Munich

After reading so many great stories about tropical places and amazing hometowns of amazing people, I think it is about time to write about my own hometown. It is not tropical or magical, I must admit, but hey, we got the mountains next door.

The town I grew up in is Munich, and I left when I was 22 years old. I left for adventure, with friends, just getting out of the city to explore the good old royal country and of course to learn the language properly. England.

I got stuck here but I have a good life. I am building my own memories, my own family. I don’t regret leaving but I miss my home sincerely and you are about to find out why. Also, the fact that the borders are closed, and I am not even able to visit my amazing home doesn’t make it any easier.

My heart lies within the memories of the past and call it what you want, for the first time in my life, after 6 years I am more than just homesick.

Feeling like this makes me think of what I cherish, what I miss the most and what gives me hope.

It is not infrastructure what makes a home. It is not trains, tubes, streets and houses what give memories.

The town is not the place which made me who I am today, but the people who raised me and I dedicate this story to. The people who made me who I am today. Home is the people I thank my life to and I owe so much.

Home is where the best people are, my parents.

I grew up as a happy child and it has been, and it always will be “the three musketeers”.

I went through the typical teenage years which drove my parents crazy.

As my body grew older, friends and boyfriends had come and gone. I thought a broken heart can only come from broken relationships with boys. How unwise I had been.

I now realise, a heartache can come from parts simply not being together which is called being homesick.

The two parts, my parents and I are not together, and my heart is throbbing, it is aching.

As technology bloomed, memories started to manifest themselves with pictures taken on smartphones, which thankfully gives me the possibility to show you more.

I remember the warm summer nights when we went to the typical Munich beer gardens. We only went to places on bicycles. There is really no point driving a car through the heart of this city.

In a hot summer the city was pulsing, holding the heat within the pavements tar while thousands of people made memories just as I did.

Did you know the beer garden “Hirschgarten” is the largest in the world? It has seating for over 8000 people and dates back to 1791.

By the way, the fact about German beer what makes it so darn tasty is that it is brewed according to a law called “Reinheitsgebot” which permits only water, hops, yeast, and malt as ingredients. Crazy right?

The day after

It is common for the beer not giving a hangover, which is greatly celebrated by the Germans taking a walk in the amazing “English garden” or like us two, going for 6 mile run or any other adventure.

My father is a very stubborn person and still declines that the below picture had been taken when he was right in the middle of his midlife crisis. It still makes me laugh from time to time, but I couldn’t be more grateful for finding this picture.

Happy Birthday Dad

The warm summer nights were celebrated on the popular wine festival which is happening once a year for two weeks towards the end of July and beginning of August.

Proper summers followed by proper winters

In Germany, when winter comes, it comes hard. Snow is hugging the ground softly like a white blanket, and after a day of hiking or sledging, all you need is your loved ones around and a cup of mulled wine.

I could upload an endless number of pictures. I could show you through my entire life, through the seasons, through the ups and the downs. There is so much more to see, but no wordcount could limit my memories and no picture could express what my parents had taught me, when they prepared me for life.

I have been taught not to be scared of standing up for myself, that I should not hesitate of being seen and should march along the beat of life.

I have been taught that I am more than capable of climbing obstacles to achieve everything I ever dreamt of.

I have been taught that no matter what happens they are always there for me without hesitation.

I have been taught that life is more than just money and fame, that it is about being kind and supportive.

I have come to the conclusion that home is where the best people are. And the best people happen to be in Munich.

Thank you for reading! :-)