Even though I had hardly any time in Munich thanks to my Lufthansa flight being delayed, I still managed to do a leisurely stroll in their Englisher gardens. Where did I find the time? Waking up in my hostel at 5 a.m. thanks to jetlag… 

The Englisher gardens is a massive city park for Munich, situated northeast of the city’s historical downtown district. It stretches for miles along the western bank of the city’s Isar river, but I only made it into the southern section. Still, this was more than enough to appreciate some spectacularly deserted winter scenery and get a solid walk in. I started my walk at the Wombats City Hostel near the HBF main railway station, so I had awhile to walk to get to the gardens. There was a path of parks and other green spaces that I was able to mostly follow on my way there, though. There were also quite a few historical buildings along my route. I’ve always wondered about how much efficiency some European cities lose by having a walk-only or compact “old town” in their downtown core, forcing the business district to be further from the city. But I certainly appreciate that these preservation efforts have left such a beautiful space for tourists and locals alike to revel in. 

For the most part, the gardens are a vast open space. This meant that today, I was treading through fresh snow with no footsteps to guide me. That didn’t mean that there were no signs of civilization, though. In the middle of one field I found a hefty snowwoman that someone had probably built the day before. The grass uncovered near the snowwoman shows that the layer wasn’t actually that thick, so it’s possible that it didn’t take long to melt. Further along I got to what ended up being my favorite part of the gardens, a reflecting pool that was so calm that the snowy trees on the other shore were reflected perfectly. Every branch stood out, and the snow was even visible on them as a darker shadow. I spent several minutes there just marveling at how crisp the reflection of these barren trees was.

Further in, there were some manmade structures. One was a Greco-Roman style dome situated on a hill with a view of the old town and further into the park. For an outdoors structure, the colors still showed up very clearly and didn’t show much wear or tear from the harsh weather. If it was restored recently, then the workers did a pretty good job. Next was a structure that the gardens are more famous for, the “Chinese pavilion”. It’s a wooden, multi-tiered structure that looks like a pagoda top, and was built as part of hosting Munich’s 1972 summer Olympics. It was definitely a nice touch, but doesn’t hold a candle to the most stunning pagodas in Asia.

There was one last big surprise in the park, at the very eastern edge. A stream was set up that captured some of the flow from the Isar river, and here’s where things got creative. Somehow the current of the stream was bolstered into a fast moving current through a short section of the stream, and what I saw there really surprised me. A lone man in a swimsuit had a surfboard, and in the morning’s below freezing temperatures he was actually trying to catch the waves! I wondered if he was this bold only because he was good enough to stay dry atop his board. But this quickly proved to not be the case, as he fell in within a few seconds. I left to head back to my hostel, I sure hope he was able to dry off quickly after that!

If not for jetlag, I would’ve slept until waking up to catch the train to Neuschwenstein and missed these gardens completely. I’m really glad that jetlag worked the way it did, and allowed me to see how gorgeous these gardens were in a fresh coating of snow. Aside from the surfer, I didn’t see anyone else roaming around on my early morning expedition. The calmness of the reflecting pools and river scenery that I came across were perfect for relaxing, despite my early wakeup. It was a great reminder, too, of just how much a fresh coat of snow can completely transform a landscape and create a totally different experience. Residents of Munich sure are lucky to have such a dynamic, large open space within their city limits!