After my first two weeks in Ireland, I knew that I wanted to spend the coming weekend visiting either the west coast of Ireland or another European country. When my friend who I hadn't seen since June told me she was going to be in Germany on her fall break from college, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to both see a different country and briefly meet up with my friend. Therefore, I found inexpensive plane tickets on Ryanair and a hotel 40 minutes from Munich and set off with my friends from Ireland to Germany.
CUISINE AND ARCHITECTURE
For lunch we ended up at a small cafe, where the menu was entirely in German. This indicated an authentic experience. We ordered "Brotzeit fur 2 Personen", which was a typical German platter of assorted snack dishes. Included was Schinken (ham), Speck (another kind of ham), Wurst (sausage), Obatzda (cheese spread), and assorted hearty breads. The experience was by far one of the most immersive of the trip, both with the German language and the local cuisine.
Afterwards, we ventured into the city, wandering around and looking at the unique Bavarian architecture of the city. The many courtyards and plazas were all surrounded by spires, ornate decoration and statues. The architecture in Munich was truly unique and different, and it lended the atmosphere of the city to feel just as unique.
Afterwards, we ventured into the city, wandering around and looking at the unique Bavarian architecture of the city. The many courtyards and plazas were all surrounded by spires, ornate decoration and statues. The architecture in Munich was truly unique and different, and it lended the atmosphere of the city to feel just as unique.
A VISIT WITH A FRIENDBeing able to see an old friend in a new place was a truly surreal experience. The best part about the initial meeting was how classic it was. She said to meet at the golden spire in the middle of Marienplatz, but after going around the whole thing I could not see her. Then, I hear a familiar voice call my name from behind. Such a greeting was classic of Hollywood movies, which made it that much better. We spent a while chatting, catching up on her life at college and mine abroad in Europe. I introduced her to the friends I had made, and we all shared a special moment in the heart of Munich.
This was only the first of three times we met on the trip, as I did not want to intrude on her family vacation. The second was an unexpected meeting at Dachau Concentration Camp, and the third was Saturday evening before we both left Germany on the Sunday morning. The weekend was such a special opportunity to reconnect and share stories and experiences from each of our lives that had changed so much in the previous months. With each visit more stories were shared. Such an opportunity to visit with a friend is one that I will never forget. |
DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMPBoth my friends and I thought it would be important to visit a concentration camp while in Germany. You learn about the Holocaust and the events of World War II in school, but living the history in the place it happened is extremely different.
It happened that there was a concentration camp right outside of Munich on the Autobahn, which we decided to visit Saturday morning. When we arrived, it was nothing like what I expected. It was much more real than I could have imagined. While walking around the camp I understood much more what I had previously learned in school. What had seemed so distant before became so real. Dachau Concentration camp was not an extermination camp and was only open from 1933-1945, but in the years that it was opened many atrocities occurred. I will not go into detail, but it was truly a somber visit and a meaningful experience. I am glad that I visited Dachau, as what I learned there will carry with me for the rest of my life. Such a place makes you reflect and understand the world around you and what had happened in history, and how it should never happen again. |
NYMPHENBURG PALACEAfter visiting Dachau, we went to Nymphenburg Palace, which was also just outside of Munich. It took almost 2 hours to get there due to the complex public transportation system and the fact that none of us knew German, but it was definitely worth the trek. The palace served as the summer residence for the House of Wittelsbach, the former rulers of Bavaria. With ornate detailing to the otherwise classic Baroque style of architecture, the palace exhumed grandeur and power of a lost age.
When we arrived the interior of the palace was closed, but we did get to enjoy the endless gardens and parks surrounding the palace. Statues of Roman and Greek gods flanked the walkways that spread out from the palace. Even in the middle of October flowers and plants blossomed around the gardens. It was very interesting to see the juxtaposition between the old world of the palace and the modern city that encroached on the palace grounds. As I originally wanted to visit Neuschwanstein Castle but could not manage a way to see it, I thoroughly enjoyed the visit to Nymphenburg Palace. It took over an hour to walk back to Munich from the palace, but the walk allowed us to see more of the city outside of the tourist sights. Venturing out into the outskirts of Munich allowed us to see the real culture of Germany without the influence of tourism. |