In the midst of all of that, we saw so many drunk people, so many people literally passed out on the street, or near a sidewalk. It was crazy. We met back up with our group and headed to the train station about 6:00p. We had to run to make our train, which was not fun, and there were no seats on the train. I ended up sitting in the aisle because my feet hurt to bad, I couldn't stand anymore. Somehow, I ended up with a guy from the group sleeping on my lap. About halfway through the ride, we found some seats. We had to run to make our next connecting train, but made it. We finally were back in Stuttgart, exhausted. It was a good trip, I just wish that we could have gone inside a beerhall, just to see it, but I am glad I went. It was something I won't soon forget.
Yesterday was insane. I went to Oktoberfest, not to drink my brains out and pass out, but to see what its all about and have a beer. Let me just say now, it was a crazy day. I went with the International Club and our train left at 7am, and we had to meet at the station by 6:30a. I got up at 5:30a and headed to the station with Nina, the Au Pair who lives across the street from me. We arrived at the station and met up with everyone and just before 7, we headed to the train. Thankfully we found seats for the first our trip. In Ulm we had to switch trains. The train was packed!! There were no seats available, so we just sat on the stairs for most of the two hour ride to Munich. By the end some seats became available. There were so many people dressed in Lederhosen and traditional dresses. I even met American's guys on the train from San Diego. We arrived in Munich about 10 and headed for Marienplatz. We had about 4 hours to walk around the city and so I took a few of my friends to a few places that I went to when I was there a few weeks ago. It was fun, but my feet were already getting tired. We met back with the group and headed to meet the Munich Au Pair group. No one showed up, so we just proceeded to Oktoberfest. It was nothing like I imagined. I guess in my head, I just thought it was a bunch of beer halls filled with people. Although thats true, it was also a huge carnival. There were rides and games and food stalls. It was definitely the biggest carnival I have ever been to. And there were SO many people. This is not an exaggeration. The entire time, you were shoulder to shoulder with people. It was loud and there was so much smoke. I started to get a headache after about an hour. My body couldn't take in all the noise, smells and sights. We walked around but found that all the beer halls had hundreds of people waiting to get in, so we couldn't find a place to get a beer, which was annoying. Apparently only in the beer halls can you order beers. But there were plenty of stalls selling hard liquor and mix drinks. We met up with some friends of one the girls I was with and she said if we really wanted a beer, we should go out of the festival and go nearby. So we went to a biergarten and finally, with only about 30 minutes to enjoy a beer, got the Oktoberfest experience. Since we didn't have much time, my friend and I decided to split a beer, which was a wise choice. A mug was about 10 euro, so I was happy to split the cost too. In the midst of all of that, we saw so many drunk people, so many people literally passed out on the street, or near a sidewalk. It was crazy. We met back up with our group and headed to the train station about 6:00p. We had to run to make our train, which was not fun, and there were no seats on the train. I ended up sitting in the aisle because my feet hurt to bad, I couldn't stand anymore. Somehow, I ended up with a guy from the group sleeping on my lap. About halfway through the ride, we found some seats. We had to run to make our next connecting train, but made it. We finally were back in Stuttgart, exhausted. It was a good trip, I just wish that we could have gone inside a beerhall, just to see it, but I am glad I went. It was something I won't soon forget.
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This weekend I headed to Munich for a short but sweet visit. My Uncle and Aunt were in town, so I headed to spend time with them and check out Münich! SO here is my list of things to do an see in Münich if you only have a few days in the city. I also suggest downloading Rick Steve's Audio Europe app. IT'S FREE! You can download Guided audio tours for most major European Cities. Download the specific city walk before you arrive, and you can listen without using any data! It was a great companion for walking around the city, full of info and easy to follow.
2. Dachau Concentration Camp I have always been fascinated with the Holocaust and going to Dachau was at the top of my list of things to see. There are a few ways and options to get to the camp. You can hire a tour and meet in the city and have a tour guide take you to and from and also lead you around the camp. We chose to go on our own, by taking the subway and the bus and getting an audio guide at the camp. The Museum is incredibly detailed and shares every aspect of the camp, from its creation and the early days, and how it evolved into what it was on liberation day. Just walking around the grounds was an incredible experience. I was very impressed that there was no entrance fee. It struck me because it was very clear that the Holocaust was a part of German history that they want everyone to remember, so they don't want to prohibit people from visiting. (The audio guide did cost a few Euros, but it was worth it!) It was a very powerful experience. 3. Munich Royal Residence Museum (Residenzmuseum) All I can say is, WOW. This place was incredible and I didn't even see it all. I was in a rush, and didn't have the audio guide tour, but I was amazed at what my eyes were seeing. The Residence was the home of the first Dukes and the electors (1623) and later the Kings of Bavaria (1806-1918). It was a jaw dropping experience. I wished that I could have spent more time exploring and had the audio guide. A great attraction for a rainy day. You can also gain access to the Treasury and Cuvilli'es Theatre. 4. English Gardens Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend much time exploring the gardens because it was rainy and wet and cold. But I wanted to see it so I went anyways. At least go and check out the only surf spot in Germany. Yes, that's right, I said surf spot. The locals use the flowing river with waves to surf! I was really cool to watch. Other than the surf, it is just beautiful. It is larger than Central Park so you can literally get lost in there for hours. 5. 1972 Olympic Park Any one who knows me knows that I LOVE the Olympics. I couldn't visit Munich without a trip to the Olympic sites! Take the train our to Olympic Park, you won't regret it! I love going places where history was made and dreams come true and what better place than Olympic Park! For just a few Euros you can enter the stadium and walk around. For a few more Euros, you can also take a ride up the Olympic Tower. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy and rainy when I went, but usually you can see for miles! If you're brave, you can also pay to ride a zipline across the stadium, or take a walking tour along the roof! 6. Munich's Church's There is so much more to see and do in Munich, but this was my experience and the things I enjoyed most. There are world class Museums, Oktoberfest, Hofbräuhaus, nearby Neuschwanstein Castle, and so much more. Let me know what you enjoyed most about München!
Here are more photos I took of some of the places above! Enjoy! |
AuthorMy name is Lindsey. I graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Early Childhood Education in 2015 and moved to Germany as an Au Pair for a year! I love my Savior and my relationship with Him is most important. I also love traveling. I have been to the UK and Ireland, South Korea, China, Bosnia, Montenegro, and now Germany, Italy, Austria and France. I started this blog to chronicle my life as an Au Pair in Germany and my European Travels. My hope is that future Au Pairs would find my blog helpful and informative as they decide if they would like to be an Au Pair. Lindsey's Instagram:
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