Katzentempel, the first cat café in Munich

I had always dreamt of visiting a cat café, which is a regular coffee shop where you can pet cats and the ambience is built for the well-being of the animals, with parcours and pillows. Cat cafés were born in Asia: the first one opened in Taiwan back in 1998, and then spread to Japan, where they are still very popular.  In the past few years, cat cafés are opening all over the world, including one in Turin, so when I read that there was one in Munich - where I was headed for a weekend - I decided  to pay a visit, and perhaps cuddle a German cat or two.



Mascotte in front of the cashier

My culinary discoveries in Germany and Austria

1) Knödels

 

One of the most memorable meals I had during my short trip to Germany and Austria was at Knödlerei in Salzburg. This place was a suggestion of my friend Kat, an Austrian friend who was so kind to drive all the way from Vienna to meet me for lunch and have a stroll around Salzburg afterwards. Knödlerei is a lovely and informal place next to the university building, and offers many kinds of dumplings, from the traditional ones to some creative varieties, with wasabi or salmon. I had tried the signature dish of this part of Europe before, and was disappointed. After trying Knödlerei, however, I understood that, when made by expert hands, knödels can  be very very tasty. I chose a selection of different traditional knödels, served with onion sauce and sauerkraut, and tackled my sightseeing in Salzburg with a full belly. Guten appetit!



Yummy knoedels dish at Knoedlerei, courtesy of knoedlerei.at 

Munich in April - the flowers, the beer gardens and the quirkiness

Who knew that in April Munich  was so full of flowers! From tulips of all colours to  yellow daffodils, when I visited the city was full of beautiful flowerbeds, carefully tended and very pleasant to see. This is the thing that has struck me the most about Munich.

 

Flower beds in Munich

I don't know if the wooden structure in the picture above is the cover of a fountain for the winter or if that weird but cute square stays like that all year round!

 

Flowers in Munich

Sure, there is also Marienplazt with its famous glockenspiel, the Theatinerkirche with its yellow-painted façade, and of course the lovely Englischer Garten. I really enjoyed walking through the latter, which is the main park in Munich. The city is rich in green areas, but Englischer Garten is one of the biggest city parks in the world. It's bigger than Central Park in New York, can you believe it? It draws its name from the way the English used to lay out of the landscape. Like in English gardens, pavilions are scattered throughout the park.



Englischer Garten

The most famous pavilion in the park is the lovely Chinese Tower (Chinesischer Turm), which  also hosts a famous biergarten. I think we should really thank German people for beer gardens: such a cool place to relax with a beer and a bratwurst. Did you know that you can also bring your own food and picnic there? The Chinese Tower is a wooden structure built for the first time at the end of the eighteenth century, when people really liked chinoiseries, that is to say Chinese things. It also reminds me of the temples in Bali! Here traditional folk music is played, while people enjoy a beer and traditional German food. 

 




Biergarten at the Chinesischer Turm

Of course I couldn't help having a beer and a bratwurst, while with my friend Irina I explored the city. The atmosphere is relaxed and nobody will rush you. I must add that the weather was excellent when I visited!



With a beer

I found Munich to be a clean, tidy city. Its austere architecture may put you off at first, but you'll soon notice the good vibe of the city. It's very clear, while you're walking down the streets of Munich, that you are in a lively, energetic city that's projected towards the future. There is hope in Munich, and people seem happy: the restaurants are full, and the people have money to spend.

Flowers in Marienplatz



There are some pretty quirky things here to visit as well. First of all, I loved all of its statues. The city is scattered with unusual and fanciful statues, like that of Red Riding Hood. Perhaps the connection is through Grimm's fairy tales. Another statue I encountered near Marienplatz is one of Juliet from Shakespeare's play, where - like in Verona - it brings good luck to touch the woman's boob.

Juliet statue near Marienplatz

The weirdest attraction of Munich is not a statue, though. While I was walking in the city centre with my friend, we passed in front of the Bayerischer  Hof, a 5-star hotel, and we found this shrine dedicated to Michael Jackson. Apparently he stayed at this hotel some time before his death, and people began leaving flowers, photos and candles in front of it. The memorial is of course unofficial, as the monument is dedicated to another person, an Orlando di Lasso who I am sure is not very happy about this arrangement. There were some ladies taking care of the shrine, and I wonder if they are MJ's fans.

 

Shrine to Michael Jackson in front of the Bayerishcer Hof

By the way, I have declared Germans the weirdos of Europe (in an affectionate way). Who else could come up with the idea of surfing on the permanent wave of a river in downtown Munich? 

I'll end this post by talking of Viktualienmarkt. It is a really cute open-air market where you can find everything from fresh smoothies to decorations for your home. I really liked walking through the stalls and browse all the Easter decorations on offer.



Fruit stall in Viktualienmarkt

I have more to write about Munich, but I'll save it for another post! Bis bald, Munich!

The old town hall