Monthly Archives: April 2008

Auer Dult – Flea market in Munich

One of the most commonly asked questions I get is “where is the flea market in Munich?” To which I respond that there are no constantly running flea markets and although you can find ones on weekends (such as the flea market held in the parking lot of the olympic park every weekend during the summer), they’re just not impressive.

The Auer Dult is what they’re really looking for, but they have to be here at the right time of year. If you’re looking for a flea market in Munich and for whatever reason (no, I don’t understand) want to plan your vacation around it, here are the dates:

Maidult: April 26-May4
Jakobidult: July 26-Aug3
Kirchweihdult: Oct 18-Oct26

It’s located at Mariahilfplatz, which is outside of the downtown area, so you could easily miss it even if you spent a week wandering around town. You can take bus 52 from Marienplatz right to it or take tram 27 from Karlsplatz.

That’s right, it’s held three times a year. It’s a little more than a flea market as it has lots of food stands as well as rides and whatnot…could be fun. You can also find more information here.

Here’s a link to a good picture of it so you know what to look for.

A middle ages knight’s tournament in Munich

Each year, around this time, they hold a medieval fair, night’s tournament, and whatever…on the south side of the olympic park. This year’s “Ritter in Munich” starts tomorrow and goes until May 4th. Last year I didn’t go because it was raining on the one day we had available for it (either that or Petra didn’t feel like moving out of her chair, which happens equally as often). This year, Petra’s in China until the 4th, so I’d either have to go alone or randomly find someone to go with…so I probably won’t make it.

For English speakers I don’t think it’s that much fun anyways, just as it might not be that fun for a German who doesn’t speak English to go to Renaissance festival in the states. Still…I enjoy that kind of thing…oh well.

For those who want to go and are in the area, April 25-May 4th are the dates for 2008, you can see the schedule here.

Tour cancelled? in April? umm…this is a weird day

Well, ok, technically, tours get cancelled randomly all year round. However, I haven’t had a tour canceled since January, so I was planning on going to Salzburg today. Only one person turned up, so that makes for a bit of an awkward situation. This gives me a bit of time to write for travel plan idea and relax, I guess. I also was able to talk to my insurance agent about possibly adding dental…sounds expensive to me, hmm.

For the record: tours go with 2 or more people, so it’s really impressive if they don’t go, please don’t assume if you’re alone that no tour will go, because it is quite rare.

Also: if anyone here in Germany is looking for an English speaking insurance agent that can save you money: www.spectruminternational.eu

Summer schedule, my legs are a hurtin’

Lately I’ve been doing a bunch of Neuschwanstein tours and as of April 15th, we’re back on the summer schedule, which means the tours are an extra hour longer…and we go to the bridge overlooking Neuschwanstein and have a bit more time for everything really. Well, if you have a small group and no one with any real problem walking, then you can fit a lot in. Today the group even made its way up to Hohenschangau for a better look at it, as well…which is pretty rare, I don’t think I’ve had time to bring a group up there since October. In fact, usually the groups don’t have much extra time at all and it’s pretty non-stop just doing the Alpsee, the castle, the bridge, and possibly the gorge.

Anyways, my legs aren’t used to walking all the way up to the bridge, let alone all the way back down and over to Schloss Hohenschangau. I’ll get back into shape soon I’m sure. Tomorrow I’m heading over to Salzburg, but the trains might give me a headache as they’re working on the tracks between here and there.

Petra’s still in China…so I’m lonely…working and eating…working and eating. Had a good group today, hope I have similar tomorrow.

Here’s a pic of a jewelry box of Petra’s…I just love the name…rather fitting:

Radius Tours

As you all know, my main job is being a tour guide to Neuschwanstein, Munich, and Salzburg. The tour company that I work most of the time is Radius Tours.

As of this week, the new website for Radius Tours is online and you can now book the tours directly from our company online. Before, if you wanted to book ahead via the internet, you would have had to do it through another company which would take their own cut and be a bit of a hassle, to be honest. So yeah, if you’re visiting Munich and want great tours, have a look at the Radius Tours website, if you get lucky I’ll be your tour guide.

Alternatively, of course, you can always book a private tour with me and then there’s no luck involved.

Also, I’d like to note that this year there will be new tour options offered…check out the Radius website for more details, as I don’t have’em yet!

Munich’s Spring Festival: Frühlingsfest

Munich’s spring festival has started here in Munich and will be running until April 27th. The city advertises it as the “kleine Schwester des Oktoberfestes” (little sister of the Oktoberfest), but anyone who has been there will say differently.

The festival itself is mostly known by the locals for the opening weekend flea market which is the biggest of the region, held just the one time a year, the first Saturday of the festival. The rest of the spring festival is rather normal for a bavarian volksfest and very small in comparison to the Oktoberfest. That being said, the comments you mostly hear from those visiting the Frühlingsfest is that it was a lot of kids (15-20 year old kids) and certainly not what they expected. From my experience I think that’s at least partly true, although all age groups are represented. I don’t believe the phrase “little sister of the Oktoberfest” is deserved, however, as it just isn’t the same atmosphere at all and isn’t even representative of similar festivals to the Oktoberfest.

If you happen to be in Munich during the spring festival, then by all means, have an evening out at the Theresienwiese (oktoberfest grounds) for the Frühlingsfest. Personally I prefer the normal Bavarian volksfests and even the actual Oktoberfest more so than the spring festival, although you take what you can get, I suppose.

For a list of volksfests around the area happening all spring/summer/fall, check this site out.

Here’s some pictures from the spring festival 2007:

The spring festival (opening weekend with the flea market going on)

The flea market @ the spring festival

The best Döners in Munich

My former favorite döner place is finally open again!  For those visiting Munich on a budget, döner is your friend.  There are a few döner places that I visit fairly often, but the one I’ve been craving for over a year, “Ali baba” is finally open again.  They renovated the entire building including the helvetia hotel above it…which took well over a year.  Now it’s back and the döner is as good as ever…same workers, same mostly turkish customers.

The place makes their own bread, has spices on the tables, and has all fresh vegies.  Next time you’re near the main train station in Munich, stop by and try one…you will be damn impressed.

It’s on Schiller str, a 1 minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) of Munich. 

This is what a tour guide lives off of:

döner

Ali Babas

SO damn good