Tempe, AZ (Home Base)

USA

Hofbrauhaus, Munich, Germany

It’s part of every tour, it’s part of German history, and it’s part of the reason I’m going back to Munich someday (hopefully with TGTG Ali!!). The Hofbrauhaus is an essential stop for any tourist, backpacker, local, and/or lone traveler. Walk in and immediately you’ll see why!

The first thing I noticed was the live music and the band, which was wearing genuine lederhosen and my personal favorite, suspenders. The music stays with you as you journey farther into the bar and begin to get a sense of what everyone loves about the Hofbrauhaus (the more I use it, the less I have to look at my notes to spell it). The combination of the fun atmosphere, the loud noises (the music seems to increase in sonar strength), the variety of smells (sauerkraut anyone?), the people laughing and drinking, and of course, the beer.

I don’t want to make it appear all the Germans do is drink their delicious frothy beer and fill their faces with pretzels. That’s just part of the cultural experience, trust me. The Munichs know how to have fun (Oktoberfest was just around the corner) but they also know where they came from and the pride of their country rests on appreciating the everyday. Not one minute did I spend in Munich where I didn’t get the feeling I was IN Germany. The wardrobe, the mustaches, I could go on and on. They simply love being German. The Hofbrauhaus is the conglomeration of that very feeling.

The friendliness of the Munichs astounded me. They were dancing, singing, having fun with our tour group, all the while swinging their pints of Weis beer with great excitement and pride.

Make a stop to the Hofbrauhaus, you won’t regret it!

Hofbrauhaus
Platzl 9
80331 Munich, Germany

+49 89 290136-10
www.hofbraeuhaus.de

Top 10 Traveling Must Haves!

Sometimes living out of a backpack or suitcase means cutting your possessions down to a minimum, but make sure you save room for these top 10 traveling must haves!

10. sunglasses
9. phone card (to call home)
8. comfortable walking shoes
7. digital camera & charger & extra memory card
6. map of current city
5. a small amount of local currency in cash
4. travel pillow
3. a good book :)
2. iPod
1. passport/identification

Munchin’ in Munchen (Munich), Germany

It isn’t hard to get carried away while in a foreign city. Up until Switzerland, my palate hadn’t really experienced the local culture’s food. I made up for it and then some in Munich and for the rest of my trip, I made it a point to eat what the locals ate, and drink what the locals drank.

First off, the bratwursts. Oh man, the first day I was there I’m sure I ate three of them for different occasions. One was for brunch and everyone was eating them, one was for a mid afternoon snack because everyone else was eating one, and one because it was , I don’t know, 9:16p.m. and everyone around me was eating one. That or the delicious Bavarian pretzels always served with fresh mustard and washed down typically with a giant stein of Helles beer.cheese.jpg

If you’re not a beer drinker, I understand the hesitance of trying something as thick and heavy as German beer, especially the Weizenbier that is made with more yeast. But if you’re going with the theme of Germany, I suggest ordering one and drinking as much as you can because it’s no ordinary brew you’re sucking down. There’s a history and long-winded tale behind it and if you’re lucky enough, a local just might tell you about it.

As for Paul (my new travel companion) and I, we wasted little time chatting and breathing. We had snacks between snacks, a dinner before dinner, and helped ourselves to lots of cheese and bread to help fill any tiny pocket left in our tummies. Like I said, it’s hard not to get carried away. I was constantly busy with the local goods – pretzels, brats, cheese, fresh fruit, beer, and weißwurstes with extra sauerkraut.

Thank goodness for Tums.

TGTG - Press Release - TRAVELING GIRLS: FLY SOLO BUT NOT “ALONE”

They’re the eccentric, the rogue, the savvy, and the quick-witted. Some have money, most are broke, but the ones dedicated always find a way to get the money. They’re the girls brave enough to take the world by the reigns and ride it to where they want to go and what they want to see. But is it safe to be a girl and travel? It seems each decade that passes is scarier and more threatening than the last in foreign countries.

Risk, risk, risk. A monosyllabic four-letter word with an enormous definition. Friends might tell you to take mace, mothers might try and hide your passport, and fathers might hire a male detective to follow you around, even in the bathroom. But how about taking another avenue to safe travel…why not plan ahead. It seems like a novel idea to many, but the key to safety is preparation. Why not do some research and see where you are going, what you will see, where you will stay, and what other people thought of the place before you even buy your airplane ticket. What better place to look than the Internet?

You’d need to find a website that contained more than just information, that could show you through videos and pictures the great beyond that seems so foreign and surreal. A website that could provide everything an antsy traveler can take confidence in. All of this is found in a new website travel blog and adventure travel planning site called The Get There Girls.

www.TheGetThereGirls.com gets right up close and personal – photo slideshows, video blogs, and fun, outstanding descriptions of the places the site’s creators have been. Like most things in life, it’s what traveling is about; connection, intimacy, and the passion for doing what you love to do. That’s what TGTG provides – the essence of the what, the who, the when, and most importantly, the how.

The Get There Girls was created and designed in 2007 by two women whose love for traveling, writing, and sharing their adventures translated into a thriving traveler hot spot on a computer screen. The site provides the standard elements of a traveling informational website – booking for hotels and hostels, links to ticket brokers, car rental agencies, etc. – but what’s different about this site is that The Get There Girls take you a step further and actually show you what you can see and experience on your newly planned adventure. Videos, pictures, and honest reviews of lodging, what to pack, when to travel to certain destinations, how to rush order your passport, and what to expect at the currency exchange, just to name a few. This is a site worth exploring if you want to peruse the guts of what traveling is all about.

If you’d like more information on The Get There Girls, or to submit your own travel tips, blogs, or tricks, please email Katie at katie@thegettheregirls.com
 or Ali at ali@thegettheregirls.com and visit thegetheregirls.com for an additional look at the ins and outs of traveling!

Book Hotels in the USA, Europe, Philippines, Thailand, Australia and more