MUNICH: Beauty is in the Eye of the Beer Holder.
The flight was short from Stockholm ARN to Munich MUC where we retrieved our back packs and then hopped the S BAHN train from the airport to the Isator stop. Our destination was the first hotel on the tour the Hotel Isator. Still mask protocol was in place on all public transportation. Easy check in at the Isator a pink striped hotel from the outside and modern sleek furniture in the rooms, we had booked the night before the start of the tour at the Isator to adapt and spend the next morning in Munich on our own. We were exhausted Saturday night and settled in for a Gute Nacht!
Ticket for Alte Pinakothek - Albrecht Duher Self Portrait
This is a map of the Munich Metro System. ​​
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May 8 Sunday​
The Hotel breakfast exceeded expectations. We dined on meats, liver wurst, cheeses, and big fat pretzels. The fresh breads and rolls, you just can’t get at home. The fresh juices and cappuccinos kept coming.
Out on our own we attended mass at the Old St. Peter’s Church Sunday morning - Pete prefers churches for his name’s sake. This is the oldest church in Munich with a superb choir, orchestra, and incense filling the sanctuary. Not to miss was the alter to St. Munditia – the patron saint of single women. Inside her glass coffin her skeleton lays covered with gold and jewels. Her glass eyes eerily stare back. This relic was gifted by Rome in 1675. In her hand she holds a glass container filled with dried blood from her martyrdom. After mass we wandered into the main square – Marienplatz. We had missed the glockenspiel in the Rathaus tower, which rings at 1100, 1200, and 1700. However, there was a merry band of costumed actors dressed as the dancing Barrel Makers performing with music. More on the glockenspiel tomorrow, time for a beer. With it a little chilly I drank coffee, while Pete sampled his first German Beer – Psorr, he was in heaven.
Munich Beers – Munich is known for the famous Oktober Fest, when the city’s seven breweries endlessly pour their beers. Hacker Pschorr, Hofbrau, Lowenbrau, Augustiner, Munchner Bier, Spaten, and Paulaner.
Next Oktoberfest - September 16 to October 3, 2023.
St. Munditia - Patron Saint of Single Women
Pete sampling Hacker Pschorr Beer
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Artist Peter Paul Rubens work named Honeysuckle Bower - Self portrait with his first wife from 1609 - look at their hands.
Back to the subway where we took the S Bahnhofstrasse to the U bahn. We trained from Hauptbahnhof to Konigsplatz followed by a walk to the Alte Pinakothek. This art museum commissioned by King Ludwig I built in 1836, especially displays the works of the famous German artist Albert Duer. His self portrait eerily resembles Christ. In addition there were works by Rubin, Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Raphael. In the more modern wing we enjoyed Rodin, Manet, and some Van Gogh.
Instead of lunch we had early afternoon tea (drank Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Tea) at the Victorian House, a restaurant on the way back to the Isator. At 1600 we would be meeting our tour group at the hotel for our tour introduction.
Our Rick tour guides for the adventure were Andrea Wolf from Austria and her very capable apprentice was Marijan Kriskovic from Slovenia. Andrea’s insight and humor along with superb organization kept us rolling thru the idyllic countryside on our tour. One of Rick’s podcasts which I had listened to before the tour features Andrea speaking on the wonders of Vienna. Marijan’s smile and wit made the tour always pleasurable. The smaller post pandemic group included Brenda and Rick plus Jeremiah and Melissa from Texas. Dave and Kathy from Colorado. The single travelers: Tim from Indiana, Sylvia from California, Janet from Seattle, Patzy from New Mexico, and Deborah from Minnesota. Janet and Steve from Florida Kent and Nancy also from Illinois. Susan and William from South Carolina, but previously lived in our hometown of Naperville, Illinois.
After introductions and house rules for the tour we did a walk around the neighborhood near the hotel for orientation and then off to the restaurant for our first dinner together.
Munich means the Home of the Monks – the Benedictines. Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria allowed the monks to establish a market and built the bridge over the Isar River. The city grew around this.
We wandered thru the Viktualian Market with beer gardens traditionally under groups of chestnut trees. We saw the Isartor Tor Clock which runs backwards. We ate at the Ratskellar in Marienplatz. On the menu were pretzels of course, but not with mustard – good Germans put butter on their pretzels. Main course was pork with spatzle and salad followed by a dessert of Apple Strudel with vanilla cream. Beer on the menu – Pete had to try Lowenbrau. I had a nice Thurgau white wine. We dined with Tim and Sylvia – both traveling on their own. Tim thru his love of beer became Pete’s best friend. Tim enjoys travel to Europe especially Italy. Sylvia, a Rick Steves die hard – has done five of his tours.
After dinner Pete was on a mission to find the best Munich Beer, so naturally Tim joined us on the odyssey. They were told that all the locals drink Augustiner and thus we must go to the brewery and sample. On the way to trying to find Augustiner, we detoured into the Hofbrau house for a mug and some oompah band music. Again, back on the streets we were terribly lost trying to find Augustiner. We asked two German men who said that the Hofbrau house is a tourist trap and we must drink Augustiner beer and pointed us behind the Frauen Kirche- again we got lost and asked another German man who recommended Pauliner- straight then right then left. We walked in a big circle ending up back in Marienplatz where we started. This time we asked 2 football fans in red scarfs and lederhosen and they said to follow them to another Hofbrau bar! We still wanted Augustiner, but too tired and thirsty to continue. Tim and Pete sat down to order. My husband not realizing where he was tried to order an Augustiner as the insulted waiter told him that beer is bad- we only serve Hofbrau! Pete and Tim relented, but when we were paying the bill I notice Tim’s liter glass mug says Augustiner and the waiter with a sly smile yells take the mug - get that out of here Hofbrau beer is the best. Alas we still did not taste Augustiner beer! Munich Beer Hall antics exhausted me, Gute Nacht!
Our amazing guides from right to left Andrea Wolf and Marijen Kriskovic with local Munich Guide Birgitt.
The three pretzel holes represent the Trinity.
In search of Munich's Best Beers, So many Beers so little Time.
You must try Augustiner Beer, Munich's oldest Brewery.
May 9 Monday
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Breakfast with Patsy, also traveling alone, we sampled the Bavarian tastes and fortified with coffee for a day of touring.
Today’s schedule started with a walking tour with Birgitt, one of Rick’s colorful local tour guides that was indeed half German and half Italian. A colorful guide she had a bag of props and funny stories to keep us in stitches.
During the 1972 Olympics in Munich her mother fell in love with Mark Spitz, the American swimmer with his 7 gold medals and speedo. Birgitt’s father was so jealous of the Olympian he almost filed for divorce. Another 1972 Olympics story involved a young German girl of 17 who was assigned as the Swedish interpreter for Sweden’s royal family. She fell in love with Prince Carl and married him- leading to the then sensational musical group – ABBA writing the hit song Dancing Queen as their wedding gift. “You are the dancing queen, young and sweet only seventeen.” “Getting in the swing, you come to look for a king.”
Birgitt regaled us with the history of Munich – which originated at the Isator Gate and the Isa River, which transported Salt – the gold of the Middle Ages. Monks owned the gate when Henry the Lion Hearted arrived and wanted the tolls. Later, the Wittelsbach family became the dynasty of the King and Queen of Bavaria for more than 700 years.
Birgitt unveiled great German mysteries such as Lederhosen are worn with large calf warmers that wear better on hairy legs and a Dirndl tied on the left side meant a girl is single. Single Men only hoist the Maypole. Women wore neck bands to hide their goiters due to no iodine in their salt. Pretzels have three holes to signify the trinity.
The greatest secret of all made Pete and Tim’s ears prick up - Beer must have foam to be fresh!
Birgitt explains the history of Munich and Germany's Kings.
Benno, the Patron Saint of Munich
On our walking tour we strolled around the twin towered Frauenkirche 1488 – the “Cathedral of Our Dear Lady”. In the façade of the church was the image of the Patron Saint of Munich -Saint Beno. Birgitt entertained us with his colorful embellished story. Bishop Beno left his church in frustration and threw the keys of the cathedral into the Elbe River vowing never to return. As he cut into his fish dinner that night, he found the keys and penitently returned to his congregation.
Next, we wandered over to the Hofbrau House, but along the way we saw the Famous German Celebrity Chef – Shuhbeck outside his restaurant greeting fans. He is known for his Spice shop.
The Hofbrau house rocks all day and night with its oompah pah bands and frauleins totting three beer mugs per hand. The tradition dictates that you must inherit the special beer steins that area stored for special patrons. I sampled one of their huge Ginger Bread Heart Cookies, while Pete just needed more beer.
Around the corner from Odeonspkatz one can follow the golden path – this is a line of golden bricks commemorating non-violent opposition to Hitler and the Nazis and the lives that were lost.
Outside the Residenz- the German palace, our group stopped to listen to the stories of the German Royals. Today the Wittelsbachs own art in New York with the Rockefellers, brew special beer, and drive race cars. The palace had so many rooms kings and queens never saw each other. The Royal Residence served as the palace from 1508 to 1918, and needed to be rebuilt after WW2.
Listen to the Rathaus Glockenspiel - the Bavarian Knight always wins.
The rest of the day was free time to explore the city. We decided to check out the beautiful gardens and the free and easy German lifestyle. Off to the English Garden created in 1789 in the English landscape style, where you can see Germans in the nude. From a very, very far distance you can see Germans getting a suntan all over as the Germans prefer to enjoy their parks naked. As an uptight American I hurried by with only a glance from the back. Other highlights of the gardens were surfing on the river, climbing a Chinese tower, and drinking more beer in the largest Beer Garden.
Since we had to have more of the local favorite beer – Augustiner we dined on Curry wurst and the in season White Spargel Soup. White Asparagus is the Munich delicacy this time of year.
May 10 Tuesday
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The next morning was check out from the Isator Hotel and our first bus ride. Brave men drive 50 passenger buses in Europe and our driver Edo was just that. Exiting Munich, we drove into the countryside with two stops on the schedule before our arrival in Salzburg. First, we stopped at the Trumer Brewery. Here we were enthusiastically greeted by our Beer Guide Johanna, who guided us through the life of a good Pils German Beer. This award-winning brewery has been producing pilsners for over 400 years. We had hop smelling lessons and peered into the vats of fermentation. Of course, Pete couldn’t wait for the tasting time. After the Brewery Tour it was off for lunch with Weiss wurst, pretzels and more beer. A lovely visit, as per Johanna Beer is a sign that God wants to make all the people happy.
German business men on their lunch break
Enthusiastic Johanna our Brew Guide at Trumer Pils Brewery
Back on the bus and a German Lesson:
Gruss Gott- God bless you- formal greeting
Auf Wiedersien- goodbye
Guten abend – Good Afternoon
Danke schon or Danke – Thank you or Thanks alot
Halt - Stop
Prost - Cheers
Die rechnung bitte – The Check Please
Wo ist? – What is?
Fielen danke – Many thanks
Drinks: Café, Bier, Wein
Wundabar - Wonderful
Ja and Nein – Yes and No
Spechen sie English/ Deutsch
Salz – Salt and Burg- castle
Guten Morgan – Good Morning
Guten tag – Good Day
The next surprise stop was out in the pastures of idyllic Austrian farm land. We stopped at the Bio-Hofkaserei Furstenhof, where Maria gave us a tour of her dairy farm. We met her beautiful cows as she called them in from the pasture. She gave us a tour of her cheese factory and we were able to shop all her organic products including soaps and natural beauty products from the milk. The cheeses were to die for. Her Jersey Cow was 16 years old. She also raised sheep, grew herbs, and has a bee hive. Maria and her husband have 5 children on the farm so everyone pitches in.
One of Maria's Jersey Cows.
Maria and her delicious cheeses and the view from her farm.
Click on Rick to see his program on Munich!
Press Play to hear the Hofbrau Haus oompah band!