June 20 Munich CIty Tour

Monograms vacations provide a city tour on the first morning in each city -- except we had arrived a day early, and had taken that day for our castle tour.  So this was the half day city tour.  It was Thursday, but more deserted than even a Sunday morning, for it was the feast of Corpus Christi, a holy day and a holiday for the citizens of Munich.  Unlike the rest of Germany, Bavaria is predominantly Catholic.  Some streets were blocked for a parade and none of the shops were open.

Although a strange way to open the city tour, this huge parking lot becomes the center of beer drinking world in October when Octoberfest holds its two week party in Munich.  Six million visitors.  An ocean of beer consumed.

 Love the trams, and no need to stay in the streets.

 Schloss Nymphenburg, a huge castle on the eastern edge of Munich.  This is the main entry.

 There's the main entry left of center, and the rest of the building goes out for more than a 1/4 mile to the outbuilding, all connected.  And it's symmetrical, so it goes the same distance the other way.

 We drove past the Olympic park, site of the 1972 Olympics, but did not tour through the area. The roof design was influenced by the Alps.  The Munich Olympics are best known for Mark Spitz, the Michael Phelps of his era, and the Palestinians massacre of Israeli wrestlers

 There was a mandatory stop at the BMW showroom, next door to the BMW Museum.  Since BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works, it's headquartered in Munich.  In the huge display area they were driving this vintage BMW around.  Designed in partnership with a refrigerator manufacturer just after WW2, it opens like a refrigerator then drives off on 4 wheels.

 Returning to the city, we visited the Hofbrau House, scene of some of Hitler's rallies.  Adolph was a local boy and started his career here.

 The tour ended with the glockenspiel but since we'd already seen that show, we went out looking for Dodger Alley.  This was the alley that Munich citizens would take to avoid passing in front of the Feldherrnhalle where a memorial to dead Nazis required a salute from all passersby. 

 The twin spires of the Cathedral of Our Lady are the symbol of Munich.

 St. Michael's Church

 St. Paul's Church

 Paul had the best gargoyles.

 After a late afternoon deluge that we slept through, we went to dinner at the Ratskeller at Marienplatz.  We passed this on the way, but still had pork.

 The Ratskeller is located underneath the government building

The restaurant was wonderfully decorated.  I had feared it would be picnic tables and an oompah band, but it was white table cloths and small booths. Cynthia loved the little picture of the bird carrying the umbrella.

 And the food was good.  Apple fritters and Black Forest cake.  And there was a main course of something.