Munich, which is located in the state of Bavaria,  is south of Frankfurt and is known for its infamous beer halls that are stock piled with crowds during Oktoberfest (which interestingly takes place towards the end of September through early October, unbeknownst to some who may presume that this festival presides during the course of October entirely-something I mistakened to be true as well). There’s so much of Munich to offer and with each city that I visit, I see a noticeable stark contrast between each city and respective country. This adds to the richness of traveling and is something I look forward to in experiencing with each trip.

Munich was the first German city I’ve visited, outside of Frankfurt (the one I’m living in now) so it was nice to see the differences between the financial district and a not so financial one. First impressions immediately were that there were much more English speakers due to the tourism Munich generates (unlike Frankfurt) as well as this city being a hub for traveling businessmen and women. Although just like Frankfurt, most of the cuisine that was highly rated on Yelp was German/Bavarian, I was able to find some cute places that delighted my taste buds. I needed a break from German food because seriously, one night of schnitzel & bratswurst is enough to satiate my rich meaty cravings to almost repel my beloved favorite of Korean BBQ for months on end.

Naturally, after stuffing my face with some German meatloaf (not my favourite, but it was an interesting take on the American meatloaf I’m used to and also helped qualm some of my reminiscent moments of missing home-If you just imagine ketchup +grilled onions+ more moisture with each bite, life got a bit better), I was ready for something clean and fresh. Thanks to my BFF, Yelp, I found Ooh Baby I Like It Raw nearby the hotel. Thank goodness for a place who knows how to do things right. I ordered the Salmon Avocado Toast with a cup of Hot Tumeric Latte. Wow. Freshness on a plate and cup. I was recovering from being sick so the tumeric helped my immune system very much. Highly recommend this place. The ambiance was sweet and cozy and the service was top notch. Thank you to my waitress who also gave me some suggestions on places to visit. She was such a sweetie!

So what should you do in Munich? EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES. As it was Thanksgiving Day and I was conveniently all by myself, I decided to do something educational and fun. I went to the Dachau Concentration Camp! I really had fun (no joke) learning more about history and praying over the lost lives on site minus the scary moments of realizing that you are alone in a bunker or jail cell and the nearby high school student tour group that you were trailing after had left the building since you were too engaged with reading the history & stories plastered over the walls….. whoops. History is harsh and the reality is harsher, yet I truly recommend everyone to visit a concentration at some point of their lives. I still can’t believe the horrors a human being can endure and survive through, much more the capcity for a human mind to fathom such unspeakable things to do to others.

So logistics. I am horrible with not getting lost (and also at parallel parking, but that’s another story), yet I didn’t get lost and arrived in one piece! Basically, whip out google maps, buy a one day train ticket (it was around ~8 euro) and take the S-Bahn and bus and voila. You are where you want to be. If all else fails, ask one of the neighboring tourists that will also be on the same journey as you or someone nearby. The concentration camp has free admission; however, if you like to nerd things out (like I do), you’ll have to pay 3.50 EUR for a self audio tour. I have to admit the map for the audio guide was quite confusing, but it’s ok. You’ll manage since there were many information walls to read from so don’t fret- You will learn much! I recommend going with someone else other than yourself because it can be quite frightening being alone in a building where lives were taken and much suffering took place. If you want to make the most of your journey, I would give yourself at least 3-4 hours to fully absorb the content and the significance of this memorial. There is an English documentary film that is around 23 minutes long that I highly recommend to watch as well. Make sure to take the time to look at the pamphlet for viewing times so that you don’t miss this video!

So history time. What makes this concentration camp so important? Although it’s n

ot the biggest (Auschwitz was), this camp was the first concentration camp that set the model & standard for the ones following. Not the best “first” of anything obviously, but this place is rich with history and I believe that it’s important to learn history so as not to repeat it again. It was shocking and sickening to read and hear about the horrors of what prisoners endured, but humbling to see the common theme of loving one another and staying strong within their communities, even in the midst of difficult suffering. Some Jehovah Witnesses were imprisoned for their faith, yet they shared their measly portion of food that was not even calorically sufficiently just to help ease some of the other prisoner’s suffering. The lack of food combined with laborious work for 12 hour days, unsanitary conditions that were conducive to spreading disease such as typhus, minimal clothing and harsh winter weather; these conditions proved difficult for many to function, much less survive. For those who did survive and those lives lost, I hope that we will forever remember this segment of history and walk forward with a newfound knowledge that will help make this world a more loving place.

Munich is also home to the Deutsches Museum, which is the largest science and technology musem in the world. I spent a grand 4 hours nerding it out since it was too cold for me outside. A perfect place to get lost and look at relics that are unlike anything back at home (i.e. antique clocks, airplanes, boats and even musical instruments!)  The museum is not the most updated, but just like the rest of the country, the museum carries a lot of history (also having been bombed in WWII). There is English translation for most of the items, just keep in mind that we are not in the US and that German will prevail for most explanations 🙂

Last, but not lease, the Munich Residenz, which is the former royal palace of Bavaria, is quite a treat. I recommend getting the combo ticket that includes the Residence Museum, Treasury and the Cuvilliés Theatre. The Residence Museum includes the main palace attraction, which was astounding in many ways. The Treasury is a collection of all of the priceless gems, crowns, religious insignia, ceramics, etc. The crown and sceptor are real beauties! The  Cuvilliés Theatre was smaller than the photos and took me back in time. Overall, an impressive experience nonetheless!

 

               

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Best news is that Munich is just a 1.5 hour drive from the famous Neuschweinstein Castle (the insiration for Disneyland’s Cinderella Castle ). Will have to save that for another post since that deserves a whole separate one!