Veni Vidi Vici- Prague: April 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Sweden

Leaving at 8.30 AM and arriving at 10.30 PM is something you cannot prepare for enough. Despite the number of layovers or their length, traveling for that long takes its toll.

We rode the train to Usti (Czech Republic), where we learned that the tracks were undergoing construction and we needed a bus to get to Dresden. An hour bus ride and we were in Dresden with enough time to board the train headed for Berlin. Our final German destination was Hamburg, and after some asking and research, we found that our train went straight to Hamburg. An hour in Hamburg and we boarded for Copenhagen. Two hours into the ride to Copenhagen and we were asked to disembark (we were on a massive ferry). Forty-five very cold minutes on the ferry to Denmark, and we re-boarded the train. Another two hours and it was 10 PM and we had arrived in Copenhagen.

Temperatures were in the low 50s, though they felt colder, and a slight drizzle was falling. We walked three kilometers on dark streets and found our hostel in the inner courtyard of a graffiti defaced building. The hostel itself was immaculate. Brand new, and the cheapest in the city by a long shot, I felt like I was entering an IKEA showroom. Everything was very clean, and very small. Our room for the next three nights was a two bunk-bed set up with barely enough space to fit in between and very little room for luggage storage. That night, I was asleep in no time.

The next morning, we set out with no map, looking to explore the city as we saw it. After some delicious breakfast pastries, we wandered into old town and found the Round Tower. We paid the $5 entrance fee and climbed the spiral ramp to the top. The round tower is the oldest observatory in Denmark, and was used in its heyday by Astronomer Tycho Brahe! Attached to the tower was a very neat art exhibition with some very interesting art, art that I actually liked!

Wandering the main arteries of the city, we purchased some candy at the Candy Megastore and snacked our way past the Rathaus and past Tivoli Gardens toward the train station. Tivoli was a 20 dollar entrance fee, plus a fee for riding rides, so we opted for an external tour of the grounds, admiring the several entrance gates. Armed with our Eurail passes, we boarded a train to Sweden (only 30 minutes). After a very brief stint at the airport for Starbucks, we ended up in Malmo, a small city just across the border. Wandering the three squares of the city, there was not much to see, so we snapped a few pictures to prove our presence, and meandered back for the most exciting part of our entire trip. Two stops down, we disembarked (still in Sweden) at the Hyllie stop. Walking along what may or may not have been considered side-walks, we made our way past a sketchy neighborhood to the parking lot of a real life Swedish IKEA.

Walking through what looked the same as a typical American IKEA, we began to feel hunger pangs. Luckily, IKEA has a cafeteria and to top off the irony, we each ordered Swedish meatballs. Got all that? In an IKEA in Sweden eating Swedish meatballs. What is more Scandinavian than that?

On the train, we picked up some maps and headed back to our hostel to plan our attack on Copenhagen. From Rosenberg Palace toward the Nyhavn Canal, we made our way up the river through pouring rain and plenty of fog. The Opera House was an impressive modern building on the river directly across from Amalie Park and the Amalienborg Palace. Walking through the courtyard of the Palace, we found all the tourists hiding under umbrellas taking pictures of the Palace guards. We then found our way to the Frederikskierk, or Marble Church only to find it closed and under construction. As we walked north, we made our way through the Kastellet (the oldest fortifications in Denmark), which was somewhat structured like Fort McHenry in the states. As we exited the Northern Gates, we made a short walk to the Little Mermaid Statue. Nothing impressive, the statue was situated on some rocks about five feet into the river and was crawling with tourists. The only real significance of the statue is to commemorate Danish author Hans Christian Anderson’s book that was adopted by Disney.

Our walk back South through the city put us back near the main arteries where we grabbed a quick dinner and rested for a bit.

The trip was a blur. Two hours into the trip, we were back on the ferry. Two hours later we were in Hamburg. Another hour and we were on the train to Berlin. Two hours and we were headed back to Prague. Exhausted, we arrived around midnight and my mind was already spinning on trying to plan our next trip to Amsterdam and Brussels.

Paris, France

Thursday was a LONG day of travel, to put things mildly. With our reserved seats on the night train, we hopped on the train to Munich for a six-hour layover. Having just been in Munich, we felt comfortable with the city and simply meandered the rainy streets, ducking in for lunch at Pizza Hut and some lackluster shopping in the German equivalent of FAO Schwatrz. Needless to say, I was in Playmobil heaven! There were so many cool toys that we ended up spending over an hour perusing the model cars, board games, trains, and toys.

By 10 PM, we were ready to board the train and I was ready for some sleep. We found our compartment and seats on the train with relative ease. Sitting in a 6-person compartment that was nearly full and trying to sleep is really not very easy. The seats do not recline, everyone has luggage, so space is cramped. Foreigners smell bad and do not understand the concept of the “personal bubble.” After a couple of half hour naps, I was tired of being on the train. Too bad it was only 2 AM.

One of the things that I missed on my first tour of Paris was the confusing maze of underground tunnels that makes up the transportation system of the city. Consulting several maps, we finally found the stop nearest our hostel and made it there after two changes on the metro. Dropping off our bags and grabbing some actual maps (we had been using the ones on our phones), we headed off to explore.

First on the list was the enormous and serene (for an urban location) was the Montmarte Cemetery and the Basilica of Sacre Couer (Sacred Heart). Unfortunately, the Basilica was PACKED, it was Good Friday, after all. The rest of the day was spent wandering the city, checking off major sites until we made our way to the Louvre for free admission and extended hours.

It is simple to get lost on the stairways, wings, and limited exhibitions of the museum. We managed to get lost at least once on the way to find the bulletproofed Mona Lisa. Two hours into our visit, we were tired, loopy and ready for a break, but did not want to waste our time in the museum. To combat the fatigue, we invented a game: Caption the art. Filling the rest of our time with jokes about art, we finally found our way out around closing time ready for a good night of rest.

Saturday morning, we walked up to Sacre Coure past Monet’s home, buying a delicious nutella and banana crepe. This time, we managed to walk through the Basilica, despite the area still being incredibly crowded. The rest of the day was filled with delicious baguette sandwiches, the Eiffel Tower, the State Opera House (Phantom of the Opera), some brief shopping.

Sunday was more of the same hallmark Paris sightseeing. From the Champs-de-Elysses, the Arc de Triomphe, the Trocadero Square, the Eiffel Tower, Hotel d’Invalides, the Tuilerie Gardens. While the sights were impressive, I enjoyed simply walking the city away from the sites more than seeing the sights themselves. The city has the typical hustle and bustle of a big city with the feel of a European city. While the residents are cold and a bit rude, they are generally helpful.

Monday (we didn’t have school), we took our time getting out to Versailles. Arriving, we found the lines filling the square in front of the palace, with estimated time of entrance being about four hours from the time we got there… just in time for closing. Disappointed, but not too sad, we explored the rest of the neighborhood and called it a day, heading back to Paris for our night train home via Berlin.

On the night train home, we were in a similar situation as the train there with a cramped compartment (though not nearly as bad). Tired from the walking and sightseeing of the week, I fell asleep almost immediately. Our arrival in Berlin brought me some relief, knowing that I was almost home.

I have found that travel is more work than school. Going to school three days per week is not that difficult, no matter what classes you take. Trying to plan a vacation around train schedules; hostel availability, location and prices; sites to see; and imbibing the culture is not very easy. After our ten-day spring break and this five-day trip to France, I am thoroughly exhausted. The Tuesday after we arrived back in Prague, it was time for a break. Instead of pushing to go somewhere big, we opted to stay in Prague and plan our trip to Denmark. Laying in bed and getting ahead on projects, I am starting to get homesick.

Being in Prague the last two and a half months has been amazing, but I am mentally preparing for the transition back to the states. I miss the dollar, American coins, driving, Mexican food, video games, being able to exercise (other than massive amounts of walking), normal weather, no trains, and food that I recognize.

Paris was an amazing city, and I am so thankful that I was able to re-visit so many great sites. While the city was very tourist oriented, I felt more comfortable in a city that big, with so many things to fill our days. We had (at this point) three more weekend trips before we hunker down for finals. I am excited for our new destinations, but ready to be home, too.

Only a few more weeks until my parents get here, which should be a welcome break from the monotony of the three-day school week.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Vienna, Austria

Nearly home.

After some deliberation about directions, we managed to find our hostel just as rain started to pour from the skies. After getting settled and deciding a plan of action, we headed to McDonald's for our Austrian placemat. Over dinner, we planned our attack on the city...

We walked out of McDonald's full of energy only to find it pouring. Down pouring. So in a moment of decision, we jogged back to the hostel to use the internet and really plan out everything we could. That night of relaxation was much needed and made us all feel refreshed for our last day of travel before the break was over.

The next morning, we figured out the public transportation system which dropped us off near old town. As we walked past some impressive and ornate buildings, I began to realize how much I missed Prague.

I think at this point, the most exciting part of spring break happened as we made our way toward the Rathaus and found the Red Bull Big Air Bike Competition going on! There were a few dirt ramps, some free give aways, and lots of bikes! Molly was in heaven and we spent over an hour wandering the booths collecting freebies and even ride what Molly called "freak bikes."

We wandered through Museums Quarter and the Hofburg Palace before finding the Sacher Deli, home of the famous Sacher Tort (really rich chocolate cake). We bought two types to be eaten later and continued exploring. Walking through the big cathedral was awkward because it was the middle of a church service on Sunday morning, but luckily it did not really compare with St. Vitus in Prague. From the Cathedral, we boarded the metro to head out to see the Wiener Reisenrad. This giant ferris wheel has been the trademark of Vienna for quite some time, and has even been included in some of the greatest movies ever (James Bond's The Living Daylights).

From the amusement park, we made our way back to the city. Meandering south, we found some lunch and a Starbucks (for Hillary). Trying to find some memorable places, we walked past the Opera house (not impressive) to some churches (not too impressive) to the rundown Schwarzenburg Palace (really eerie). Boarding the metro again, we rode out to the major tourist trap of Schloss Schonbrunn (think mini-Versailles). Overrun with tourists, we decided it was not worth trying to fight the crowds.

Heading back to the hostel, I was sad that Spring Break was ending so soon, but ready for a good night of sleep in my own bed. After a restful night, Monday was a busy day, full of planning our trip to Paris for the next weekend!

Salzburg, Austria: The Hills are Alive... With Tourists

Knowing that the Sound of Music was my mom's favorite movie made me tolerate the tourist trap nature of Salzburg. While nothing was too overt about the fact that the city was famous (or infamous) for being the home to Hollywood's retelling of the von Trapp story, the connections to the film were very clear if you looked in the right places.

Our first night in Salzburg was cold and rainy. Luckily, we made our way to the highly recommended Augustiner Brewer- in an old monastery. The aura of the beer hall was intoxicating and the food was delicious! Thanks to Molly, I found some cheese filled sausages, of which I ate two to go along with our beer. After eating and chatting, we decided it was time to finish our preliminary sightseeing in the city.

As we were leaving the hall, we saw groups of men in matching lederhosen. I joked around calling them "drinking gangs" like in the movie Gangs of New York. After asking around, we found out that I was not far from the truth. The groups were called the "shooters" and were part of some club that gathered once a year in the brewery to celebrate and drink together. Letting the image of these silly-dressed men slip into the past, we found our way outside. As we began walking down the hill, some movement caught my eye.

We looked to the top of the hill where twenty of "the shooters" were gathered with some antique shotguns. Waiting for a signal from inside the hall, they all shot their guns in succession to signify the event. Excitedly, we snapped photos and made videos of the event feeling proud to have stumbled upon something so rare.

After the shock wore off, Hillary, Molly, and I walked through some of the city seeing some of the famous buildings from the movie. Feeling tired, we headed back to the hostel for some shut eye before the tour the next morning.

Bright and early, we suffered through the hostel's breakfast before being carted off to the Sound of Music Tour. Led by a clearly washed up actor who never knows when to stop, our tour led us through the city and out to some of the lesser seen sets of the film. From the front of the von Trapp mansion to the back (two different homes), the gazebo (location of all the love scenes, relocated since the film), and out to the church where they are married. It was really enlightening to see how Holly wood embellished the story to make it more profitable, but after about two hours of music and annoying tour leader's voice, I was ready to be done. The highlight of the tour was our hour long lunch break when the three of us got a chance to try apple strudel with warm vanilla sauce. SO GOOD!

We got back to the city around one and meandered for a bit before high tailing it to the hostel in order to catch the train to Vienna.

Salzburg was a nice city, not at all what I had expected, but a good transition from the small Swiss cities to the big city that was to come.

On a side note: we tried the "Mozart balls"- apparently a delicacy- pistachio flavor centered chocolate balls that taste like cigarette smoke. To me- just another reason not to trust everything you read.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Spring Break: Munich, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria

For those of you that are not up to speed, this last week was my Spring Break. To me, this means two things. First, I get to travel for a whole week without worrying about school. Secondly, my big sister is going to be in town!

Heading out on Friday, Hillary and I decided that we wanted to see Munich before meeting Molly in Switzerland on Monday morning. This post will serve as a guide to our Spring Break Itinerary:

Friday, March 23: Arrive in Munich, explore the city.
Saturday, March 24: Explore Munich
Sunday, March 25: Leave Munich for Zurich, Switzerland. See Zurich. Travel to Lausanne.
Monday, March 26: Travel to Geneva. Meet up with Molly! Travel back to Lausanne, explore.
Tuesday, March 27: Travel to Montreux. Golden Pass Panoramic Train to Interlaken. Travel to Bern. _ Travel back to Interlaken.
Wednesday, March 28: Explore Interlaken. Travel to Lauterbrunnen and back.
Thursday, March 29: Travel to Luzern, explore.
Friday, March 30: Travel to Salzburg via Zurich, Innsbruck, and Liechtenstein. Explore Salzburg.
Saturday, March 31: Sound of Music Tour, Travel to Vienna
Sunday, April 1: Explore Vienna, Leave for Prague!

It was an amazing week of travel, but quite exhausting. Getting home at 9 PM on Sunday, I was ready to sleep for twelve hours before my class on Monday morning.

Luzern, Switzerland: Swiss Finale

What a surprise Luzern was! After the last few days of packed action and exploration, another Swiss city was really the last thing that I wanted to deal with. Surprisingly, Luzern was my favorite city of the entire trip (excluding Munich). Our hostel was a bit of a hike away from the station and a little difficult to find, but we managed to make it and lock up our luggage before hitting the town.

Our first stop was the Lion Monument, a giant lion etched into the side of the mountain (think Stone Mountain). The Lion was etched in memory of the Swiss Mercenaries that fought in the French Revolution. For lunch we got some meat, cheese, and bread from the supermarket. Finding a place in the park near the lake we people watched for half an hour.

The city was overrun with Asian tourists! It was insane. They were everywhere snapping pictures and throwing up peace signs like they were going out of style. The massive hordes of tour groups clung to the edges of the lake and their ridiculous tour boats. My favorite incident was when one of the men from one of the groups detached himself and stood a full foot in the crosswalk in the road completely oblivious to the fact that a car could have killed him at any moment. He reminded me of the man who stood in front of the tank in Tianenmen Square.

From the monument, we managed to find the old city wall with its 9 towers. Each tower was unique, though the wall was nothing special. We picked our way through some major shopping areas in Old town and found the river that runs into the lake. we crossed a wooden covered bridge and snapped some photos of the tightly placed city, the lake, and the Alps. After walking along the river for a bit, we ended at the oldest covered bridge in Europe (though much of it burned and was rebuilt in 1993). The bridge spanned the river and led us back into old town.

Finding a spot near the lake to sit and observe, we waited about 10 minutes for Molly's train to get in. Meeting her on the bridge, we went back to the hostel to check in. Heading out, we toured the city again, allowing Molly to take some pictures. For dinner, we all agreed to do cheese fondue (apparently something the Swiss are known for). We picked up a DIY packet from the grocery store along with some bread and sausage to dip in the cheese.

The fondue was horrendous, but the bread and sausage saved the meal. That night, we researched Austria, planning our attack on the cities of Salzburg and Vienna.

Interlaken, Switzerland: Tourist Trap Central

It costs nearly 200 CHF to get to the top of Jungfraujoch which is not even the highest mountain in the Alps or even Switzerland alone. And it does not even get you to the top of the mountain (Jungfrau) but to a train station near the peak. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage sight because it is beautiful, but I guess UNESCO never paid any attention to the cost of seeing their sites.

While Molly and Hillary seemed to enjoy Interlaken, I place it just slightly above Lausanne as third from the bottom.

Our train from Lausanne got to Montreux and we had about 30 minutes to board the Golden Pass Panoramic Train to Interlaken. The views from the train were surreal as we climbed through the Alps along several lakes and incredible valleys. The ride took nearly three hours and a good portion of the memory card of my camera.

We arrived in Interlaken and after some debate as to whether Interlaken West or Interlaken Ost was the right station, we walked to our hostel, which was not close to the station at all. We dropped our stuff and checked in, heading back to the other Interlaken station to catch the 40 minute train to Bern.

Separate post for Bern.

We got back from Bern and decided to cook our dinner (Pasta with some canned sauce with hot dogs) before making plans for the morning.

The next morning, Hillary and I headed up to Lauterbrunnen (cost only 8 CHF). The valley was gorgeous. Waterfalls were plentiful as the ice from the mountains was melting and running down through the valley. Along our 45 minute walk away from the city, I got the feeling of being in Abilene, Texas. We were between fields and completely alone in the middle of what felt like nowhere. The scenery was a little different (more green and more snow) though, and changed again as we turned to head 45 minutes back to the station.

Lauterbrunnen was a nice distraction from Interlaken, though we were back by 2 PM to try to watch Molly come in from her hang gliding adventure. Unfortunately, she did not land in the same place as the paragliders, so we headed back to the hostel after absorbing some of the perfect sunny weather. After meeting up, we explored the town, buying a huge pizza and a local beer to try for dinner.

That night, we watched American TV at the hostel (the first I have seen since January!) and prepared to head to Lucerne!

Geneva, Switzerland: Maybe the banks are nice

Geneva easily makes its way to the bottom of the list of cities we saw this break. Only a 40 minute train ride from Lausanne, we met up with Molly near a McDonalds in the city. From there, we walked through a park, saw some famous wall honoring Luther and Zwingli (Protestant Reformers). We then climbed the hill to find the St. Pierre Cathedral. From the cathedral, we descended and saw the famous fountain (Jet D'Eau) in the marina. A brief walk through Mont Blanc Square and we were back at the train station on our way to Lausanne.

In hindsight, the city was nothing special. To me, Geneva is known for its banks. So for Geneva's sake I hope that at least they are capable of redeeming the city.

Lausanne, Germany: Head of the Olympic Committee

Getting into Lausanne after dark, we dropped our stuff at the hostel and headed to grab some food.

I dislike Switzerland for a number of reasons (sorry, Grampa Amann) the most important of which was the fact that a simple McDonalds cheeseburger was 2.50 CHF. Which, converted to US Dollars is somewhere in the ball park of $2.80. For a cheeseburger at McDonalds. Ridiculous.

Luckily the walk to Old Town was straight up hill, so I burned off my dinner snack very quickly. We snapped shots of the Cathedral of St. Francis before heading up the most photographed staircase in Europe, the stairs du Marche which lead up to Notre Dame Cathedral (Lausanne Cathedral). The view of the city lights toward the lake were pretty even at night. Our night ended as we trekked back past their massive museum complex and the Lausanne Palace and Spa.

The next morning, we were off to Geneva to meet up with Molly- separate post for Geneva.

Returning around 2 to Lausanne, we spent the afternoon on the same trail we had used the night before. Sunlight changed things a bit, though the most memorable part of the city was eating lunch watching a drunk or crazy person sing some song about gravity very poorly. It was the most entertaining thing I had seen in a long time and the man was completely that everyone was staring at him as he stumbled up the street wailing a mix of mumbled german and english words.

We ended down by the lake in the Ouchy region. This is where the Olympic Committee is housed. The olympic museum was under construction so we walked through the park and parked ourselves on a bench overlooking the lake with some gorgeous views of the Alps.

For dinner that night, we found an asian place that was not awful and only charged 14.50 CHF per plate. Switzerland is so ridiculously expensive.

Zurich, Germany: A Hidden Gem

It was not clear to me until the week was finally finished how cool Zurich was. Originally, it was just an ideal train stop on the way from Munich to Lausanne. In the end, it was one of my top three cities from our Swiss- Austrian tour.

We got off the train thinking we had close to an hour to catch the train to Lausanne knowing that one left every hour, so it would be okay if we missed the first one. Wandering through the area close to the station, I immediately was not a fan of Switzerland for their poor placement of crosswalks and lack of street signs, problems that occur in every city in Switzerland.

While I am on the topic of problems: Construction. It was a joke in Berlin that everything was under construction, but after the first day of Swiss sightseeing, it was reality. From this point on, everything of any importance to see was at least partially under construction. This is a running joke, because even this morning, when I dropped Molly off at the Prague Castle, part of St. Vitus Cathedral was being worked on. So frustrating! At least everything will be pretty for peak tourism season...

Anyway, Zurich. Walking down the river toward the Lake, the city got more and more beautiful. The city was really centered around the coast of the lake. There were plenty of boats out and people seemed to walk or bike everywhere. Everyone was so laid back and seemed so relaxed which is quite different from the hustle and bustle of Prague. Though we were really only there for two hours, I feel like I got a good idea of Zurich. I would love to go back for another few hours, though I am not sure that too much time is really needed. After getting lost (we had no map for Zurich), we finally found the train station and got on the appropriate train on the way to Lausanne, our destination for the night.

Munich, Germany: The Smallest Big City

I LOVED MUNICH!

It has been almost two weeks since I was there, but I can still remember so much about the city and the two days that we spent there because of how amazing the city was. Munich was the perfect springboard for our Spring Break.

Getting in around 3 PM, we made the quick trek to the YMCA (JVCN in German, our hostel for the weekend). We checked in, dropped off our luggage, got some English maps and headed out to explore.

With no real idea where we were headed or what there was to see, we wandered down some small streets on the way to the Old Town area and what we found were a bunch of quaint small stores and scenic churches along with remnants of the old walled city. Our wandering led us to this market that I find quite difficult to explain, but I can honestly say was probably the highlight of my spring break because it was so unexpected and so different.
_ The market is one big building. Inside the building are different stalls set up by vendors selling different things, which were mainly food. We found fresh bread, meat, cheeses, wines, beer, chocolate, pastries, produce, basically everything. One half of the market was set up like a whole foods (the easiest american explanation). I walked away from the market decided that all I want to do in life is open another one of them in the states (Hillary says they exist all over the San Francisco Bay Area).

Outside the market we found some enormous churches and the highlight of Munich's Old Town: The Old Rathaus (town hall). In the squares between the beautiful buildings was a typical outdoor market, but nearly twice as big as any other one we had found. We had fun wandering the streets between the stalls popping in churches and just observing the culture. With no clear idea of where we were going or what to see, we wandered past the biggest church, the Frauenkirche (under construction) before heading north to the English gardens. I cannot recall the names of all the amazing buildings we saw, their importance, or their locations, but I was so shocked by the clear variance in architectural schemes. The gardens were beautiful, but it was getting dark, so we headed to find dinner. Using the map as a rough guide, we made our way to the largest beer hall in the world: Hofbrauhaus Munchen!

Once the royal beer hall, the hofbrauhaus now serves the public and can seat more than 5000 patrons! After some trouble finding seats, we found some space at a back bench in the corner of the hall next to some German patrons that were clearly regulars. As we conversed with the Germans, they helped us find some food that was suitable and helped calm our fears of ordering "The Original," a 1-Liter beer served in an enormous glass mug. The food (I got goulash) and the beer was amazing! I finished the entire liter, as did Hillary and cleaned my plate feeling completely satisfied.

After dinner, we bough some commemorative mugs (the 1-Liter ones) and walked back to the hostel, though reading the map was not the easiest task in the world (the city gets really dark at night).

The next morning we got up and headed out to explore, ending up walking around the biggest museums in the city. We made our way back through the city and gardens to the market that I loved. Inside, we bought fresh baguettes, fresh salami, two types of cheese, some rosemary and thyme butter, and a bag of chips. For lunch, we wandered the city sitting on benches eating a few bites at a time.

We made our way across the river and got a totally different view of the city from the Maxamilianeum. Dirt paths took us down the river and back across near some new churches before it started to rain. We ducked inside a couple of shops in the city ending up at a Starbucks. After gathering ourselves, we headed out to a new beerhall next to my beloved market. While the service was poor, my soup and beer was good, a perfect exclamation to a relaxing weekend in Munich.

Sunday morning, we found a cute cafe and got french toast and orange juice before our train took us to Zurich on the way to Lausanne.

Munich really was an amazing city. Unlike Berlin, everything was actually within walking distance and the culture was much more apparent without having to be a native. I loved every minute that I spent in Munich and would go back in a heartbeat.