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After 32 long hours we finally arrived and checked into The Holiday Inn City Centre Munich, along with a group of 700 Brazilian fans.....Aussie Aussie Aussie. The reason for such a long journey is that our flight into Frankfurt was delayed from Singapore missing our connection through to Munich.  Due to the World Cup availability on any other flight that day was zero. So off we went to Terminal 1 and caught an express train to Munich which took approx three hours, it reaches speeds up to 167km/h.... I was pleasantly surprised with 2nd class, it had plenty of room and was very clean and tidy however remember to pay the little extra to pre-book your seat number...its worth it!!
That night we spent walking around taking in the vibe of the world cup and the celebrations in Marien Platz (where the new and old town hall is along with the Glockenspiel). The hotel location was fantastic. The S-Bahn-Station "Rosenheimer Platz" is within the same building complex which guarantees direct access to Munich's entire S-Bahn rail network leading to Munich International Airport, the Main Train Station and 2 stops from Marien Platz which takes about 3 minutes with trains constantly running.
The Holiday Inn has just been recently refurbished so the rooms are very fresh, the bathrooms have shower and bath and they are not tiny compared to other hotels in Europe, and some of the rooms have great views into the city of Munich.
 My first full day in Munich I did a day trip to The Royal Castles Neuschwanstein and Linderhof which was such a great day!! I really think its a must see when in Munich, I booked it with a company called auto bus oberbayern. It is a big day you depart from the main train station at 0830 by bus. First stop was Linderhof which was built by King Ludwig II during the 19th century as a bunting lodge, this is the smallest of the three royal castles. The inside of the castle is mind blowing.....along with the gardens and the Alps in the back ground you could not ask for much more of a view!
After Linderhof we had a short time for some shopping in Oberammergau, which is world-famous for its woodcarvers, painted houses and Passion Play.
 On arrival at Neuschwanstein you quickly realise why this magnificent castle is the most well known castle in the world. You have lunch there before your tour of the castle, we were recommended the Hotel Muller, the deserts are to die, ask for the Bavaria Cream or the Black forest cake...YUM!! No need to worry about the calories as you will soon work them off with the walk up to the castle. You can take a horse drawn carriage to the top for an additional cost (approx 2 Euro). I would suggest you get up there 30 minutes prior to walk through to Marien Brucke (Mary's Bridge) for a full view to the castle....its a little daunting if you are afraid of heights but well worth it.You have a particular time for your guided tour through the castle, its very informative into the life of King Ludwig II and his eccentric ways. Neuschwanstein was not finished, so the tour only goes through obviously the finished rooms in the building, the construction was stopped after King Ludwig's death at the age of 40.
The castle was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle it honestly does remind you of something out of a fairytale.
 Tonight we headed off to the Hofbräuhaus - The most famous beer hall in Germany which can seat 4,500 people. With the World Cup in town the whole place was filled with passionate Aussie fans!! It was a great night and is another must see when in Munich!
GAME DAY!! Marien Platz was already crowded and full of excitement at 10am...(the game being at 6pm). The ticket to the soccer included transportation by train to the new Allianz Arena. It was extremely hot so the over crowded train trip from Marien Platz was not a highlight.....the train station was approx 15-20 minute walk to the stadium and with all the security checks it probably took us an hour.
We finally found our seats, sat back, pinched myself to see if I were dreaming and took it all in. It was a full house 66,000 people screaming and chanting. The new Allianz Arena was very interesting, a very unique building unlike anything I've ever seen, if it had a roof I'm sure it would of lifted off when the teams came out to warm up. When the Australian national anthem was played it sent tingles down your spine, you could feel the passion of each and every Australian in the stand....I have goose bumps just writing this.
 Unfortunately we did not win the game but our Aussies kept the score nil all until only the final few minutes, it was a great game and the Aussie team did so well against the best team in the world!! you could not have asked for anything more.....maybe for a fair ref but we didn't have luck with those in any match..... Leaving the match was worse then getting out there. We stood still for about 2 hours without the train station in sight....it was good that it didn't get dark until after 9pm.
The day was exhausting but amazing....the Aussie fans still wore their jerseys with pride as they strolled through the streets of Munich that night.......
 My final morning in Munich I decided to do a Mike's Bike Tour. The tour departs daily at 1130, 1600 and 1715 in peak season June 1- July 31. Reservations are not necessary you simply show up at the meeting point which is the tower of the old town hall 15 minutes prior to departure. You start with an introduction at the old town hall then you take a quick walk to where your cruiser is waiting........The tours are virtually exclusively on bike paths and are not the least bit strenuous. The standard tour I went on is about 4 miles in about 4 hours with a 45-minute break at the Chinese Tower in the middle of the English Garden. It is the oldest and most traditional beer garden in Munich and also the 2nd largest in the world seating 17500 people at one time. When riding you stop approximately every 400 yards or so at points of interest and ride at a very relaxed pace. The tours are ideal for ALL ages, the only prerequisite is being able to ride a bike.Some places of interest on the ride are, Staatskanzlei, Maximilianeum, Peace Angel, Hofgarten, Odeonsplatz and you cruise through the English Garden see the surfers and if its hot you have time for a quick dip....
Mike's Bike Tours is a fun, easy and informative way to see the city. The guides are fantastic with lots of experience and handy helpful tips and advice for you. You pay your guide at the end of the tour it was 24 Euro Check out their web site www.mikesbniketours.com they also do bike tours in Amsterdam which I would love to do!!
The 3 days went way too quick but I'm extremely happy with everything that I saw, Munich is a gorgeous and very interesting city that I can't wait to get back to. This trip is one of the most memorable experiences in my life, every time I think about it I can't help but smile.....every moment was special.
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