Munchen

The day before yesterday was one of the most surreal and beautiful of my life. H and I awaoke in our tent, pitched in the botanical gardens-turned-hostel near the center of Munich. We wandered into the old town and ploppled ourselves down on the oaken cafe tables of a wursthaus on the main turist drag, framed by a 13th century stone gate. We inhaled gigantic, soft, and salty preztels with whole grain honey mustard, followed by poached weisswursts, sausages made of pork and veal. I had my first mass (1L glass) of beer. It was 10am. After sight seeing a bit we boarded a suburban train to the Dachau Concentration Camp just outside the city. We arrived at the camp gates with the infamous "work makes you free" inscription, rented the audio tour guide, and spent the next 4 hours touring the bunk houses, guard towers, bunkers, memorials, gas chambers, and crematorium. The juxtaposition of the day and environment, both beautiful, with the horrible place and its history, was violently unreal. some 43,000 people died at Dachau between 1934 and 1945, although technically it was not a 'death camp' as the gas chambers were never put into full use. It was the first and served as the model for the dozens that would follow. There are many pictures that convey the experience far more than I can in this way, so I will post those soon and stop trying to describe it.

After returning to Munich, and having a much needed ice cream. I, and H, and a new friend from washington DC staying at the same hostel walked through the city market of hanging sausages and bright vegetables to the legendary Hofbrauhaus. Founded some ridiculous number of centuries ago, HB is one of the principal Munchen breweries and therefore hosts of Octoberfest. Their beergarten is an infamous tourist haven, but rightly so given the humongous banquet tables, acres of liter glasses, and liederhosen'd staff. After 2 more masses, we said goodbye to our friend, and wandered out toward the English Garten, site of a more laid back and therefore more authentic beergarten. Setting towards the setting sun, H and I passed through Grimms' Fairy Tale looking woods and into a clearing with a huge chinese pagoda. Underneath the pagoda were rows of tables, sausage venders, and kegs and kegs of HB beer. We each grabbed a currywurst and bratwurst another giant pretzel, and 2 liters of "Strongbier." After an hour or eating and lounging, a group of guys about our age wearing feathered hats and bell covered shirts with sharpie signatures came by, blowing whistles and singing. I asked one of them why they looked the way the did and he replied that tonight was their last night in the military after the requisite and universal 9 months of service. So somehow we ended up drinking with them, then running around Munich all night from one beergarten to the next, until parting ways around 6 am. H and I fell asleep on our tram back to the Tent, and awoke to an angry german conductor shaking Harrison's shoulders. After a bit more wobbly walkiong we arrived at the tent, at 8 am.

my Total Sausage Count: 6
Liters of HB Beer: 6