Guten tag, and happy election day to those of you in California! Here are a few photos of our delightful visits to Zurich and Munich. More photos after the jump!

Back to the beginning – packed and ready to go!

Zurich, and its surrounding suburbs, are striking in their cleanliness and organization. The inter-city trains feel like they float on the tracks. After touring the old town and catching the views from the Grossmunster, we had a nice dinner and walking tour with our couchsurfing hosts in nearby Uster.

Rain and thunderstorms interfered with our Alpine hiking plans, so we pivoted and left Zurich instead for Munich, known for its biergartens , lavish royal institutions, and its unfortunate role in the rise of National Socialism.

 

Munich, like Zurich, has fantastic public transit and cycling infrastructure. We made frequent use of the rent-a-bike system, which is unique in that bikes are not found and returned to stations, but instead are littered throughout the city on street corners and in bike stands. This adds a remarkable level of convenience for those seeking to hop on and off for a quick tour, which will typically only set you back about a euro per trip (in contrast to almost 3 euros per subway ride). The smartphone app was a cinch as well.

So you’ve got great transportation options – where do you go? For a somber reminder of Germany’s not-too-distant past, the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial and the National Socialist Documentation Museum provide interesting, well-presented exhibitions on two distinct aspects of the disturbing Nazi regime. Both are absolutely worth a visit.

 

You’ll likely need an afternoon pick-me-up after either of the above, so grab some doner durum (schwarma wrap) and get a stein of beer at a local biergarten, such as the Augustiner Keller (which, like other biergartens, served as a primary recruitment center for the Nazi party in its formative years).

Once your Hellbier has gone to your head, hop back on your City Bike and check out one of the many fine pre-Nazi public institutions Munich has to offer. These are associated with the Wittelsbach dynasty, Bavaria’s ruling family from 1180-1918, similar to the neighboring Habsburgs of Austria. In addition to the Residenz, the Wittlesbach family also developed a lavish “summer estate” a stone’s throw away in Western Munich, known as Nymphenburg Palace. The Wittelsbach heir, Franz, Duke of Bavaria, was imprisoned with his family in Dachau due to their opposition to the Nazi regime. Apparently he still lives in Nymphenburg Palace, though he splits his time in some of his other castles as well.

If you’re sick of Wittelsbach wealth, go check out some of the other fine public art, churches, and other institutions Munich has to offer, including the urban surf spot known as the Eisbach. The English Garten, a lovely stroll (or better bike ride) is comparable in size to Central Park, Alten Peter Kirche has a great viewing spire, and Shoppingsplatz has some cool architecture if you can see past the hordes of shoppingsturisten. By the way, the Wittelsbach family built all these, too.

On to the train station – next stop, Vienna! Goodbye, world’s best bike share system – you will be missed!

Auf wiedersehen!