long tables being loud, eating, and drinking. It was a really interesting cultural experience that shows the true social and community culture of Germany and Bavarians.

Sunday was a free day and Randy, Clara, and I decided to go visit Neuschwanstein Castle about two hours away by train. The castle was built in the 1860's by King Ludwig II. Its architecture mimics ancient Roman style with all of columns and arches, but has a lot of Bohemian flair. It was absolutely amazing and so elaborate, but it is easy to see why he was declared mentally unsound and the castle's 2nd floor was never completed.

We had a few complications with getting tickets for a tour, but finally got tickets for one in English at 5:20. Thus we had the whole afternoon to spend in the village at the base of the foothills of the Alps. We had delicious schnitzel sandwiches for lunch, enjoyed the quaint shops (and the tourist ones as well), and then leisurely made our way up the mountain above the castle to take pictures. It was super cold up at the top in the hills, but it was completely worth being a bit uncomfortable for the breath-taking views.

After our tour, we returned to Munich by train, enjoying the German countryside along the way.

We had official educational appointments this afternoon and learned much about the government of Bavaria, but I must share all of that later! Guten tag for now :)