If I had to pinpoint my favorite time of the year, of sheer magic and sacred observance to be spent with loved ones, then it’s surely Christmas. As always, this year was no exception, as I chose to spend it, once again, visiting with my parents in Romania. On my way there, however, I made a brief stop to Munich.
The third largest German city behind Berlin and Hamburg, Munich is the capital of Bavaria, a region that is not to be missed. Its German name – München – derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city’s coat of arms. The city’s official colors of black and gold (the colors of the Holy Roman Empire), have stood the test of time since Ludwig the Bavarian. Another amusing fact is the city’s motto: “München mag Dich” (Munich likes you).
Given I had a limited amount of time in the city, I began by exploring the stretch from Marienplatz to Karlsplatz (both famous Munich squares), as well as around the Rathaus (City Hall). Named after the column of the Virgin Mary at its center, Marienplatz is considered to be the centre of the city; the Rathaus, with its impressive façade of over 300 feet in length, of elaborate stone ornamentation, made for an excellent place to begin my tour.
Before anything else though, my jet lagged self was in dire need of a good old German sausage. Conveniently located in Marienplatz, the main Christmas Market was all but short on goodies: ginger sweets, Glühwein and plenty of food stalls selling German meats with sauerkraut.
Locally known as the city with a village feel yet still cosmopolitan by any standards, Munich is a pleasure to discover by foot. The green, fairly quiet spread out city is filled with wide boulevards, large squares and beautiful parks.
My biggest surprise was to realize most Germans were willing to help and give directions in English. Despite my modest efforts to danke schoen them (I shamefully took seven years of German in childhood that are all but a distant memory), they willingly replied in English. Thus, it was evident right from the beginning that the Bavarian architecture, along with the traditional food and the kindness of its people could make for a very gratifying extended holiday.
I didn’t have the time to visit museums, however for my next visit to Munich, I was urged not to miss the Deutsches Museum. It is said to be the largest museum of technology and natural sciences in the world, with over 13 acres of exhibitions.
And surely, you will want to visit some of their car dealerships, to closely observe the preciseness of the world famous German engineering; you might just get a present, while you’re at it …
