Sitting around the Airbnb felt like we could have been back in our college apartment.
Smiling faces before our day in the Alps
I’m not sure how many more hikes I’ll be able to get in before the weather conditions make it too difficult.
From our hike on the Wank Mountain, we got great views of the Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest mountain.
The starting point of our hike was the town of Garmisch-Partenkirche. Fun fact, there is a US Army Garrison here.
Unfortunately there was a hiker in need of assistance at the peak. When we arrived this helicopter had already landed, but we saw it take off from close range.
We had a nice view from our lunch spot while we discussed the intricacies of German bread, specifically what is and isn’t a pretzel.
After getting some regional specialties in the Viktualienmarkt and in the grocery store, we made a fairly elaborate charcuterie spread.
Basking in the glory of being reunited after two years
No trip to Munich is complete without enjoying a Weißwurst Frühstück. I did a much better job of cooking the sausages than when I made them for my parents.
The girls loved pursuing the stalls of the Viktualienmarkt and I encouraged them to try a Bavarian classic, Leberkässemmel, which they gave resounding good reviews.
Juliette and I were in Munich back in February 2018. Back then we took a similar photo of Juliette mimicking the Juliet statue that was gifted to Munich from the city of Verona. You can read about our original trip here.
Our stroll through the Hofgarden was quite colorful!
We attempted to ignore chilly weather and cloudy skies in order to see the city.
With a Maß of the eponymous Andechs beer in hand, we indulged in some Bavarian cheeses, pork belly, potato salad, sauerkraut, and, of course, pretzels.
Just as I entertained them by showing them Bavarian cuisine, they entertained me by occasionally giving me a break from it.
It’s always an honor to serve as a tour guide.
We finally saw the sun again on Friday and capitalized on it by taking a mini-hike to Kloster Andechs, a hilltop monastery known for its namesake beer.
I particularly enjoyed this outing because it has been on my Munich bucket list for a while.
The walk to the Kloster was varied, through a small town, the woods, and a meadow.
The leaves might not have changed color yet, but it was a beautiful fall day.
Although not too far from the heart of Munich, the view from the Kloster shows the peaceful Bavarian landscape with the Alps in the distance.
The Kloster’s church fully embraced Southern Bavarian Rococo.
Just because they have a “local” to show them around, doesn’t mean it is worth missing the major tourist destinations, like the original Hofbräuhaus.
On Brittany’s last day we indulged in an all-you-can-eat sushi brunch at a restaurant which has become a frequent stop for me and Kacper whenever someone is visiting or with other floormates for fun!

In a long series of busy and exciting weeks, this one was made particularly special by a visit from my college roommates. The last time I saw them was in the fall of 2019 at a Notre Dame football game. Jess was the first to arrive, and I picked her up from the train station late on Saturday night. 

Sunday morning I went to the Airbnb, and Jess and I took a walk around the city while waiting for Juliette and Brittany to arrive. We met them respectively at the train station and brought them to the Airbnb where they settled in and ate oven cheese for lunch. We hung out and ate pizza for dinner.

Monday was our first real day together and the five of us went hiking. The girls enjoyed the breathtaking views but found the hike strenuous, especially when considering they were also fighting off jet-lag. We returned to Munich and quickly replaced all the calories we had burned by eating a delicious Bavarian dinner. 

Unfortunately the weather turned chilly, bleak, and rainy, which we used as an excuse to sleep in on Tuesday and enjoy a Weißwurst Frühstück in the apartment. The girls toured Munich’s Residence Palace. Having done so already, I stayed to chip away at my ever-growing pile of work and met them in the city once they were done. We walked through the Altstadt and collected regional goodies like cheeses, fruits, and meats for a charcuterie dinner. 

Although not the most pleasant weather, the lack of rain prompted us to take a stroll through the English Garden on Wednesday, hitting the major spots: the Chinese Tower, the Monopteros, and the Eisbach surfers. We then got a Leberkässemmel and soup for lunch in Viktualienmarkt. The girls were still a little sore from the hike so we returned to the Airbnb and played cards for a little before heading back into the city to grab drinks with my German friends. Juliette and I said goodbye that night since she left early the next morning.

On Thursday Jess and Brittany spent most of the day touring the Dachau memorial site. Since I’ve gone twice in the past few months, I stayed back and got some work done. We met in Hofbräuhaus for a beer in the late afternoon and then enjoyed Chinese dumplings for dinner. We ended the night by playing cards again in the apartment.

The weather perked up again on Friday so we took a mini-hike to the Kloster Andechs, a monastery just outside of Munich famous for brewing beer. The scenery was beautiful, the beer tasty, and the food filling. We returned to my dorm where I cooked soup for dinner and we hung out with some floormates. Jess and I said our farewells, as she began her trek back to the West Coast early the next morning. 

After checking out of the Airbnb and moving Brittany’s stuff to the dorm, we went for a walk around my neighborhood, primarily to check out Schloss Nymphenburg with its canal and gardens. We then met up with some friends and an all-you-can-eat running sushi restaurant. Brittany and I then took one last lap through the Altstadt since she needed to run some errands before the next leg of her travels. We had a lazy night in the dorm, watching a movie and putting on facemasks for a bit of relaxation. 

Sunday brought all of the excitement to a close. We said our goodbyes as I saw Brittany off to the train station. I returned to my dorm quite exhausted from the week’s non-stop highs. After resting a bit, I slowly began to tackle my chores and adjust my schedule back to normalcy. 

This site is not an official site of the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. The views expressed on this site are entirely those of its author, Stephanie Kubus, and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State, or any of its partner organizations.