For several years, I’ve marveled at how Berlin has eclipsed Munich in urban energy. I was just in Munich, and now it seems to be comfortable just being itself rather than trying to keep up with Berlin.
After the last couple of years — with the elevation of Joseph Ratzinger (the local archbishop) to the papacy, Pope Benedict’s wildly successful visit, and hosting the World Cup — Munich seems revitalized and on a natural high.
And tourists love Munich. Legions of young expat tour guides are in a brutal battle for the tourist dollar. Here in the beer capital of Europe, tours start late — giving backpackers a chance to sober up. Feisty small walking and biking tour companies train guides who then split off and offer tours for free (and just ask for tips at the end of the gig).
I’ve tuned into bike tours in Europe this year, and I like them more than I thought I would. That’s partly because of competition driving prices down to literally zero. A guy named Lenny offers free tours every day from Munich’s main square — and he’s a fine guide. In general, the guides dumb down their lectures with lots of silly legends, and refer to the beloved Frauenkirche as the “church with the Pamela Anderson domes.” But they are introducing many visitors to a facet of Bavarian culture beyond its famed beer.
My favorite local guide joined me for an evening of restaurant visits. Heading for the Hofbräuhaus, I mentioned I’d love to give it some meaning. He thought that was funny and quoted Freud: “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” We climbed to the beer-stained top floor hall where tour groups gather to pay €20 for an all-you-can-stomach buffet of traditional food and a yodel show. I did find some culture downstairs in the main and noisiest hall. The smoke-stained ceiling, repaired and repainted after WWII bomb damage, was an evocative mesh of 1950s German mod — Bavarian colors, chestnuts, food, drink, and music themes. And a slogan arcing across the ceiling above the oom-pah band read, Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh(Thirst is worse than homesickness).
Wandering through the legions of happy beer-drinkers in the Hofbräuhaus, it occurred to me that, unlike with wine, more money doesn’t get you a better beer. Beer is truly a people’s drink, and you’ll get the very best here in Munich. Connoisseurs have their favorite brews — and to get it, they don’t pay more…they simply go to the beer hall that serves it.
Beer halls always impress me with their ranks of urinals. Munich had outdoor urinals until the 1972 Olympics and then decided to beautify the town by doing away with them. What about the people’s needs? The new law: Any place serving beer must admit the public (whether customers there or not) to use their toilets.
I struggled for a smooth transition from beer-hall toilets to a new synagogue and failed. Sorry.
Munich’s striking new synagogue is locked tight to the public, but it’s still worth a look for its powerful exterior — its lower stones are travertine, like the famous Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, and the upper part represents a tent that held the important religious ware during 40 years of wandering through the desert until Temple of Solomon was built, ending the Exodus. Today (because Germany has agreed to accept religious refugees from the former USSR), the Jewish population of Munich has finally reached pre-Nazi levels — 10,000. And Munich’s Jewish community is understandably enthusiastic about its impressive new center, with a synagogue, school, and museum.
Our first visit to München was a couple of years before the XX Olympics in 1972. The 951-foot-tall Olympiaturm (TV tower) was already in place, and the large revolving restaurant, 630 feet above ground, permitted a view down into the stadium, the sports hall, the swimming pool, and other facilities that were then under construction. === In the tower of the Neues Rathaus in the Marienplatz, the nearly 300-foot-high Glockenspielturm (largest carillon in Germany) plays its melody and displays moving enameled copper figures, at 11:00 AM daily. === On our first visit to München we parked (half on the street and half on the sidewalk, like everyone else) on a street next to the Rathaus. When we returned a couple of hours later, we found the parking rules had changed an hour ago, and ours was the only vehicle still there. The “ticket†on the windshield was a polite note that almost said, “We know you can’t read the sign, so maybe it isn’t your fault, but next time, please … !†=== We ate dinner in the Ratskeller, the restaurant in the cellar (keller) of City Hall (Rathaus). Along with our meal, we requested ice water to drink. After the small glasses were quickly emptied several times, the elderly waitress had a great idea and appeared at our table with a big smile and a large chunk of ice in a big pitcher of water. === Our notes mention (and we still have the menu), that $7 covered the cost of a complete steak dinner for four – but that was in 1970, quite a few years ago. === This was Sweetie’s first experience with being charged (not just a tip) a few pfennig for use of the restroom, and an additional few for washing her hands. Like most Americans, she thought the use of toilet facilities should be a service provided by the restaurant. Since she had left her purse at the table, it was a little embarrassing.
I’ll be in Bavaria in 10 days!
I enjoy your writing and am glad you’re back in Europe doing what you do best!
I struggled for a smooth transition from beerhall toilets to a new synagogue and failed. Sorry. ROTFLOL As a writer, I appreciate the problem. As a traveler, I appreciate your blog. Thanks for the best laugh I’ve had in days.
Rick, your blog reminded me of the joyous gemutlichkeit that the Hofbrauhaus personifies. It makes one want to break out in song: In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus: Eins, zwei, g’suffa . . . Da läuft so manches Fäßchen aus: Eins, zwei, g’suffa . . . Da hat so manche braver Mann: Eins, zwei, g’suffa . . . Gezeigt was er so vertragen kann Schon früh am Morgen fing er an Und spät am Abend kam er heraus So schön ist’s im Hofbräuhaus.
Hey Rick, in 2 weeks I’ll be back in Munich and also spending 2 days at Chiemsee for a business meeting. You gotta love German companies – seems every quarter or so, we’re meeting “off-site” somewhere near (or in) the Alps or at a hotel by some nice little picturesque lake. I’m sure that you have your favorite restaurants, but I’d like to pass on 2 great Italian places that I love to visit when I’m in Munich. 1) Aquapazza, at Mariahilfstrasse 24, just south of the Deutsches Museum (on East side of Isar). They have wonderful food and this truffle potato appetizer that is to die for. 2) Osteria Veneta, south of Viktualianmarkt, at Utzschneiderstrasse 24, great food and wine. Have a great time and enjoy the biergartens!
We rented bikes when we were in Munich last year and enjoyed it–even riding to the Deutsches Museum, which had plenty of bike racks. However, the bikers on the bike paths were as crazy as the drivers on the streets–nearly got creamed a couple times.
We’ll be in Munich in 10 days!! My 12 year old is looking forward to drinking beer there since he’s been told by his friends you can drink in Germany at 12. Thanks to whomever it was at your office who suggested we stop in Munich as a side to our train trip from Venice to Innsbruck (we’ll double back to Innsbruck since it’ll be the night train). Can’t wait to Omm-pah-pah.