Last night Dominique and I spent our hostel vouchers on a glass of beer each…. point 2 of a litre to be precise but it was very nice, at least I thought so, thinking of the bell ringers back in Charlbury. Dom was not so keen, her preference was cider (she didn’t want her photo taken here!)
but we had a long chat about England and it’s strange customs. Dom hopes to leave Oz and continue her studies in the UK.
Another very warm night in the dorm with the threat of storms. But none as yet despite them being all over the north of Germany on the news. I bought another apple pastry across the street and settled down with my free fruit juice and coffee in the air conditioned common area to read my book. This has to be one of my top rated hostels – Wombats Munich! 
My back is playing up a bit at the moment and I am able to lie here in utter comfort on a recliner among trees in the cool. It feels like you are outdoors but it is a sort of air conditioned atrium with rocks and trees and hammocks, in the centre of Munich!
Ok, I ventured out about 11 with fresh water and GPS charged pointing me towards Marien Platz. Slightly cooler today and more comfortable for walking. I headed down Nauhaustrasse into an amazing shopping centre. You’d love it Em, H&M, C&A and Benetton were the only shops I recognised but there were plenty of really nice German stores… I was drawn into one or two, looking at and even trying on one or two lovely cotton loose fitting dresses. A voice inside my head said ‘no Maureen, you have just sent clothes home!’ There were several very beautiful churches among the shops offering coolness and quiet from the heat and bustling shoppers and sightseers outside. 
The Cathedral is immense and the ceilings quite plain compared with other chuches in Munich, but on an enormous scale. I think you might like to play this organ Richard!
I eventually found myself in the tourist throng of Marien Platz surrounded by beautiful old buildings and the famous clock which does a special thing at 9, 12 and 5 o’clock. 
Time for some lunch I think… but heck, the food looks mouth-watering enough and I can tell what it is but how to ask??? There is a list with prices but just haven’t a clue what it means! Ah… saved by a customer. He asked for just the thing, a slice of pork with crackling cut off a leg and a piece of freshly sliced ham in a crusty roll. I asked for the same – it worked – Yay!! You would love this Matt – no veggies or salad, pure meat. Well of course this had to be washed down with the local beer. 
I am now in the 
Viktualienmarkt… near the Marien Platz and everyone is drinking big ‘jugs’ of beer. I went up to get my small one… there are guys just filling up the jugs continuously. You take one and then move to someone else to pay. They don’t do small!! Ah well it’s another hot day…. just hope my GPS will guide me back!
I’m actually liking this German beer very much, it slips down easily in the hot weather. I sat with a couple from Berlin. Making conversation was non existent to start with…. I said the beer was ‘gut’! They nodded and smiled. 
Later one of them offered to take my photo. I said ich nicht spechan Deutch, which I was quite pleased with and one of them said, ich nicht sprechan English, which I was also pleased with because I had understood the response. Then we managed a bit of chat by nodding and miming. After our auf wiedersehens, I proceeded to explore the market. Wow, I have never seen anything like this. The colours, varieties of foods and flowers and lots of other curiosities besides, all so pristine and beautifully displayed. 
I pondered over my favorite liquorice allsorts but decided 5 euros was a bit pricey even for a giant bag, which I really didn’t need. Then I found myself asking for a selection of flavours of homemade Turkish delight at a different stall. I got 4 pieces for 2 euros!! I will savour each one! The atmosphere in the market was bustling, happy and relaxed.
By now the breeze had dropped and the temperatures were high again.
On the way back I stopped at the huge fountain, or rather a number of fountains spouting up out of the ground in a circle, and sat a while allowing myself to be sprayed on all sides…. such a relief from the heat. 
(Here you can see my silly but very effective hat Mike!) From here it was only a short distance back to the hostel and my mind was already in one of the hammocks in the atrium.
Good bye Munich, good accommodation, would recommend Wombats Munich and a great city!