Christmas Getaway: Germany Day 5 (Berlin to Munich)

Up the earliest of all of the days so far today, because we’re headed on to Munich today! So we were up around 8 after only about 6 hours sleep, and were due to get a taxi to the Hauptbahnhof (central station) at 10am. When it got to 10:05 and there was no taxi (especially not a big one that fit all of us), we bailed on that plan and hailed two regular taxis to catch over there. By this time it was 10:10 and our train departed at 10:30, but luckily it was only a 7 minute drive to the station (especially in the taxi we were in, he was keen to get us there fast!) and we are the platform just as the train pulled up! We are unfortunately facing backwards, and it's a 5 and a half hour trip, but at least it's easy travel. Nicer than a plane, anyway.

We ate lunch on the train, and I had my first currywurst which was pretty great (it even had tortilla on it, which turned out to be crushed Doritos!). I worked on my embroidery, Mum caught up on her travel diary, David and I shared a podcast, and most people had naps as well! We arrived at 3pm at another Hauptbahnhof (central station), and it is only a 10 minute walk from there to our accommodation in Munich. This time, we're in a hotel in 3 rooms rather than an apartment and I think it's not quite as good, but I guess we do all have more privacy (and now we aren't all sharing the same bathroom which is a definite logistical plus for the mornings!) I think we must be in the Arab quarter, if they have one, as there are a lot of different cuisines around like Afghani and Turkish. It is a pretty quiet area though.

After settling in briefly, we walked over to the central part of Munich to have a wander. Munich has much more of an "old town" to it than Berlin, for obvious WW2 reasons, and it's lovely to walk around. Today was a good day in Munich with a max of 3 so we didn't last too long before we were looking for somewhere to sit and eat dinner. We have been having such early dinner, as my family are used to eating not long after dark - except that happens at 4:30pm! We found a beerhaus and had a drink, then dinner and dessert as well.

The food in Munich is much more what you think of when you think of "German" food, but really it's more Bavarian. We all had pork with potatoes and sauerkraut for dinner, just different versions: pork knuckle, various sausages, and pork belly (mine)! We also all had dessert for the first time, but mostly because there was apple strudel on the menu! I was the odd one out though in having apple fritters: they were basically apple pieces deep fried in a beer batter and in cinnamon sugar with cream and ice cream. Mmmm...

Now we're back in the hotel chilling and watching a film before its time for bed. Tomorrow we're on the hop on, hop off bus tour!