The Berkeley Guides:
Berkeley Guide to Europe:
Germany:
Munich
Ask the average Joe to describe Germany, and the stereotypes you'll hear--jovial Bavarians, evil Nazis on the hunt for Indiana Jones, daredevil Autobahn drivers, and huge steins of frothy beer--are sure to have their roots in Munich (München). You'll still encounter men in Lederhosen in Munich's beer gardens; Hitler's first attempt to seize power (known as the Beer Hall Putsch) happened in Munich in 1923; and Munich's Bayerisches Motoren Werke (BMW) created the mythical German driving machine. Yet if you come to Munich expecting all your preconceptions to be confirmed, think again: For every stereotype that still applies to this city--and many do--there's always a contradiction to match.
Munich today is a liberal island in conservative Bavaria. After the war, with Berlin divided, Munich was thrust into the role of cosmopolitan city, attracting hordes of artists, musicians, and scientists. The result is the idiosyncratic fusion of intellect and hedonism that you find today. A visit to Munich's Deutsches Museum--the largest museum of science and technology on the globe--will reaffirm your faith in German practicality and efficiency; but this image is easily shattered by a visit to the vast Englisher Garten (English Garden), where large crowds of "uptight" Germans spend the day getting drunk and naked. Munich's tendency to resist classification makes it difficult to "do" the city in just a few days. Not helping matters are the city's score of flamboyant churches, 50 museums, and hundreds of monuments, fountains, and outdoor squares. And then there's the nightlife: live rock and jazz clubs, modern theater, dancing, and, of course, beer drinking . . . oh the beer drinking. With six major breweries and a huge industry entirely devoted to the consumption of beer, Munich is literally awash in delicious brews. If by some cruel twist of nature you detest beer, you can take off to the nearby Bavarian Alps and stunning lakes. But if the average Joe asks you what there is to do in Munich, tell him, "Drink beer, listen to oompah bands, and ogle the barkeep." Munich does have a reputation to uphold.
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