Munich (München), Germany

Our love for the München Viktualienmarkt is difficult to describe. It somehow both sings the song of travel, while also thrumming the deep notes of home. How one place can feel so exotic and wonderful at same time it owns a piece of our heart that we reserve for home... I don't exactly understand. Yet it is true, nonetheless.

Bier im Viktualienmarkt im Zentrum von München

Our journey through Germany and the Czech Republic with Gary and Claudia was methodical. Purposeful even. I wanted them to see Frankfurt first. It's a good place to get over jetlag and of all the places we would take them... feels the most like home. Slightly foreign. A bit different... but also very American. It also allowed us to go to Ohrdruf easily also go out to the Rheingau and taste some excellent German wines and see some castles.

Next on to Berlin, which obviously took on a different pallor when we decided to move there. But I also knew that it was arguably the least German place in Germany. Berlin will get it's own post.. hell, it's own section of this blog as we visit, move there, and learn more and more of what makes our new home tick.

Next up was Prague, a touch of ancient along with the challenge of a language none of us spoke outside of "please, thank you, hello" and "check please."

Then on to Munich (München), arguably the most German place in Germany. The home of the Hofbrauhaus, a place to buy a lederhosen, where they serve little white sausages and beer for breakfast, where German efficiency and cleanliness are on full display. Home to one of the greatest football teams on planet Earth. And home to my favorite farmers market, where the people watching and the beer are always worth a visit. Rain or shine. Winter or Spring.

The grave of Holy Roman Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian... i think.