Travel Tip: Talking with strangers on your trips
Published Monday, February 19th 2024
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This is as much as recommendation of interaction as it is the fantastic atmosphere, food and drink at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. First of all its world famous and second is the sheer size is awe inspiring. We arrived in Munich a day early before heading to Regensburg for a Viking Romantic Danube cruise. This was a no-brainer even if its a massive tourist trap. But its well worth the visit. Its bar none the largest restaurant I've ever been in. The first floor must hold a thousand people and there is also a second and third floor. When you go in, you see rows and rows and rows of long wooden tables, each one capable of seating at least 20 people. We were told to seat ourselves. We happened to sit ourselves near the ooompa oompa band which played the entire time.
The menu was vast but we decided to split a Schweinshaxe which was fall off the bone tender and juicy. My wife got her usual Riesling while I got Hefeweizen in a large boot. I'm not a big drinker, but when in Munich and all that jazz.
But this next part is a bit of advice on interacting with strangers. My wife and I were discussing how much better wine and beer are in Europe because they don't put phosphates in them like they have when imported to America. There was a couple sitting a couple spaces from us at our table and I simply asked if they noticed the difference. They asked where we were from, The Chicago area, and they were too. So that sparked further conversation. They were on a delayed honeymoon and were telling us all the places they've been so far which was over a month in Europe. This was their last stop. The husband invited me to do some Jaegermeister shots much to the chagrin of his wife. But the next part is where everything paid off. I mentioned hockey and the Chicago Blackhawks including my favorite player of all time, Keith Magnuson. It turns out the husband worked for the AHL Chicago Wolves which is the minor league for the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. They just moved from Chicago to Vegas for his promotion. They said Keith Magunson is revered in Vegas because he played there. The next thing you know, they invited us to see the Stanley Cup because it was his turn to have it. They were bringing it to a local bar in Chicago which was going to happen a few days after we were to get back home from our river cruise. The wives exchanged info and then we went our separate ways. My wife and I weren't sure if they would remember see how they were both really drunk. But a day after we got home, my wife received a text inviting us to see the Cup. When we walked into the patio of the bar where they were hosting the Cup, they recognized us, gave us hugs and walked us to the Cup where we got pictures touching it. But it gets one better, as we were leaving we went to say goodbye and there was a long line for people to drink beer from the Cup. The husband saw me and dragged me ahead of everyone and poured a full beer in the Cup and I got down on one knee and drank the whole beer from the Cup. In my wildest dreams and in a bucket list I never thought I's see the Cup, touch the Cup, let alone drink from the Cup.
All because I interacted with strangers at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. It never hurts to start a conversation with strangers when traveling. You never know where it will lead.
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