The family continued our tour of Munich on Monday, October 1, 2012, by stumbling out of the Oktoberfest, heading back to the train station, and catching a ride to the Marienplatz stop. We began our trek through the city center by stopping first to gawk at the Neues Rathaus, better known as the big glockenspiel. Unfortunately, the giant clock only does its jig during the fall at 11am and noon, so we had missed it by about two hours. I had seen the little dance when I had been in Munich in 2008, and it’s nothing to get excited about. So we just took our pictures there and moved on.
Under the glockenspiel that wouldn’t chime
During that last trip in 2008, the Wileys and I had checked out the Residenz from the exterior, but hadn’t gone inside so we headed in that direction, making a quick pit stop to get a picture of the Frauenkirch (Church of Our Lady) in Odeonsplatz square. This is one of the most famous images of Germany, and sadly, still under construction as it was four years ago during my visit. We also took a rest while Bob had a lengthy bathroom break and Mom entertained herself by looking at the Schmuck shop at the jewelry and banging her head on the glass window.
The unmistakable Munich landmark: the Frauenkirche
Headbanger’s ball
Waiting for Bob
Eventually we made it to the Residenz in one piece. The Residenz is the former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs that dates as far back as 1385. It was occupied by royalty from 1508 to 1918. The palace is the largest in Germany and has 110 rooms open to the public in addition to 10 courtyards. Simply viewing the building from the outside doesn’t do it justice. After a little debate, we all decided to tour the seemingly never-ending labyrinth of a palace, and we found ourselves inside of it from about 3:00 – 4:30. Herewith the exciting pictures that I took:
The Residenz and the statue of King Maximilian 1
The Grotto Courtyard within the Residenz
The impressive Antiquarium
The disapproving stare of Dominius Nero Claudius, lover of sandwiches
Bob and Mom and the very naked man
Bryan’s thirst for knowledge knows no limits
The security guard desperately wanted to find a reason to yell at me for posing for this photo with the marble sculpture of Venus Italica
Bryan attempts to swing from the chandelier. The house rules didn’t specifically prohibit this.
The impressive Wittlesbach Portrait Gallery, which I like to refer to as “The Gold Room”
Once we had exhausted ourselves roaming the halls of the massive Residenz and the museum inside, we decided that we needed more beer in our systems. So we walked over to the original Hofbräuhaus that was about ten minutes away. While Mom shopped in the Hard Rock Cafe, Bryan secured us a table inside the beer hall. While the Wileys and I had sat in the courtyard during our visit, this time I got to sit inside the hot and sweaty building. Bryan, Erine, and I opted to try the Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier, while the elders stuck to their beloved hefeweizen. Bryan scouted us out some big massive fat soft pretzels that were the cat’s meow.
Outside thew world-famous Hofbräuhaus
A toast… to bier!
The pretzel. Oh so tempting.
The gang’s all here. Some muscle-bound twenty-somethings from American sat next to us and took our picture.
Bob and Mom present their beer specimens
Erine’s mug is clearly the largest
We had chugged our beers and were ready to move on at 6pm, at which time I bought the obligatory magnet and headed out into the street located between the Hofbräuhaus and the Hard Rock Cafe. There I met up with Nadine, the friend I had made during the 2010 Sons of the Desert convention in Sacramento, California. She had been there to create some documentary clips for the Kirch group, who was responsible for the distribution and licensing of the Laurel and Hardy library in Europe, the headquarters of which were in walking distance from where we met. Nadine was nice enough to bring me some promotional glossy photos and a poster of the boys.
The Hard Rock Cafe was a bit of an anomaly in my Hard Rock checklist. I had been counting it among my visits (specifically it had been #7), but it had been the only one on the list that I hadn’t actually eaten inside. So although it was my third Hard Rock of the year, it didn’t advance my overall total of 42…but it did make it official. Nadine and I split the Hickory Smoked Bacon Burger and I somehow got coaxed into another giant beer, this one a hefeweizen. We were out of there by 7:45.
A re-visit to Hard Rock Cafe #7…
…this time with food
A cheer…with more beer…and Nadine
Original KISS coat from the late 1970’s. I fondly recall that my former first grade classmate Melissa Wilkerson had this very same jacket. I was jealous and still am.
Gold records for Paul McCartney’s Wings at the Speed of Sound and George Harrison’s Cloud Nine. Big 7 memorabilia wasn’t very prevalent at this particular location.
Mom finishes her beer before departing
Now you’re officially mine, Hard Rock Munich
Nadine knew of a good place to get an ice cream that was just a couple of minute’s walk away, so we all indulged at the Schuhbeck’s Joghurteria. At Nadine’s suggestion, I opted for the Gebrante Mandel (ie. burnt almond).
Enjoying some burnt almond with Nadine
The cone clan
Bryan, Erine, Nadine, and I decided to stay out for a while longer, but the elders decided to call it a day. Nadine guided us back to the train station and we gave them very specific instructions on how to get back to Planegg and our hotel. We took a photo of them as they awaited their train… just in case we needed to send out a search party later on.
The elders await their destiny at the train station
We took a nice brisk walk through Munich in search of a crazy place that Nadine recommended. However when we got there a half-hour later, we found that they were closed to the public for a remodel (although there was a private concert going on inside). So instead, we went to another pub called Wassermann restaurant and cocktail bar. I had some exotic green drink called the Green Day. We hung around the bar for an hour and a half or so, as the Chandlers and Nadine compared notes about German life, the German language, and how to know whether a guy is trying to pick you up. We took the same train home for a bit, but Nadine got off before us and we said our goodbyes. It was really fun to see her, and although it’s too bad she lives so far away, it’s cool to have a tour guide friend in a faraway land.
More drinks at Wassermann
The significance of this napkin was that it resembled the Bavarian flag. Either that or Erine has just gone completely bonkers.
It was great to hang out with Nadine
We got back to our hotel sometime after 11pm. There was still some snoring going on, but it didn’t seem as bad and everyone had learned their lesson about complaining about it.
Tuesday was my 41st birthday and I don’t think I could have started the day off in any sadder of a place. After another hearty breakfast at the Park Hotel in Planegg, we checked out, and then drove to Dachau to see the concentration camp. Since I had seen this before – and was sickened by it – I had no real desire to return. Mom also didn’t want to experience it at all. But despite this, I knew that this was something that everyone should see at least once, just to understand what went on there. I also knew how easily time could get away from you when you were in there, so Erine & Bryan (who had also been there before) and I acted as somewhat of a tour guide to avoid using the self-paced audio guides. Bryan and Erine headed out to get the car before we were all ready to leave, and the rest of us ended up watching the film on the history of Dachau (which I had not seen last time). Although a little bit muted since I was already familiar with it, the experience was again still quite grisly.
That heart-wrenching gate once again, the direct translation “labor makes free”
Bob and Mom see Dachau for the first time
The international monument at Dachau, dedicated in 1968
The only thing at Dachau that can summon a smile: a plaque dedicated in 1996 in honor of the 20th Armored Division who participated in the liberation of the camp on April 29, 1945
We left Dachau just after noon, having spent almost two and a half hours there. My birthday would perk up quite a bit once we arrived at our next stop.
Erine and Bryan pick us up, apples in hand
The Germany trip will continue in Rothenburg…
I like Bob Ch*ndler’s hat a lot.
Peter
May 22nd, 2013
I found your page by searching “20th armored monument” on google. I hope to be able to visit Dachau someday, as my father was a tank driver in the 20th armored Div. in WW2. I didn’t even know about it until after his death in 1995, so I don’t know what part he played, if any.
Charles Schultz, the creator of Peanuts, also served in the 20th during WW2.
Thank you for sharing.
Dan
August 10th, 2014