Ludwig-strasse is a long, wide boulevard that runs north east from Odeons-platz, past the state library and the university and beyond. On the weekend that I spent in Munich, a festival was held on this street, with the traffic closed off and the boardwalks lined with booths selling food, booze, crafts and ideas. These wide boulevards of Munich can sometimes feel rather deserted, and are a remnant of the monarchy days when the kings wanted to show off their grand capital. However, they are perfect for festivals and other events. This particular one was called Street Life Festival and was organized by the organization that Max is interning for. So, I had someone on the inside showing me around, and we had a great time, despite the rain.
Me, having a vegan döner (called kebab in Sweden, which apparently is wrong, according to the Indian man selling the döners) in front of the state library. It was something completely new to me, this concept o f a vegan döner – but it tasted great. I had several during my stay in Munich. It’s such a neat thing, stuffing a lot of good stuff into a hollow bead and then eating it. And it being meat free, well, that’s just awesome.
Ludwig-strasse, festive and wet. Despite the rain, there were quite a few people at the festival, and there were a lot of things to see. Eventually, we sat down in a beer tent and I had some real Bavarian beer. It was good. This trip has made me realize that beer actually can be good, and that the BESK stuff that you get on tap in general Swedish bar just the cheap thing you drink to get drunk. Well, turns out, at 25 I learn that I actually can enjoy beer.
The rain came in showers and the roof of the beer tent didn’t help against the water that blew in from the sides. In this constant dripping, a man with a bottle of Jägermeaster came by and offered us one shot each. Free of charge. It’s a German thing too, but this I cannot feign to like. Liquorice is one of my least favorite tastes, to be sure.
And even later, after discussing nationalistic tendencies in politics in Germany versus Sweden, veganism and the architecture of Munich, another random man approached me with a drink glass and just gave it to me, saying I deserved it. It was a mojito, and I like mojitos, so I finished it and after all that alcohol, I’m pretty tipsy and I suddenly got worried that maybe I was embarrasing myself in front of Max with all my jokes and talk of crazy club nights in San Francisco. But he just laughed and the rain had finally stopped falling and then we went back to his place.
I fell asleep on the couch around one in the morning, after a perfect day of the high and the low of Munich.
Katja Malmborg 