Bavaria
Munich
is the capital of Bavaria which is an area that covers most of southern
Germany. For me it's the most beautiful part of Germany and in many ways
fits the image that the rest of the world has of Germany as a whole. Castles,
Steins and Leder Hosen can all be found here in abundance.
Bier
Munich is famous for its breweries, its beer halls
and of course the OktoberFest. As a visitor here I feel compelled to find
and sample as many of these as I can. I have also taken quite a liking
to the beer garden culture that exists here.
Lakes and Mountains
The surrounding countryside here is stunning. Berchtesgarten
is only a short trip away as are the mountains on the borders with Austria
and Switzerland. Bavaria also has lots of lakes and rivers within easy
reach. So if you like the outdoor lifestyle you are well placed here.
All the local sports shops organize trips or
give advice on where to go or stay for all abilities in climbing, sailing,
mountain biking, skiing (depending on season), and many other outdoor sports.
City Life
Munich is a thriving city which has not quite got
with the program for the millennium, which is no bad thing. Only parts
of it are 24 hour. All forms of entertainment are available, from pumping
party zones to opera. Theatre, art galleries and museums all have their
place in Munich.
Most of the city closes for the night around
midnight, though if you are a hardened club goer then you can dance till
dawn in more and more night spots. Some don't open before Ten and stay
open to Six in the morning, just in time to catch the first train home.
For those of you who, like me, are not exactly
proficient in German there are English language guides to the city.
You will find a lot of the natives speak some
English (they say they dont but they do) but I find it helps if you learn
a couple of phrases and use them. Excuse me I dont speak German is a good
start. |