Germany Travel > Munich


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Destination: Munich Germany
Founded: June 14th, 1158 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony.
It's Germany's third largest city.
Munich has the second biggest number of working people in Germany.
Munich has 10 Universities as well as 45 Museums and Collections.
Munich Germany Quick Facts
Munich is located near the geographical center of the Southern German region of Bavaria. The population of Munich is 1.2 million people, about 280,000 of which are foreigners. About 80% of Munich was bombed by the Allies during World War II and subsequently rebuilt.
Getting to Munich
From Munich's airport, Franz Josef Strauss Flughafen, you can get to the Hauptbahnhof (the city's main train station) by S-Bahn #8. The bus station is near the train station, which is located on the northwest corner of the old city. [
map ]
Languages
While German is, of course, the main language used in Munich, English is widely spoken and taught in schools. Most restaurants in the town center offer English menus, many with quite interesting translations. It is easy to get by with little or no German language knowledge.
Hotels (Note: 2002 prices cited)
There are many hotels within walking distance of the main train station. The average price of a reasonable (or inexpensive) hotel with private bath and breakfast is around 100 . We stayed at the
Hotel Europäischer Hof for 99 . The
Hotel Monaco , nearby on Schillerstrauss, was voted the best two star hotel in Germany. Doubles at the Monaco start at 110 .
The recommended youth hostel is found on nearby Senefelderstrasse.
Euro Youth Hotel is number 5 on the left side of the road coming from the train station.
Restaurants
If you find yourself in the tourist center near the Marienplatz, The Neues Rathaus (The New City Hall) has two "kellers", a winestaube and a beer cellar. The winestaube has music (accordion when we were there) starting at 5. The beer celler has good food, but don't be persuaded to sit in one of the empty rooms, enter the hall from the Diener Street entrance and try to find a table in the big, noisy, main room where Munichers eat. They do try to funnel English speaking people into dull, empty rooms.
Tipping
While service is included in the bill, generally waiters are tipped 5% for good service.
Internet Access in Munich
Internet access is right in the main train station. Just follow the signs to the Times Square Bistro. They charge .5 Euro for 5 minutes, a bit steep for Europe, but you can sit anywhere in front of a big LCD screen, order a beer and feel you're part of a bar scene rather than crammed into a steamy room full of beige boxes. The Bistro features a friendly owner, too. Just take a seat and start surfing--the time is recorded automatically.
There are other internet services near the station on the south side of Bayer Strasse.
Nudity and the English Garden
Now here's a controversy for you--the tourist powers that be are worried that there aren't enough attractive natives baring it all in the middle of Munich. Yup, that's right, nudity was once a feature of designated areas of the Englischer Garten and the practice is fading--you used to be able to count on gawking at naked people downing liters of beer in the beer gardens. Perhaps you can apply to be a token Munich nudist and make money while vacationing--if I hear anything I'll let you know.
Anyway, Munich's Englischer Garten is the largest in Europe and twice the size of Central Park. And you can still practice your nudity there while slugging down some strong beer.
Other Sage Advice for Munich Germany
Many museums in Munich are closed on Monday.
Pick up a copy of "The Inside Track," the
EurAide newsletter, at the ticketing office in the train station. The newsletter offers many tips on getting around and enjoying Munich. The EurAide office is near track 11, room three at the station. Get advice, find excursions, passes and travel deals there.
Next page >
Walks in Munich - Hitler's Munich > Page 1 ,
2 ,
3
More on Munich for the traveler
Part 2: Walks in Munich
Part 3: Visiting Dachau
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Asia Travel Blog Moves...
Asia Travel Blog: All about Asian travel destinations, news, stories and more. We are now a part of b5media.com . Watch out for updates and news on the merger . MAIN | About | Archives | Admin | Jump to navigation Asia Travel Blog Moves... Finally Category: General : Asia Travel Sorry for not having updated this blog for a while. We had server problems for most of last week, and now we're finally migrating. Do tune around. I'll be back to regular posting soon! Er, I hope. tags: asia , travel , blog 12/19/05 - 07:34:05 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 315 times. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Opens In Tokyo Category: Asian Hotels and Resorts Visiting Tokyo? Try the newly-opened Mandarin Oriental and let the Tokyo panorama take your breath away: Guests arriving at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo are ushered from a private entrance, whisked directly to the 38th floor Sky Lobby and presented with a breathtaking view of the dramatic cityscape. Above, the sky is revealed through the vast glass windows. There is no doubt the new Mandarin Oriental hotel epitomises sophisticated luxury. Located on Chuo Dori, the 5th Avenue of the rich historical district off Nihonbash, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is offering introductory internet rates . Rates may vary from day to day, but a deluxe room on a weekday start at about JPY 48,000 (a bit less than $400). A bit pricey for me, personally, but hey, it's Mandarin Oriental! tags: tokyo, , mandarin , oriental 12/13/05 - 06:28:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 430 times. The Shopping Paradise That Is Singapore Category: Shopping in Asia Blogger Christine , who is a Filipino expatriate based in Singapore, wrote an article about Singapore as shopping haven. With the gamut of shops in Singapore, Christine provides a short primer of where to find what, bringing us to a cyber-shopping trip across Orchard Road, Marina Bay and the food jaunts at the Hawker Centers. Go and have a look-see . tags: singapore, , shopping 12/12/05 - 12:52:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 474 times. Air Travelling With Pets Category: Getting There and Away : Asia So you want to go on a holiday and would like to bring your pet with you? Think twice, because although it is not impossible, it's gonna cause you a great deal of hassle. Think hard, and plan well in advance. In most aircrafts, unless it's a service animal (such as guide dogs for blind passengers), pets are not allowed inside the cabins. However, some, like Thai Airways does allow, small pets in the cabin, as long as there are no more than two animals aboard the cabin at the same time (you've got to coordinate with the airline). The regulations and requirements naturally depend on the destination, and in places like Hongkong , for example, pets need an import permit even for transit. But here are a few other factors you might want to consider: Import Permit: Contact the government bureau of your destination country (usually that dealing with Animal and Plant Quarantine) to check your pet's immigration requirements. For pets flying in to Taiwan for example, pet tags , no matter how fancy they may be, just won't suffice. The dog or cat to be imported shall have been implanted microchip and vaccinated against rabies when at the age of at least 90 days old; and the period between the day of vaccination and the day of shipment shall be no less than 30 days and no more than one year. Cages/Kennels: Whether your pet will join you in the cabin or in the cargo section, your pet will need a cage or a kennel. In some cases, the kennels would even have to be pre-approved with the airline you're flying. Quarantine: Find out how long will the destination country will keep your pet in quarantine, if this is necessary. In some countries, this can be up to 6 weeks! Pet Travel is a good starting place to browse information, but feel free to contact your airline. Any good airline should have their regulations in place and should be able to help you out if you have specific situations. Enjoy sharing your Asian travel experience with your pet (if you really must). tags: pets , airline 12/12/05 - 08:13:41 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 474 times. Dubai Shopping Festival 2006 Category: Shopping in Asia In a previous post , I've enumerated the various shopping festivals in Asia. Well, brace yourself, year 2006 will start with a shopping spree... at the 11th Dubai Shopping Festival ! I've had stop-overs in Dubai several times and I have to say, if the awesome array of fashion, electronics, cosmetics and especially jewelry at the Duty-Free is anything to go by, the Shopping Fetival is one to wow even the most shoppaholics of shoppaholics! Themed ''One World, One Family, One Festival'', the month-long extravaganza will start on the 4th of January. Aside from shopping, there are exhibitions, plays, concerts, bazaars, street performances, fashion shows or sports events to suit everybody. Are you lucky with raffle draws ? Well,then be sure to get your ticket for a chance to win these awesome prizes: Each day, a Lexus LX 470 or ES 300 will be given away, and every other day, you have a chance to walk away with... get this.. one kilogram of gold bars ! If you're flying in for this shopping fiesta, might as well fly Emirates, the official airline of the DSF, and take advantage of the DSF travel package : for $56 per person, choose to stay at any of the 21 hotels available and enjoy the following amenities: Airport-Hotel tranfers by chauffeur-driven cars Buffet breakfast. Emirates Holidays 24-hour emergency assistance. Additional 10 kg free baggage allowance on return/onward flights from Dubai. Stopover charges in Dubai waived for onward bound passengers. Arabian Adventures Welcome Pack. Ah, what to buy, what to buy? Well, here are some definite must-haves from Dubai: Arabic perfumes (attar), from the Perfume Souk near the city centre. Incense: powder, crystal, rock or wood. At the very least, have a look for frankincense Arabic spices: cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, dried fruit and nuts at the Spice Souk. Gold trinkets at the Gold Souk. Carpets and rugs : Persian rugs, Turkish kilims, as well as Turkoman, Kashmiri and Afghan rugs. Dates: these fruits are yummy and healthy fiber-rich snacks! Haute couture clothing, electronics and handicrafts When taking a break from shopping, be sure to check out the myriad of adventures Dubai has to offer: historical tours, cruises, and desert safaris! Enjoy and... don't forget the sunblock! tags: dubai , shopping 12/12/05 - 06:19:33 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 495 times. Is Asia Too Risky? Category: General : Asia Travel Apparently, a lot of Japanese tourists think so . According to a survey conducted by a Japan travel agency, the expected number of Japanese tourists travelling abroad during this holiday season increased in comparison to last years'. However, "Fewer people plan to visit China after the anti-Japanese demonstrations and due to worries about the bird flu outbreak." Indonesia, hit by suicide bombings on Bali, will probably attract fewer Japanese travellers, with the number expected to decline by 18.7 percent. OK, let's take the political anti-Japanese sentiments out of the list and we're left with bird flu and terrorist threats. I can imagine how these two can possibly turn off tourists, inlcuding those coming from outside Asia as well. I have to admit, I'm mighty afraid of bird flu, as well. But there's bird flu reported in Europe and North America (Canada) as well. Same with terrorism. Spain, Ireland, France, Great Britain and naturally, America is not immune to it, neither. Yesterday, I met my husband's cousin who barely escaped that Bali bombing I blogged about a couple months ago. She said she'd really love to go back and spend another holiday to Bali, in spite of. No fear, no paranoia, nothing. What accounts for the difference in perspective, I wonder? tags: asia , travel , bali 12/08/05 - 06:10:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 684 times. Fly Across Asia For Free Via AirAsia!!! Category: Getting There and Away : Asia Well, if my yesterday's posts on budget airlines didn't wake your urge to travel, maybe this one will: AirAsia is celebrating its 4th annivesary and is giving away 2 million (!) seats for FREE ! To be eligible, book your ticket online or via mobile (available on GPRS, 3G, EDGE mobile phones or wireless device) between now and to 28th December 2005, for travel between 7 Feb 2006 and 10th October 2006. Naturally, offer is subject to availability, but free seats are most often found on midweek travel dates. C'mon, that's travelling for NOTHING (not counting the taxes and airport fees, of course)! If that's not incentive enough to go and explore more of Asia, I don't know what is! tags: budget airline , airasia 12/07/05 - 08:26:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 765 times. Junk? Jewelry? A Bit of Both! Category: Shopping in Asia There's an "art space" -- store to us mortals -- along Silom Road in Bangkok that's gaining popularity for jewelry afficionados. You won't find fancy yellow diamond rings in Kitti Manoonphol's shop , but his creations have been seen on beauty queens and Hollywood stars. He calls his creations "contemporary ethnic arts", making use of ancient beading techniques, and incorporates common materials we see from day to day--plastic toys, Lego blocks, vinyl beads-- to put together a unique portfolio. Check it out on your next shopping trip in Bangkok! Alternatively, according to the Time feature on Manoonphol's jewelries, if you're too lazy slash busy to brave the Bangkok traffic, for the right price, you can also ask him to call, "carting his collection around in the trunk of his BMW". 12/06/05 - 10:07:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 622 times. Birthday Blow-out from Jetstar Asia! Category: Getting There and Away : Asia Jetstar Asia is treating us to a birthday blow-out! After one year flying the Asian skies, Jetstar tempts us to fly more! Have a look at these bargain airfares originating from Singapore: Phuket fr S$18 one-way Bangkok fr S$18 one-way Hong Kong fr S$68 one-way Manila fr S$98 one-way Taipei fr S$88 one-way Kolkata fr S$98 one-way Siem Reap fr S$138 one-way Phnom Penh fr S$138 one-way Yangon fr S$208 return Want to take part in this treat? Simply book by 13 December 2005 for travel from 4 January to 30 June 2006. Sounds like a great Christmas gift idea! tags: jetstar , asia , budget , airlines 12/06/05 - 07:01:00 - Ruth - 3 comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 706 times. Budget Airline AirAsia FliesTo More Destinations Category: Getting There and Away : Asia Malaysian budget carrier Air Asia expands network and will soon add the following new connections (first flights this month or in January): From Kuala Lumpur to Balikpapan, Indonesia (RM99.99 / Rp 299.999), starting Dec 20, 2005 to Solo, Indonesia (RM49.99 / Rp 149.999), starting Dec 22. 2005 to Siem Reap, Cambodia (RM79.99 / US$ 22), starting Dec 27, 2005 to Pekan Baru,Indonesia (RM39.99 / Rp 119.999), starting Jan 12, 2006 From Johor Baru (tentatively set to begin on Jan 2006) to Tawau, Sandakan, Kota Bahru and Ipoh In addition to these new flights, AirAsia also increased frequency of flights to other stretches such as KL-Sibu KL-Macau Johor Baru-Penang Johor Baru-Kota Kinabalu Bangkok-Singapore Bangkok-Macau Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani 12/06/05 - 03:24:19 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 720 times. Is Expatriate Living In Asia For You? Category: General : Asia Travel The Bali Blog ponders: What would it take for you to move (for good, I guess he means) to Bali? Imagine your dream destination in Asia. Palm trees swaying in the tropical breeze... Warm sand and waters on the beach... drench in cheerful sunshine and witness to breathtaking sunsets. Who wouldn't want that 365 days of the year? Well, I don't. I think half of what makes holiday destinations extra-special is the distance to it all when you're not on holiday mode. The excitement begins as you make the first plans, and steadily increases as you book your tickets, and pack your stuff. When you get there, you've got nothing else on your to-do list except to relax, unwind, and enjoy. Whether it's a weekend get-away or a three-week holiday, you've got people pampering you, and your hotel room gets cleaned by people who, if the service is topnotch, you don't even get to see. No deadlines to meet, no housechores to do, no meetings to attend. All that will change if you're staying at that place for good. Suddenly sprouts the issues of residence permits, employment, insurance, pension, taxes, childcare and schooling. With these issues to attend to, I doubt you'd findmuch time to spend beachcombing and lying under the palm fronds. See how the perfect daydream breaks into shards? I will always yearn for an Asian holiday. Each trip is a glimpse of paradise. A glimpse, that's all. The mystery that remains and the prospect of novel experiences on the next visit are what make me yearn to come back for more. 12/06/05 - 02:23:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 695 times. Greg Bennett Finishes First at the 2005 Laguna Phuket Triathlon Category: Events in Asia A record-breaking field of 700 athletes competed at the 2005 Thai Airways International Laguna Phuket Triathlon held yesterday, Dec 4. Australian Greg Bennett bags $3000 prize money as the first finisher, with a time of 2:31:40. Last year's champ, Craig Alexander came second. Canadian Samantha McGlone finished first among the women, after 2:44:16 on the race. Congratulations to the winners, and goodluck for the Australian Ironman 2006! Special recognition also goes to the following: First overall amateur finisher Craig Johns from New Zealand Fastest Thai finisher Bunlubsak Doungdun First Thai female finisher Phuttrajit Sangkhaphan who was, at 14 years old, the youngest participant in this years Triathlon. See the finish times of all triathletes by category at the LagunaPhuket website . tags: triathlon , phuket 12/05/05 - 03:18:59 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 779 times. Hongkong Museums Category: Events in Asia There's more to Hongkong than just shopping and skyscrapers. How about museums? There are a couple of must-see museums in Hongkong that will give you an opportunity to dive into China's ancient dynasties. Here's something for you museum-afficionados out there: Until February 5, 2006, the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hongkong will feature "Elegance in Relief: Carved Porcelain from Jingdezhen of the 19th to Early 20th Centuries" . ...the Art Museum presents 166 pieces of carved porcelain. The exhibits, made in the period from the Qianlong reign (1736-1795) to the 1950's, are extremely diverse, comprising brushpots, inkstick stands, brush rests, paperweights, vermilion boxes, inkstones, brush washers, waterpots, vases, bottles, snuff bottles, lamps, incense holders, ruyi sceptres, arm rests, belt ornaments, table screens, plaques and many the like. Together they give a comprehensive overview of Jingdezhen carved porcelain that developed fully in the two centuries. Consider that a primer to snuff bottles. Now if you want to see more, then head on the University of Hongkong's Museum and Art Gallery's " Heavenly Creations: An Exhibition of Chinese Snuff Bottles ". This exhibition will feature over three hundred snuff bottles from the collections of five Hong Kong connoisseurs: Anthony K. W. Cheung, Humphrey K. F. Hui, Po-ming Kwong, Mrs Tuyet Nguyet and Christopher C. H. Sin. Their collections include bottles made of glass, porcelain, jade, quartz and other soft stones, organic materials and inside-painted glass and rock crystal, of both imperial and non-imperial origins. The exhibition will be up until February 26. Admission is free. Both museums are closed on public holidays. tags: museums , Hongkong 12/01/05 - 05:59:52 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 944 times. Asia Travel Blog Moves Category: General : Asia Travel Nope, it's not a pun, but the Asia Travel Blog will move. If you've been following the developments of the merger between the Aboutweblogs and the b5media blogging networks, you'll know what I mean. The merger would mean a lot of work for us, behind the scenes, but hopefully, you won't be aware of it. What it means for you, readers, though, is that this blog will move to another url address, so you might have to change your bookmarks and links. But, I'd be sure to give you a heads-up before this blog finally migrates. We're also trying to come up with a more catchy title, so if you've got any ideas, just shoot me an email. tags: asia , travel , blog 11/30/05 - 08:55:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 961 times. Garden Cliff Resort & Spa Pattaya Category: Asian Hotels and Resorts Yet another five-star hotel opens in Pattaya: the Garden Cliff Resort & Spa which is managed by Sofitel will "soft-open" on Dec 1. To celebrate its opening, the hotel is offering a promotional rate of 4,000 baht (US$97) ++ a night double occupancy in a Deluxe Sea view Room including breakfast until 31 March, 2006 (except during the peak season from 24 Dec 2005 to 10 Jan 06). Because of its relative proximity to Bangkok, Pattaya is gaining popularity among companies as a venue for meetings and conventions. It has a high-tech business center and the hotel ballroom can accommodate up to 420 people theatre-style supported by five fully equipped meeting rooms. Doesn't mean it's off limits for non-business travellers, though. Anyone can enjoy the sweeping view of the bay and the spa facilities just as much... If you want to avail of the promotional rates, you may book your rooms directly from the hotel: tel: (66 38) 259 333 fax: (66 38) 259 332 email: rsvn@gardencliffpattaya.com Source: E-Travel Blackboard tags: Pattaya , hotels 11/30/05 - 05:21:00 - Ruth - No comments |No Trackbacks This post was displayed 1005 times. About Asia Travel Blog Looking for travel tips, ideas, stories, and more about different destinations in Asia? Ruth Schaffer is here to offer resources about Asian travel. 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