🇨🇿Karlovy Vary, CZ to Munich, DE🇩🇪

Day 5: Castles, City Streets, and Catch-Ups

We started the day with a Czech-German style breakfast at the hotel was hearty, with plenty of meats, cheeses, fruit, yogurts and various breads. Then a
peaceful walk through Karlovy Vary, where the steam from the mineral springs curled into the morning air. We passed groups of students, probably on a school trip, and couldn’t resist picking up some traditional spa wafers, Lázeňské oplatky.

Our next stop was Loket, a medieval gem wrapped in a bend of the river. Touring the castle’s torture chambers was equal parts fascinating and creepy—some of those displays were a little too realistic. We wandered the cobbled streets, soaked up the old-town charm, and of course, grabbed ice cream before hitting the road again.

Arriving in Munich, we made a beeline for the Hofbräuhaus. Lunch was a classic: crusty breads and a pretzel, a sausage sampler, and steins of beer in a buzzing atmosphere full of tourists and locals alike. Afterwards, we explored the city on foot, timing it perfectly to catch the Glockenspiel show at Marienplatz, with crowds gathered beneath the tower as the figures clinked and danced above.

After checking in and resting our legs, we walked to the Chinese Tower Beer Garden in the English Garden to meet up with our dear friends Meike and Herbert. They’re heading off on an alpine adventure to climb Ortler Mountain in Italy, highest mountain in the eastern Alps. It was great to hear their plans, and catch up with them after their epic tour by bicycle to the southern most tip of Chile. As the sun set, we strolled the gardens together, sharing stories and soaking up joyous energy of friends reconnecting. We are so happy that Sebastian is getting to meet some of our best friends in Germany.

Back at the hotel, we collapsed into bed—tired, happy, and ready for the day ahead.Read more