Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Weißwurst platter
Centre
Rush hour in Munich
Right
Oktoberfest crowd
Useful Information
!
Weißwurst
after
*
Parking Infractions
bad apples. As a pedestri-
an, you should watch out
for cyclists barrelling
along pavements, some-
times even going in the
wrong direction down a
one-way street, or turning
sharp corners quickly. The
same is true of some
rollerbladers.
12 Noon
In the past,
Weißwurst
was eaten as a late or
second breakfast. Highly
perishable, these white
veal sausages were kept
in large pots of boiling
water from early morning
until noon. This led to an
unspoken rule: never eat
Weißwurst
after noon.
Although this is no longer
necessary thanks to mod-
ern cooking methods, the
old tradition is still
observed by many locals.
@
Bockbeer
It is best to adhere to
all parking rules. Parking
attendants patrol the
streets, especially in the
inner city, and issue tick-
ets when cars are illegal-
ly parked or when parking
is unpaid. Rental car
agencies will present you
with any tickets when
you return your car, and
unpaid fines are collected
throughout the European
Union. In some areas,
parking is restricted to
residents with parking
permits. If your car has
been tagged and towed,
call the police for infor-
mation on where you can
collect it - and pay the
horrendously steep fines.
(
Taxis during
%
Alcohol at the
Wheel
It goes without saying
that beer is very tempting
in Bavaria. However, you
should remember that
the blood-alcohol limit is
0.5 per cent and that
Munich's police force
carries out regular spot-
checks. After drinking, it
is best to leave the car
behind and take a taxi.
Beer temptations can
reach a peak during the
Starkbier
(bockbeer) sea-
son, but you should
remember that
Starkbier
has an alcohol content
ranging from 6.5 to over
7.5 per cent. Enjoy the
tasty brews - just be
sure not to overindulge.
£
Bavarian Words
^
Rush Hour
Oktoberfest
There are two times of
year when taxis are ex-
tremely hard to come by
- New Year's Eve and
Oktoberfest, which is
usually held the last two
weeks in September.
Near Theresienwiese
during Oktoberfest, taxi
drivers may refuse to
carry passengers who
appear intoxicated.
Aside from the diffi-
culty of finding parking in
the inner city, driving within
the boundaries of the
Altstadtring
(ring road)
during rush hour is no
fun. Take public transit; it
will get you to your desti-
nation with greater speed
and far less aggravation.
Even if you know
German, the local dialect
is still quite a challenge.
There are a few key
expressions: rolls, called
Brötchen
elsewhere, are
called
Semmeln
here;
Weizenbier
(wheat beer)
is called
Weißbier
, and a
Radler
could be either a
cyclist or a shandy, a mix-
ture of beer and lemonade.
$
Cyclists &
&
Pickpockets
Munich is a safe city.
However, some caution is
advised at certain tourist
centres and crowded
sights. Here, as else-
where, there are gangs of
pickpockets. Be especially
vigilant on crowded plat-
forms, in S- and U-Bahn
stations and train cars, at
large open-air events such
as Oktoberfest, and in the
pedestrian zone.
)
Hotels during
Oktoberfest
Munich hotels, even
luxury hotels, tend to be
fully booked during Okto-
berfest. If you are plan-
ning a stay at this time,
reserve well in advance
and make sure to notify
the hotel if you are arriv-
ing after 5pm so that your
room will be held for you.
Rollerbladers
Munich is a wonderful city
for cyclists, and many
locals jump on their bikes
in summer. Unfortunately,
there are always a few
139
If your car has been towed away, call (089) 42 93 01.
