The morning of the third day, many members of the 2019 Cohort set off on the infamous and interesting 2-hour walking tour of Munich (duration = 4 hours). Michael, of course, was our guide. We began at the Deutsches Theatermuseaum (outside) and headed off to the Diana Temple, the other side of which took the Cohort into the "old town" through the Englicher Garten (the large English Garden Park within Munich). Points of note: The river surfing on the Eisb...

After the very informative tours of BMW and GE Additives, the 2019 Cohort had the evening free. Coincidently, Fruehingsfest (Spring Fest) was happening on the traditional Octoberfest grounds. Fruehingsfest is the second, and smaller, beer festival in Bavaria. It is one of the spring fests celebrated throughout Europe. It consists of two large beer tents, rides, games, and local cuisine. Many of the Cohort spent the evening sampling what Fruehlingsfest had ...

In the afternoon, the 2019 Cohort traveled to Garching, Germany to visit the GE Additive facility. Our itinerary listed this visit as "global player competing in the highly innovative German market"; however that was an understatement. GE Additives is doing more than competing, they are collaborating and fostering innovation and creativity. GE Additives is a division of General Electric, an American Corporation that has been around for 100 years and is wid...

Bright and early, the 2019 Cohort boarded a bus to visit the BMW headquarters and main manufacturing plant. This time the tour guide on the bus was Michael's sister, Brigitte. Brigitte happily pointed out sites along the way that her brother did not get to during the bus tour the day before ("Yippie, yippie, yippie!"). The tour of the BMW facility began with a free-range walk through of the public showroom and retail store, then a 2-hour tour of the multi-...

The first full day in Munich winds down with a welcome dinner at Hofbrauhaus, a Munich mainstay since the 16h Century. The 2019 Cohort dined on the second floor in an auditorium room with an infamous history (Hitler gave his first speech in this very room). For entertainment, an "Oomp-pa-pa Band" (as Michael calls it) regaled us with live, traditional Bavarian music, including whip cracking. Whip cracking you ask? Whip cracking is used as an instrument in...