Guten morgen from München,
We were all awake by 5:40am and began the day with a Skype home to NZ sharing our experiences and talking through some of the photos we took yesterday.
Meriana was too busy watching Shrek to talk to Nana and Gwandad.
We headed downstairs to breakfast at around 8am. Now, breakfast in this part of the world consists of your normal cereals, lots of different breads and muffins, pretzels which were delicious and the you array of meat slices, cheeses, and eggs. (Sorry Aunty Ann we forgot to take the camera to breakfast hehehe).
After breakfast, we headed back to our room to brush our toofus and rug up before heading outdoors.
Meriana had on a singlet, a merino long sleeve, a t-shirt, a jersey, a swandri, a pair or tights and some jeans and her boots, a scarf, a hat and the hood on her swani.
Angela had a thermal long sleeve a t shirt and her jacket, thermal pants and jeans, sock and boots, a scarf and ear warmers.
I had a singlet, a merino long sleeve, a t shirt, a swandri, pants, sock, boots, a scarf, a hat, and ear warmers (lucky we bought those Janzen).
As soon as we stepped foot outside the hotel door you could feel the cold on your face.
Off we toddle (more like waddle with all these layers on hehehe) to the train station, get our pass for the underground train and head into Munich City Centre.
The city has 3 major public transport systems. Buses, subways (which a like trams on the road) and underground trains which all run every 5 mins.
The trip took us about 5 mins and once we got to town centre we were surrounded by market stalls which were still closed.
We took a walk around the town and came across some amazing animated Christmas scenes which Meriana would of stayed at all day if we didn't drag her away by the hair in protest hehehe, well not quite that dramatic, but you get my drift. These were located in The Royal Residence Christmas Village, where you can find toy makers making their toys, however we were there before a lot of them were opened.
Continued walking around and stalls started to open. Christmas is certainly alive in München.
We found one little stall which sold the most amazing hot chocolate and the mulled wine was just to die for as well. They gave the drinks to us in these christmas themed cups andd if you returned the cup, you got 3 euros back per cup, but Angela wanted to bring them home hehehe. While we were sipping on our hot chocolate, Meriana spotted the jolly fat man in the red suit (except this one wasn't fat - he looked authentic though).
He gave her a chocolate Santa (like the chocolate Bunny) and posed for some photos.
On we went and found another stall which was making crepes, so of course it would be rude not to buy some hehehe.
We thought we better head back to the hotel and give Meriana a sleep so we can go out a bit later on and see these markets during the night time. I think we will be tripling the layers this time round.
Will update you a little later this evening. Local time is 1:30pm
4:10pm we rugged up in EXTRA layers and braved the chilly winds and headed back into Munich City Centre to the Christkindle Markets.
Now I thought I was going mad when we headed to the underground station because I could swear when I used the escalator the first time it was going down. So I thought I was clever going to the escalator and all of a sudden it was going up. I looked at Ang and said maybe we've come the wrong way, so we go around the corner and thought no, that was the right way. When we went back, the escalator was going down again. Low and behold the escalators go either way. Quite ingenious really. Anyhow, back on the train we go, headed back to the night markets. One thing about these trains is, when you near your stop, you gather by the doors ready to disembark the train. The funny thing is, once the train stops you have to open the door yourself and you have exactly 20 secs to get off or on the underground before it departs again.
You know how on cartoons and movies you see people slide under a closing gate or door and they just make it, even though you think they'll get squashed, that is exactly how some people were with the underground. Talk about breath stoppers lol.
I thought the markets during the day were magic, the night ones are even more magical. Christmas decorations and lights adorn every single shop and lamp posts throughout the town and the air is filled with smells of roasted chestnuts, toasted coconut, mulled wine and hot chocolate, sausages being grilled, gingerbread. All the smells of Christmas.
Walking around the night markets, the streets are filled to the rim with 1000s of shoppers and then all of a sudden you hear carolers singing. Looking around trying to see where the sound is coming from and all you see is onlookers looking upwards.
Now, part of the markets are situated below, I think it's the St Peters Church, a gothic looking building which just portraits greatness, well on the balcony of this prestigious building is the group of carolers singing. Absolutely Christmassy.
We finished the night off with a feed of chips and sausages for Angela n Meriana and steak, chips and a cabbage and bacon salad for myself, and just like the cups, once you finish you return the plate and cutlery and get your deposit back. The place you eat your meal is at the bar learners they have set up around the market. They have these huge sauce bottles hanging at the food stall for you to use. It almost reminds me of milking a cow, except sauce comes out instead of milk. Such a great atmosphere.
Well, now we're back at the hotel, ready to settle in for the night ready for another adventure in Munich tomorrow.
But for now it's bis später from München, Germany.
We were all awake by 5:40am and began the day with a Skype home to NZ sharing our experiences and talking through some of the photos we took yesterday.
Meriana was too busy watching Shrek to talk to Nana and Gwandad.
We headed downstairs to breakfast at around 8am. Now, breakfast in this part of the world consists of your normal cereals, lots of different breads and muffins, pretzels which were delicious and the you array of meat slices, cheeses, and eggs. (Sorry Aunty Ann we forgot to take the camera to breakfast hehehe).
After breakfast, we headed back to our room to brush our toofus and rug up before heading outdoors.
Meriana had on a singlet, a merino long sleeve, a t-shirt, a jersey, a swandri, a pair or tights and some jeans and her boots, a scarf, a hat and the hood on her swani.
Angela had a thermal long sleeve a t shirt and her jacket, thermal pants and jeans, sock and boots, a scarf and ear warmers.
I had a singlet, a merino long sleeve, a t shirt, a swandri, pants, sock, boots, a scarf, a hat, and ear warmers (lucky we bought those Janzen).
As soon as we stepped foot outside the hotel door you could feel the cold on your face.
Off we toddle (more like waddle with all these layers on hehehe) to the train station, get our pass for the underground train and head into Munich City Centre.
The city has 3 major public transport systems. Buses, subways (which a like trams on the road) and underground trains which all run every 5 mins.
The trip took us about 5 mins and once we got to town centre we were surrounded by market stalls which were still closed.
We took a walk around the town and came across some amazing animated Christmas scenes which Meriana would of stayed at all day if we didn't drag her away by the hair in protest hehehe, well not quite that dramatic, but you get my drift. These were located in The Royal Residence Christmas Village, where you can find toy makers making their toys, however we were there before a lot of them were opened.
Continued walking around and stalls started to open. Christmas is certainly alive in München.
He gave her a chocolate Santa (like the chocolate Bunny) and posed for some photos.
On we went and found another stall which was making crepes, so of course it would be rude not to buy some hehehe.
Will update you a little later this evening. Local time is 1:30pm
4:10pm we rugged up in EXTRA layers and braved the chilly winds and headed back into Munich City Centre to the Christkindle Markets.
Now I thought I was going mad when we headed to the underground station because I could swear when I used the escalator the first time it was going down. So I thought I was clever going to the escalator and all of a sudden it was going up. I looked at Ang and said maybe we've come the wrong way, so we go around the corner and thought no, that was the right way. When we went back, the escalator was going down again. Low and behold the escalators go either way. Quite ingenious really. Anyhow, back on the train we go, headed back to the night markets. One thing about these trains is, when you near your stop, you gather by the doors ready to disembark the train. The funny thing is, once the train stops you have to open the door yourself and you have exactly 20 secs to get off or on the underground before it departs again.
You know how on cartoons and movies you see people slide under a closing gate or door and they just make it, even though you think they'll get squashed, that is exactly how some people were with the underground. Talk about breath stoppers lol. I thought the markets during the day were magic, the night ones are even more magical. Christmas decorations and lights adorn every single shop and lamp posts throughout the town and the air is filled with smells of roasted chestnuts, toasted coconut, mulled wine and hot chocolate, sausages being grilled, gingerbread. All the smells of Christmas.
Walking around the night markets, the streets are filled to the rim with 1000s of shoppers and then all of a sudden you hear carolers singing. Looking around trying to see where the sound is coming from and all you see is onlookers looking upwards.
Now, part of the markets are situated below, I think it's the St Peters Church, a gothic looking building which just portraits greatness, well on the balcony of this prestigious building is the group of carolers singing. Absolutely Christmassy.
We finished the night off with a feed of chips and sausages for Angela n Meriana and steak, chips and a cabbage and bacon salad for myself, and just like the cups, once you finish you return the plate and cutlery and get your deposit back. The place you eat your meal is at the bar learners they have set up around the market. They have these huge sauce bottles hanging at the food stall for you to use. It almost reminds me of milking a cow, except sauce comes out instead of milk. Such a great atmosphere. Well, now we're back at the hotel, ready to settle in for the night ready for another adventure in Munich tomorrow.
But for now it's bis später from München, Germany.
looks wonderful - and snow - lucky you - the decorations and stalls look amazing
ReplyDeleteYou write wonderfully Peter, I can almost taste and smell all the yummy Christmas treats! We really do feel like we are there with you all sharing this magical time, love you all heaps and heaps xxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteoh funny, it's all unedited because I tend to just write as I go and add photos later without rewriting it so that it's proper English hehehe Only so much you cn do on an iPhone and iPad lol
Delete