Great, Grande Germany

We got to Germany on Thursday, September 13th, a week before the start of Munich’s Oktoberfest and already the town was packed with giddy bier drinkers. AirBnBs started filling up back in July. So last minute planners, you may be SOL finding room and board during this time if you wait too long. One of the first things I noticed about Germany was how accessible everything is by public transport or by foot. In Munich, we walked everywhere. In honesty, we did walk 10 to 14 miles per day but that is pretty typical for my trips and how much we pack into a day. Of course, there is always the option to ride the underground trolleys or take a bus but I prefer walking and getting to take in the scenery a little slower. Besides, it is a welcomed cardio to the carb-loading that happens when I am on vacation.

step calculator while in Munich:

My tip is bring comfortable, stylish foot wear and wear layers so you can walk a lot without being burdened by your clothing. In Germany, I made sure to bring a rain coat and wore Adidas sneakers just about everywhere. On warm weather trips, I wear comfortable walking sandals. My go-tos are:

– Franco Sarto- 

-Grunland- (bought in my first European tour to Italy, when my back started to hurt walking in flat sandals for 12 miles a day)

– Earth Spirit-

I have basically walked all over the world in these shoes and have never had one blister or backache with them. 
Another thing I noticed was clothing is modest, warm, and an “artsy-plain.” By artsy-plain, think jeans, a dark colored long sleeve shirt, a bomber jacket, and ankle boots. I would refrain from wearing your crop tops here. Lastly, Germany is extremely family friendly. Everywhere you turn you see parents pushing their decked out ‘kinderwagons,’ or strollers, so this is great place to vacation with kids.
Munich:Munich is a town of rich history streaked with blood and power struggles. From a bubonic plague outbreak in 1634 that killed a third of the population to Nazi Germany, with a cholera outbreak in between that killed both Queen Therese and countless others. Munich gained city status in 1175 due to a toll bridge construction for the salt route. After that, it became the capital of the Bavarian empire for centuries. It was heavily bombed towards the end of World War II due to the fact that Munich was the Capital of the Nazi movement. But much has changed since then, restoration of buildings and cultural acceptance. Today, over 35% of Munich’s population is of foreign background.All you need in Munich is located in or near Marienplatz, or the old town city center. The plaza is named after Saint Mary so it is no surprise that this area still holds religious significance for Christians. Perhaps the most conspicuous is Frauenkirche Church, which holds the ‘footprint of the devil’ dating back to its 1468 construction, where the architect allegedly made a deal with the devil.   
Near Marienplatz, you have your pick of activities and old traditions:- explore Viktualienmarkt         Practiced for centuries, this large outdoor farmer’s market and biergarten complex is a must for sampling all of Munich’s delicacies.- Stroll through the English GartenWatch people surf on man-powered waves or enjoy lounging under willow trees- Eat hearty German food and drink a liter of Oktoberfest brews at the original Hofbrauhaus          A bit of added history for you: if you think 300 people at a wedding reception is too large, the prince and princess of Bavaria invited all of the empire to their reception in 1810. This became known as the first Oktoberfest.   – Visit a beer cellar like Augustiner Keller.          Be a part of history, where beer cellars served as bomb shelters and mushroom cultivation projects in the interim of disasters. -Make sure to head over to Spezlwirtschaft Altstadt, our favorite local bar located just outside of Marienplatz and right next to Hofbrauhaus.

  Hofbrauhaus:

 Strolling through the English Garten:

Dusseldorf: We flew into Dusseldorf’s Weeze airport to stay for a week with Mijo’s family. It was a lovely experience similar to my intro on Germany: Dusseldorf is very accessible by foot and public transport and has plenty of biergartens and outdoor food markets. Food is amazing here. Be sure to check out German pretzels, doners, kebabs, weinersnitchle, curry wurst, and turkish pizza for an authentic meal. If you are vegetarian like me, there are plenty of alternatives and a vegetarian doner is to die for. Now you know why we prefer to walk everywhere…
On our last night with the fam, we went to a Dusseldorf futbol game and it was wild fun. I highly recommend seeing the crazy energy to a European futbol (American soccer) game. I feel beyond blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with my future family and to see Mijo explore his childhood stomping grounds in Dusseldorf. It was the perfect end to a long and eventful trip abroad!