#03 the big M in the South

Maximilianeum…

Marienplatz…

Markus Söder

McDonalds …(first McD in Germany in 1971)

Museum (German…)…

Münchner Freiheit…

Simone has never been to München, and there are some good reasons why we should go there now. Only the weather is not optimal.

Beforehand, we will make a stop in Altmühltal due to the (still) sunny weather on Friday. Today, the motorhome pitch at the Badehalbinsel Absberger Seenspitze will reopen after the winter break.

We want to relax there for a day and especially shower. While that can be done in the motorhome, it's more comfortable in a washhouse.

The seven contrasting and accessible lakes in the Franconian Lake District offer diverse holiday landscapes for every taste. And this, even though the recreational fun seemed secondary at first: The Franconian lakes were created to protect the region from water shortages during dry periods. Each year, 150 million cubic meters of water from Altmühl and the Danube are channeled to Franconia through the lakes.

At the entrance, a sprightly retiree waits for newcomers to explain in the broadest Franconian dialect that

• today is her first day of work after the winter break.
• it’s better here than in Spain
• we can choose a spot of our choice at the motorhome pitch for only €18, including tourist tax
• electricity, showers, and fresh water can be obtained with a rechargeable guest card from the vending machine
• the facility is designed for about 1000 motorhomes in high season

... but surely they can't all be coming today?????

Of course not, but the good weather has attracted quite a few motorhomes, and the space is getting a lot of traffic.

Regardless, our expectation is solely focused on the warm shower and a quiet night. The weather is so nice this Friday that we take out the chairs and drink a beer in front of the motorhome.

At night, it starts to rain, and we reconsider our plans considering the weather situation in the Alpine region. Despite a rainy Saturday, we decide to visit Munich.

During the drive there, it starts to rain at some point, and our windshield wiper shows us that we should have taken care of it earlier. The rubber is torn, and thus the wiper function is limited. In Dachau, we catch an ATU auto parts store that is still open and has exactly one pair of windshield wipers available for our car. Lucky us.

Now comes the most difficult phase for a motorhome traveler. Where do we park? Munich only officially designates motorhome spaces at Olympiapark for €20. This means parking on a large paved parking lot with many others without flair or view.

We don't want that.

The Park4night app is more extensive, and we discover a good spot along the canal at Nymphenburg Palace. There, parking is allowed on both sides along the canal. Unfortunately, it’s raining, hindering our urge to explore and visit the palace.

Okay, Munich is large, and besides, there are old contacts here. Can we just call and hope for a meeting?

Yes, we can. Thomas is thrilled to get the call and looks forward to meeting again. The last time we met was in 2009 when I was at a spa at Chiemsee.

We should go to him; he lives very centrally in Giesing, and there are always parking options in front of his door.

Off we go, it’s only 6 km away. But unfortunately, the parking spaces in front of the door are too small for our motorhome. However, opposite is the stadium on Grünwalder Straße (for insiders: the venue of the 60s), where there are wonderful parking options. The home game was yesterday (though it's Regionalliga Bayern, as the second team of FC Bayern also plays here. 1860 Munich was in Osnabrück and lost 1:0).

Spacious parking areas on the Isar slope right behind the stadium. Absolute parking ban during events; otherwise, with a parking ticket, it's free on weekends. We had two wonderful nights of sleep.

Thomas and Jacqui welcomed us warmly, and after a welcome beer, we set out to explore the Giesing district. We wanted to enjoy a nice Bavarian meal in a brewery restaurant with roast pork and beer.

This turns out to be challenging on Saturday evening without a reservation. Especially since the Strong Beer Festival is happening in Munich from March 14 to April 6, and the entire city floods into the breweries in lederhosen and dirndls - Munich's 5th season.

For this, Thomas proves to be a dedicated city guide, directing us from one location to the next. Unfortunately, we always receive the same rejection - no chance without a reservation on Saturday evening.

So, the only option left is to go to the Paulaner Brewery at Nockherberg. It consists of a large festival hall, where the festival crowd is scrambling today, and an inn for day guests. There, we find a good spot and look forward to hearty food.

Our tour guide Thomi tells us that this used to be the headquarters of the Paulaner Brewery. Meanwhile, it has been moved to the northern part of Munich, and the city-close prime property is now presenting itself with high-quality residential development to the affluent audience.

The modernly designed brewery restaurant is large and well-frequented, attracting the beer-loving crowd.

Indeed, the kitchen and service staff succeed in impressing us with a very good roast pork and the strong beer.

Back in the comfort of our living room, we end the evening with various conversations and stories from our shared time at the Bremen Police. It was really enjoyable and pleasant. We had fun.

On Sunday morning, we arranged a bike tour through Munich.

The next morning, the sun is shining, as forecasted. The bikes are quickly ready, and Thomi arrives punctually on his old bicycle (brought over from Bremen 30 years ago). 

And then it begins, the city tour at a gallop. First, we head to the nearby Säbener Straße, the headquarters of FC Bayern Munich.

Some fans are waiting at the entrance to the underground garage to catch a glimpse. Do they have training after their hard-fought victory over St. Pauli the night before?

No matter, we race on. Next stop, the Isar meadows. Along the riverbank, extensive foot and bike paths lead up the Isar slope with views of several city sights (German Museum), the Maximilianeum at the eastern Isar high bank, which also houses the Bavarian state parliament,

On we go through the majestic streets with historical buildings, briefly into the English Garden (many pedestrians take advantage of the good weather, kindly asked to step aside by Thomi with his bike horn), past the Eisbach wave with many surfers, a short stop at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel, the imperial residence, and the Wittelsbacherplatz with the headquarters of Siemens (Thomi's former employer) until we finally stop for beer in Hofbräuhaus. Tourists and St. Pauli fans are already crowding there by lunchtime.

On the way back, we pass by some hotspots and eventually end up back at the motorhome.

Thank you very much for the swift tour. That's about all we could absorb in that time.

In the evening, we have a date with my godchild Lasse. He has now also lived in Munich for 3 years and is writing his dissertation. He will finish it soon, meaning his Munich days are counted. This was therefore a last chance to visit him here (especially since he has his 27th birthday on Monday).

We take the subway and bus to visit him and then enjoy pizza at an Italian restaurant.

Super, we made that work.

Conclusion about Munich:

A big city with international flair, you hear many different foreign languages when people converse. The city is compact; you can reach all the important points within the old town/city center ring. With a bike, you are very mobile.

The shops in the city center are of higher quality; you don't see cheap stores or one-hit wonders here. If you hold yourself in high regard, you have a store with an excellent address.

The density of restaurants and pubs is phenomenal.

I would love to come back again and have more time to spend.