A weekend in Lyon

Last weekend, I went to visit the fabulous city of Lyon France- aka the gourmet food capital of France.  Not only did I go to explore this foodie paradise, I had been in contact with a fellow Memphian (Michelle) who I learned is now living in France through her blog, http://www.memphistanista.com/, that my mom shared with me. I emailed her about a month ago and we decided to meet up! Let me just say now, this is a very very small world – we even found out this weekend that we are both friends with Benito of Bentio’s wine blog and who is the son of my family’s good friend Mr. Al and Susan!! So crazy and we discovered this connection while in a wine shop. Let me just say, our meeting was meant to happen!

Michelle and Me

I could not have chosen a better weekend to go, after a week of grey, misty weather in Poligny, I arrived to Lyon welcomed by a sunny clear sky paired with comfortable autumn weather! Perfect for sight seeing. 

Coolest bookstore - love the entrance

We saw some of the main highlights of Lyon – starting with passing through a traboule – very typical of Lyon. It’s basically a passageway that allows you to pass from one side of the street to the other via the building. It was originally used by the silk manufactures to transport their products and later used during WWII to hide Jews. Pretty cool! You would never know that a random door would be an entrance – you kinda have to know where they are located if you want to go through.

Then we wandered around Old Lyon (Vieux Lyon) – which is probably the most touristy part of the city, but for good reason.  It’s quite quaint complete with cobblestone streets, darling cafés on every corner, and little boutiques peppering the streets. I really liked this area of town and we even ventured into one of the most expensive and gorgeous hotels in the area – Cour des Loges  – to use the free restroom (very rare in France). The interior was gorgeous and the architecture of the dining area was full of light and high ceilings – definitely worth a trip inside. 

When I return to Lyon, I will most certainly be exploring this area more. 

Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvier

 

After exploring Old Lyon, we headed up to see the famous Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, which sits upon the top of the city and brilliantly sparkles in the sunshine.  We took the funicular up to the top  - thank goodness, it would have been a rather steep walk! It’s an impressive sight to behold – absolutely gorgeous! Unfortunately, the inside was covered in scaffolding due to renovation – but despite the work, the intricate stain glass windows were stunning and the light streaming through was lovely.

Finally, it was time for our lunch at one of Paul Bocuse’s brasserie’s Le Nord. He has 4 brasseries around the city – Le Sud, L’Est, L’Ouest, and Le Nord – each featuring food from the regions of France. I was quite excited about eating here since Paul Bocuse is one of the most famous chefs in France! Along with the 4 brasseries, which are affordable, he has The Paul Bocuse restaurant, which has Michelin stars and is extremely pricey!

The Paul Bocuse Restaurant

Painting of Julia Child on side of Paul Bocuse restaurant

Now, on to my Le Nord food experience.

Le Nord had a very cozy atmosphere that was very inviting and warm and the food featured was heavier, which reflects the traditional cuisine of the north of France.

So I settled on the menu fixte, which included an entrée, plat principal, and a dessert or cheese. You get a lot of food for a terrific rate. We got 2 pots of wine  - red and white (pots a little smaller than bottles and more economical). Both were very nice and from the Rhone valley.

For my entrée, I choose a typical Lyonnaise dish of saucisson et pistache en brioche. Oh my was it good. The brioche bread was so light and airy, yet full of rich flavor and that paired with the round of sausage was just delightful.  

For my plat principal, I chose the Truite de mer paired with bacon, fava beans, and carrots. Okay, so truite means trout, so we all were thinking a trout of the sea would be a light white fish, you know, like normal trout! But were we in for a surprise! When I received my dish, the fish looked and tasted like salmon!! I swear, never in my life have I even heard of trout of the sea or salmon trout – but ladies and gentlemen, it does! Despite this slight misunderstanding, it was quite scrumptious! The fish was perfectly cooked and the bacon cooked with the fava beans and carrots was a brilliant pairing. 

Then for dessert (yes, I was stuffed by this point) I chose the Fromage Blanc (White Yougurt) with raspberry sauce and applesauce. It was delicious – so light and refreshing.

From Le Nord, Michelle and her boyfriend took me to see the famous Paul Bocuse restaurant – it was quite a sight – especially watching the people leave – you could just tell they were stuffed. The restaurant was already decorated for Christmas – as is the rest of France! 

Siavoche, Michelle, and Me at Le Nord

On the way back to their apartment, we stopped at an overlook and I saw Mont Blanc – the largest mountain in Europe! It was over 300 km away, but I still could see it and it was breathtaking!! It was covered in snow and dappled it pink from the sunset – what a sight! I definitely have to take a trip to see the Alps.

Mont Blanc - way off in the distance

That night, Michelle and I had a Memphis girls’ night. It was so wonderful to be able to converse over a glass of Rhone valley red wine at a little brasserie about our experiences in France thus far and connect it to Memphis – so rare to find. Plus, the wine was so smooth and warming – perfect for an autumn night. We had a fabulous time. Plus, Lyon at night is gorgeous. Everything is lit up and the basilica shines over the city. It’s as though a different city comes alive at night. All the cafes are bustling with people, the buildings take on a different appearance, and the city just shines. 

Lyon at night

Le Cafe Comptoir Abel

Although I had a late 3 course lunch, I was in Lyon and I had to try out the local cuisine … so we reserved a table at a typical Lyon type restaurant – a bouchon –  ABEL (Café Compotir Abel).  So a bouchon is a type of restaurant native to Lyon that serves very traditional Lyonnaise cuisine – like good ol’ home cooking mixed with a comfortable and jovial atmosphere. I have to say that I am now officially a HUGE fan of this bouchon! So the atmosphere of Abel was fantastic   - old wooden tables, cool photographs and prints on the walls, and close tables. The only draw back was the temperature in this small bouchon – man it was hot as a humid southern summer night – Michelle’s glasses even fogged up! 

Quenelle...mmmm

Nevertheless, I had a fantastic experience. I chose a typical Lyonnaise dish of a Quenelle, which is basically aerated bread that tastes like pasta but has the texture of an ebelskeiver – really light and fluffy and full of flavor. So it takes a good 30 minutes to prepare and comes out a lovely golden brown color and is smothered in this divine cream, cheese, and mushroom sauce. I nearly licked my plate, but used some French bread instead- more civilized that way…

When I return to Lyon, I will definitely be stopping by this place again!

Lazy Sunday

Park near her home in Lyon

Paella cooking in the market

After strolling around a lovely park covered in brilliant fall leaves, Michelle and I headed to the absolutely fantastic market that was stationed along the Rhone river.

I could not believe my eyes; this market was open air and full of vendors selling extremely fresh and interesting foods and flowers – it was a cook’s heaven. The smells were incredible, especially the wafting aroma of freshly prepared shrimp paella or roasting chickens and potatoes.  

Everywhere I looked, I saw beautiful and vibrant produce, wide arrays of dried sausages and unique and local cheeses, and even lovely selections of olives and herbs. I seriously wanted to take it all home and whip up a brilliant meal. 

Clementines from Corsica

I’m quite jealous that Michelle gets to experience this grand market on weekends and a smaller version every single day – oh what a boon!

Considering Lyon is a quick train ride away from Poligny, I was able to purchase some food goodies. I bought two typical Lyonnaise food products: Saint Marcellin cheese – 2 for 1.80 euro as well as dried sausage – I choose the Beaufort variety – it’s mixed with gruyere cheese. I have to say, the cheese is quite good. It’s a type of goat cheese but has a more pungent flavor but not too strong. I highly recommend 

Dried sausages

trying it. I also purchased some homemade pasta – tagliatelle. Oh I prepared it last night, it was so good. I cannot truly explain in words how much better homemade pasta is than store bought pasta. I could taste the richness of the egg and flour, mmm. Finally, I bought a large half loaf of rustic wheat bread – oh the flavor is fantastic and so nice on the palette!

For lunch, Michelle fixed a delicious meal. But as an appéro, we had garlic soaked in olive oil and herbs  - it was actually quite good and not at all what I was expecting. Not too pungent. We also snacked on some local green and purple olives – both extremely fresh. 

Then for the main course, we had a roasted chicken, which had been raised in Bourgouge and man it was falling off the bone tender! Then we had a purple cabbage slaw with walnuts and goat cheese – quite easy to prepare, yet so good. Finally, ratatouille, which is a medley of sautéed onion, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, and herbes de provence. It was my first time to ever have ratatouille and I have to say, I am a fan. We had Côtes de Rhône red wine with the meal. It is probably one of my favorite red wines I have had since being in France. It is rich, warming, and very drinkable. 

Cotes du Rhone Red Wine

I can’t wait to go back to Lyon and explore this fabulous city some more!

Prague – “these boots were made for walking”

Day 1:

Prawn Caesar Salad

So after my 5 ½ hour bus ride from Munich (a double decker bus if I might add)  - Petrina and I arrived in Prague! The sun was shining and the city was glowing. After we checked in at the hostel – (keep in mind my first hostel experience…) - it was definitely time to eat my first eastern European lunch! I settled on a prawn Caesar salad and a refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio. It was a delightful salad – the prawns were giant and perfectly seasoned, the lettuce crisp, strips of freshly grated parm, and topped lightly with Caesar dressing – plus I got some bread and a basil olive oil to dip it in! Even though the meal was great, the service was less than okay! When we asked for a couple glasses of tap water – the waiter rolled his eyes at us and proceeded to hahhh about it. That was the beginning of our realization that Prague waiters were probably the rudest I have ever experienced in my life!   

After lunch we headed to the heart of Prague in order to see it in the glorious sunshine. *Let me just preference my experience in Prague with this: I quickly learned upon arrival that has become the 2^nd most popular tourist destination in Europe. I had NO idea of this fact, but there were so many tourists there – people from all over the world! Oh my word – every hostel and hotel was booked out! So crazy.*

Nevertheless, we decided we were going to enjoy this fabulous opportunity to see Prague! It is a simply spectacular city – the architecture is incredible – the colors, the meticulous details, the sculpting, the impressive facades. Everywhere I looked, I was in awe. I was particularly amazed when the golden afternoon sun illuminated the beauty of this old city. I was so glad that Mr.Al (a family friend) told me that Prague was not bombed during the war  - it helped me understand why and how this architecturally impressive city remains in such pristine condition today. But it was rather amusing to see that giant globalized stores like TGI Fridays, Starbucks, H&M, Nike, Zara, McDonald’s, etc were occupying many of the most gorgeous buildings – quite bizarre. Another random observation I found is that sheer number of shoe stores in this city! They were everywhere – more than the Starbucks in Seattle! Haha these Czech sure do love their shoes! For good reason, you walk everywhere in this city – I mean it! I wish I had had my pedometer to see just how many miles I walked. But man, by the end of the 4 days, I felt like an 80 year old woman haha but hey the more you walk, the more you can eat right? And eat we did! So on our stroll around Prague, we found a food vendor market! They were only going to be there til Monday (our last full day)– can you say meant to be! Such a boon! Even though I had just eaten, I needed dessert! My friend Molly told me about this market food before I came – and thank goodness she did! Because the instant I saw it, I knew exactly what she was talking about. 

Trdelnik!!

It’s called a Trdelnik – and it is gooooddd. It’s basically pastry dough mixed with almond, vanilla, sugar, and toffee. Then wrapped around a pipe like structure and then roasted over charcoal until golden brown and then rolled in sugar! Oh it was good – I had quite a few – gotta experience the culture of each country ;) 

The food stalls were also selling kettle cooked potato chips, sausages, old Prague Ham, mulled wine ( I got several of those – so cheap and warming!), hot chocolate, “pizza” as in dough fried and then topped with parm and ketchup – Petrina said it was rather tasty. Everything smelled delicious – I couldn’t wait to be hungry again to partake in more goodies!

Day 2:

So the next day we went on a free walking tour by NewEurope tours. I am so glad we did – it lasted about 3 ½ hours (including a break for lunch)  - and it gave us a great history and understanding of Prague. I really didn’t know much about the city before I came. I highly recommend seeking out this tour in any European city you visit – they are located in several. Our guide was a Scottish guy and was really amusing and kept my attention. He even informed us that at one time in Prague, beer was indeed cheaper than water! And it still holds true today. A glass of good beer only cost me about 31 czh korunas, which is about 1,15 euros! Not bad at all – the price or the taste!

views of Prague

After the tour, the sun finally came out and Petrina and I ventured up and up to Petrin Hill mostly because the name of the hill was basically her name and it would give us a lovely view of the city. It definitely did. 

Our walk up

The path up to the top of the hill was covered in beautiful autumn colored trees and you could see the golden city through pockets in the trees – so beautiful and rather peaceful. The roofs in Prague are mostly in a rusty orange color, so when the afternoon sun shines upon the city, it really does give off a golden hue. Plus, the gorgeous Prague castle shines in the sun and looks quite regal. The climb up was definitely worth it – the view of the city was stunning and it we somewhat escaped some of the tourists – thankfully!

Sunset

On our way down, the sun was beginning to set and the sky was filled with lovely pinks, blues, and purples mixed with the last golden rays on the sun. To really live up the Prague experience, we choose to walk across the ever so popular Charles Bridge. The view of the city from the bridge was stunning. The sunset of the river – the colors were both in the sky and the water.  Despite the fact that the Charles Bridge was jammed with people, artists, beggars, vendors, it was definitely worth the experience – we actually ended up passing on this bridge more than a couple of times  - I mean why not?!

On our way back into the city on our search for a good dinner joint, we ran across a shop selling scarves! One just simply caught my eye and I had to stop! I haggled with the shop owner and got her to reduce the price – I have to say, I rather enjoy haggling! So I bought a turquoise and gold scarf claimed to be made of cashmere and silk – I mean the tag looks real, I’ll just go with it haha – I rather like it!

 We settled on a rustic Italian restaurant called Tratoria by Giovanni.

*Sidenote- in Prague you could pretty much find any type of restaurant your heart desired – especially a lot of Thai food and Thai massages – quite strange! But I suppose it’s due to globalization and the massive influx of tourists in the recent years!*

It felt so good to sit down! We ordered a Caprese pizza and they made it to order in the wood burning fireplace. And I can’t have pizza without a good beer and I had to try this beer! Our tour guide told us that the Czechs drink more beer per person than any other country in Europe – even Germany!! Who knew! So I had to uphold their tradition right? Haha I ordered a light beer – Staropramen Lezäk. It was quite good and very refreshing and so cheap! The pizza was delish – lovely thin crust, and a good balance of mozzarella to basil and tomatoes. It hit the spot.

Ceiling of the Municipal House

So that night I had a ticket to see a classical concert in the gorgeous Art Nouveau theater – Municipal House. I was definitely in for a treat  - both visually and audibly! This concert hall was absolutely stunning  - the ceiling and walls were spectacular – everything was so intricately designed and a pleasure for the eyes. From the entry staircase to the stage. But the concept of a single line is lost in this country – trying to get in the concert was like a mosh pit – I survived despite my size! The concert lasted 2 hours long and was magnificent. I heard the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra perform 3 acts: Smeana’s My Country, Beethovan’s Piano concerto No. 2 B flat major, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 E minor From the New World.  Even though I went by myself, it was one of the best nights I had in Prague. So glad I was able to experience something so full of beauty for my senses! It only cost me about 30 euros too and I bought it that day and had a good seat!

Day 3:

Today, Petrina and I decided to check out some sights we learned about on the tour. So we headed up to this giant metronome that looms over the city. It was definitely not my favorite place at all. You could definitely feel the Soviet and Communist presence that ruled Prague for many years up there. It was really stark and lacked warmth.

Food at the BakeShop

To escape the ugly part of the city, we headed towards the Jewish Ghetto, where there are some gorgeous buildings and even a bizarre statue of Kakfa – quite fitting. 

Kakfa statue

We ate lunch at the BEST little restaurant – I want it to be my bakery when I grow up! It was called BAKESHOP and man was it cool! It was so cozy and inviting and the food was gorgeous!! I settled on a trio of prepared salads – couscous mixed with butternut squash and goat cheese. Mediterranean mix of tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olives marinated in olive oil and balsamic. Beet salad that was a vibrant magenta color. And for dessert a massive apple croissant  - seriously it was huge! But I loved every morsel that I ate. Everything was full of flavor and tangy. I was inspired. And that apple croissant – oh my – I didn’t even get a picture because I ate it too fast. It was full of flakey buttery layers and inside was a compote of cinnamon apples perfectly caramelized. Oh it was good!  I loved this café and would so come there every week if I lived there. We actually meet some fellow Americans who are studying in Prague and they said it was their 3^rd time that week haha. All the warm drinks looked divine as did the breads – like rosemary and olive oil and cranberry pecan. Mmmm I am a foodie!

Prague Castle

From there we visited the Prague Castle. Whew, it was definitely a hike up there. It is situated at the top of the city and the street up was very steep. But it was worth the hike – rather exhilarating! I got to see the changing of the guards – very much like in England at Buckingham Palace – just not as grand. But when I think of a palace/ castle I picture ones in England and France, but this one was really different – lot of different buildings all in one central area. Quite a different experience. But my favorite thing was the Prague Cathedral – it was built in 820 and is still standing today. The stained glass inside was stunning – such vibrant color. And the façade was so full of intricate detail and lots of storytelling features. It’s amazing that people could build things like that back then!

Stained Glass inside Cathedral

That night we went to go see a production of Swan Lake. When we bought our tickets we got upgraded and so we were able to sit on the 3^rd row! Pretty cool! We sat next to a Canadian couple and Dutch couple. When they found out I was American, the political questions fired away. It was the day before the election and they wanted my opinion. Oh my, I was as diplomatic as possible – I never gave them my direct answer – just described the situation – seemed to placate their curiosity. But I found it amazing how much other countries know about our politics – very knowledgeable!

The performance was decent – the main ballerina was incredible, but let’s just say not the best performance I have seen. But still glad I got to see it in Prague – pretty remarkable if I say so myself! And afterwards, I enjoyed a Trdelnik – just so good!

Day 4:

Shopping day! Petrina and I went to the giant mall – Pallidium that was 5 stories high and had over 200 shops! It was huge!!

For a lunch break, we went back to the outdoor market and I got some Old Prague Ham. It was tasty. They roast it over a wood-burning grill and it was nice and tender.

Petrina's luxurious hot chocolate

My beef goulash with dumpings

Then for dinner, we went to the famous Café Louvre that was established in 1902 and Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka ate there! It was beautiful inside, however the wait staff was not. They were actually the rudest I have experienced. First he wouldn’t give us any tap water, then when we pulled out our water bottles, he told us no! So very different than America! Nevertheless, I had a delicious meal! I ordered a Czech traditional food. Beef Goulash with dumplings. Oh it was so good I wanted to lick the plate. The beef was incredibly tender and the dumplings were perfect for soaking up the delish goulash sauce. I am definitely going to have to make that when I return home.  Petrina had a luxurious hot chocolate that was extremely rich and even came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it!

For dessert, we ventured back towards Old Town and I found a fabulous gelato place! I ordered 3 scoops thinking they would be normal size – but no, Giant! I ate the Entire portion- haha it’s gelato –it’s lighter! I got mixed berry, hazelnut, and dark chocolate. Oh it was good! Gelato is always my downfall and I’m not complaining!

So this concludes the end of my travels for now! I’m spending the last few days of my holiday in Poligny. I actually very much missed France while I was gone, which I think is a very good sign!

So thanks for reading this long post!

Til next time!

Munich - A lovely Suprise

My two days in Munich were by far two of the most perfect days on my holiday.  I loved pretty much everything about Munich. We had the most brilliant weather – crisp fall temperatures, clear blue skies, and vivid autumn colors – striking.

I took a bus from Konstanz Germany to Munich and oddly enough, my bus took a ferry – who knew that even occurred? But on the way there, I saw the Alps! Oh my, I’m going to have to venture and visit them – so gorgeous, even from afar.

Petrina and I stayed with one of Bianca’s friends- Nina. She was absolutely the most gracious host – so very welcoming and generous! Bought us a delicious fair of sandwich spreads – even peanut butter – oh how she knows us Americans well :)

Nina and me in one of her favorite parks

My first full day in Munich was actually Halloween – very different experience if I say so myself – not as much hype here in Europe. Petrina and I had the whole day to basically explore Munich – and explore we did. First, we started the day with a little boutique shopping. The stores were so darling. I wanted to buy everything I saw for my home, especially in the shop Kadoh and Kare. Granted, I did buy a little something in each… From there, we ventured down to the heart of Munich. It was bustling with people, but yet not too touristy, which is always a bonus.   

Roasted Chesnuts!

Little figurines that dance

And of course when I saw a roasted chestnut stand, I jumped on the opportunity to partake – definitely one of my new favorite holiday foods! It just so happened that we arrived at the GLOCKENSPEIL at just the right time (I’m telling you, it was the perfect day) because at 11, the little figurines dance around to music! I later came to find out that it is in the top 3 list of overrated European attractions, along with the Mona Lisa and the astrological clock in Prague (yes, I can now say I’ve seen all 3 haha). But nevertheless, it was still cool to see and the building, oh the building, so incredibly gorgeous, such magnificent detail and its grey color and pink flower boxes were striking against the clear blue sky. We then ventured up to the top of the bell tower and saw a gorgeous view of the city – oh so worth the 2 euro entrance fee! I highly recommend it.

Glockenspeil

From there, we went to possibly the best open-air market I have seen since upon my arrival. It’s called the Viktualienmarkt. 

Olives at the market

Oh my word – I was in foodie heaven – everywhere I looked I wanted to have it! They had glorious produce, spices, olives, cheeses, schnapps, wines, beers, breads, chocolates, fresh meats and fishes, and desserts – oh the list could go on and on. 

my first apple studel!! 

Nevertheless, I had my first real German apple strudel. It was divine. Flakey buttery layers of crust with cooked cinnamon apples and raisins perfectly nestled in between the layers. I was in dessert heaven. I also had my first schnapps experience – definitely one I won’t forget any time soon. So I ventured up to a schnapps stand and asked to try one. So the man poured me about half a shot size amount of the pear and apple one. It wasn’t until after I downed the drink that he told me it was 40% alcohol and man oh man could I feel it all the way down! I don’t know how people drink it – he even said it’s common to drink it after dinner, straight. Whew, I am definitely not cut out for that hahaha

The pear and apple schnapps

But I redeemed my taste buds by partaking in a little red pepper stuffed with cream cheese. Oh so good – the tang of the pepper mixed with the creaminess of the cream cheese. Mmmm I want one now just thinking about it!

Then (I’m telling you, we did a lot) we went to yet another Foodie Haven – a fancy smachy shop  - Dallmayr’s (Full title if want to check it out – Alois Dallmayr) It was like a Harrods in London! So many good-looking foods – I seriously wanted it all because as we all know, I have a champagne taste and a beer wallet! I did manage to come away with one thing from there – a 1 euro Christmas card! Haha

I love autumn  - especially in Germany!

English Gardens - yes this is my picture!

Next up – English Gardens. Gardens they were – it is the largest urban garden in the world! They were absolutely stunning, my words and pictures simply cannot give the gardens justice. The vibrant autumn hues shone magnificently against the vivid blue sky with whips of clouds. I felt like I was walking in a picture – quite surreal and such a blessing. There were a ton of beautiful dogs romping around the grounds and many strolling pedestrians – it was just so picturesque. If I lived in Munich, I would be there quite a bit. There was one area that really stood out to me - the picture. The rush of water paired with the rocks and autumn trees. Breathtaking.

After all this walking and sheer happiness, we were getting quite hungry. So dinnertime in the University district – good, quality food, cheap prices! We went to a hole in the wall restaurant   - Schall & Rauch. The minute I walked in, I knew it was my kind of place. First off, I ordered my first German beer. SUCH a fantastic decision. It was absolutely excellent and not expensive at all because as we all know Beer is usually cheaper than water in Germany! So I got a local Munich Beer  - Augustiner Hell vom Fass – a brewing company that’s been around since 1328. It was a light beer, not too hopsy – similar to a Stella Artois – but different. I highly recommend it!

For dinner, I selected the housemade gnocchi pasta mixed with a smooth tomato sauce, fresh basil, and Parmesan.  I wanted to lick my plate it was so good!

To top off this absolutely joy filled, perfect day, we watched Pretty Woman. I have to say, top day, top day.

DAY 2 Munich

This was yet another brilliant day in Munich. As of now, I am officially a fan of Germany! I think everyone should definitely visit this incredible country (after they visit France of course) if given the opportunity!

So today, Nina acted as our official tour guide of the more off the beaten track Munich. She took us to another fantastic park. Lovely fall colors once again paired with a rushing river and lots of walking trails.

So today was also a great day because my college friend Liz, whose been working at the US military base in Garmisch Germany for the past 13 months! It was a spur of the moment trip and so fantastic to catch up with her!

Liz, Me, Petrina in English Gardens

1st mulled wine with orange and cranberry

pumpkin curry soup

So for lunch, we all went to another Nina recommended restaurants – Gartensalon – another my kind of places! It was so quaint – lots of greenery growing on the building, strings of lights, darling patio tables dotting the exterior! Plus, it’s located off the street in a courtyard! It was a tad warmer that day, so we decided to sit outside! The café gave us warm fuzzy blankets to wrap up in while we ate. Since I was in Germany and find it imperative to experience a culture through its food – I of course got a hot mulled wine! My first in fact, and will definitely not be my last! It was so good. Hot mulled red wine mixed with orange slices and cranberries – how could it not be divine! Plus, it was served in a darling teacup! Foodwise, I settled on the soup of the day – Pumpkin curry soup. Mmmm it was scrumptious. They served it with some hearty multigrain German bread and topped the soup with sesame seeds and pumpkin oil. Then Nina treated us all to dessert – so I choose the house made carrot cake with cream cheese frosting! They even warmed it up for me. It was also very good – lots of texture and nuttiness – my fav. As you can see, I appreciate food quite a bit haha

After our long and leisurely lunch, we ventured off to see the Nymphenburg Palace, located right outside the city. It was an immense palace that dates back to 1623. The grounds kept going and going as did the windows. The palace had some quite bizarre statues as you can see in the picture below - an oddity that I won’t forget haha

the Palace

one creepy statue

So this concludes my 2 magnificent days in Munich! Thanks for reading. Next stop, Prague.