Beer For Breakfast, Heart Attacks For Snacks

NOTE: I wrote this maybe a week ago but couldn't get it to post, so now I'm just getting settled in down in Budapest after a night train from Prague.

Heylo out there in the land of digital entertainment/ time-burning!

I am having a great time in Germany so far. After arriving and getting caught up on sleep (though not before drinking a LOT of beer in man-sized glasses and eating a pretzel larger than my entire melon), I felt ready to take on the sights and sounds, tastes and temptations of Munich. A massive city of several million, Munich is considered the capital of Bavaria and doesn't slack off in earning the title.

Beer, meat bread and cheese-- these are the typical components of any true Bavarian meal. Oh, and mustard. They have frickin' amazing mustard varieties. At any rate, I just enjoyed what is known as a "Bavaria breakfast" and Eric's place in Bamberg, appoximaely two hours north of Munich via train. I had a nice weissbier, some Nurnberger sausages and bread as well as a pretzel and poached egg. Sweet and hot mustards were served, as well, which really complimented the prezel accordingly.

Ok, so I saw castles, Munich's Olympic park, old churches, etc. I realize that many of you (well, 2 out of the 3 who read my blog that I know of) probably want to hear some crazy stories, so I'll indulge you.

Trip Lowlights

~Nearly missing my connecting flight in Amsterdam. I was forced to run like Carl Lewis on acid and green tea across those moving walkways, weaving in and out of human traffic as I desperately sought gate B-22. I made it, though my pants kept sliding down and I was the sweatiest guy to ever fly on a KLM "City Hopper" flight, hands down. The mayonaisse and salmon sandwich I was served almost made up for it though...

~My hostel was arranged in just the perfect way that it was extremely hard for me to sleep. I was in a full 22 person room that had an exit light, which happened to shine on my face when I was trying to rest, that was on 24/7. People were jerks and accumulated lots of points in tha category. One girl decided to call each of her parents separately beginning at 5AM. She was loud and didn't try to whisper, though I did glean that her sister only made the waiting list at the University of Washington and was very dissapointed. Apparently, she chokes big time when the chips are down and did poorly on her SAT/ACT.

Trip Highlights

~Delicious beer. In fact, I made it to a Benedctine monastery called Andech's where they brew very otent draughts. I ordered a meal of cabbage and haxe'n, which was essentially a huge drumstick-like object that was fried pork. I got two havles, which turned out to be over 1Kg of meat. It was insanely huge, really. One could injure someone by lobbing the meat stick at them from a distance. Half of it was too big to even be crammed inside of a liter-sized beer mug (don't ask how I know that, I just do).

~Street Performer X. After hitting up Hofbrau Haus for the 2nd time on our first day, we happened across a street performer who was signing and such. He asked for money and when I said I had none (which was actually 100% true), he became semi-angry and started calling me a cheap American or something. The funny thing is, Eric was trying to give the guy money and he refused it. Then, Eric started calling him a "fake and a phony" and the guy got really angry. We left shortly thereafter.

Now, as I sit in Bamberg, I am getting things organized to get from here to Prague and from Prague to Budapest before swinging back to Muenchen. I think a night in Dresden is in the card, as well.

I absolutely hate typing on lappers, so I am going to go. Keep on rocking in the free world, cool cats. Prost!

~Matt H.