Munich: One Week Before
Oktoberfest
The contrast between Wengen and Munich is mind blowing - from rural to urban, quiet to bustling, and restrained to outspoken. Arriving early in the evening, everyone was anxious to see the to the city center, the Marienplatz, with its impressive New Town Hall's soaring Neo-Gothic spires and infamous glockenspiel. As we emerged from the Metro, our first sight was something quite different. A large group of noisy spectators crowded around a protestor dressed in flesh-colored tights, doused in fake blood, and decrying the exploitation of animals. Munich has an edgy feel to it. You're likely to see young people dressed in leather and spikes with outlandish makeup and lots of piercings or huddles of Middle Eastern ladies in expensive burqas or traditional families with young children and strollers. Snuggled near one of the many green parks we were surprised to discover an impromptu tribute to Michael Jackson overflowing with flowers, pictures, and candles. Not everyone in Munich has a distinctive look, but most have a distinctive attitude. They are friendly, but louder and more outspoken than the French or Swiss. With Oktoberfest only a week away, Munich was crowded, and almost every shop window displayed dirndls and lederhosen.
The Beer Garden
Nabil loved the man-sized beer steins and head-sized pretzels. There was an oompah band playing in the background, but almost no one noticed. The beer garden was filled with people celebrating and having a good time. A waitress dressed in traditional clothing darted from table to table selling pretzels, and waiters swooshed by with enormous trays of beer. We ate weiner schnitzel and enjoyed the evening.
The streets are filled with everything from ice cream to pretzels to octopus.
Residenz Museum
If you enjoy extravagance, you will love the Residenz Museum. We wandered for hours through a collection of 90 lushly furnished and decorated rooms with beautiful porcelains, statues and tapestries. I was most impressed with the intricate ceilings, trimmed in bright colors and gold. By the time we reached the end, Nabil and I had reached visual overload and were ready for a strong cup of coffee.
