Day 5 - Munich

Today was our first full day in München. We started the day with a late start at 10:00 . We took the U-bahn to Marienplatz. We had 3.5 hours to walk around München and shop or explore some of the interesting shops and museums. Each group went to many different things. Some people bought soccer jerseys, food, books, clothes, etc. This was a great time to explore the heart of the city on our own. Everyone experienced different things. We all enjoyed this free time and cherished every moment.

For the next three hours of this beautiful day, we went on a walking touring around the city. Our tour guide John, was a very funny, sarcastic, and informative person. He also happened to be from England so we all understood everything he was talking about. München has a lot of history behind it and he made sure to go into detail about the historic events that occurred here. He showed us where Hitler's putsch of Munich occurred and where the shootout happened. He also took us to where hundreds of Nazi rallies took place. It was an amazing and eerie feeling to stand exactly where Hitler or thousands of Nazis stood over 70 years ago. The history behind Munich is so menacing, but it's amazing to see what it has become today. 

John showed us Frauenkirche and even took us inside. This church had gorgeous high ceilings and beautiful stained glass windows. In the front of the church there's a devil's footprint. He told us the story of how the Devils foot imprint got there. It was an interesting story and it was funny to see if our shoes fit in the imprint. We learned that this church accepted Jews and allowed them to store their belongings in the church so they wouldn't be found out by the Nazis in Munich at the time. 

We also saw Theatinerkirche. This was one of the most mind blowing and stunning churches I have ever seen. The detail of the carved statues and chiseled interior was amazing. The paintings and murals were amazing. This church was absolutely beautiful. We moved on to other stunning places in Munich. We even visited Hofbräuhaus. I thought it was funny and interesting to learn about the beer culture in Munich since it has such a large influence on people who live there. We ended the the tour in Viktualienmarkt. 

After the tour, we went back to the hostel to eat dinner. After dinner, we had a choice to either go to the Olympic Park or the English Gardens. At the Olympic park we went up the Olympic radio tower and we could see all of Munich. It was gorgeous. We were extremely high up and some people even conquered their fear of heights. Afterwards we got to go for a swim in the Olympic Pool, where athletes swam in the 72 olympics.

At the English gardens, people went to hangout and eat gelato and people watch. Today was really educational and interesting. Munich made a great impression on all of us!

-Vanessa R