A quick walk to the train station and we were on our way to Munich! As I mentioned previously, the transportation here in Germany is much more efficient, reliable, and cleaner than that in America. I think this is because public transportation is much more integrated into everyday life here, like how the students take it every day to campus, while America is designed primarily around cars. Since so many people rely on trains and streetcars daily in Germany, there seems to be more money put into maintaining the system. 

Once we arrived in Munich, we walked to the new town hall to see the glockenspiel at eleven in the morning. As I waited, I noticed how busy Munich was, reminding me that even though it has a small-town feel, it is the largest city in Bavaria. The glockenspiel had three parts, each telling a part of the story. Finally, finishing with the golden bird on top, sounding 3 times. I expected the clock to stick out of the town hall like I’ve seen in Shrek, but it didn’t. 

After, a group of us walked through the court gardens to get to the Eisbachwelle, where people are able to surf on the river. It was so cool to see, especially because they were right in the city and I usually think of surfing with the beach. Seeing the gardens and well proved that nature seems very integrated into the city itself here. After that, we went to the famous Hofbräuhaus for lunch. We were able to sit outside in the giant garden. I was surprised by how large it was compared to the Pittsburgh location. It tripled it! Following lunch, we did some shopping around before our guided city tour. 

Our guide took us into St. Peter’s Church first, and like every other church we’ve seen, it left me in awe. A common motif I’ve noticed with all of them is gold detailing and beautiful artwork. Next, we walked through the farmers’ market and beer gardens, where our guide included the tradition of the maypole, where another town is able to steal the pole, and the only way the town can get it back in one piece is to pay for the beverages that were consumed that night. I found it cool how these traditions are still celebrated today because many traditions in America feel disconnected from local history.

The guide also included many pieces of WWII history to prepare us for our visit to Dachau tomorrow. I noticed how deeply rooted WWII is in the culture of every city affected. I felt both nervous and curious about what tomorrow brings.