Muenchen - yum, yum!

Munching - bite, break up, champ, chaw, chomp, crunch, crush, eat, grind, mash, masticate, press, reduce, ruminate, scrunch, smash, soften, is this the same? Of course not silly, but this is only the way you pronounce Munich which has nothing to do with eating, or has it? Well as soon as the sun comes out in spring and temperatures rise above 15°C (60°F), the inhabitants of Munich flock to the large chestnut gardens, usually seating a few thousand people, and socialise over a litre of beer. Yes, a litre - the one-litre (2 pt) mug is the minimum amount available, and with about 5% of alcohol Bavarian beer is as strong as any European beer, so you had better get home by public transport or walking. However, there is also shandy called "Radler" (lager beer mixed with lemonade) and several sodas available for drivers, or the faint hearted (like me!). Still, you shouldn't be surprised at seeing locals consume several of these litres on a single evening: beer is regarded as a basic part of nutrition in Bavaria, not actually alcohol.The tradition has spread all over Germany, but you won't get the genuine thing anywhere else but in Munich: Biergärten. In earlier times when brewers were desperate to keep their beer cool during the summer, they stored their barrels in cellars and planted chestnut trees above them, since their wide branches and large leaves keep the place nice and shady. King Ludwig I granted the brewers the right to sell their beer on the spot - but not food. Since then, the people of Munich have flocked to these gardens to drink fresh beer straight from the barrel, bringing along their own food. A weekend in Munich is not really good for your belly, as eating and drinking can be a good way to unwind and relax during the hot summer days. For me 2 litres of any drink, let alone alcohol leaves me in search of a "pissenhausen" (my name for the toilet), real name "toiletten". So what was I doing here you may well ask and not such a bad question as it's not everyday you are in Munich. No I was not here for work, although did take my laptop, but was here visiting friends, 2 lots of friends actually. First Ruth and Arif my former Bern neighbours and Mark and Carmen my former Amsterdamer buddies, none of which were native to either of these cities or countries.