- Chris Boothroyd gets up close and person with Munich
As the sun was only just sneaking over the horizon I was making my way through a very quiet main train station of Munich; the Hauptbahnhof . Immediately I found a few leaflets introducing Munich to tourists and ended up unearthing one of the strangest laws Germany has to offer: crossing a street, without the pedestrian light being green, is a criminal offence. Upon leaving the station it was a strange sight, watching all manners of people looking down a deserted street and patiently waiting for the green man to appear on the lights. For the tourists visiting Munich this is a law you will want to note.
After getting some much needed rest I ventured out into the heart of Munich, familiarising myself with locations and my miniscule knowledge of the German language thanks to a rather inconspicuous GCSE gained in my youth. Aimlessly wandering around and reading the various pamphlets I had picked up from the hostel I was staying in, it became apparent that Munich is in fact, a city of lies. A large proportion of the city was rebuilt after the Second World War; seventy one bomb raids in six years took its toll on the architecture of the city. Yet with a conservative plan to keep the pre-war street grids in tact, as well as the city’s historic vibe, the rebuilding was completed, to stunning effect. Without knowing that you could easily assume that many of the buildings had been untouched in centuries.
Removing myself from the historical aspects of Munich I decided to walk down the high street, a long, straight yet spacey. A composition of old and new, designer shops contrasting the stunning Frauenkirche, the town hall and the Marian Column. With the new juxtaposing the old throughout the city, Munich appears to be a modern city built upon the foundation of historical conservatism.
Making your own way around Munich on public transport is a somewhat tricky affair, especially if you do not have a grasp of the German language. The underground offered no alternative language on the ticket machines which provoked me into asking passers by for assistance, eventually ending up purchasing a map and deciding to get to my destinations on foot. My goal was to reach the well renowned English Gardens, which I accomplished with a map and a basic grasp of the German tongue. Upon my arrival to the English Gardens I embarked to uncover the legend of the German drinking culture. As many of you are aware, Munich is host to the world famous Oktoberfest, a month long festival of beer, which starts in September. My first purchase at the Gardens was a Hofbräu, which appeared in my hand in a litre glass. Factor in the famous beer halls and Munich, appears to have a drinking culture that could but Britain to shame, yet the atmosphere, even on nights out in the numerous bars and clubs, never once spilled over to an aggressive ambiance. At all times there was a sense of communal drinking, from the commercial public establishments all the way down to the drinking taverns found in the hostels, which provides a great social drinking scene and a chance to meet a variety of people from all corners of the globe.
Personally, my visit to Munich would not be complete without a visit to the Olympiapark, scene of the 1972 Olympics and more specifically the Olympiastadion where England recorded that historic 5-1 victory over Germany. The surround park was glorious, families and group of friends taking advantage of the beautiful landscape to indulge themselves in a scenic environment to relax, meander or play sports. However, it is worth noting that the building where the murder of members of the 1972 Israeli Olympic squad still stands and remains relatively untouched, a poignant reminder of past troubles that went hand in hand with a great sporting spectacle.
Accommodation wise, the choice for students are the numerous and fairly priced youth hostels, each having their own theme and special offers for patrons. The nightlife mirrors the drinking tone throughout the day, friendly and relatively cheap. Time your night out however in order to take advantage of the ‘happy hours’ of the numerous bars and clubs. Do not let the term hour fool you though; the norm is for the hour to last nearer one hundred and eighty minutes.
Munich is not scared to show off its scars that it as a city has gained throughout its history. Yet the norm appears to be to cover them up but not shy away from the fact that Munich was ravaged by allied bombing, or the scene of militant atrocities. But alongside the historical stories appears a friendly and vibrant city that holds something for everybody; be it culture, shopping, landscapes or the nightlife. Munich wears its heart on its sleeve with pride.
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