(NOTE: We're trying to see different things on this trip to Munich than we did on our last trip. You might want to check out our previous trip to Bavaria to see some of the big sites we won't be covering on this trip as well)
(Please read our Covid 19 Statement first - Ed)
New York has Central Park; London has Hyde Park; Vancouver has Stanley Park; Berlin has the Tiergarten. It seems that every big city has a grand park in it for the residents to enjoy and escape the urban life for awhile. In Munich, this would be the Englisher Garten...a huge city park that stretches over five miles along the Isar River.
It is our destination for today.
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One or two stops on the U-Bahn from our Schwabing district hotel puts us within walking distance of the park's northern boundary. We make our way along the Frankfurter Ring until we get to the parking lot of Munich Tennis club which allows us to get off of the busy highway and enter the park through a quiet entrance in the back of the lot.
For a few minutes, I'm lost in the woods until I see a sign in the bushes for our first destination, the Aumeister Biergarten.
A left up the path and eventually the garden's large seating area opens up in front of us. We're here to fortify ourselves with some dessert...including a very good auzignone...and some beer before tackling the rest of the park.
This end of the park is much more forested and quiet than the lower half. You can easily get lost in the woods.
The meadows are not mowed, in fact, shepherds still use the area to graze their flocks.
Streams gurgle under low pedestrian bridges.
As we make our way through, we encounter many bikers, hikers, dog walkers, parents with kids...all just out to enjoy the natural surroundings of the area.
A dam looms up ahead. There's a bumpy, rocky, but somewhat accessible path up to the top of the dam that allows us to cross the river. One side is a lake, the other a stream.
Swans glide across the water in the deeper areas.
Tim's chair is starting to give us problems, so we exit the park here to search for a tram to take us to the middle of the park.
After strolling through a residential area, we come across another park where dogs cool off in the clear stream. One of the dogs owners strikes up a little conversation with us and tells us which direction to go in to catch a tram.
Much walking later, we finally find a tram that takes us to the middle of the park.
Here, we come across the massive Chinischer Turm biergarten. In Munich, biergartens are situated at strategic points, in the Englischer Garten, there are a few to help you rejuvinate after a long walk.
This one, with it's large Chinese Pagoda, is a very popular stop.
A brass band plays in the tower while we get a little food and beer before continuing on. I do need to remember before moving on that the price of beer at this particular spot includes a deposit on the stein. I'll turn it in to get it back before I leave.
There's a handy map at the exit of the biergarten where we can figure out a) where we are and b) how to get were we want to go.
We decide to walk along the Eisbach Canal for the rest of our park adventure.
It's a hot, summer day in Munich and the canal is almost irresistible. In fact, it is too irresistible for some as park frolickers jump in and float in the cool, clear water.
Families play, dogs yap, and a few naturists tan.
It's a beautiful day in the park.
Finally, we come to the south end of the park where the rushing Eisbach enters into it's course. This spot with it's permanent wave has become one of the city's biggest, modern tourist attractions where a line of surfers patiently wait their turn on each side to have a minute to ride it.
A block away is another park in this city filled with them, the Hofgarten where we end our day listening to a lone violinist under the park's kiosk dome.
This was originally supposed to be a laid back, easy going day but a final check on Letty's fitness app shows that we walked 26,341 steps or just under 12 miles.
We'll rest up and hit the streets again tomorrow.
Darryl Musick
Copyright 2016 - All Rights Reserved
Photos by Letty Musick
Copyright 2016 - All Rights Reserved
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