Yesterday I had the feared Neuschwanstein Easter-weekend Saturday tour. It was beautiful weather and not bad, actually. Except of course for the three girls from Hong Kong, but that’s a long story.

Petra leaves for Hong Kong & China tomorrow. *sniffle*

So, I’ll try to keep busy with tours and maybe attempt to get Brendan to head out for a beer later in the week. We work too much.

Happy Easter everybody.

Today I’m sitting here with all the windows open, sweating a bit, soaking up the sun. It’s a beautiful day in Munich. Last week I had a couple tours to Salzburg and had similar days there (a little colder than today, but not much). In the winter I tend to hibernate indoors reading books while the tourists are running through their sights. However, with the beautiful weather…I tend to just walk around most of the time. On recent tours I hiked up the Kapuzinerberg for a great view over the city as well as a good place to just enjoy the weather in peace. Here are some pics from last week.

With this first one, can anyone tell me what type of tree this is?

For lunch, I’ve gone to a new place called Frauenberger’s burger corner. Frauenberger’s isn’t anything new, but their burger corner which is self-serve with a great terrace area on Linzer gasse, is a great location. Their burgers are 5 euros each and are pretty damn big. Below I have pics first of Frauenberger’s burger corner which I’ll be eating lunch at quite often I figure.  (please read the edit below the pictures)

EDIT:  I had one very negative experience here…but after a few e-mails to the management, it seems to have been an isolated incident and I’m willing to give it another shot.

I had a tiny group the other day in Salzburg. During the tour around town, EVERYONE (even the Brazilians) took their jackets off and I was even overheating. After the hour 1/2 around with them I decided to go around and take a few pictures before finding a bench, soaking up the sun, and reading. Spring must have really hit because a week ago I wouldn’t have even considered for a second spending the full 3 hours OUTSIDE…I freeze too easily.

Anyways, here are the pics I took:

The Do Re Mi steps…

Well, yesterday I had my last tour for the week and now I have a whole week off. Petra and I are going up to Dresden for a few days and maybe to Leipzig too…still working that out. According to my trusty Fodor’s book, there doesn’t appear to be that much in Dresden (or Leipzig for that matter), so we might be able to fit everything into just a couple days…but I’ll have the full run-down of what we saw when I’m back next week.

Dresden and Leipzig have always been on the to-do list, but I’ve never had the budget of most of the people on my tours and so it’s one city at a time usually. Anyways, it’ll be a nice relaxing Saturday for sure, looking forward to the hot-tub!

I’ve been mainly going back and forth between Neuschwanstein and Salzburg in the rain mixed randomly with a lil snow. When I go to Salzburg I’ve been doing the same thing every time which is visiting the mall (Europark) and I sit on one of the many benches reading for part of the time, then wander over to Nordsee and get a “Maxi-mix box” which is shrimp, fish, and potato wedges. It’s a great lunch for €4.45.

I’m not a big fan of winter and lately it’s really starting to annoy me that everyone on the tours seems to be a WAY over the top winter person (or they’re from Singapore and can’t help it, they’ve never seen snow). Not that we have much snow as it rains more often than snows throughout the winter here in Bavaria, but not everyone has dealt with real winters like a Minnesotan.

Anyone looking for a scanner? I’m giving away a visioneer 4400 USB scanner, 42-bit 600x1200dpi. I’ll post it on toytown later, but if you want it first, e-mail me.

[Listening to: Kiss The Girl – Kepi Ghoulie – Valentine’s 2009 (2:52)]

Yesterday I had a decent size group to Salzburg and today I had a good size group to Neuschwanstein, so the numbers are looking good lately. As with everybody these days, we’re worried a little bit by competition which isn’t even in the same league as far as value and knowledge.  The word free is not always a good thing.

Anyways, today there was a bump in the road when the train came in 10 minutes late so that the bus wasn’t there…and we missed the connection. However, we managed to get a bus to take us there only 30 minutes late, so it worked out, just not nearly as smooth as I’d like. I have mixed feelings about today’s tour, it was good and bad. I really enjoyed explaining modern German history to a guy from Singapore, he had good questions, but wasn’t able to stump me. The canadian guy sitting nearby complimented me on how well I explained things…apparently he is studying history at University and thought I did well…good to hear. I enjoy talking about history and explaining these things…it helps me get through the day sometimes.

Tomorrow I’ve got an easy day with just a Munich Highlights walk. I think I’ll have the Singaporeans again.

[Listening to: Meet Me By The River’s Edge – The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound (3:19)]

Recently I’ve been doing mostly back and forth between Neuschwanstein and Salzburg. I’ve taken several pictures at Neuschwanstein…here they are:

[Listening to: Blood Flow Slow (Fight Song) – Calvin Krime – Kids Incarcerated EP (2:21)]

I keep getting the same questions, so here’s a few answers to common questions:

(some of these are general questions not just winter-only)

Yes, Neuschwanstein is open, it only closes three days a year…Christmas day, 2nd Christmas day, and New Years day. However, the bridge that you most likely want to take photos from is closed between Nov 15 and April 15th, in general (nothing set in stone, if there’s decent weather for long enough, things open). Right now, for example, you have to climb over three large barricades if you want to attempt to get to the bridge. The castle is open and is still definitely worth it, but I’d recommend coming back in the summer.

Yes, the Dachau memorial is open, they’re even open on Christmas.

Yes, Radius tours go year round, no matter what the weather.

Yes, I’ve done the tour in what Germans would call a blizzard. However, please understand that I’m from Minnesota and have a completely different idea of what a blizzard is than these whiners. Weather nearly never affects the tour timing at all.

No, I don’t think Ludwig II was crazy.

Sundays are the best days for museums in Munich as many of the museums are only 1 euro for entry and the city museum is free on Sundays.

NO stores are open on Sundays except if it is IN the main trainstation (Hauptbahnhof) or the airport.

If you haven’t gotten your seats reserved for Oktoberfest 2009 by now, you’re probably NOT going to get them. Good luck fighting for them with the rest of us.

Here’s a goofy picture of myself, Brendan, and Rick Steves.

[Listening to: Designed by Satan – The Vandals – Hollywood Potato Chip (2:32)]

I was reading this article on the BBC news today and so I thought I’d post it in case those colleagues of mine who do Third Reich and Dachau tours would like to add to the discussion.

Personally, I’ve only been to Dachau (many times) and think everyone should see at least one of the camps, but it does put a disturbing note on the whole vacation…

(if anyone is looking for tours out to the Dachau memorial, please look at radiustours.com  )

Hi everybody, lately it’s been back and forth with a few days of tours then a few days off which is weird for the flow. The weather has been crappy in general with rain, then snow, then rain, then snow…and general misery. I know, I know…in Minnesota it’s been -40 (F = C at -40, so just shut it) at night lately compared to around 25F here, but raining just barely above freezing is rather miserable when you’re outside and walking around all day.

Salzburg tours have been good, Neuschwanstein tours have been good, and so everything is going well except for the weather. Of course the company would like higher numbers, but let’s face it…if the company could survive on tours of 5-12 people, all of the tour guides would be damn happy.

Here’s a few random pictures from January 2009

In Salzburg I needed some budget energy:

Last week in Salzburg wasn’t perfect, but for January, it was rather pleasant:

However, it would have been damn cold to just hang around with the tourists, so I hit the mall and stayed warm. There is a decent view of the castle from the mall, though:

Saturday is my first tour of the year, to Salzburg, which should be nice, haven’t been there in a while and frankly the tour size should be small so it wil probably be quite a nice day out. In the coming week I’ve got a couple of Munich Highlights walking tours before going to Neuschwanstein and back to Salzburg. Tonight I’m heading to an Irish pub with my friends/colleagues and am going to enjoy myself. Sometimes it’s just nice to relax and ignore the world.

Last weekend, Petra and I did a different tour than usual, we did a tour of one of the local breweries. The big 6 of Munich don’t offer regular tours, however, if you can come up with a group of more than 15 with I’d say at least a week advance notice, then it is possible.

Anyways, the tour wasn’t great (I’ve taken several brewery tours, so maybe I’m pickier than most), but it was cool to finally see and go through the brewery there. Also, the tour cost €10, which included leberkase, pretzels, and a few beers…which is worth €10+ alone.

SO, we were quite happy. Also, the tasting area is at the top of the brewery with a great view.

Here’s some pics of the Spaten / Franziskaner / Löwenbräu brewery complex:

On Sunday Petra and I went out to Nuremberg on my friend jason’s tour. He does regular tours of Nuremberg either as a day trip from Munich, or as a few hour tour if you’re already staying in Nuremberg. (he can meet you at the trainstation when the group comes in from Munich)

Although he’s been offering the tour for nearly a year now, I’ve been too busy to take his tour until just recently. That did give us an opportunity to see the famous Nuremberg christmas market too, though, which was an added incentive. I’ve been to many, many, MANY christmas markets though, and it was nothing to write home about.

The tour, however, was something to write home about. Jason does a wonderful job of being flexible about the tourists needs, he’s knowledgable about more than what he “needs” for the tour, and although it is a long day trip from Munich, you really do see some beautiful things and learn a lot of interesting history.

(there are two other guides that do the Nuremberg tour and I am confident that both of them have equally as good of tours, it’s just that I haven’t taken theirs so…I write about what I know)

Here’s some pictures:

I know, Neuschwanstein is not really a castle (it’s a Schloss…palace), but for the sake of people googling it, I decided to leave “castle” in the title, although it is incorrect.

Neushwanstein palace, one of my favorite tours to give, is always throwing curve-balls at us tour guides. The most recent one is the construction of a viewing platform for the front of the palace. You see, one of the things that makes taking a tour rather than going by yourself worth while is that we show you all the best photo ops, most of which you’re unlikely to just randomly get. One of these slightly off-course great photo ops that makes tours worth it is soon to be obvious as all hell, and it is sad to see (from my standpoint). They’re building a platform so that everyone walking past knows full well they should walk over and take a picture. If I were the palace administrator I’d probably have built the platform years ago.

Anyways, here’s some pics of the construction…these were taken a couple weeks ago:

Here’s a more recent pic from last friday taken out of the window of Neuschwanstein, looking down at Schloss Hohenschwangau (palace high swan region) and the alp lake:

[Listening to: Where is Everybody – Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile (5:40)]

Yesterday I had a tour to Neuschwanstein again…a typical group from random countries. It was a good day all-around though the train on the way back didn’t show up so we had to take a bus the first 30 minutes on the way back, which got us back to Munich only about 5-10 minutes late.

One of the tourists was from Portugal and he was in Munich visiting a girl he had met in Portugal as he’s a fellow tour guide, to a palace about the same age as Neuschwanstein (slightly older, like 10 years). Anyways, we had a good chat.

Walking down from the bridge, we sent the rest of the tour down via bus, while we took the steep gravel path down, just the two of us…good times.

Here’s a pic that I took while we were walking down:

Oh, sometimes it hits the fan and sometimes it REALLY hits the fan, and it seriously hit just a couple days ago, although the tourists seemed to have not really noticed, which is the most important.

I had read about upcoming train problems on the DB site over a week ago, but had forgot about it again until we made our way over to the train in the morning and it was a new-style double decker. The only time they put the double decker on is when there are problems. I got the group seated and found a schedule for during the construction which is apparently going on until Tuesday of this week. Luckily, it was the usual thing. I have no idea why, but for some reason about 4 times a year they work on the EXACT SAME SECTION of track and so my “emergency mode” is the same every time. You can either take the train to Traunstein and switch to a bus or you can go to Traunstein and wait 20 min & hop on a 2nd train that goes through to Salzburg. The 2nd train option is faster, but you’re standing on a cold platform for 20 minutes and all bathrooms in the area are permanently closed. SO…I do my introduction to Salzburg speech on the platform and easily kill the 20 min. After that of course, you have to figure out how to get back to Munich. The easiest way in my opinion is to leave 5 minutes earlier than usual and go up to Mühldorf and switch to a second train to come back down to Munich….it’s complicated if you don’t know the area I guess, but simple enough.

ANYWAYS, the main road between the Salzburg train station and the old town of Salzburg is completely ripped up and the buses have to go in very awkward routes at the moment. The entire area looks much more like a large parking lot than a city, I’m still impressed I got everyone there and back with VERY minimal delays. For now, I’m gonna continue to rub all four of the lion’s noses in front of the Residence in Munich.

Through all of the hassle and headaches for me, the tourists were great, happy, and tipping…so…all’s well that ends well.

Earlier today I stumbled across my friend/colleague’s site that you can see here

I actually met him randomly at a completely different job and got him into tour guiding, which is working well for him I think.