Toy Shopping Spree in Munich

On Thursday Armin took us into Munich as the children still had some birthday money to spend. I had told them to wait until Munich so we didn’t have to cart their treasures through the entire country.
Well, there is a toy shop here called ‘Obletter’ and it goes over two or three levels. It was bursting with people doing their pre Christmas shopping and the choice was mind boggling.

A huge choice of everything. I was impressed with their choice of board games and puzzles. Seemingly endless.

An enormous choice of soft toys and many of them German, like foxes, badgers, moles and squirrels. The famous brand ‘Steiff’ costs Euro 80 per squirrel…not quite sure who would buy that…

Ben and Nick looking down from the first floor. Next to the steps going down is a ladder, but perhaps because of the busy Christmas period the wooden slide was out of action with balls and toys placed on it so it couldn’t be used.

To Ben’s delight all ‘Playmobile’ had 20% off and he then managed to find an enormous box of a Playmobile boat that was reduced from Euro 50 to Euro 25. That size box in NZ would cost $180…so even if we end up posting it, he made a bargain. He found some other bits, too and Nick managed to spend all his money also.

Ben’s boat which he bought from his left over birthday money.

Tessa also spend up large…Euro 10! I must say though she got exactly what she wanted, which is a small puzzle made of foam that tests your 3D skills. It is a handy little device for in the train or at the train station. Quite good fun, although I haven’t actually managed to build a cube, yet.

Tessa’s 3D cube puzzle before it was assembled.

Armin was patience incarnate, taking about 40 minutes to walk down a stretch of pedestrian zone that would have otherwise taken him 5 minutes. There was so much to see and so many people to avoid running into. We managed to find yummy food again at the Christmas market stalls that are set up everywhere. We saw a shop selling ‘Dirndl dresses and Lederhosen’, the Bavarian traditional festive clothes (Trachten). Tessa quite fancied one of those dresses and Nick liked the traditional knife that is part of the guy’s Lederhosen with its own little pocket.
The Rathaus was impressive with the most enormous Christmas tree in front of it.

Das Rathaus in Munich.

Ben still really enjoys the S-Bahn ride home, which takes about 45 minutes from the city centre.

My patient cousin Armin watching over us exhausted shoppers.

This evening Esther arrived from pottery school and look what she made for me…

I love cups without handles and the elephants are too cute! Thank you Esther.

Good night
Tanja
xx