Later in the morning I hit the hotel's fitness center. I didn't push myself too hard 'cause I didn't want to be exhausted in the afternoon at the fußball match.
I checked out of the hotel at noon and hung out in the lobby, reading. At 1 PM I turned my luggage over to the hotel so they could put in the office while I was at the game. I was pretty impressed that they gave me a number.
The game didn't start until 3:30 PM, but I'm glad I left two-and-a-half hours early. Even though it's a short walk from the hotel to the stadium, Dortmund in their wisdom forces non-Germans to stand in one of three lines to pick up their tickets:
I stood in line for at least a half-hour, maybe as long as 45 minutes. My lower back was killing me! Not sure why they can't be like Berlin's fußball team and let you print the tix at home.
Around 2 PM I picked up a bratwurst and a Coke from two different outside vendors, since food and beverage carts are separate.
Getting into the stadium was a lot less of a hassle than picking up my ticket. It was close to 75 degrees. I was feeling a little dehydrated. Oddly, none of the inside vendors sell regular water or Lipton iced tea. It's all bubbly with seltzer water and the like. What's that noise all about?
The stadium's seats are separated into two tiers, with the upper one holding about a third of the fans. I was in row two of the upper level:
I was on the same side as the players benches and the camera crew:
And here's a pic of the Yellow Wall, Dortmund's supporters:
Another one of them from the beginning of the second half:
And one final pic of the action:
The match was cool 'cause they won 3-0. The first goal was struck in the first half by Pulisic and was simply amazing. And it was pretty funny with the 50-something guy sitting in front of me. A few times he gave the finger to the visiting team's supporting section to our right.
After picking up my luggage at the hotel I eventually hopped on a light rail to the train station. Three of 'em went by before there was room for me and my luggage . . . they were packed with Dortmund fans.
My train to Munich wasn't until 8:58 PM, so I had plenty of time to kill. For dinner I had some sort of breaded schnitzel sandwich and a Lipton iced tea.
As I expected, the nine-hour trip to Munich was torture. I tried to sleep, but it was tough because they didn't dim the lights, the seat only leaned back so far, and it was chillier than the Alps in winter. I did nod off, but didn't really get any REM sleep.
The train pulled into Munich at 6 AM. I grabbed a cab. The driver didn't know where the hotel was at first, which made me anxious, but after calling in dispatch, he found out it's a new hotel. It cost 20 euros and the hotel is way outside of inner Munich. It's in an odd spot. It's mostly a residential area around here, there's a light rail stop right out back of the hotel, and there's a supermarket next door.
I checked in, got a shower, and took a nap. My room is minimalist to the nth degree: no fridge and barely enough room to set luggage before bedroom area and the bathroom. I think I was spoiled in Dortmund and Vienna. The place here in Munich feels more like a dorm room and a hotel room.
Woke up around 10 AM. Went to the supermarket and bought a croissant and OJ.
I had some laundry to do. The kid at the reception desk, when I checked in, said there should be a laundromat one light-rail stop away at the Giesing stop. I lugged my luggage there but couldn't find anything buy a drop-off place, even after a few people. Maybe it's me, but the longer I'm here, the fewer people I find who speak English.
I hopped back on the light rail to the hotel. I got lunch at the supermarket (a turkey sandwich with cucumbers and other stuff on it, and a Dr. Pepper), then I did an Internet search for a laundromat. I had to go downtown by the main train station -- the same one I came in to last night. It's close to a 30-minute ride down there. Fortunately it's one trip, no transfers. When I got off I went out an obscure exit and walked around for about a half-hour until I found the laundromat.
The laundromat was weird. There's a central station that you put your money and press the number for whichever number your washer or dryer has. Fortunately the owner was nice and patient with my questions.
I got back to my hotel around six or so. There are two restaurants within walking distance, Greek and Italian. I went with the latter. Got lasagna. It was heavenly! It came in a dish with sauce and cheese. Followed it up with green tea.
Walking back to my hotel, it occurred to me that even though technically I'm in Munich, this area has the sleepy feel of a shore town before tourist season. Reminds me of Reykjavik, Iceland (not the downtown part) with how quiet it is and width of the streets and sidewalks.
Real quick: throughout Germany I've noticed bike lanes are between the pedestrian sidewalks and the street. I think I prefer how it's done in America 'cause you really have to watch where you're walking or you'll get that irritating ringing of the bell as the biker approaches.
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