The gray and rainy morning was brightened by our breakfast of cheeses sausages, breads, fruits and cereals. Our first stop for the day, as clouds began to dissipate, was Rothenburg. We walked into this walled city for a morning of strolling and shopping. Nancy, Pete and Andy climbed up to the catwalk along the inside of the city wall and walked part of the perimeter, overlooking the city and gardens. Then we shopped, buying Birkenstocks, ornaments and German lace. Andy went off on a solo walk and became momentarily lost but reoriented himself and made it back only a few minutes late. Bus followed the Romantic Road toward München (Munich), stopping at a small town along the way for McDonalds lunch. Bob and Andy ate there, Nancy and Pete walked into town and bought some fresh fruit instead and ate them while walking along a wooded trail just outside the town wall. Most shops, including the bakery, were closed for their lunch break!
Upon arriving in Munich, we were given a walking orientation tour of old downtown. The four of us then walked from Marianplatz up Kaufingerstrasse, the main shopping street now open only to pedestrians, to look for beer halls (we found a few!). We walked as far as Karlsplatz, then doubled back. We had beer at Augustiner Grossgastsatte, then walked over to the cathedral. From there, we walked back to the town hall for the 5 pm glockenspiel performance. Met Susan Weiner there, and she directed us to Viktualimmarkt, the food marketplace featuring a row of no less than 11 meat markets side by side! From there we walked over for a look at the famous Hofbrauhaus where most of the tour were having happy hour as part of their optional dinner (we couldn't see paying 40 Euro each for a Hofbrau beer followed by dinner). From there we walked back to the town hall for a fine dinner at the Ratkeller restaurant in its basement. Susan was hell bent on sauerbraten and got her wish. After dinner we talked over to the opera house then the 30-year war memorial before returning to Tal street near town hall to re-join the others for a bus ride to the Hilton. Pete was surprised to learn that the hotel bar served American Budweiser but not Czech Budweiser.