Christkindlmarkts 2019...Day 5: Munich and the Krampus Run

We woke up on Sunday and were quite lazy before getting our day started.  We slept in, went to breakfast, and then I went for a six mile run around the park.  I was so late in getting started that the market in English Garter Park was already open.

Running by the market in Englischer Garten Park.  I knew we would be back here shortly for a day of gluhwein drinking!

After my run we got ready and made our way to the park.  We were both a little hungry and we knew that the Chinesischer Turm Christkindlmarkt would have plenty of options for lunch.  

I chose kase spaetzle, obviously.  It was so unbelievably good.  This is definitely my favorite thing to eat in Germany.  Ken ended up with some type of sausage and he also got to eat half of my spaetzle.

Chinesischer Turm Weihnachtsmarkt

I really enjoy the market at the Rindermarkt by our hotel, but this is definitely my overall favorite market.  It has a very local feel to it and is very family friendly.

We enjoyed some chocolate covered strawberries from this stahl.  I think chocolate covered strawberries are one of the greatest things in the world.

Chinesischer Turm Weihnachtsmarkt

There was a small moment where I ended up losing Ken at the market.  It is not as easy to find a tall guy in Germany as one would think!

Happy Christkindlmarkt goers looking for brats and gluhwein!

We said farewell to our favorite market and started walking back to the Marienplatz.  

We were excited on this day because of the second running of the Krampuses that happens the weekend before Christmas!  We were fortunate enough to see the larger Krampus run a few years ago and were excited to lay our eyes on Krampus again.  We double checked our map and knew that we could be near our beloved Christmas Pyramid and see Krampus.

On our way to the Rindermarkt to find gluhwein and wait for Krampus.  Munich is such a beautiful city and even more so when there are Christmas lights everywhere.

The Rindermakt stahls are beautiful and a little off of the beaten path.

I have my gluhwein and I am ready for Krampus!

The Christmas Pyramid was looking quite festive.

There's Krampus!

Krampus!

 A Krampus selfie

When you are popular with Krampus.  I am not entirely sure what is going on here.

Dusk in the Rindermarkt

After the Krampus Run, we decided to walk around for a while before deciding on stopping for dinner at Paulaner.  We both enjoyed a little schnitzel, which was delicious.  

On our walk back to the Marienplatz, we noticed my favorite spaetzle stand.  It used to be right by our hotel, but it was on the other side of the Marienplatz this year.  Yes, I really it is sad that I know the location of all of my favorite stahls.  This place serves some amazing spaetzle!

The Marienplatz at night

We walked back to the Rindermarkt and stopped off at this stahl for some gluhwein.  They sell red, white, and rose.  The rose became my favorite this year!

My beloved Christmas Pyramid in the dark.  

We stopped at watched an amazing street performer while we enjoyed our gluhwein.

The Christkindlmarkts close promptly at 8:00 pm on Sunday nights.  We were not quite ready for bed, so we stopped off at the Asian restaurant by our hotel for dumplings and wine.  It was a full Sunday that we both enjoyed.

Christmas in Germany: The Krampus Run...

While we were planning this trip, Ken came across an article about the Krampus Run that takes place in Munich every year.  We knew this was something that we absolutely had to see, so we planned our trip around making sure we were in Munich on this day.

A little history about Krampus:  He was created as a counterpart to Saint Nicholas.  Saint Nicholas would reward children with sweets while Krampus would swat wicked children and take them away.  I guess I am a wicked child at heart since I got swatted and taken away multiple times.  :)

The costumes were so elaborate and cost thousands of dollars.  Some of the people in the costumes had neck braces on so that they could have neck support while wearing the masks.  Now that is commitment, my friends.

I mentioned in my Munich post that we saw all of the Krampuses before the actual run began.  It was so loud and very cool to watch a sea of Krampuses walk by!

Pre-Krampus Run Krampuses

Once the actual run started, we were not sure what to think.  Almost immediately I had one walk up to me, take my stocking cap off, and rustle my hair.  I no sooner got my stocking cap back on before it happened again.  This was basically then theme for the entire run including a lot of swatting and taking of Keri away.  It was pretty funny.  All of the people around us were laughing at how popular I was with Krampus.  I will let the pictures and videos do most of the talking.

A little Bavarian whipping

The start of the Krampus Run and we had no idea what to expect for the remainder!

From my point of view

From Ken's point of view

Putting my stocking cap back on for about the 10th time.  They loved to come up and take it off and mess up my hair.

Krampus taking me away

A Krampus family selfie

Negotiating with Krampus

Each group had a leader with a sign that stated what area they were from.  Each area has a different idea as to what Krampus would look like.

Krampus and me

A little Saint Nicholas sprinkled in for a pallet cleanse.

Watching with delight.

Ken had to pee at some point so he walked over to the Augustiner.  During this time I ended up getting whipped by Krampus so many times.  I even had two of them take my stocking cap and play keep away.  I have no idea why I was so popular other than the fact that I do not take things too seriously and am not afraid of laughing and having fun.  Maybe Krampus can tell that I am easy going?  Either that or the Krampus are perverts.  Either way, this was so much fun and I know it would never fly in the States.

Me and my gluhwein mouth squealing with one of the scariest of all of the Krampuses.  He was terrifying and sure to give you nightmares.

They were taking off with me.  I guess I would be one of the kids they take away.

Say bye-bye to Keri!

There was a game of keep away taking place in there with my stocking cap.

I made friends with this Krampus and even impressed him with my telling him I did not speak German in German.  He began speaking English to me and told me they were bowing down for the other Krampuses in front of them.

We had so much fun during the Krampus Run!  We laughed and laughed during the run and afterwards when we talked about it.  I never could imagine that it would be so much fun, but it sure was.  This was my favorite thing from our entire trip.  I wish there was a way I could attend every year, but that whole 9 hour flight thing kind of gets in the way.  I hope you enjoyed watching the videos and pictures!  I have a ton more and it was hard to choose what to post.  Thank you so much to Ken for finding this and of course for taking me to Munich!

Christmas in Germany: Day 5...Munich...

We both woke up excited on Sunday!  We were going to spend the entire day in Munich.  In case it is not painfully clear, we LOVE Munich.  I ran and then we enjoyed breakfast at our hotel, complete with champagne.

We started our day walking to Englischer Garten Park,  We had visited the park on our last trip, complete with its biergarten, but this time the biergarten was turned into a Christmas Market!  The Chinesischer Turm Christkindlmarkt was such an amazing place.

Chinesischer Turm Christkindlmarkt

Shortly after arriving to the market, it began to snow.  Of course it did, right?  I seriously felt so special that all I had dreamed of was drinking gluhwein in the snow and here I was getting to do it for the third day in a row.

So very happy about the snow and the gluhwein, of course!

Enjoying my gluhwein like a boss

The market was even more festive with all of the snow falling

In the summer this area is full of chairs and tables for the biergarten

Ken enjoying his gluwein and the snow

This market was full of a lot of locals and had a ton of food choices.  I would definitely say that the food options outnumbered the other stalls at this market.  It smelled amazing.

I did order a crepe to enjoy while I chugged my gluhwein.  It was absolutely delicious.

On his way for a refill

A full cup of gluhwein and ready to shop!

Lots of different options at the Christmas Market!

St. Nicholas even arrived!  Which is a really good thing since we saw Krampus later.

A summary of our time at the Chinesischer Turm Chriskindlmarkt

Isn't the market beautiful?

Enjoying the Chinesischer Turm Christkindlmarkt!

We walked around, shopped, drank gluhwein and called it a day at the market.  It was snowing pretty hard and we had about a mile and a half walk back to our hotel.  I am not going to lie, this was the one time of the trip that I actually got cold.  

I might be smiling on the outside, but in reality I was freezing.  I was so cold that I stopped talking.  You all know that never happens.

We went back to our hotel and warmed up a bit.  I changed out my scarf and hat and we walked over to the Dallmayr for a little shopping.  One of my favorite things from our last trip was getting lunch at the Dallmayr and taking it to the park for a picnic.  Alas, it was clearly not the day for a picnic!

After we got our goodies we stumbled upon many Krampuses getting ready for the Krampus Run.  It was pretty entertaining watching them walk by and quite loud.

Getting ready for the Krampus Run

Watching them go by really did not give me any indication how they would behave during the actual run.  We were pretty excited to have gotten to see them before the official run. The Krampus Run was probably the most interesting and fun thing we did on this trip.

We dropped off our Dallmayr goodies at the hotel and went to get ready for the Krampus Run.  The Krampus Run was so unique that I feel that it deserves its very own post.  

A little pre-performance before the Krampus Run

One of the department stores by our hotel.  I thought it was so beautiful.  

One of my favorite areas by our hotel.

Ken was armed with gluhwein and ready for Krampus!

Krampus

I look terrified!

A sneak peek of the Krampus Run.  Apparently I was very naughty since Krampus took me away.

The Krampus Run was unlike anything we had ever experienced before.  It was so much fun!  We laughed and laughed.  Afterwards, we went into the Augustiner for some drinks ad then to the Residenz for the Christmas Market.

Inside the Residenz Market

I absolutely love the Christmas Pyramid

Cheers!

We grabbed some dinner at the market.  Ken had some sort of sausage and I had a pizza thing.  Both items were delicious!  

Workers serving up gluhwein

The blue and green lights added to the ambiance of the market

Having such a fun time at the Residenz Chriskindlmarkt

As we were leaving the market, All I want for Christmas is you came on overhead.  Obviously I started singing and dancing.  Ken was so proud.

We walked back to old town and decided that we should stop of at the Hofbrauhaus to finish off the day.  I have to admit, this place is a lot less busy on a Sunday night in December.  

The biggest smile out of this guy all day.

Enjoying my white wine

Ken's model pose

The Hofbrauhaus

Clearly we have been drinking all day when pictures like this get taken.

We left Hofbrauhaus and walked back to our hotel through the Marienplatz.  The market stalls were closed, but the Christmas cheer was still abundant.  

Me in the Marienplatz

We got back to our hotel and talked and talked about our day.  We had so much fun.  I cannot even put into words how amazing of a day we had.  I did not want the day to end, that is how wonderful it was.  I will never forget this day in Munich and I will always smile thinking about Munich at Christmas time.