To Munich (5/23)


Here I am, back in Munich. I was here for Oktoberfest and to see the city at the end of September. I came out of the train station and recognized the place I had walked out of when I looked for the address of my hostel “just down the block,” only to find that it was several kilometers away. Well, this time I went from the first to a second train station, and my hotel was just around the corner – MUCH easier! And this time, I wasn’t carrying a sewing machine, either!
After breakfast, I left my hotel in Winterthur, and walked to the train station.  A wonderful train ticketing agent helped me get my ticket credited to my Eurail pass, provided me with maps and explanations of both places – Zurich and Munich – I would end up, and got me on my way within a few minutes of arriving at the train station. I had looked at tickets on line, and was puzzled that the routes indicated I would have to change trains as many as FIVE times. It turns out that, because of the geography – with the Bodensee, or Lake Constance, between Winterthur and Munich, it doesn’t work to go by train, even though the distance – as the crow flies – between the two places is short. So . . . people are instructed to take the train to Zurich, and change to a bus to go to Munich. That’s exactly what I did.  The train ride was short, and Zurich looks fascinating – probably the first place I’ll “hit” when I return to Switzerland. I did have some difficulty finding the bus, but the trusty map saved the day. I got on a “two-story” bus, and sat upstairs.  The bus was really comfortable, and had free Wi-Fi, as well as sockets to charge your electronics.  I was impressed! Anyway, it was a pleasant ride of about three hours.  We had a view of the Bodensee for a while. (I traveled there with a group from Freiburg last September.)
In Munich, I had to get from the bus to the (local) train to go to the main train station.  I ran into a woman from Minneapolis, who now lives outside Geneva, and was on her way to an Anglican meeting in Munich. We helped each other get to the right train platform. Then I was off – to the main train station, right in the center of town.  The conference location – and the various hotels where people are staying – are all within a short distance from this main train station, which is really quite convenient.
I got to the hotel in time to do serious laundry before running out for some dinner.  When I arrived in Munich, the weather felt really hot – and it was still that way when I went out for dinner. As I was eating, a thunderstorm hit. Wow! Of course! That heat that feels like a boil ready to burst – and then rain!  I’d forgotten those Midwestern thunderstorms (and lightning). It was kind of fun to watch the storm out the window of the restaurant. By the time I was done eating, the shower was over, and I could walk back to my hotel in a cooler city.
Germany is different from the German-speaking part of Switzerland, but that difference is subtle, such that I can’t put my finger on it. Also, I had to pack away my Swiss Francs and get some Euros. Switzerland doesn’t use Euros. It will be interesting to see how prices compare between the two countries. Anyway, this has felt like a day of preparation for what comes next. We’ll see how things go tomorrow . . .

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