Ankunft and Orientation

Got luggage, ready for adventure

Everything with our travel went according to plan: we all met at O'Hare on Friday afternoon and embarked for a mostly on-time departure to Munich at 6PM. Brad was so pumped with excitement that he did not sleep the entire 8 hour flight. Once on the ground in Munich (Ankunft=arrival), Joe's love of cars was quickly being satisfied as he noticed European brands on the tarmac at the airport (Opel, Skoda) and was thrilled by the sheer volume of BMWs, Fiats, VWs we encountered on our way from the airport to the hotel. Guess who will brief the group before the BMW visit.


Our guide for the week, Ursula, met us at the airport and made our trip from the airport to the hotel on public transportation hassle free. We stamped our tickets (which allowed us to understand a different system of financially supporting the public transportation system), and hopped on the S8 to the main station. The 45 minute ride was full of observations, describing conversations with our neighbors on the plane (the US as an outlier in regards to the metric system), the speed, quietness, and efficiency of the train, and some different cultural frames we caught ourselves using. We were also impressed by the ease of the public transportation system, which landed us just steps from our hotel.

Arriving at the G Hotel

Once checked in, we left no time for the temptation of napping. We ventured to the Viktualienmarkt (open air victuals market) to grab some lunch and enjoy the beautiful spring day. We sampled Leberkäs, pretzels, O'batzda, marinated garlic gloves, caprese sandwiches, fresh strawberries, smoothies, etc., etc. Get the point? There were many fresh and delicious options and we tried several. We also made new friends, with the lads of our group bonding with some lads from Italy. Many pictures were snapped and perhaps my fellow travelers can post a few in a comment below. 

Biking through Englisher Garten

Once satiated, it was time to venture out on a 2-hour bike tour. We had a wonderful guide who took us along the Isar, past the Deutsches Musuem, past the Bavarian state building and Peace Angel, through the English Garden, and back into the Innenstadt. Along the way we learned about the different neighborhoods of Munich and how they developed (artists in Schwabing, conservative, traditional families in Lehel, most famous residents of Munich in Bogenhausen) and we snapped many pictures. It was also entertaining to traverse the city as most Munich residents do, by bicycle. It not only kept us awake, but also allowed us to learn about the history of Munich, major landmarks, and how modern Müncheners might spend a Saturday afternoon. Our guide then suggested the Schneider Weisse Haus for a classic Bavarian meal and we are all happy to follow his suggestion. After eating Schnitzel, more Leberkäs, Apfelkucherl, Scheinsbraten, and wurstl, the days events and jet lag caught up to us. A couple of travelers almost fell asleep at the table. Thank goodness our waitress had a great Bavarian sense of humor.

Content and tired after a busy day and great meal

We walked through the Marienplatz, the most recognized square of Munich, before heading home on public transportation. Before walking back into the hotel, we all provided one reflection about the day. Most were observations about symbols and gesture that give us clues about the culture: why do the traffic lights go from red to yellow to green? Why is pork such a staple of the diet? Why don't people apologize when they bump you? And why do Germans follow so many rules, official and unspoken? We tried to not only observe but also interpret and explain why.

My reflection of the day was simply experiencing Munich through the eyes of my fellow travelers. For a city I know well, it was fascinating to see it experienced through fresh eyes. Of course, I was overjoyed to hear Areen say he loves Munich after only 3 hours in the city, or Brad say that it is the best city. I was also thrilled that so much of what we experienced today primed us for exploring throughout the week. The lunch oriented us to the Innenstadt and the bike tour give was a taste for how might experience Munich in our free time. By the end of tour, Bonnie had decided she will move to Munich when she retires. It was remarkable to observe what we wanted to photograph, which often included things that become second nature after only a few days: the S-Bahn, residential buildings along the Isar, tunnels, road signs, car brands, advertisements, traffic lights. The sense of wonder from the first day of travel is energizing and contagious in any city in the world. But today's experience was off the charts. At dinner, Brad wondered how we could possibly top this day. Well, let's see what Salzburg has in store for us tomorrow.

Before we leave for Munich

Last week we had our final meeting before our departure at Chef Klaus's Bier Stube in Frankfort, IL. It was a great opportunity to become familiar with a typical German menu, try some German food, discuss restaurant etiquette and norms, but most importantly, to "break bread together," as Greg Goode called it, and get to know each other in a less formal setting. We were all giddy with excitement about our trip.

Heather and Julie briefed us on the history, culture, political, and economic background of Munich and Bavaria. We learned about it's founding in 1158 by Heinrich de Löwe (Henry the Lion), the role of the Benedictine monks, and Munich's importance in the salt trade along the Isar river. We then learned about how the city developed under the Wittelsbach dynasty. We'll see their footprint when we touch down in the city.

We also learned that the current mayor, Dieter Reiter, has been in office since 2014. His predecessor, Christian Ude, had held the office for 20 years. Both men are members of the SPD, a social democratic party, embedded in the otherwise conservative Bavarian state. Heather and Julie briefed us on the development of industry in Munich since 1945 (the Wirtschaftswunder) and gave us a sense of the type of companies that are in and around Munich.

We depart a week from today, on Friday, May 29th. The students will post pictures and descriptions of each day's activities. Please follow us on this adventure!