Sorry, Idsant, I left Friday morning early and didn't see your post until after I was there. I'm hoping you had fun in Berlin, though. Maybe next time in Munich!

I had a wonderful weekend. And have some news (at the bottom) on a couple Beer Gardens in Munich.

Friday I decided to take my time, so drove back roads to Munich. There are a few north of Ulm in the Schwabish part of Baden-Württemberg that my little car simply delights to play on, so we did that for a while, then I worked my way to Ingolstadt and picked up the Nürnberg-München Autobahn for the run South into Munich. Lots more hops growing along side the Autobahn than I remember from before -- must be more beer being made.

Down onto the flats and past the Alliance Arena (featured on "Design 360" on CNN recently but called the "toilet bowl" by many Münchners because of its color and appearance), then into Munich and the Renaissance. Checked in and determined that there was still time for a beer garden or two before dusk, but when I got to the first candidate, the rains had started, so the trip was converted into visiting a nearby Gasthaus and sampling their offerings while it rained outside.

Saturday the sky was a bit threatening, but nothing was coming down so I checked some of the beer gardens in the book (Die schönsten Biergärten in München und Umgebung) that were situated within walking distance of the Renaissance. There were some nice ones, but then I headed into the city to look around, and spent the rest of the day in various Gardens.

Sunday dawned beautiful and sunny, with only a few clouds in the sky. I love these days that look as though they were painted from the colors of the Bavarian flag! Again I went wandering, but by early afternoon I happened to be near Arnulfstrasse, so the Augustiner naturally captured me, and I spent the afternoon and early evening sitting under the chestnut trees, enjoying the slight breeze, and doing Krugs of Edelstoff. And I really had intended to see more Biergärten, and maybe pay a return visit to Tollwood, but there's something about the Augustiner . . .

Monday started out very nice again, but I was going to be driving that afternoon, so had to give intensive exploration of Biergärten a pass. I did get to one, though, before I left, and enjoyed a late brunch. Travel back was more direct, and more truck-laden, and before I got to Stuttgart the heavens really opened up. Even chestnut trees wouldn't have saved me from getting wet in that one!

The high spots of the report:

1. Further to the "Lederhosen and Bluetooth" image Munich is fostering recently, I am happy to report that we have a Wi-Fi Biergarten! The Franziskaner Garten, Number 15 in the Biergärten book, is one big Hot Spot! And of course, the Franziskaner itself (a wonderful Munich Weißbier) really hit the spot.

2. On the down side, one Biergarten that is highly recommended in the book, the Pschorr-Keller (Number 40 in the book) is apparently not in business any more? At least, it wasn't open; the garden itself was empty, even of tables; and I didn't see any signs indicating that the Wirte and family were on vacation. It is cozy, seating only 300, but it has a great location: It is on the Theresienhöhe, a knoll overlooking the site of the Oktoberfest, with Bavaria and her lion to your right and St. Paul's striking church on your left, and, of course, chestnut trees for shade. I wonder . . . if it's available for rent or purchase, that might be the perfect second career (those Biergärten mint money!). Let's see, work in Munich during the summer, then move down to Cape Town when it gets too cold to keep the Garden open, and return the next summer. Hmm . . . now if I could just keep myself from drinking up the profits, we might be onto something here.