German Christmas Tour: Day 5 - Munich (3/3)

Today's the day for our holy pilgrimage! We rolled out of our hotel at 9am and grabbed some sandwiches/croissants and juice from Viktualienmarkt before looking for the S8 to Herrsching. Clau was feeling particularly bad this morning, but was determined to make the pilgrimage. After a few mix-ups finding the correct S-Bahn platform at Marienplatz, we were finally on our way to Herrsching and the Turner spiritual home of Kloster Andechs.

The end of the line!

Jumping the local bus up the mountain.

In less than an hour we were there, and immediately jumped on a local bus to take us the rest of the way up the mountain. Google maps makes local travel so damn easy! Clau wasn't up to the walk, and it certainly was an easier (albeit less picturesque) option.

We're here!

Alighting at the bus-stop we wasted no time in exploring the abbey surrounds and the chapel proper. It's one of the nicest church interiors in the Munich area in my opinion (maybe because we love Andechs so much?) - understated, and lacking in stained glass, but so beautiful in gold and white.

The main chapel building of the abbey.

Inside the chapel - so beautiful!

Having contemplated our many sins (and confessed to none), it was time for the main business of the day. We retired to the Braustuberl and set to ordering our first round of drinks. For my first, (and #5 of the trip) I ordered the world famous Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel. Everyone else started with the Hefeweizen (which is also amazing).

Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel, and Hefeweizen

The first round. Prost!

Sitting in the main drinking hall, but no window seat!

That first beer went down so smoothly. I wasn't sure if my memory of the Doppelbock had been embellished by years in the telling, but NO it was absolutely amazing. After the first round was consumed we turned our attention to food, and a round of huge brezn + pork knuckles. Yum!

Pork knuckle! Not as big as our head, but Phwoah!

A second round of drinks followed (for Eb and myself at least) with us swapping from Doppelbock to Hefeweizen (bier #6 of the trip) and visa-versa to sample the other side of the fence. Soooo good. We sat on the second beer, just drinking in the Kloster ambiance and even now chatting about the next pilgrimage.

In the end it was time to descend from heaven back to Herrsching Hbf. We adjourned to the gift-shop where the obligatory beer glasses (and this time schnaps glasses!) were duly purchased. Clau was feeling pretty shitty by now and elected to take the bus back down with Katrina. Eb and I decided to take the forest walk, to try and wring as much out of the experience as we could.

Walking down through the forest. No snow unfortunately.

Soon we were back at Herrsching Hbf and back on the S8 to Marienplatz. We were pretty worn out (jetlag and covid is still tugging at us), so we had a rest in the room before venturing out one last time to brave the christmas market crowds and devour one last Rot Bratwurst.

German Christmas Tour: Day 4 - Munich (2/3)

We were up and out at 9am this morning to have breakfast at another one of my bucket-list places: Schmalznudeln at Cafe Frischhut on the Victualenmarkt. We had a great breakfast consisting of Schmalznudeln and coffee. Surprisingly, the coffee was made with fresh milk. Exciting!

Scmultznudlers!

After breakfast we quickly grabbed a juice and ventured into more of old town. The first order of the day was to catch the 11am glockenspiel performance at the Marienplatz town hall. I gasped and cheered along with the rest of the assembled touristen when the silver knight was unseated by his bronze opponent! Stirring stuff.

Waiting expectantly with all the other touristen

The silver knight is unseated!

As the last strains of tower bells receded, we turned our backs on the square and headed to St Peters church. Here was to be our ascension - 15 floors to a lofty vantage overlooking old town. It was a tight and winding climb, but definitely rewarded us with some amazing views.

Views over old town from the tower of St Peters.

Back on terra-firma we headed back to Marienplatz and browsed the christmas market a little. Knick-nacks were purchased! As were yet another round of Bratwurst. 

Mmm, the rot bratwurst is winning hearts and minds.

We also found a small enclave of christmas stalls hosted within the central courtyard of the town hall. Here we were able to purchase yet more trinkets whilst admiring the gargoyles up close and personal.

Love a good gargoyle.

Katrina bought some sugar covered almonds to munch on whilst we made our way to our next destination - the Frauenkirche. It's the symbol of Munich, and well, it was a nice church as these things go. Vast and imposing with lots of stained glass. etc etc. it was certainly worth a look. Of particular interest was the "devil's footprint" set into one of the floor tiles. Much more interesting (to me at least) than the various (redundant) depictions of Jeebus around the place. Apparently the devil cut a deal with the builder to allow the church to be built so long as no windows were added. Not seeing the windows due to the pillars, the devil stamped its foot in delight, making this impression.

The devil wears sensible footwear. Smart.

With another church under our belts, it was time for another christmas market - this time the Residenz market - only 10 minutes walk away. Nestled in a great setting, this market was more about food (and gluwein) than anything else. It had a much nicer ambiance than the Marienplatz market, due mainly to the smaller numbers of patrons and the intimate setting. 

The Residenz christmas market

Having found a mug he fancied, Eb threatened to finally purchase his first gluwein. The contents were duly consumed, and determined to be quite satisfactory! (it was the standard Rot gluwein).

Gluwein no.1.

By now some rest was needed. The kids made their way back to the hotel to rest, while I sourced myself some Leberkase in brot to sample. This was on my list to try, and while edible with a deal of sweet mustard added, it was a little meh to be honest. 

After a rest (for me this time) we headed out to the medieval market. It was totally packed and after Eb and I had bought a new beanie each, it was all we could do to decide on a gluwein to buy (based on the mug that we didnt even keep :/) and then procure it. 

Gluewein at the medieval market

After our gluwein was dutifuly consumed, the crowds got to us and we moved straight on to dinner at the Hofbrauhaus. The Hofbrauhaus was jumping as usual, and it took us 3 laps of the place to find a table that had seats spare. As fate would have it, we ended up facung a trio of weird-as-shit Australians. When one of them said that he was from Hobart, I almost punched him. Fucking dirty tasmanians! :)  

Hefeweizen at the Hofbrauhaus!

In the end we had a great night, with Beer #4 Hofbrau Hefeweizen consumed and various pork dinners served. We rolled back to our hotel (just around the corner!) and called it a night, not before Eb and I expressed drunken interest in the Hofbrau christmas sweaters. I think we'll end up in those tomorrow.

German Christmas Tour: Day 3 - Munich (1/3)

After a gruelling long haul flight we finally landed in europe! We've made it! After a few tense moments under the scrutiny of German passport control (was it Eb's Chinese VISA? we'll never know) we celebrated our arrival on German soil with the longest wait for luggage known to man, followed by a coffee/bretzen combo that really hit the spot.

Coffee and bretzen on german soil.

After consumption of said, we braved the Munich public transport system; jumping on the S8 and were all too quickly whisked to Marienplatz. In no time we were standing admiring the gothic townhall and the closed shutters of a sleeping christmas market. 

It's Marienplatz, bitches!

We quickly got our bearings and headed straight for our hotel - The Platzl Superior. This turned out to be very nice indeed (despite our rooms not being available), much fancier than we are used to! We dropped our bags and headed out for breakfast at the Weisses Bräuhaus im Tal. This was one of my bucket list items for Munich (beer for breakfast!) and it was everything that I thought it would be. Weissswurst,  süßer Senf and Hefeweizen - heaven.

Breakfast of Champions at Weisses Brauhaus 

Beer #1 for this trip - Schneiderweiss Hefeweizen was amazing! And when I say amazing, I mean really fucking amazing. Our server was a really nice german lady who promised to get us some Bavarian Obatzda made (basically cheezy, onionny spread - something the others wanted to try). She finally turned up with a blob of said that was more than we could handle. We didnt eat even a third of it, but her efforts were very much appreciated!

After breakfast we went for an initial stroll around the old town. We saw a little of the Victualenmarkt, before heading over to the Asamkirche to check out the Jeebus iconography on display. Pretty damn impressive.

Asamkirche - pretty impressive, especially the skellingtons!

After Asamkirche, Clau was feeling under the weather so she and Katrina decided to rest at the hotel while Eb and I checked out a couple of manga locations he wanted to find at the national library and the university. Unfortunately, the library was a blow-out, but at the univerity we hit pay dirt.

Paydirt! Just the location Eb wanted to find.

After returning to the hotel to check in on the patients (lined up in bed like the Bucket grandparents), Eb and I ventured out again in search of sustenance. We first swung by the Marienplatz christmas market and grabed ourselves a bratwurt with senf. There insued a hilarious incident involving a $50SING note and excitable german mamas.

Rot und Weiss Bratwurst from the christmas market.

After our bratwurst was duly consumed (the 4th sausage for the day!), we headed to Ayinger am Platzl (just behind the hotel) for a quiet beer.

Ayinger Winterbok - yum!

The first Ayinger beer, and #2 for the trip, was a 6.8% Ayinger Winterbok. It was consumed in a quiet and respectable fashion, and was totally yum I might add! The second beer - and #3 for the trip, was a standard Ayinger Hefeweizen - and this one was a lot less respectable!

Ayinger Hefeweizen

Suffice to say we left our little lunchtime adventure completely destroyed. On unsteady legs we returned to the hotel to see how Katrina and Clau were doing. After a small rest, all but Clau ventured back to Ayinger am Platz for a quick dinner of huge-ass schnitzels. It was then a matter of literally falling into bed - jet lag being a real thing affecting real people..

German Christmas Tour: Days 1 & 2 - Singapore

After a tumultuous day of travel involving long flights, long drives, long parks and a seeming myriad of other lengthy things, we finally made it. Singapore! I honestly never thought we'd do it. We have more people sick than we expected. I'm feeling better, (I think) but everyone except Eb is feeling worse. And given the drinking binge he and Clau had the night before, he's not looking too good either. I hope to god I haven't given everyone covid, but it's looking likely. Fucking Hobart.

Anyway, after an uneventful flight, we were chauffeured into town and finally arrived at our hotel hot, tired and wanting to rip the masks from our faces. After a welcome, and highly restorative shower, we wandered in search of dinner at the famous Zam Zam on Nth Bridge Rd.

In this oasis of Indian Muslim specialties, the tea tarik flowed, the murtabak and briyani were amazing, as were many more dishes besides. I posit that just one mug of steaming hot tea tarik is worth the airfare to Singapore alone.

How good is the fresh tea tarik?

Indian Muslim cuisine at Zam Zam. Yum!

After completely stuffing our faces, and finishing with an ill-advised trial of chilled tea tarik (I told em!), we made our way home through small knots of indian dudes relaxing and eating on the sidewalk after a hard days work.

Walking back from Nth Bridge Rd.

Time for an early night of false fire alarms, and sightseeing on the morrow.

DAY 2

Our second day in Singapore dawned to a light rain, and Katrina and Claudia feeling even worse than the day before. Strengthened by Codral and Neurofen they managed to get out of the room, and across the road to the Tekka (hawkers) Center for some breakfast. Hot tea tarik was consumed, followed by its revelatory cousin - Masala Tea. Oh my god how had I missed this amazing drink all these years? More experimentation is definitely warranted.

Breakfast at the Tekka Center

Idly - weird rice flour thingies with curry sauces

We consumed roti prata and idly with even more tea and then checked out of the kids room. Katrina and Claudia retired back to our room to lie down, while Eb and I walked to the harbour.  It was an easy half hour walk, giving us a really nice street-level feel for the city. The lightest of rain helped to keep the temperature down, but our faces were still streaming by the end.

Soon we'd reached Merlion park with views of the lotus and Marina Bay Sands (the boat building) across the water.

View of the boat building from Merlion park

Merlion throwng up on my bald pate.

We stayed and admired the view for a little while, and I helped a young girl with a photo of the Merlion spitting into her mouth. All very artistic I assure you. With Eb's Singapore sigtseeing checklist complete for the time being, we then looked to the next task - acquiring a piece of the famed Pandan Sponge from Bengawan Solo.

They actually have outlets all over the city, so we were able to grab it right there at city hall! Too easy.

Procuring the covetted Pandan Sponge.

From the city, Eb and I caught the MRT out to the Newton Centre for lunch. Unfortunately, two thirds of the stalls were closed, but we managed to grab some Nasi Goreng and Mee Kuah for lunch along with the largest iced teas I've ever seen.

The Newton Center - at least one stall was open!

The largest teas known to man.

Nasi Goreng and Mee Kuah

Our hunger sated, Eb and I jumped back on the MRT and back one stop to little india. We took a little stroll down Serangoon Rd to take in the whole Little Indian vibe, ending up at Cotti coffee, sweat streaming, for a coconut milk latte. Yum. 

Serangoon Rd - the heart of little india.

After a shower and a break we headed across the road to Apollo Food Village for an indian dinner. All very nice it was too. That being done, all that remained was to shower again and then schlep to the airport and board the long haul to Munich. Can't say anyone is looking forward to it, espicially the sick ones, but the sooner it's done the better we'll all feel...

Postscript

Before our flight to Munich we were able to visit Jewel in Changi Terminal 1! It was hot and steamy, but kinda cool.

The Jewel fountain is a site to behold

We beheld it!