München

We arrived in München yesterday at 1:30 PM .  The first thing the kids noticed was the distinct lack of air conditioning while waiting for our luggage in Franz-Joseph Strauss.  After 36 hours (or something like that), we all agreed that a shower and a change of clothes were our first priorities.  We hustled out to the S-Bahn station and rode into town.  Somehow there was construction on the tracks and we breezed past the Hauptbahnhof in central München without stopping. 1st challenge, get everyone off the train and across the platform and go back in the correct direction.  Next, get off the subway (obviously we found the Hbf and the U-Bahn) at Rot-Kreuz-Platz and figure out which direction to walk in to the DJH München-City.    After handing out keys and explaining  how to put the crazy sheets on the bed and the comforters, the GAPPies all disappeared to freshen up.  A mere 60 minutes later, we were back on the subway to the heart of München, the Marienplatz.

When we emerged from the subway and walked around the corrugated metal construction barriers, I was treated to a chorus of "wow, Frau" and "awesome".  All I could think of was "winning!". It is so nice to be able to introduce students to a new place and new experiences.  It certainly peeled back the "I -am-slightly-jaded-been-to-München-a-few-times" scales from my eyes.  The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing and all of the sudden, our stomachs were growling.  We hustled back to the hostel for supper and then turned right around and went back out again.  I treated everyone to their first Eis.  I guess Smurfs (Schlumpf-Eis) taste like Froot-Loops and Mozart (Mozart-Kugeln) is delicious.  We then continued on to the Olympic Park, where we drooled over BMWs parked outside at the Welt and shot up to the top of the 291 m Olympiaturm and marveled at the panorama of München at our feet.  It was a bit windy and clouds obscured the view of the Alps to the south, but selfies were taken and graffiti was scribbled (all legal, of course) to prove we were there.  Finally, heavy heads and tired feet prevailed and we went back to the hostel for some shut-eye. I cannot vouch for the kids, but I will say I slept like a rock and was ready for today's adventure.  

Today, we spent most of the day on beach-cruisers and toured around München with Ben of the Beautiful Voice (he was from Dublin) and Mike's Bikes Tours.  Our Mike volunteered to bring up the rear of the pack (I think we had 22 total people in our group).  Ask him about his new job title!  Lunch at the Chinesischen Turm in the English Garden was an adventure, ranging from chicken wings to full-on bayrische Traditionen, such as Schweinehaxen and Obatzta mit Brezn.  After finishing up the bike tour, the kids took off on a "scavenger" hunt while I hunted up a new SIM card for my German phone.  Mike and Olivia finished first and earned bags of Haribos which are not available back home.  By then it had started to rain and we were very glad the poor weather held off until the end of the day.  The walk from the subway to the hostel was a bit damp but I, for one, am very glad the thunderstorm never materialized.  

Tomorrow we are off to Dachau and the KZ Dachau Gedenkstatte.  I will ask a few students to post their reactions to this very powerful place when we return. 

Bis bald!  Frau S