Day 4 is our second day in Munich. We got to tour the Allianz arena, home of FC Bayern Munich, one of the best soccer teams in the Bundesliga and world! My favorite part was getting to see the locker rooms where so many incredible soccer player have been. I also loved getting to walk out of the tunnel with music playing, similar to how every soccer player coming to play a match at the arena would do. We even got to walk the sidelines and sit in the seats where FC Bayern Munich players sit during matches. Truly a dream come true! This was the first time I have ever been to a professional soccer arena and I was not disappointed. A bonus to the experience was that some German students we met yesterday joined us and we got to connect with them even more.
After Allianz arena, we had some down time and rode the train back with our new German friends, they were kind enough to give us guidance on which station to get off at for our next activity, the Munich Residenz tour. Before our tour we had an hour to get lunch so me and a small group of other students found a bratwurst stand. Throughout this trip, one of the things I’ve enjoyed doing the most is trying different German cuisine so it was awesome that we were able to find an authentic bratwurst as a mid day snack. After lunch, we rendezvoused with the rest of the group and had a tour of the Munich Residenz. It was interesting getting to hear about German history in the Bavarian region. One of the things that surprised me was Germany’s historic ties with the holy roman empire, that was something I did not know. I also loved seeing all the catholic relics that are stored in the Residenz. Being so close to, what is believed to be, remains of the cross Jesus was crucified on and the crown of thorns was so cool.
I arrived in Europe a few days before this trip officially started so I’ve really started to gain a level of confidence and comfort being here. Everyday activities like navigating to different parts of the city, ordering food and drinks, and interacting with locals are really starting to feel easier now.
