"Do You Speak Bavarian?"

My best friend Mosey and I in Germany!

Beer, bratwurst, lederhosen, and mountains. Those were the things that I always used to imagine when I thought of Germany.  I know that it may seem a little stereotypical, but all that and more came to life when I took a trip out to Munich, Germany with my best friend, Mosey.

On top of the hill in Olympic park

When Mosey told me that she was going to be traveling around Europe for a few weeks as her graduation present to herself (and from her parents!), I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to have an European adventure with one of my oldest friends.  She told me that we could go anywhere I wanted, and I chose Munich.  I had really wanted to go to Germany during my backpacking trip last month, but wasn't able to make it there before I got sick so I was really thankful that Mosey was up for it!

If you know anything and Mosey and I, you know that we love to talk.  We are both totally different yet have so much in common, so there is always catching up to do when we get together. And since I have been in Europe, it has been much harder to keep in touch. So you can imagine the amount of catching up we had to do the first day we got to Germany.

Just as we were spilling to each other everything that had been going on in our lives over the last few months, our new roommate Dan walked in to our hostel room.  Even after having to listen to us have girl talk for nearly an hour while he settled in, we still managed to impress Dan enough to become really good friends during the time that we were there.  Amazing the amount of cool people that you meet staying in hostels!

This car will be mine someday ;) Sooner Crimson!

Once Mosey and I stopped talking long enough to make a little bit of a plan for the day, we decided to head up to the Olympic Park where the 1974 Olympics were held. (A very historical Olympics I might add!)  But of course, just our luck, it started pouring the minute we came up from the subway.

Olympic Park, Munich

To pass some time until the rain passed, we went and wandered around the BMW showroom where they had all the latest and future models of BMWs (which stands for Bavarian Motor Works, by the way...made in Munich, Bavaria!). I couldn't help but think about my little brother the whole time and how much he would have loved it there...It was a car lover's heaven!

When the rain decided to let up, we got the chance to wander around the Olympic Park and go up on top of the hill there to get views of all of Munich. It was really interesting to see a city like that...nothing built tall, just built out.  It looked like the city went on forever.

As you probably know about Germany: They love their beer. So Mosey and I decided there was no better place to get dinner and a good beer than an authentic Bavarian beer hall.  Little did we know though, venturing a little bit off the beaten path was going to give us an experience like none other.

Mosey and I with our new "friend" at the beer hall!

Between our ridiculously drunk middle aged table mate, to the oompah band playing right behind us, to a kid way too young to be hitting on Mosey...we had a night to remember, that's for sure.  I really can't explain what that beer hall was like, it is just one of those things that you have to experience for yourself to really know what I mean. Indescribable!

The next day, Mosey, Dan and I went on the walking tour provided by our hostel.  Although it was really interesting to see all of the different parts of Munich, I must say that I thought out tour guide was pretty terrible.  I walked away from the tour knowing almost just as much about Munich as I did walking into it.  But if you wanted a tour all about Berlin and some random guy's political beliefs, then I suppose one would like it! Not really my thing though.

Saw this on our walking tour...Can't tell you what it is though haha

I enjoyed our own little tour of Munich much better.  We went out to to English Garden to the standing surfer wave where there were tons of people surfing...In the middle of Munich! It was really crazy to see.  We also went up in the top of on of the churches in the town center to get more views of Munich.  Mosey hates heights so I was really impressed that she made it all the way up there!

The surf wave in the English Garden

That night, we decided to eat some more authentic Bavarian food at a beer house known for having the best wheat beer in town.  Sounds like a good idea, right? It would be if you spoke German and could actually converse with the waitresses and read the menu! Thank goodness we had Dan with us, who was able to help us! As much as I am slightly terrified every time I look at something and it looks like total jibberish, it is actually really fun to try and figure stuff out!

Having real German beers!

One of the big reasons why I wanted to go to Munich was so that I could see the "Disney Castle". About two hours from Munich is Neuschwanstein Castle tucked away in the Bavarian Alps.  It is the castle that all of the Disney castles are actually based off of, and I could definitely see why.  Not only the castle itself but the German countryside and the mountains and waterfalls were seriously the most amazing.  Mosey and I spent the day hiking around the mountain and admiring the castle and landscape.  I would venture to say that this was the most beautiful place that I have ever been.

The "Disney Castle"...Most beautiful place EVER

Our last night in Munich was so nice that we decided to have dinner at a little Italian cafe outside.  We also got a chance to meet up with a friend of mine that I met at Reading named Annika who lives in Germany. Her and her friends were all just hanging out drinking beers in one of the roundabouts in the city.  I was amazed at how many people were out there, but she said there are usually so much more! Munich is such a chill town, it's pretty cool!

Me and Annika!

As much as I didn't want to leave Munich, I knew I had to come back and start study for my exams the next week.  But that wasn't before we had one last wander around town with Dan and a picnic lunch outside. We had plenty of sunshine to enjoy our last day in Munich.

Picnic lunch for our last day in Munich

Overall, I think going to Munich was one of my favorite trips that I have done since being in Europe.  Maybe it was getting to be with one of my best friends, or maybe it was the beautiful scenery, or the immense amount of culture. Whatever it was...It was amazing.

Our God is GREAT!! Look at His work!