Most of my German Dreams Came True in Munich

Last weekend I went to Munich with 3 goals in mind. First, to see the Christmas markets. Second, to try currywurst and leberkase. Third, to drink a German beer.

There is still no snow in Ljubljana, but Austria has plenty. This is a terrible picture because it does not show how beautiful the scenery was. We went to Munich by car. Basically, we went online to a website where you can hitch-hike. Someone with a car is going on a trip, and you offer to split the gas money for a ride. We rode with a German man who works in Croatia and must drive from Zagreb to Munich twice a week. By car the trip was 4.5 hours.

We rode in a fairly new Audi, and thus were stopped by the police. If the police see a nice car with a foreign license plate coming out of former Yugoslavia, they will pull over the driver. Sybil, Ivan and I were waiting to get back in the car.

Sybil studied in Munich last semester, so we were able to stay in the dorms with her friend. The dorm had community mattresses that students can use when friends visit. The three of us (Sybil, Ivan and I) slept on two mattresses on the floor. We were actually quite comfortable. Our first night in Munich we visited the University. This picture is in the main hall, where all the students are protesting. Most of the other Universities in Germany do not charge tuition. Munich recently started charging 500EUR per year. The students refuse to allow classes to take place in the main auditorium until tuition charges are abolished.

The University of Munich takes protesting very seriously. This is a monument to the students of the 'White Rose' underground organization. They were a group of several students and teachers who anonymously printed flyers protesting the Nazi regime. Eventually, they were discovered and later beheaded. Their flyers have been written in stone on the pavement.

Ivanna (with whom we stayed), Ivan and I enjoying cook wine, a German christmas tradition.

New Town square at night.

Entrance to the Christmas markets.

After a night of wandering the christmas markets in the cold, we stopped at the most famous beer house in Munich. This is suckling pig with dumplings. Good hearty German food.

The inside of the beer house.

The next morning we went in search of more christmas markets.

I found currywurst!! (Not all it's cracked up to be!!)

One of the largest parks in Munich is the English Garden. It was designed in the 1800's to model after English gardens. A man made stream flows throughout the garden. The area where the water is pumped into the stream has become a popular SURFING hangout. It was really amazing to see.

Another monument to the students of the 'White Rose' outside German Parliment. They are pretty much the heroes of Munich.

German Parliment.

Old Town Square

More of the Christmas markets.

As the sun went down, we headed to BMW headquarters. Apparently, Santa drives a BMW.

Inside the BMW museum.

Near to the BMW headquarters, we visited the site of the 1972 Olympics. The Olympic games most remembered for the terrorist attack on Israeli athletes. Most of the grounds were closed for renovation, as they are turning the park into a fitness training facility.

After all this, we returned home to meet with Ivanna. She works at the Munich airport and wasn't able to sight-see with us. She had a hard day at work and we decided to make some more cook wine.

Before our mad dash to the train station, we stopped at Subway. There are no Subways in Slovenia. . and I was really excited.

After eating Subway and sipping Starbucks, we headed back to Ljbuljana via train. We passed through Austria again. . only to find more snow.

Sybil and Ivan checking out the dining car.

German trains are really nice. This is a first class car.

So, while in Munich I achieved most of my goals. I saw many Christmas markets, I ate currywurst and I drank a German beer. I didn't ever get around to trying leberkase, but I'm going to visit Jan in Hamburg in February. I sent out a few post cards, so if you receive one it will probably be a re-run of all the info just discussed. I'm really excited for Christmas now though!! Christmas markets, Christmas music, sugar coated toasted almonds. . etc. Only 12 days until I'm back in the US!

I love drugs (the perfectly legal non-perscription kind)

Yesterday was a very sad day indeed. I took my last tablet of loratodine (allergy med) and said a little prayer. For it seems that the further I am from the US, the further my allergies amplify. Whilst in the Czech Republic, I had such a cough that my friends referred to it as 'the plague.' Upon returning home, my doctor informed me the cough was due to allergies left untreated.

My allergies have redoubled as a result of my being abroad, and the cough returns when I forget a day of allergy meds. Having miscalculated the number of pills needed before leaving the US, I had run out. Today, I gathered my dictionary translations for itch, cough and sneeze and I made my way to the Lekarna (Pharmacy).

I explained (in Slovene) that I have allergies and that I had run out of medicine. The woman asked me what my allergies were (I really have no idea) so I told her dust and pollen. Low and behold she offered me CLARITIN!! Oh how my heart sang! The very drug I was after (although I always buy the generic kind) is available in Slovenia!!

The strangest part of my tale, is that Claritin is CHEAPER in SLOVENIA than in the UNITED STATES. I paid something like $12 for 20 tablets. In the states, this would cost me at least $25.

As explained in my previous blog about the Czech Republic, Europeans have a different relationship with over-the-counter medications than we in the states have. You cannot simply walk into a Lekarna, pluck the drug of your choice from the shelf, pay and leave. You must discuss with the clerk what your symptoms are, and they recommend something for you. All the medicines are kept behind the counter. I took a picture to demonstrate.

P.S. I know I just wrote an entire blog about Claritin. . but this excites me so!