Day 9: going "home"

Late last night we moved to the Hampton by Hilton Gdańsk Airport Hotel so we could take our time this morning.  So when the email flight notification says arrive three hours early, I arrived three hours early only to discover bag drop-off does not open until 2 hours before the flight. I’m annoyed; Colin is starving and annoyed!  It all works out.  We pass security and customs and are right in the middle of the Duty Free Shopping area.  Colin has become a shopper and was totally sucked into the cologne section!  We were both a bit hungry and options were limited.  I can’t tell you the last time I at at McDonald’s, but today I did.  In defense of international golden arches, there is usually some sort of local specialty food that is good . . . usually they have a fried pie that is unique but not today.  It looks way better than US but I’m good for another decade. It was also not cheap but it was hand delivered to our table by a man wearing a tie!  Now that was not expected!

It was a quick 90-minute flight from Gdańsk to Munich.  In my head I could hear the beginning part of the song I’m Coming Home by Skylar Grey . . . so many memories of this place!

I am still not a fan of Munich!  It’s crowded and hot, and I’m having flashbacks to summer 2001.  Seriously I have always had a bit of a negative outlook on Munich and honestly I don’t know exactly why.  So when Colin said it was one of his 3 picks, I cringed.  I was going to try and be optimistic and find the good. I knew that I would be planning to spend as little time as possible there.  All I really wanted to do was check off what he wanted to see and move to the next town.  I decided Munich would be our splurge hotel stay . . . it is okay.  We would have been on the trip for over a week and having a nice hotel to relax and hangout would be good.  It is a five-star luxury brand that I have stayed at in other European countries; I love it.  Today, I felt very out of place.  The lobby is overflowing of wealthy people and unattended bratty kids!  I think we are the only weirdos that are schlepping our luggage through the lobby.  I mean we only had small roller bags and backpacks so it wasn’t that weird but scanning the lobby I am pretty sure no one in there has lifted a finger with their own bags.  So while the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munchen might be upscale, this is what the view outside the window of one of the cheapest rooms (called a superior room with 2 twin beds) looks like.

Seriously!  The inside wasn't bad  . . . 

. . . the hotel was all about the location.  We were off to dinner for some German food.  I had been longing for a good traditional meal and it was recommended we try Augustiner A Platzl.  I was hesitant since our experience in Berlin was awful, but we went.  I will say that I loved my schweinebraten (roast pork with dark beer sauce), kartoffelknödl (potato dumpling) and krautsalat (cabbage salad). 

Colin was introduced to roasted half chickens and he loved it too.  Of course I had to tell my story about the weekly chicken man truck that rolled into town full of birds roasting!  And I am ready to move our trip to the next town . . . if it was only that easy.  We made our way to the Marienplatz for our nightly cappuccino and iced coffee.  I just loved sitting and enjoying the views.

The people watching was good but it had been a long day so back to hotel we went.  I feel like I am back on my home turf . . . 
 
Steps:  11,256
Miles:  5.23