Today was one of my favorite days of the program as we took a day trip to Munich! Given my (unhealthy) passion for shopping, I was super excited to walk around, get gifts for my friends and family, and buy more clothes that absolutely do not need! Once we got off the train, I immediately realized how busy Munich is. I guess I got used to how calm Augsburg is because I felt like I was back in New York with the level of foot traffic everywhere. But, I’m not opposed to busy cities, I think there is something special about a lively city that attracts people from all over the world. Our first stop was the Glockenspiel nearby the train station. We arrived 10 minutes to noon, so it was the perfect time to wait for the one of the three times in day when the Glockenspiel rings. As the time inched closer to noon, the plaza filled with excited crowds of people, many of whom were wearing red as there was soccer game that same day. At first, I wasn’t expecting there to be such intric movement within the Glockenspiel, it was such a surreal moment standing there surrounded by many others who shared the same feeling of awe. Once the ringing stopped everyone clapped and cheered. Then, we dispersed and began exploring the city. With 4 hours of free time, we went to the Hofbräuhaus, did some sightseeing, and of course shopping.
First off was the Hofgarten and the Eisbachwelle. We walked around the garden and then watched the surfers at the Eisbachwelle! It was crazy to see people river surfing as it very cold and rainy that day. Once we left Eisbachwelle we headed to the Hofbräuhaus for lunch. My meal was pretty interesting, I had pork knuckle with beer sauce and potato dumplings! The food took a little while to come out but it was definitely worth the wait! The pork knuckle was so tender and had a full-bodied flavor profile that made it very satisfying. After lunch, we had less than an hour to do some shopping, so the first place we rushed to was Brandy Melville. The students we spoke to who took Plus3 Germany previously told us this location was a must-see as it was 3 stories and I’ve never seen a Brandy Melville store this large. A big part of shopping internationally in chain stores that draws me in is observing the differences in inventory between the States and the country I’m visiting.
After shopping we reconvened back at the plaza for a walking tour of the city. While I had been focused on the excitement of exploring Munich, the tour shifted my attention to the city’s more complex history. Through this tour, I learned about Munich’s significant role during World War II, including how it became known as the birthplace of the Nazi movement and how many of the events that shaped Germany’s history originated there. Walking through streets that now feel lively while learning about such a dark chapter of the past was an important reminder of how cities carry the weight of their history.
One of the most unexpected stops on the tour was the Michael Jackson memorial located near the Bayerischer Hof Hotel. For most people it might have seemed like an ordinary part of pop culture history, but for me it was a genuinely surreal experience. I’ve had a phobia of Michael Jackson since I was little, so actually standing in front of a memorial covered in photos and flowers felt overwhelming. At the same time, it was almost like accidental exposure therapy. At first I tried to cover my eyes because I was genuinely terrified to be close to so many large images of Michael Jackson, but then I decided to challenge myself by keeping my eyes open and listening to the story behind the memorial. By the end of the day, I felt like I had experienced many different sides of the city from shopping and famous landmarks to its difficult history and even one of the strangest moments of exposure therapy I’ve encountered while abroad.
