My First ED & First M3! (Delivery August 24th) - Lots of photos (and teeth!)
Hello everyone!
After years of saving, planning, and, most importantly, garnering support from my amazing wife (I can already see her playfully teasing me for writing all of this), I am finally (or lucky to be) able to buy that amazing car - the F80 M3! Along with reaching out to board sponsors and other CAs recommended on this site, who are all very worth contacting for their polite, no-games approach, I was able to negotiate the best terms I could find with a local dealer in Charlotte who has ED experience :thumbup:. Now, being built on the week of August 8th is my very own F80 M3 in SOII with Black Extended Leather, DCT, Executive Package, and Black 437 M Wheels.
THE PLAN
I am scheduled to take delivery in Munich on August 24th, and I have enjoyed reading, learning from, and living vicariously through all of the ED journals on this site. I can only hope this thread evolves into something resembling any one of those. In any case, because I am obviously not yet able to share my ED experience, I thought I would start with my plans - which I have been shaping and reshaping for a couple of months now, and which are finally to the point where I think they are worth sharing. So, here goes nothing!
My wife and I will begin our journey on August 22nd. We are taking a business class flight from Charlotte, NC to Chicago, then Chicago to Heathrow, and finally from Heathrow to Munich. We feel business class is a must, because we will be flying overnight, and we need seats that we can sleep in. This way, we can hopefully defeat jet lag and enjoy Munich from the day we arrive, August 23rd! From there, our planned itinerary is as follows:
Day 1; August 23; Munich
After arriving in Munich around noon, the plan is to use the complimentary Sixt service to travel from the airport to our first hotel, the Leonardo Royal Hotel. We chose this hotel due to its proximity to the Welt and its multiple recommendations from other festers. We plan on exploring some popular spots in Munich this day, although plans are being left open to account for how we feel after the flight.
Day 2; August 24; Munich -> Meersburg
This is my delivery day! Check in is at 8:20 am, and delivery is at 9:50 am. We will walk to and have breakfast at the Welt before taking delivery. After delivery, depending on whether we already did this on the 23rd, we will tour the BMW Museum. We have the factor tour scheduled for 11:45, and we will try and have an early lunch beforehand in the premium lounge. Afterwards, our plans take us to Meersburg, a beautiful town on Lake Constance where my wife's family has traveled before and has highly recommended. On our way to Meersburg, however, we will visit and tour Neuschwanstein Castle (tickets will be pre-booked) and Hohenschwangau Castle. Depending on timing, we may also stop in Fussen and explore that area as well. In any case, after arriving in Meersburg we will check into our second hotel, Gasthof sum Baren. My wife's family stayed here during their trip, and it looks amazing. We will see what we can do in Meersburg with any time we have left in the day.
Day 3; August 25; Meersburg -> Triberg (day trip)
We will be staying in Meersburg for three nights and taking day trips from there. Our first day trip takes us to Triberg, the Black Forest, and Lake Titisee. We plan to spend the day exploring these areas and returning to Meersburg at night.
Day 4; August 26; Meersburg -> Tubingen (day trip)
This day still needs some fine tuning, but after our second night in Meersburg, we will take our second day trip to Tubingen, stopping along the way at Lichtenstein Castle. Depending on how long we stay in Tubingen, we may return to Meersburg that day and explore the town, including the Stilthouse Museum.
Day 5; August 27; Meersburg -> Wasserauen (day trip) -> Lindau
After our last night in Meersburg, it's off to Wasserauen, Switzerland, for a day of hiking in the beautiful Appenzellerland area. We will park in Wasserauen at the cable car that will take us to Ebenalp. From there, we are hiking on this general route: Berggasthaus Aescher > Schafler > Seealpsee > Wasserauen. After returning to the car, we will drive to Lindau, an island on Lake Constance, to stay the night at Hotel Garni Reulein (and to cut time off of our next trip).
Day 6; August 28; Lindau -> Salzburg
After breakfast in Lindau, we will travel to Salzburg, Austria. We plan to spend two days here exploring all of the popular Sound of Music spots and anything else we desire. As important, we are extremely excited about the B&B we are staying at: Die Haslachmühle. If any festers have any experience here, we would love to hear it. It comes highly recommended.
Day 7; August 29; Salzburg
Today we will plan to continue exploring Salzburg! Depending on timing, we will try and take a day trip to Hallstatt.
Day 8; August 30; Salzburg -> Berchtesgaden (day trip) -> Munich
On our final day :bawling:, we will leave Salzburg and explore Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's Nest. Following that, we will continue on to Munich and, depending on the time we have, explore anything we missed the first day. Our final night will be spent at Hotel im Hof, within walking distance of the Marienplatz and other hot spots (originally, this was going to be Hotel Uhland, but I was uncomfortable reserving my booking with credit card information via email or fax where it could be viewed/stored by anybody - they did mention they are working on an online booking option). If there is time, we will wash the car in preparation for drop off the next day.
Day 9; August 31; Munich -> USA
Our flight today will leave at noon, so we will have breakfast, wash the car if needed, and drop it off near the airport. A sad day indeed, but now it will be time to look forward to redelivery in the US!
That's the general idea . This will be my first time in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. If you all have any thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations, I would love to read them!
Did I mention my wife is amazing?!
THE EXECUTION
So we are back from our amazing ED adventure! The information and advice we received from this forum and its members was also invaluable to our trip's success, so a big thanks to everyone who has posted! After this experience, I (and my wife) are convinced, as many others have been, that the only way to buy your new BMW is through the ED program. Every minute was spectacular, and having our new car made every day on our vacation that much more enjoyable. I have done my best to capture the essence of our trip, below, but nothing can compare to the experience itself or the mark it leaves on you. Without further delay, here it goes!
(I am writing this piecemeal, so bear with me on delays - there are 8 days, in total, coming up!)
Day 1; August 22/23; USA -> Munich
Our first "day" was actually two, due to our flight between the Chicago and London going overnight. We were scheduled to fly from Charlotte to Chicago, Chicago to London, and, finally, London to Munich - a total flying time of about 10 hours. Despite the two layovers ahead of us and the total length of travel, we were really looking forward to the experience. Why? Because this was the first time we were flying business class and, having been in coach our entire lives, were excited for the upgrade!
We arrived at the airport in CLT around noon for our 2 pm flight. The flight time was actually very convenient, because it allowed us some flexibility to prepare for the flights the day of. We had a minor hiccup and check-in because the kiosk would not read my passport, and we had to wait in the customer service line for about 45 minutes to be helped. Fortunately, after that everything at the airport went very smoothly. The flight to Chicago was quick and effortless. The longest flight, from Chicago to London, was where business class really shined! British Airways was our host for the flight, and the service we received was top notch and the 747 seats were great. Our anniversary is September 14th (3 years!), and we decided that, along with all the other reasons for the trip, this would also be part of our anniversary celebration. This got us some extra special treatment on the flight to London - in the form of first-class's champagne! As some advice, be sure you over-photograph your trip - even the smallest memories are fun to look back on, and my wife did an awesome job of documenting everything. We ended up using our phones for most of the photos because of their ease of use and because my DSLR became a burden during all of the hiking!
We finally landed in Munich around noon. Munich is six hours ahead of EST, so in EST time we had been traveling from noon on the 22nd to 6am on the 23rd, about 18 hours and, despite the fully reclining seats, did not get much sleep on the plane. Nonetheless, we were too excited to miss a whole day in Munich! After getting our bags, we were greeted at the airport by our Sixt driver who would take us to our first hotel, the Leonardo Royal Hotel - which is located one stop U-Bahn stop from the Welt and about 5 U-bahn stops from Odeonsplatz in downtown Munich. We hopped in his 7 series and took off toward our first destination. For those who do not know, ED participants can schedule one complimentary Sixt driver service, and most people use it to either get to their hotel from the airport or get to the Welt from their hotel. If you want to use Sixt to get from the airport to your hotel, all you need to do is email them with your flight information, production number, and mobile phone number, and they will be there to pick you up when you arrive! This service was some serious stress relief for us, because once we landed we had no need to worry about how we would get to our next destination, and after we made it to the hotel we could easily use the U-Bahn to get around. After checking in, we went straight to the U-Bahn station near our hotel - Oberwiesenfeld. Buying tickets was easy with a credit card (be sure to set up a pin for your card, which is required at a lot of these types of payment stations in Germany), but the pricing was a little confusing for us not used to this form of public transportation. The stations are located in certain "zones," each with a color. The ticket you have to purchase depends on (1) the number of stops and (2) whether you are going through multiple zones. Fortunately, all of our travel was in a single zone, so we only had to determine ticket price based on the number of stops - one zone with four or less stops is the cheapest ticket, and one zone with more than four stops is the next best option we found. In any case, after you buy your ticket be sure to get it stamped at the automated kiosk, which was "tickets" and is usually near the stairs down to the train. We were never checked for tickets, but I have read there is a flat 40 Euro fine for not having the proper, stamped ticket!
When we arrived in Odeonsplatz a few stops later, we immediately began exploring all of the places I had listed on the itinerary. I did not expect to be able to hit them all in just half of a day, but we did! That luck allowed us some added flexibility on our last day of vacation (which was also in Munich). Here is generally where we went:
1. Odeonsplat: Here, we exited the U-Bahn station and fully realized we were on this great adventure.
2. Marienplatz: Here, we gawked at the Neues Rathaus and the glockenspiel, along with other great architecture. Right around the corner was St. Peter's Church, our next destination.
3. St. Peter's Church: Here, we paid the 6 euro fee to climb the tower, which has some of the best views Munich has to offer. The climb is approximately 300 steps, and is a little challenging but totally worth it. The area up top is tight, so prepare to be patient waiting as others are taking photos and enjoying the view too.
4. Viktualienmarkt: One of the "must see places" in most guide books, this area is a large outdoor market with a spectacular shaded beer garden. Here is where we got our first taste of German beer and the really face-paced and interesting way beer is ordered in these areas.
5. Englischer Garten: A beautiful area covering a number of acres where you can watch people surfing on the river running through it. This place also has its own beer garden, and there were a number of young adults around - along with ourselves - enjoying the sun and the water.
6. Hofbrauhaus: Another must see place, although for us it was not as exciting or interesting as it had been hyped up to be. The Viktualienmarkt and its beer garden felt much more authentic and fun. Nonetheless, we enjoyed beers together here and took it all in.
7. Sendlinger Tor: Not a major stop, but a good place for a photo op and near Asam Church as well.
8. Asam Church: Another of the less popular places to visit, but beautiful nonetheless.
We probably stumbled upon a handful of other places not on the itinerary during our tour, but those were the most notable ones that I recall! After a lot of walking, we had worked up quite an appetite. We stumbled upon a cool restaurant, the Kleinschmecker, just south of the Marienplatz. The food was unique and really tasty, and we were lucky enough to meet the young, enthusiastic owner. Afterwards, it was pretty late and with an 8:30 check-in time at the Welt the following morning, we decided to head back to the hotel and rest up for the exciting delivery day to come!
The popular attraction Neues Rathaus in the Marienplatz.
This is a great example of the blue signs identifying the various U-Bahn stations.
The fantastic view from St. Peter's church - the scene behind us was also nice
The Viktualienmarkt
Enjoying our first beers in Germany at the Viktualienmarkt beer garden!
A bird in the tree above decided to leave a present on my back, although the local couple sitting beside us said it was good luck. Based on how great the trip was, I would agree!
We stumbled upon a park and my wife had to conquer this rope tower before we continued on!
Our first dinner in Germany, at the Kleinschmecker.
Day 2; August 24; Munich -> Meersburg
Wow! That was only the first day, and there was so much more to come. Unlike some of my fellow ED'ers, I slept like a baby the night before delivery day, although that was likely due to having been up for 30+ hours. On the other hand, just like my fellow ED'ers, I woke up full of excitement! Our check in time was 8:20 and delivery was scheduled for 9:50. Due to some trouble choosing outfits (we had planned to dress up, then decided against it and went comfortable/casual), we arrive a little later than planned - around 8:40. Nonetheless, it didn't seem to matter, and we were greeted warmly by the ED lounge representative, who took us back to her desk and spent about 15 minutes with us filling out paperwork. Moreover, they said if we wanted, we could take delivery early at 9:10 - and of course we agreed! As we headed to the lounge buffet for a quick breakfast, I was lucky enough to catch my car being pulled up to the delivery spot right at the bottom of the stairs. This was when it really hit me that today I was getting the car, and I could not stop smiling. At 9:10 we met our delivery specialist, Tobias, and took delivery, an experience that was very special and one of the highlights of the trip. Everything was perfect. I even got Tobias to take a photo of us that I had been planning for sometime - a recreation of one of my favorite photos from our wedding day!
Been planning this photo for a long time!
After delivery, we had about 1.5 hours to kill, so we valeted the car and sauntered on over to the museum. On the way, we met a nice couple and asked them to take our photo. We found out later that we had met Nati, a fellow forum member who I had planned to meet at the factor tour later that day! The museum was interesting, but nothing compared to the factory tour. Definitely worth the two hours. After the tour, we rushed to get the car and to drive to Neuschwanstein - we had a tour appointment in less than two hours. Unfortunately, I was under the impression we could drive up closer to the castle, but DO NOT TRY THIS! You will awkwardly be driving through crowds of people only to be turned around shortly thereafter by a guard. Instead, you need to park near the bottom of the hill up to the castle in town - which is where the ticket office is anyway - and hike 20-30 min up the hill to the castle. Due to this unforeseen circumstance, we were not going to make our pre-booked tour. We quickly made it through the pre-booked ticket line, however, and were able to book the last tour of the day - at 6:30. This was a blessing in disguise, because it allowed us time to have lunch - which we had not had time to eat yet - partway up the hill. The castle was really cool, and the tour was worth it but not as long or in-depth as I thought it would be. Afterward, we hiked around behind the castle to a bridge with beautiful views, I believe it's called Mary's Bridge. This is by far one of the best spots to see the castle and great views below. If you can, I would advise going here before noon because by the time we arrived in the evening, the sun was behind the castle and it washed out our photos. After getting our fill of the Castle and surrounding countryside, we proceeded on to our next destination, Meersburg, where we would spend the next two days! It was pretty late, we hadn't had dinner, and we arrived in Meersburg around 10:00 pm. We hastily searched for an open restaurant and found what I think was probably the last restaurant open in the area (failed to document the name). It turned out to be great, and we were happy to have some food and a beer after the long day!
The classic photo spot (I think - we didn't bring a good reference!)
Day 3; August 25; Meersburg -> Triberg (day trip)
While in Meersburg, we stayed at the Gasthof zum Baren, where my wife and her family had stayed around 10 years ago on their trip to Germany. I would definitely recommend this place if you decide to stay on the Bodensee during your travels! For day 1 in Meersburg, we planned a day trip to Triberg and Titisee. There are some pretty great driving roads in this area, and for those of us who didn't have time to hit the Alpenstrasse (this guy!), it was a great alternative. Triberg is a fun little town known for its cuckoo clocks and waterfalls. We got there pretty early and had no trouble parking in the 3 large lots they have for visitors. The weather, as with almost every day on our trip, was perfect!
After Triberg, we drove to Titisee - a drive that was very rewarding and highly recommended for its winding roads and nice views! Once we arrived, we started a hike around the lake, with the goal of hiking the entire thing. Unfortunately, when we made it about halfway around, we had trouble finding a trail around the second half. We asked someone at the nearby campground for help, and she confirmed what we feared, there was no true way to hike around. We had run low on water by this time and purchased some more from the campground; however, despite our best efforts to confirm that it was "sans gas", we received carbonated water which is the standard in Germany, but to me, and especially my wife, it's hard to stomach. To top things off, we stopped at another area and had the exact same experience! Well, a little thirsty, we decided to hike back around the first half of the lake and consider it the equivalent of having hiked the entire lake! Afterwards, we were exhausted, so we got in the car and headed back to Meersburg for dinner.
For dinner, my wife had planned for us to eat at a restaurant overlooking the water that she and her family had enjoyed on their visit around 10 years ago - Gutsschänke. Unfortunately, it was full for dinner so we had to find another place. We had no trouble stumbling upon another place to eat outside, although without the water view - Alte Bank. This place was great and we enjoyed the food. Moreover, during our dinner a traveling group of craftsmen arrived, caught everyone's attention, and began telling their story and purpose. This was, of course, all in German and we had no idea what they were saying; however, we knew something was up because the other guests were nodding their heads and reaching for coins. Luckily, our dinner neighbors noted our confusion and explained to us what was happening. These men were carpenters who finished their apprenticeship and were now tasked with traveling for 3 years, never going within 50 km of their homes. They were there to collect money as they continued their journey. It was a memorable experience, and they were nice enough to take a photo with us (we also gave a donation!).
After dinner, we made it back to Gutsschanke and were able to get a table for dessert. We enjoyed our time eating dessert and taking in the view as the sun set, and then returned home to prepare for our next day!
Preparing to hike around ****ee
The traveling carpenters!
[A LOT] MORE TO COME!
Hello everyone!
After years of saving, planning, and, most importantly, garnering support from my amazing wife (I can already see her playfully teasing me for writing all of this), I am finally (or lucky to be) able to buy that amazing car - the F80 M3! Along with reaching out to board sponsors and other CAs recommended on this site, who are all very worth contacting for their polite, no-games approach, I was able to negotiate the best terms I could find with a local dealer in Charlotte who has ED experience :thumbup:. Now, being built on the week of August 8th is my very own F80 M3 in SOII with Black Extended Leather, DCT, Executive Package, and Black 437 M Wheels.
THE PLAN
I am scheduled to take delivery in Munich on August 24th, and I have enjoyed reading, learning from, and living vicariously through all of the ED journals on this site. I can only hope this thread evolves into something resembling any one of those. In any case, because I am obviously not yet able to share my ED experience, I thought I would start with my plans - which I have been shaping and reshaping for a couple of months now, and which are finally to the point where I think they are worth sharing. So, here goes nothing!
My wife and I will begin our journey on August 22nd. We are taking a business class flight from Charlotte, NC to Chicago, then Chicago to Heathrow, and finally from Heathrow to Munich. We feel business class is a must, because we will be flying overnight, and we need seats that we can sleep in. This way, we can hopefully defeat jet lag and enjoy Munich from the day we arrive, August 23rd! From there, our planned itinerary is as follows:
Day 1; August 23; Munich
After arriving in Munich around noon, the plan is to use the complimentary Sixt service to travel from the airport to our first hotel, the Leonardo Royal Hotel. We chose this hotel due to its proximity to the Welt and its multiple recommendations from other festers. We plan on exploring some popular spots in Munich this day, although plans are being left open to account for how we feel after the flight.
Day 2; August 24; Munich -> Meersburg
This is my delivery day! Check in is at 8:20 am, and delivery is at 9:50 am. We will walk to and have breakfast at the Welt before taking delivery. After delivery, depending on whether we already did this on the 23rd, we will tour the BMW Museum. We have the factor tour scheduled for 11:45, and we will try and have an early lunch beforehand in the premium lounge. Afterwards, our plans take us to Meersburg, a beautiful town on Lake Constance where my wife's family has traveled before and has highly recommended. On our way to Meersburg, however, we will visit and tour Neuschwanstein Castle (tickets will be pre-booked) and Hohenschwangau Castle. Depending on timing, we may also stop in Fussen and explore that area as well. In any case, after arriving in Meersburg we will check into our second hotel, Gasthof sum Baren. My wife's family stayed here during their trip, and it looks amazing. We will see what we can do in Meersburg with any time we have left in the day.
Day 3; August 25; Meersburg -> Triberg (day trip)
We will be staying in Meersburg for three nights and taking day trips from there. Our first day trip takes us to Triberg, the Black Forest, and Lake Titisee. We plan to spend the day exploring these areas and returning to Meersburg at night.
Day 4; August 26; Meersburg -> Tubingen (day trip)
This day still needs some fine tuning, but after our second night in Meersburg, we will take our second day trip to Tubingen, stopping along the way at Lichtenstein Castle. Depending on how long we stay in Tubingen, we may return to Meersburg that day and explore the town, including the Stilthouse Museum.
Day 5; August 27; Meersburg -> Wasserauen (day trip) -> Lindau
After our last night in Meersburg, it's off to Wasserauen, Switzerland, for a day of hiking in the beautiful Appenzellerland area. We will park in Wasserauen at the cable car that will take us to Ebenalp. From there, we are hiking on this general route: Berggasthaus Aescher > Schafler > Seealpsee > Wasserauen. After returning to the car, we will drive to Lindau, an island on Lake Constance, to stay the night at Hotel Garni Reulein (and to cut time off of our next trip).
Day 6; August 28; Lindau -> Salzburg
After breakfast in Lindau, we will travel to Salzburg, Austria. We plan to spend two days here exploring all of the popular Sound of Music spots and anything else we desire. As important, we are extremely excited about the B&B we are staying at: Die Haslachmühle. If any festers have any experience here, we would love to hear it. It comes highly recommended.
Day 7; August 29; Salzburg
Today we will plan to continue exploring Salzburg! Depending on timing, we will try and take a day trip to Hallstatt.
Day 8; August 30; Salzburg -> Berchtesgaden (day trip) -> Munich
On our final day :bawling:, we will leave Salzburg and explore Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's Nest. Following that, we will continue on to Munich and, depending on the time we have, explore anything we missed the first day. Our final night will be spent at Hotel im Hof, within walking distance of the Marienplatz and other hot spots (originally, this was going to be Hotel Uhland, but I was uncomfortable reserving my booking with credit card information via email or fax where it could be viewed/stored by anybody - they did mention they are working on an online booking option). If there is time, we will wash the car in preparation for drop off the next day.
Day 9; August 31; Munich -> USA
Our flight today will leave at noon, so we will have breakfast, wash the car if needed, and drop it off near the airport. A sad day indeed, but now it will be time to look forward to redelivery in the US!
That's the general idea . This will be my first time in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. If you all have any thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations, I would love to read them!
Did I mention my wife is amazing?!
THE EXECUTION
So we are back from our amazing ED adventure! The information and advice we received from this forum and its members was also invaluable to our trip's success, so a big thanks to everyone who has posted! After this experience, I (and my wife) are convinced, as many others have been, that the only way to buy your new BMW is through the ED program. Every minute was spectacular, and having our new car made every day on our vacation that much more enjoyable. I have done my best to capture the essence of our trip, below, but nothing can compare to the experience itself or the mark it leaves on you. Without further delay, here it goes!
(I am writing this piecemeal, so bear with me on delays - there are 8 days, in total, coming up!)
Day 1; August 22/23; USA -> Munich
Our first "day" was actually two, due to our flight between the Chicago and London going overnight. We were scheduled to fly from Charlotte to Chicago, Chicago to London, and, finally, London to Munich - a total flying time of about 10 hours. Despite the two layovers ahead of us and the total length of travel, we were really looking forward to the experience. Why? Because this was the first time we were flying business class and, having been in coach our entire lives, were excited for the upgrade!
We arrived at the airport in CLT around noon for our 2 pm flight. The flight time was actually very convenient, because it allowed us some flexibility to prepare for the flights the day of. We had a minor hiccup and check-in because the kiosk would not read my passport, and we had to wait in the customer service line for about 45 minutes to be helped. Fortunately, after that everything at the airport went very smoothly. The flight to Chicago was quick and effortless. The longest flight, from Chicago to London, was where business class really shined! British Airways was our host for the flight, and the service we received was top notch and the 747 seats were great. Our anniversary is September 14th (3 years!), and we decided that, along with all the other reasons for the trip, this would also be part of our anniversary celebration. This got us some extra special treatment on the flight to London - in the form of first-class's champagne! As some advice, be sure you over-photograph your trip - even the smallest memories are fun to look back on, and my wife did an awesome job of documenting everything. We ended up using our phones for most of the photos because of their ease of use and because my DSLR became a burden during all of the hiking!
The documentation begins immediately upon our arrival at the airport!
We enjoyed the complimentary food and drinks at the business class lounge, a first for both of us!
Loving our business class seats - and endless drink menu - in 19A and 19B of the Boeing 747.
We enjoyed the complimentary food and drinks at the business class lounge, a first for both of us!
Loving our business class seats - and endless drink menu - in 19A and 19B of the Boeing 747.
We finally landed in Munich around noon. Munich is six hours ahead of EST, so in EST time we had been traveling from noon on the 22nd to 6am on the 23rd, about 18 hours and, despite the fully reclining seats, did not get much sleep on the plane. Nonetheless, we were too excited to miss a whole day in Munich! After getting our bags, we were greeted at the airport by our Sixt driver who would take us to our first hotel, the Leonardo Royal Hotel - which is located one stop U-Bahn stop from the Welt and about 5 U-bahn stops from Odeonsplatz in downtown Munich. We hopped in his 7 series and took off toward our first destination. For those who do not know, ED participants can schedule one complimentary Sixt driver service, and most people use it to either get to their hotel from the airport or get to the Welt from their hotel. If you want to use Sixt to get from the airport to your hotel, all you need to do is email them with your flight information, production number, and mobile phone number, and they will be there to pick you up when you arrive! This service was some serious stress relief for us, because once we landed we had no need to worry about how we would get to our next destination, and after we made it to the hotel we could easily use the U-Bahn to get around. After checking in, we went straight to the U-Bahn station near our hotel - Oberwiesenfeld. Buying tickets was easy with a credit card (be sure to set up a pin for your card, which is required at a lot of these types of payment stations in Germany), but the pricing was a little confusing for us not used to this form of public transportation. The stations are located in certain "zones," each with a color. The ticket you have to purchase depends on (1) the number of stops and (2) whether you are going through multiple zones. Fortunately, all of our travel was in a single zone, so we only had to determine ticket price based on the number of stops - one zone with four or less stops is the cheapest ticket, and one zone with more than four stops is the next best option we found. In any case, after you buy your ticket be sure to get it stamped at the automated kiosk, which was "tickets" and is usually near the stairs down to the train. We were never checked for tickets, but I have read there is a flat 40 Euro fine for not having the proper, stamped ticket!
Our Hotel - the only the entire trip that had A/C!
Our first time using the U-Bahn system, and boarding at Oberwiesenfeld near the hotel.
Our first time using the U-Bahn system, and boarding at Oberwiesenfeld near the hotel.
When we arrived in Odeonsplatz a few stops later, we immediately began exploring all of the places I had listed on the itinerary. I did not expect to be able to hit them all in just half of a day, but we did! That luck allowed us some added flexibility on our last day of vacation (which was also in Munich). Here is generally where we went:
1. Odeonsplat: Here, we exited the U-Bahn station and fully realized we were on this great adventure.
2. Marienplatz: Here, we gawked at the Neues Rathaus and the glockenspiel, along with other great architecture. Right around the corner was St. Peter's Church, our next destination.
3. St. Peter's Church: Here, we paid the 6 euro fee to climb the tower, which has some of the best views Munich has to offer. The climb is approximately 300 steps, and is a little challenging but totally worth it. The area up top is tight, so prepare to be patient waiting as others are taking photos and enjoying the view too.
4. Viktualienmarkt: One of the "must see places" in most guide books, this area is a large outdoor market with a spectacular shaded beer garden. Here is where we got our first taste of German beer and the really face-paced and interesting way beer is ordered in these areas.
5. Englischer Garten: A beautiful area covering a number of acres where you can watch people surfing on the river running through it. This place also has its own beer garden, and there were a number of young adults around - along with ourselves - enjoying the sun and the water.
6. Hofbrauhaus: Another must see place, although for us it was not as exciting or interesting as it had been hyped up to be. The Viktualienmarkt and its beer garden felt much more authentic and fun. Nonetheless, we enjoyed beers together here and took it all in.
7. Sendlinger Tor: Not a major stop, but a good place for a photo op and near Asam Church as well.
8. Asam Church: Another of the less popular places to visit, but beautiful nonetheless.
We probably stumbled upon a handful of other places not on the itinerary during our tour, but those were the most notable ones that I recall! After a lot of walking, we had worked up quite an appetite. We stumbled upon a cool restaurant, the Kleinschmecker, just south of the Marienplatz. The food was unique and really tasty, and we were lucky enough to meet the young, enthusiastic owner. Afterwards, it was pretty late and with an 8:30 check-in time at the Welt the following morning, we decided to head back to the hotel and rest up for the exciting delivery day to come!
The popular attraction Neues Rathaus in the Marienplatz.
This is a great example of the blue signs identifying the various U-Bahn stations.
The fantastic view from St. Peter's church - the scene behind us was also nice
The Viktualienmarkt
Enjoying our first beers in Germany at the Viktualienmarkt beer garden!
A bird in the tree above decided to leave a present on my back, although the local couple sitting beside us said it was good luck. Based on how great the trip was, I would agree!
We stumbled upon a park and my wife had to conquer this rope tower before we continued on!
Our first dinner in Germany, at the Kleinschmecker.
Day 2; August 24; Munich -> Meersburg
Wow! That was only the first day, and there was so much more to come. Unlike some of my fellow ED'ers, I slept like a baby the night before delivery day, although that was likely due to having been up for 30+ hours. On the other hand, just like my fellow ED'ers, I woke up full of excitement! Our check in time was 8:20 and delivery was scheduled for 9:50. Due to some trouble choosing outfits (we had planned to dress up, then decided against it and went comfortable/casual), we arrive a little later than planned - around 8:40. Nonetheless, it didn't seem to matter, and we were greeted warmly by the ED lounge representative, who took us back to her desk and spent about 15 minutes with us filling out paperwork. Moreover, they said if we wanted, we could take delivery early at 9:10 - and of course we agreed! As we headed to the lounge buffet for a quick breakfast, I was lucky enough to catch my car being pulled up to the delivery spot right at the bottom of the stairs. This was when it really hit me that today I was getting the car, and I could not stop smiling. At 9:10 we met our delivery specialist, Tobias, and took delivery, an experience that was very special and one of the highlights of the trip. Everything was perfect. I even got Tobias to take a photo of us that I had been planning for sometime - a recreation of one of my favorite photos from our wedding day!
Been planning this photo for a long time!
After delivery, we had about 1.5 hours to kill, so we valeted the car and sauntered on over to the museum. On the way, we met a nice couple and asked them to take our photo. We found out later that we had met Nati, a fellow forum member who I had planned to meet at the factor tour later that day! The museum was interesting, but nothing compared to the factory tour. Definitely worth the two hours. After the tour, we rushed to get the car and to drive to Neuschwanstein - we had a tour appointment in less than two hours. Unfortunately, I was under the impression we could drive up closer to the castle, but DO NOT TRY THIS! You will awkwardly be driving through crowds of people only to be turned around shortly thereafter by a guard. Instead, you need to park near the bottom of the hill up to the castle in town - which is where the ticket office is anyway - and hike 20-30 min up the hill to the castle. Due to this unforeseen circumstance, we were not going to make our pre-booked tour. We quickly made it through the pre-booked ticket line, however, and were able to book the last tour of the day - at 6:30. This was a blessing in disguise, because it allowed us time to have lunch - which we had not had time to eat yet - partway up the hill. The castle was really cool, and the tour was worth it but not as long or in-depth as I thought it would be. Afterward, we hiked around behind the castle to a bridge with beautiful views, I believe it's called Mary's Bridge. This is by far one of the best spots to see the castle and great views below. If you can, I would advise going here before noon because by the time we arrived in the evening, the sun was behind the castle and it washed out our photos. After getting our fill of the Castle and surrounding countryside, we proceeded on to our next destination, Meersburg, where we would spend the next two days! It was pretty late, we hadn't had dinner, and we arrived in Meersburg around 10:00 pm. We hastily searched for an open restaurant and found what I think was probably the last restaurant open in the area (failed to document the name). It turned out to be great, and we were happy to have some food and a beer after the long day!
The classic photo spot (I think - we didn't bring a good reference!)
Day 3; August 25; Meersburg -> Triberg (day trip)
While in Meersburg, we stayed at the Gasthof zum Baren, where my wife and her family had stayed around 10 years ago on their trip to Germany. I would definitely recommend this place if you decide to stay on the Bodensee during your travels! For day 1 in Meersburg, we planned a day trip to Triberg and Titisee. There are some pretty great driving roads in this area, and for those of us who didn't have time to hit the Alpenstrasse (this guy!), it was a great alternative. Triberg is a fun little town known for its cuckoo clocks and waterfalls. We got there pretty early and had no trouble parking in the 3 large lots they have for visitors. The weather, as with almost every day on our trip, was perfect!
The Gasthof zum Baren in Meersburg - Amazing!
House of 1000 Clocks in Triberg
Views for days. My wife, who works in the renewables industry, loved seeing all of the solar and wind farms - including the one in the background of this photo!
We really enjoyed stopped and taking in the views at this field on the way to Titisee - although my ankle brushed some stinging nettles and that was not pleasant!
House of 1000 Clocks in Triberg
Views for days. My wife, who works in the renewables industry, loved seeing all of the solar and wind farms - including the one in the background of this photo!
We really enjoyed stopped and taking in the views at this field on the way to Titisee - although my ankle brushed some stinging nettles and that was not pleasant!
After Triberg, we drove to Titisee - a drive that was very rewarding and highly recommended for its winding roads and nice views! Once we arrived, we started a hike around the lake, with the goal of hiking the entire thing. Unfortunately, when we made it about halfway around, we had trouble finding a trail around the second half. We asked someone at the nearby campground for help, and she confirmed what we feared, there was no true way to hike around. We had run low on water by this time and purchased some more from the campground; however, despite our best efforts to confirm that it was "sans gas", we received carbonated water which is the standard in Germany, but to me, and especially my wife, it's hard to stomach. To top things off, we stopped at another area and had the exact same experience! Well, a little thirsty, we decided to hike back around the first half of the lake and consider it the equivalent of having hiked the entire lake! Afterwards, we were exhausted, so we got in the car and headed back to Meersburg for dinner.
For dinner, my wife had planned for us to eat at a restaurant overlooking the water that she and her family had enjoyed on their visit around 10 years ago - Gutsschänke. Unfortunately, it was full for dinner so we had to find another place. We had no trouble stumbling upon another place to eat outside, although without the water view - Alte Bank. This place was great and we enjoyed the food. Moreover, during our dinner a traveling group of craftsmen arrived, caught everyone's attention, and began telling their story and purpose. This was, of course, all in German and we had no idea what they were saying; however, we knew something was up because the other guests were nodding their heads and reaching for coins. Luckily, our dinner neighbors noted our confusion and explained to us what was happening. These men were carpenters who finished their apprenticeship and were now tasked with traveling for 3 years, never going within 50 km of their homes. They were there to collect money as they continued their journey. It was a memorable experience, and they were nice enough to take a photo with us (we also gave a donation!).
After dinner, we made it back to Gutsschanke and were able to get a table for dessert. We enjoyed our time eating dessert and taking in the view as the sun set, and then returned home to prepare for our next day!
Preparing to hike around ****ee
The traveling carpenters!
[A LOT] MORE TO COME!