Mary's Square

Munich is a busy huge green city. Just a short ride from Austria. We caught the 10.56am from Salzburg and arrived at 12.30pm. We are in the third and final week of our tour and still walking about exploring and finding new places to swim.

On Monday we bought a 9 euro travel card which will last us all week. We caught the tram and went into the centre of Munich and entered the 'English' garden which starts here and then slices 5 miles up the North East side of the city. It's named after an English garden due to its rambling style of woods which is true because it reminds me a bit of Middleton woods. In the stifling heat we try and find the river that we've read about that people swim in.

After 30 minutes of walking and carrying bags we hear the sound of the water gushing through Stauwehr Oberföhring. Its a big concrete bridge and 'Isar' is the river that runs underneath. We follow a cycle track running alongside the river and down to a slope which opens out onto a raised pebble beach, acting as an island. We soon put the Barcelona picnic blanket down and submerge ourselves into the cold clear shallow waters.

People are sunbathing, some are totally naked, some aren't naked. Kids are running around and it's a lovely atmosphere. There's a fast pace to the water which if you try and swim against it you just stay in one place not getting anywhere, it's great exercise. However, its not dangerous because its so shallow you just scrap your arse on the pebbles and stand up again.

After 5 hours more families come to swim to cool down after a long hot day at school or work. We packed our bags and walked another 35 minutes in the stubborn heat through the Munich suburbs of rolling parks with trees and playgrounds and a random nymph statue: Daphne.

Desperate to sit down and eat we found a local beer garden called Schlosselgarten. We were a bit disheveled and totally parched after our trek.

When we arrived we were told they don't take cards. Standing in disbelieve with no euros and no ATM in sight I suddenly remember I've got some dollars hidden away in my purse which my best mate Bee gave me before we left.

She said 'In the last week of your stay when your at the end of your money spend this on a slap up meal!'
The waiter in his traditional Lederhosen nodded to at my request and we exchanged our meal and drinks for the international currency including tip at an agreeable transaction rate😉.

We ordered the biggest two pint lager of Lowenbrau and a three course German meal. Here's the pictures of salmon and fritters. Pork steaks with some carb style noodles that look like sweetcorn (but arent) and a mushroom creamy sauce which was a food combo I've never tasted before in my life!

Thank you Bee your money it went right to the heart of this beer garden!

A full initiation into Germanic lifestyle.

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