Guten Tag Sweet Friends!

I just returned from four days in Munich and I fell in love with the city and Bavaria! The city is easy to navigate and it’s very tourist-friendly with wonderful signage, maps and directions at every turn. The trains, trams and buses are all very easy and they offer tourist city cards that are good for all three for 1-3 days. We took advantage of our airport to city one-day ticket and used it to go to Dachau the day we arrived. See my separate blog on Dachau.

Once we returned from the camp, I quickly referenced my Happy Cow app to find a vegan friendly restaurant. There are actually quite a few vegan places in Munich, many within walking distance; but while walking to one of the suggested restaurants, we passed an Afghanische place and decided to eat there. It was artfully decorated and while not vegan, they did offer many vegetable dishes that were vegan, so Doc was able to get the lamb and I enjoyed brown basmati rice with spicy eggplant! We also shared a yummy pumpkin dish in a sweet and spicy sauce. It was wonderful!

After dinner, I explored the city on my own. It was a gorgeous night, just one night short of the super moon, and the night air was warm and balmy. I walked across the river and into the city center navigating the hundreds of tourists walking around Marienplatz, the central market square in town and home of the Neues Rathaus or new city hall. It’s a magnificent building and while it looks like it was built in the 14th century it was actually built in the 19th century but made to look old. Between it’s Gothic spires sits the city’s famous Glockenspiel (1908). The “clock” is one of the largest in Europe and bears 32 carved life-size figures on two levels. Each day at 11, 12 and 5 PM the figures come to life and perform for the crowds. The inside courtyard of the hall is home to a restaurant and biergarten and is quite lively in the evenings.

I walked through all the pedestrian areas and explored several churches and monuments. I went inside one random church that was not on any map called the Church of the Holy Ghost and it was amazing. The inside of the church had been turned into the “Garten of Eden” and was decorated with trees, plants, herbs and flowers along the aisles and in the side chapels and on the alter. The ceiling, which was ornate with frescoes and gilt, was draped in white origami birds that floated in dazzling sweeps over the congregation. The lighting and shadows of the trees and birds was magical! It was the most wonderful display and I was overjoyed that I just happened in the church and was able to enjoy it!

I also happened on some random Michael Jackson memorial shrine that someone built on an existing monument in the middle of a street park. It was lit with tons of candles that illuminated the many faces of Michael. Random but beautiful. I went inside St. Peter’s church and the Church of our Lady, and while they both were amazing, they couldn’t touch the Garden of Eden church I had seen earlier. It was magical.

Another highlight of the trip was stumbling in the Theaterin Church for a free performance by the Queen’s Six – Voices of Windsor Castle. It was an all-male a Capella vocal group who sang secular and non-secular music. They sang everything from Ava Maria to Swing Low Sweet Chariot to Can’t Buy Me Love by the Beatles (their encore performance). It was so awesome to hear their harmonies rising up to the spires of this beautiful church!

I walked back to the hotel around 10 PM savoring the warm night air and nearly full moon shining on the river. I hope your day is magical and that you savor every moment of it!