From Prague to Munich

Leaving Prague

Today, we drove from Prague to Munich––from Bohemia to Bavaria, a distance of 250 miles or 400 kilometers. Photo: Church in Prague.

Leaving Prague

Still in Prague

Driving through Prague.

Still in Prague

You can see Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral on the far left of the photo.

Still in Prague

On the Road

That translates to “Elvis Lives!”

On the Road

Traveling through the Czech countryside.

On the Road

Close–up of a city that we passed with a purple house with a red roof.

On the Road

Backyard canola fields.

On the Road

A bit hard to see, but that black patch is made up of solar panels that are used to create electricity for the farms. We saw these solar panels on farms in many places on our trip.

On the Road

McDonald’s

This McDonald’s near the Czech/German border was our morning comfort stop.

McDonald’s

This McDonald’s was not like any McDonald’s that I had seen anywhere. I was impressed: it had a McCafe, an area of low chairs and tables for drinking coffee, modern tables and benches for eating, and wireless. It was more of a coffee shop than a McDonald’s. A few weeks later, I read that McDonald’s is going to revamp their American McDonald’s restaurants into coffee shops like this one. This was presented as really big news, as something quite innvocative in the U.S. But no where in the articles that I read was there mention that these new McDonald’s are already in Europe and, as I have been told, in Australia. I felt this was another “wait until I tell the folks back home” moment about this snazzy McDonald’s.

McDonald’s

The McCafe menu: expresso, etc.

McDonald’s

McCafe’s pastry. You could still get a Big Mac and fries here.

McDonald’s

Now in Germany

We crossed the Czech border into Germany.

Now in Germany

On the Autoban

We are on the Autoban and will go left toward Munchen (Munich).

On the Autoban

On the Road

Passing a German village.

On the Road

Lunch Stop

This is one of the few times we stopped for lunch on the highway, but it was a very nice place with a good selection of food.

Lunch Stop

Sandwiches, including schnitzel and herring.

Lunch Stop

Another “wait until I tell the folks back home” moment. It took a bit of time to figure out how to get the toilet to flush––you move your hand in front of the red dot. Then, not only does the toilet flush, the toilet seat circles around, cleaning it. Of course, we had to pay to use the toilet, as usual.

Lunch Stop

On The Road

Passing another German village.

On The Road

Solar Panels

Close–up of some of the houses in the village. If you are wondering how Germany plans to replace the energy produced by their nuclear power plants in the not too far future, you can see that part of the future is already here with these houses having solar panels on their roofs.

Solar Panels

Traffic Jam

Traffic jam on the Autoban nearing Munich shortly after 1 p.m. on a Friday. American workers are not going to be happy about the reason for the traffic jam: German workers get off work at 1 p.m. on Fridays.

Traffic Jam

Munich

We have reached Munich.

Munich

Olympic Village

We are not in the future, but in the past. This is part of the ill–fated 1972 Olympic Village from the Summer Olympics when 11 Israeli athletes were murdered.

Olympic Village

More of the Olympic Village.

Olympic Village

Another photo of the Olympic Village.

Olympic Village

Munich

We drove through a neighborhood of beautiful homes.

Munich

Driving on a leafy street.

Munich

At the end of this canal is the Nymphenburg Palace.

Munich

Nymphenburg Palace

The Nymphenburg Palace, commissioned in 1664 by Elector Ferdinand Maria to celebrate the birth of his son, Maximilian Emanuel.

Nymphenburg Palace

A closer–up view of the palace.

Nymphenburg Palace

Many lilac bushes were in bloom.

Nymphenburg Palace

More lilac bushes.

Nymphenburg Palace

Close–up of the clock.

Nymphenburg Palace

A fountain in the lake and one of the many swans in it. The lake was ringed with both small and large villas.

Nymphenburg Palace

One of the swans.

Nymphenburg Palace

One of palace’s statues.

Nymphenburg Palace

A statue in front of the lake.

Nymphenburg Palace

A duck was spotted on her nest.

Nymphenburg Palace

Close–up of the duck and her eggs.

Nymphenburg Palace

Two of the Baroque mansions on the palace grounds.

Nymphenburg Palace

Munich

Back on our bus and driving past an Oktoberfest sign. This year, the Ocktoberfest will be held from September 17 to October 3.

Munich

A lion drinking beer in a beer garden.

Munich

Konigsplatz

Konigsplatz or the King’s Square. The square was commissioned by King Ludwig I in 1815 and was completed in 1862. The king wanted to turn Munich into another Athens, hence the Greek architecture. The Konigsplatz was used during WWII for Nazi rallies.

Konigsplatz

More of the Konigsplatz.

Konigsplatz

Munich Obelisk

The Munich Obelisk was erected in 1833 in commenoration of the Bavarian soldiers who died in the 1812 campaign in Russia.

Munich Obelisk

Munich

There are a large number of bicycle riders in Munich and they appear to have the right of way on some roads. We were told to watch out for them while we were walking.

Munich

A city gate that we passed.

Munich

Odean Square

On the right is the Italianate Baroque Theatiner Church, built between 1841 and 1844, and in the center, the Felderrnhalle or Field Marshal’s Hall, built by King Ludwig I between 1841 and 1844 to honor his Bavaria guards. The failed Hitler putsch of November 9, 1923, took place in front of the Felderrnhalle .

Odean Square

Close–up of the Felderrnhalle.

Odean Square

Also on Odean Square.

Odean Square

Munich

Another city gate.

Munich

We are now walking to the Marienplatz, the main square of Munich. This very loud singing beer tour passed by.

Munich

Inside the beer tour vehicle.

Munich

We passed this decorated building.

Munich

Close–up of the decorations.

Munich

The Marienplatz (See Slide Show)

The Neo–Gothic Rathaus or New Town Hall, begun 1867, on the Marienplatz. I have put my photos of the Marienplatz on a slide show on this website: Go to Slide Shows, Central/Eastern Europe–2, Marienplatz, Munich.

The Marienplatz (See Slide Show)

Glockenspiel (Movie)

The Glockenspiel on the tower of the New Town Hall. The figures on the top represent a tournament held in the Marienplatz in 1568. The figures are the bottom are performing the Dance of the Coopers (the Schafferltanz), which commenorates the end of the plague in Munich in 1517.

Glockenspiel (Movie)

Hofbrauhaus

I next walked to the Hofbrauhaus, the building with the statue on top of it. The Hofbrauhaus was established in 1589. Much of the building was destroyed in 1944. It reopened in 1958.

Hofbrauhaus

A closer–up view. This looked like a very interesting area to explore––I wish that I had had more time here.

Hofbrauhaus

Buildings across from the Hofbrauhaus.

Hofbrauhaus

Buildings down from the Hofbrauhaus.

Hofbrauhaus

Inside the Hofbrauhaus. I was here 49 years ago and remember it well. At that time, it was full of Germans as drinking companions. Today, it was full of tourists.

Hofbrauhaus

To get in the spirit of being here, I ordered a beer, the first one that I drank during the day.

Hofbrauhaus

I also ordered a pretzel, but the waiter took so long to bring it to me, I thought he had forgotten. I bought the big pretzel off a pretzel vendor. Luckily, two of my tourmates, Kevin and Bob, came to join me and I gave them the big pretzel to share. These pretzels are delicious, so much better than the ones in the U.S. If I had known this beforehand, I would have had more of them in other places that we visited. Beer and pretzels, they really go together.

Hofbrauhaus

The pretzel and decorated heart vendor.

Hofbrauhaus

I caught this photo of one of a group of men in lederhosen at the Hofbrauhaus.

Hofbrauhaus

Hofbrauhaus Oom-Pah Band (See Movies)

The oom–pah band starting playing and I took two movies of them. Go to Movies, Central/Eastern Europe, then page 8 of the movies.

Hofbrauhaus Oom-Pah Band (See Movies)

Munich

Time to go to our hotel which was at the end of this street. Behind the hotel was the fairgrounds where the Oktoberfest is held. Some of us ate a very good dinner at our hotel. Tomorrow, we would drive along the Romantic Road to our final destination, Frankfurt.