Praha und München

May vibes...

I've been meaning to write this post for a while now, but so much has been happening lately, I think I just sort of lost the track of time. Like I've mentioned in my other post- May is a very festive month here in Germany and I had the chance to see it for myself.

A few weeks ago, straight after the Baumblütenfest (which was mentioned in my other post) I have attended Mauerpark on Sunday which is based in Berlin. I know what you're all thinking 'another park, isn't she sick of them after living in Potsdam for so long' but this park is very special. On Sundays it changes into a flea market which has a variety of good snacks and other things that could be brought for a reasonable price. Also, it changes into an open-air karaoke. This place is sooo fun. Like I've never been really a big fan of Karaoke- but honestly this place is so worth seeing while you're in Berlin. It's used as an activity for many German people on Sunday mainly because pretty much most of the shops are closed, so it gives them, something to do and it brings people together, no matter what culture you belong to. Everyone was so respectful towards the people that participated in the Karaoke. It was so nice to see that. I would never have the confidence to sing in front of thousands of people, but literally there was not a single person that would laugh at you whether you had the talent to sing or not, which was really cool. After this experience, I just could not believe that I've been living here for so long and I've never been to Mauerpark on Sunday before. Crazy. 

After Mauerpark along with Lee and some of my friends- we decided to go to the Festival of Cultures which was taking place at Mehringdamm in Berlin. That festival was good but so messy at the same time. There was bottles and glass everywhere. And I mean literally on every single street in that area. I have no idea how cars or anything would be able to drive on those streets after this festival. I mean someone would probably clean all these streets, but I have just never seen such a mess in my whole life. This festival sort of reminded me of the Caribbean Festival in Nottingham. There was lots of people dressed up in costumes, people dancing on the street and loud music. I feel like Mauerpark was a better experience for me personally, but I was happy to attend this festival and discover something new. Especially after missing out on all the street parties in Berlin, on National Workers Day- as I was in Leipzig. 

I also went to the Topography of Terror Museum in Berlin, as I was really interested in finding out more about the Nazi dictatorship before and during the war. I must say that if any of you are planning to see it, don't have high expectations. It's an outdoor museum, free of charge and there is plenty of detailed information, posters and old articles about the Nazi regime. It's worth seeing but there was not much there.

Not long after that, my mum has actually come to see me for a couple of days. The plan was that she would spend a few days here in Germany with me then we would go to Poland together to attend my cousins Holy Communion. I was so happy to have her here. The weather was lovely, and I was really missing my family at this point. I mean I haven't seen them since March, so I guess that's understandable. While she was here in Potsdam we explored Park Sansoucci, Babelsberg and Neuer Garten- as she has never seen them properly. When she came to see me in December, it was so cold by this point that she genuinely wanted to be inside somewhere most of the time- so we took the opportunity this time. We also went for a nice Italian food just at Luisenplatz in Potsdam and for some cocktails at Club Laguna. I think she really enjoyed herself here (I mean I hope she did). I was a bit surprised that she didn't want to go to Berlin. Anyone would if they were in Germany, but I think she's not a fan of big modern cities so instead I showed her what Potsdam has to offer and we explored all the nature stuff- which by the way are so beautiful at this time of the year. 

 Now that I've mentioned the lovely weather, I have also been taking advantage of the 30 degrees pretty much on most of the days and went to swim in the lake at both Golm with my friends and Werder with Lee (which is just one stop away from Potsdam). I mean don't expect a lot, it's not like swimming in the sea but it is so fun. And so many people do this here. You would never see in England, groups of people swimming in lakes- especially little kids, mainly because half of the time these lakes are absolutely filthy, and they have lots of bottles in them. Or because it might seem a bit weird to some people. Here in Germany, it is totally acceptable to swim in the lake, but you must take into consideration that you might also see people walking around completely naked. And it's normal here. Like the other day I was bored at home, so I went to a lake in Grunewald/ Berlin and literally I think I was the only person that was dressed there, while I was sunbathing. I tried to act normal, like it's not bothering me, but it was just so weird. I had to leave that place😂😂😂 I would never purposely laugh at people for sunbathing while they're naked or anything. I think I have sort of accepted that it's completely normal here to do that, but I just think some things should be kept to yourself. But it's okay for people to make their own choices I suppose. We also went for a bike ride with Lee around Potsdam, which was so fun.

As mentioned before, I went back to Poland towards the end of May with my mum and although it was great to see everyone again. I think I'm so done with that place now for a bit. I love going to Poland, seeing all the familiar faces and spending time with my family but I think it's just gone to the point now where I've had enough. I feel like I've spent so much time there this year that I need a little break. Also, I've missed Lee's birthday because it was on the same day when my cousin had a Holy Communion, so I was a bit devastated about that, after he has made my birthday so special this year. But I knew I had Munich and Prague planned straight after my return to Berlin and I knew he would be pleased with these trips, so I didn't feel that bad in the end. 💖💋

Munich and Bavarian Paradise

What can you say about Munich???  'Oktoberfest and Beer'. You hear it all the time everywhere. And most people wouldn't probably have a clue what this city is about if it wasn't for the fact that Oktoberfest takes place here and that you can get these massive- huuuuge 1 litre beer. However, there is so much more to this place. I was completely amazed with the Bavarian culture, the city itself and some of the buildings here. I'm going to start with what I've loved the most about this experience and by giving you some advice if you are planning to see it. Then talk about the things, I didn’t particularly enjoy.

FOR

1. You should see some of the museums and cathedrals

I know some of you aren't probably into that kind of stuff, especially when you're young and you're going there with a group of friends, but you so should. As soon as I got out the underground station and saw St Peter Cathedral, I was just so astonished with the place. I mean I still think that the cathedral in Cologne was a lot better and bigger, but Munich has such a good variety of beautiful cathedrals and buildings, that they are worth seeing, while you're there. Also, from what I heard, the Bavarian National Museum and Deutsches Museum are worth seeing. However, I've not had the chance myself to see them.

2. It's a great walking distance to all the sights

If you are thinking about going to Munich- Marienplatz is the place where you need to get to. Everything that you probably would want to see in Munich is either on this square or it's nearby. Except if you are planning to go to the castle or the Dachau concentration camp of course. I think I have already said this in my other post, but I’m really missing living in a small city where everything is close by and I don't have to get thousands of buses/ trains or other transportation systems. I mean Potsdam is not so bad, but every time I want to go clothes or shoes shopping or anything like that, I have to go all the way to Berlin,(as I can never find anything in Potsdam) which not only has plenty of shopping squares/ centres but there is always so many people everywhere, whether it's a Saturday or Monday. Which can be so annoying sometimes. Munich was so much more relaxed with that. And although we have used some of the transport systems there, there was no actual need for it. We could have easily walked everywhere, like in Hamburg. I could never say the same about Berlin.

3. You should go to Hofbräuhaus am Platzl or to at least one beer hall- just for the experience.

I mean Munich has this big stereotype that 'people just drink beer there all the time' even though that's not actually true, so why wouldn't you want to go to a beer hall. We went to Hofbräuhaus on our first day there and it was so worth seeing. It looks like a big hall and the waiters are dressed in the Bavarian outfits and you can obviously drink a lot of beer there. It was such a cool place- but pricey. If you are not a big fan of beer or any alcohol, then I wouldn't worry too much about this experience. I've seen families with little kids there, so it's sort of like a restaurant. You can still order some German food there if you're not a fan of drinking- but it's just for the experience and the atmosphere why it's so worth trying it out.

4. Viktualienmarkt is just as good as people say it is

We weren’t actually planning to go there, but as we didn't have a lot of time in Munich, we were aiming to see everything on our first day and we came across it by accident. It's a 200-year-old market with plenty of things that you could pick from and dozens of people there. If you are looking for some fresh goods or just want to see what it looks like, then you should go for it. 

5. Other things that are worth seeing in Munich city centre

Munich Residenz, Frauenkirche, Old Town Hall, St Peter Cathedral, Odeonsplatz, Hofgarten, Isartor, Karlstor, Feldherrnhalle, St Michaels Church, Olympic Stadium. My list could probably go on for ages. There is just so much to see and so much to do there. We didn't actually have the chance to see the Olympic Stadium as it's not near the city centre like the other places. However, on our way to Prague our coach went past it and it looked really good. I think it's difficult for me to say what everyone should go and see, as we are all different and like other things. However, if you are planning to go to Munich with the same motive as me- which was to understand what the Bavarian culture is all about, explore some new things and learn a bit about the history of the town, then you will definitely enjoy these places. There is probably more to it, but I only had 1 day there. 

6. Buy yourself a Bavarian ticket!

If you end up going to Munich and you're not enjoying it so much, or you've booked too many days there and it's getting a bit boring, you should see other places that are nearby or go to the Bavarian Alps. We actually did that with Lee on our second day there. We got on the train from the Munich Hauptbahnhof to Garmisch Partenkirchen, which is a small city located in the Southern Germany. I believe it took us an hour to get there on the train. The train ticket was quite expensive- think it was around 30 euros for 2 people. However, it's so worth paying that much money to see some the views that we have seen. You can use it anywhere in the Bavaria- not just Garmisch. So, for example if you wanted to see Neusschwanstein Castle or anything which is not placed inside or next to Munich then this is the best alternative. Also, just so none of you get confused, to get this ticket you must use the blue ticket machine- not the normal DB one. The normal machine will charge you a lot more for it, but you will see it straight away as soon as you enter the main station. After your ticket is printed out, you must put your name and surname on it. If you haven't got a pen or anything, I wouldn't worry too much. When the ticket inspector checked us, he gave us the pen to fill it in. He wasn't angry about it. Garmisch is so beautiful. Honestly, you would not regret seeing this place and if you want to experience the real Bavarian culture, try some amazing food or maybe do winter sports (if you are planning to go there in the winter) then this is the right place to be at. We actually ended up going there on National Holiday (Bank Holiday). I'm not entirely sure what the people in Bavaria were celebrating on this day. I know it was called 'Corpus Christi' and it was related to Religion but as we got to Garmisch Partenkirchen, many people were dressed in their traditional Bavarian costumes which was really cool to see. It felt like I was in a way experiencing the Oktoberfest. Everything was closed on that day, but everyone was out celebrating with their families. Even little children were dressed in their costumes. So, in a way I feel like I have experienced something completely, entirely new. In Garmisch you can also get a train which takes you all the way to Zugspitze (the highest peak- and highest mountain in Germany). However, just so you are all aware the tickets for that are ridiculously expensive. I do in a way regret that we didn't have the chance to do that. But it's difficult being just a student, trying to see as much as I can with a very limited budget. If you can afford to pay around 60 euros to go to the highest point of the mountain and get some phenomenal views, then you should so go for it. But we decided to take the other alternative and climbed for a little while just to get some lovely pictures. There are many paths that will take you closer to the mountains but the one we took was just past the train tracks and past the hotel (sorry I don't remember what it was called). If you look on Google Maps, and walk towards the lake that it will show then you should be able to get there without problems. 😃 We climbed all the way until we got to the waterfall and honestly, I think that was the best thing I have ever done in my life. I felt so good about myself and that has made me realise that I now want to actually climb a mountain all the way until the end. I think I have now found my new passion. I know it's going to be tiring and stressful, but the feeling you get after you accomplish it, is un-describable. I don't know which mountain I would like to climb yet, but I know it's going to happen at some point in the future. If you're not a mountain fan and might think this place will be a bit too boring but you still like other nature stuff, then you should still get the Bavarian ticket and head on the train towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Before we arrived, we have went past some beautiful places such as; Starnberg- it has a beautiful lake with boats, Tutzing, Uffing and many more. But these places are a lot smaller and there is not much to do there. On our way back to Munich, we stopped at one of these places. I cannot remember exactly which one it was, but the lake was absolutely beautiful there. I have never seen such a clear lake, but it was absolutely freezing. We tried to go for a swim in it, but we gave up on that idea. So, I would definitely recommend, visiting other places, not just sticking with Munich- and if you do that then get the Bavarian ticket. Although Munich itself is beautiful and I wish we spent more time there.

AGAINST

1. Englischer Garten was a disappointment for us

I don't know why but for some reason Englischer Garten was not what we expected. I mean it is beautiful, especially when the weather is nice, but I think this has a lot to do with the fact that I live in Potsdam, which not only has so many beautiful parks but also amazing lakes. So, my expectations were a lot higher. We did however, go on a boat and explored it for a bit, but if you are living in a place like Potsdam which has so much to offer in terms of nature, then I wouldn't expect too much from this park.

2. Don't go to Munich, on a National Holiday

When we got to Munich, we haven't checked properly if anything was happening at this day. Our plan was to go shopping the next morning to get some necessities, but we were highly disappointed when every single shop was closed. It was a nightmare to look for one and I feel like in a way we wasted a bit of time because of that. I think that's one thing that annoys me about Germany in general. Like fair enough it's a holiday or even if I'm just referring to Sundays. Supermarkets don't have to be open but there should be some other alternatives like how they have corner shops here in UK. I don't get the whole idea of it so make sure you're well prepared if you are planning a trip anywhere in Germany, especially if you are there on Sunday.

3. Munich is not a cheap holiday 

If you are going to Munich, thinking it's a better choice than Berlin and a lot more affordable then you might be a bit shocked when you get here. Munich is not cheap, which is why we were extra careful with our money while being here. The food is amazing and so are the beers that they offer here, and you should try it whenever you can, but don't go crazy with your money or expect it to be cheaper in any way because it's not. The 1 litre beer on Marienplatz in one of the restaurants, cost us 11 euros each which was ridiculously expensive, but we didn't want to miss out too much on the experience, so keep that in mind 😊

4. Hostels are not great, but they are cheap

This was my first experience at staying in a hostel and sharing a room with 4 other strangers. I must say this choice is a lot cheaper, especially if you are staying somewhere for the weekend. Like we only paid 60 euros for 2 people and 2 nights, which means it was 15 euros per night. That was decent and seen as we had Prague planned as well, that was the only choice that we had. However, from this experience I know that, I won't be sharing a room with any strangers any time soon, unless I'm desperate. I'm not a big fan of sharing anyway, but I wanted to give it a try, and it's a big NO from me. I mean we have made one American friend, but the rest of the people that stayed with us were messy. The room stunk most of the time and I couldn't bare sitting in it. On our second day we had everything planned. I woke up extra early to use the shower before we were heading towards the mountains, and one guy that was staying with us literally ran into the bathroom just before I wanted to go in and stayed there for about 40 minutes, which was really annoying. Another time, when we came back to drop our stuff a stranger was sleeping in my bed, despite the fact that I've left a note with my name on the bed, so they would know it's taken, which again was really frustrating. I don't think I ever want to go through this again unless I must. If you are going on a holiday with your friends or a big group of people, then this is the best option. The place where we stayed was Smart City Hostel Munich, and there was a small bar downstairs which was really cheap, and the breakfast was only 5 euros I believe, but this whole idea of sharing with strangers has put me off it for good. Don't expect for anyone to clean the room while you're out and bring your own towel, so you're not stuck looking around for one like we were.

Czech Me Out

Praha, Praha, Praha.

What can I say? This place was really good, and it's so worth visiting it at least once in your life but there have been some disappointments as well. We got the Flixbus (which is similar to Megabus in UK) and it was so cheap to go there from Munich. It was a place that me and Lee have been speaking about for a while, that we wanted to see so that was my birthday present for him this year.

What I liked about Prague

1. The buildings and architecture

Prague has so much to offer in terms of stunning buildings, churches and cathedrals. But I think what I liked the most about it, was that quite a lot of the buildings has statues on top of them. I don't know what it was, it just made the place look so charming. There was something about this place that made it look like you weren't in Europe, but then other bits looked exactly like many other famous tourist places in Europe. The perfect place to start at would be the Old Town. There is so much out there that would make you realise what I mean, when I say that the architecture is absolutely beautiful there. You can find St Vitus Cathedral and many more things over there. 

 

 

2. Very historical city

Czech Republic, along with other countries in Eastern Europe were attacked during the war and after were part of the Communist rule. If you like History and are interested in what these places had to go through, then Prague would be the perfect place to start at. I would recommend the Prague Jewish Museum and Museum of Communism and the Jewish quarter. Although I've not had the chance to go there myself if I did I would definitely like to find out more about the History of this place.

3. The views

Prague is a city which has many hills, therefore it enables people to get some wonderful views of the city. Along with that you can explore some beautiful parks on top of the hill while seeing what the city looks like from the higher point. Unfortunately, I don't have the names of the places where we went to get some stunning views, as Lee was actually planning this trip, but if you head towards the castle just past the Charles Bridge then that's where you can get some really nice views of the city.

4. Charles Bridge

I think this was my favourite thing about Prague, along with the Old Town square. The construction of this bridge finished in the 15th century, and it connects the castle along with the Old Town. It was so beautiful. However, if you want to get some lovely views and pictures then I would recommend going there while it's early in the morning or late at night. So many tourists are there in the morning that it would be impossible to walk through it without bumbing into people all the time. We woke up at 5 on our second day, got there around 7 am and there were already a few people. Not as many as there would be in the day, but just be aware that this bridge is so important for tourists, that the best time to see it would be while everyone is still asleep.

5. Prague has an amazing party scene

As some of you probably already know that, Prague is perfect for partying. We didn't go to Czech with the intentions of partying all the time with Lee, however I know that if we did we would not be struggling to find any place where we could have fun. There were so many people out everywhere on Saturday, that the streets were absolutely full. There were couples, groups of girls, stag and hen do's pretty much everywhere. We went to a Shisha bar first which was inside a bar right next to the Charles Bridge. That place was fun but the main place that we were hoping to go to was: Ice Bar which was at Karlovy Lazne club. The ques to this place was horrendous but we managed to get in in the end, and it was such a fun place. I enjoyed the dance floor and music a lot more than the Ice Bar, but it was worth trying it at least once 😄

6. Hostel Emma

I know you're probably thinking I'm advertising a hostel out here, but this place was so great. It was about 10 minutes away from the Old Town square. It was cheap and very clean. I also enjoyed the fact that we had our own room this time. We only had to share the bathroom, but most of the time it was so clean. The staff were very helpful as well. They explained to us exactly where to go and what to see, which was great as we probably would have been so lost without their help. There are also other affordable hostels out there in Prague, which are worth looking at.

7. The boat tour

As I have booked the hostel with Booking.com they gave me 10% voucher on a boat tour which was so good. They had all sorts of different packages, but we were just hoping to find out more about the city so we booked a 1 hour cruise which showed us some beautiful places in Prague and more about the history of the city. I would definitely recommend this. I feel like I have learnt so much from it.

8. The connection

In a way I feel like Czech Republic is in a lot of ways like Poland, not just because of the similar language but just in general how people behave and how things work around there. I felt really connected to this place and I enjoyed the fact that there was not so much language barrier, as it is very similar to Polish.

What I didn't like about Prague

1. Tourists everywhere

I know I can't really say much about this. I was a tourist there myself, but I do believe it was the wrong time to go there, as there were literally people everywhere. On top of that, some of the streets, especially in the Old Town are so small you feel like you're squashing people while you're walking to the other destination, which was really annoying. That's why we decided to do a little tour early in the morning just to avoid crowds. 

2. Don't expect too much from the service

Don't get me wrong. We didn't have any issues with the service or anyone that's worked in the restaurants that we went to, but I do feel like Czech Republic is a bit like quite a lot of the Eastern European countries, where top service always is not the main priority. That doesn't bother me too much, as I don't expect a lot from people and I know how stressful it is working in Food and Beverage. However, I know some people are really picky about small things, so don't have high expectations when or if you go there.

3. They charge you for table service

Not every restaurant, but quite a lot of them will charge you for table service which can be a bit annoying. Like I know it's important to tip people if they are offering a good service, but when they expect that along with a table service charge then it can be frustrating. Especially when you're just a student, who doesn't have money growing on the tree lol. Along with that, some places will take ages to give you a receipt, after you ask them if you could pay. Like for example: we went to a Czech restaurant, called Restaurace u parlamentu, and I swear we have waited at least 15 minutes just to pay. Like I know it was busy, but it was just annoying that people who came in after us were served straight away, while we were waiting around. 

4. Some staff can be rude

Not every place of course, but we had an unpleasant situation in the Ice Bar. Due to the fact that I've booked my room with booking.com, I was offered a discount on the entry to Ice Bar and a free drink. When we asked the bouncer about it, he wasn't very interested to help us, and said we can sort this out while we're inside. As I got to the bar, I showed them the voucher and the bartender just said 'I don't know, and I don't really care about this' which I thought was really rude. Some places will not go out of their way to help you out or explain things better, so keep that in mind.

5. Some exchange shops will rip you off

We were actually already aware of that, as the staff in the hostel told us to be extra careful when we are exchanging our money. We went to one place, which was right next to the Charles Bridge, and the person working behind the counter tried to rip me off by around 60 euros I believe. If it wasn't for Lee and his brilliant Maths skills, then I probably would have went for it. But in the end, we just left and found another place. So be careful. Make sure you calculate before how much you should be paid or do it while you're still at home, so no one can advantage of the fact that you're a tourist. 

6. The food was not great

When we came to Prague, I was determined to try some Czech food as I believed it would be like Polish food and because I like to try new things, rather than just going for the same food all the time. When we finally found a restaurant, I've realised that Czech dishes or most of them contain meat- which I'm not really a big fan of. Ever since, I've stopped eating meat in my second year at uni, it never tasted the same. I have days when I will try something with meat, but my appetite has changed so much. It feels horrible every time I try it so that was really annoying, that there was not much Veggie options there. However, we were more successful in finding a better place on our last day. We went to a lovely restaurant called u Svejka, and I tried fried cheese (it was a Czech restaurant), which was lovely.

7. Prague did not amaze me

Don't get me wrong, I think Prague is a beautiful place. It's so worth seeing at least once in your life and I can totally relate with the Czech culture as it's so similar to the Polish one. However, I remember the feeling I got when we walked into Marienplatz in Munich or when I saw the Bavarian Alps. I was so amazed with the place and everything else that was around me. But I didn't get this feeling with Prague. I don't know if it's because I was tired, the weather was awful when we got there or because I've still been so amazed with Munich. It just didn't surprise me in any way. I still think that it's worth seeing though. Also, I believed that Prague would be a lot cheaper than it was. I mean it depends where you go, some places were okay but just be aware that Prague can be very expensive.

Now that my trips are over, the main priority for me is to catch up with all the work from uni. Lee has officially left Germany now, so I'm a bit concerned about how things are going to work out. I've never lived in a foreign country all by myself, so it is really scary and frustrating, but hopefully everything will be okay. I'm so glad that I've actually made some friends here, because I know how difficult it would be for me to live here all on my own. In 2 weeks’ time, I'm going to UK for my mums wedding so I'm really looking forward to that, but for now I just want to focus on improving my language and working really hard at uni, to get back into this routine of doing things. I've been thinking lately a lot about my dissertation, which I know I have a lot of time for anyway, but everything is just going so fast lately that I want to be well prepared for it. I don't know exactly yet, what I want to be talking about in my dissertation, but once I do, I know that it will be epic.

Thank you for reading my post, MR x