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of monopolizing Germany's waterways, it makes artisanal lederhosen. This isn't the stu you can nd in every tourist shop in Germany for $200 a pop, either. It's the real, custom, hand-stitched item that will put you on a year-long waitlist. Apparently, the leather is a good choice in the mercu- rial Bavarian climate and isn't only worn during Oktoberfest. (Though if you don't sport a pair in Germany then, you're not even a tourist; you're like an alien or something.) The latter is Germany's old- est distillery, open since 1692. Grassl doesn't use any aromas or perfumes for its schnapps, either; they're all-natural, to the point that many of the shop's specialty products are still made up in the mountain ranges and barrel-aged for three years. Berchtesgaden has also cornered the market on a certain Olympic sport with a massive luge/bobsled track that German athletes ˆock to in all seasons. It seems like a perfect little paradise, but as with all such places, our time here is too short. KEEP MUNICH WEIRD After another bus ride through the mountains, we arrive in the capital of the state of Bavaria. Spotless Munich is one of the richest areas of Europe, but there are some eccentricities amid the beautiful buildings that shape the city centre. Perhaps chief among them is the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, basically a huge merry-go- round, attached to New Town Hall. At 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. (and at noon in the summer), bells chime and gurines rotate, playing out scenes from German history. To Munich residents, it must be as trivial as Gastown's steam clock is to Vancou- verites, but there's always a swarm of people waiting to see what the gures will do this time. (The smart money is on them moving in a slow, circular fashion.) There are other pockets of weirdness. A Michael Jackson memorial gets a signicant amount of play, and no one's sure why it's here. But the shrine is still nicely main- tained, with fresh ˆowers complementing the photos and news clippings. And although landlocked Munich is miles away from the nearest beach, it's known for its downtown surng. The Eisbach, a man-made river that runs for two kilometres through the city, is a hot spot for surfers who come from around the continent to ride the waves. It's also popular with tourists, oering plenty of prime viewpoints for watch- ing those brave enough strut their stu. Munich is a collision between old and new, as the state capital grapples not just with its past but with the changes that modernization brings. Many antique struc- tures stand tall, while new shops and fancy hotels increas- ingly surround them. One thing that hopefully will never change in this town? The beer. Augustiner-Bräu has been marrying water, malt and hops for 670 years, and when I step through the heavy doors to the brewery's accompanying restaurant, I'm transported to a simpler time. There are no big- screen TVs, and all the tables are long, not so much encour- aging interaction with fellow customers as demanding it. The attitudes are from another era, too, as a server takes my order of a lager and a weisswurst (white German sausage made with minced veal and back bacon) and jokes that the table of women sitting nearby, dressed in traditional German dirndl skirts, could help me cut it. Once I carve through the skin (on my own, thanks very much), it's delicious. As for the beer: centuries later, the stu holds up. Light and refreshing, yet packed with a complex aftertaste, it makes for one of those moments that screams, "How do I stay here?" The writer received travel help from Lufthansa and Kempinski Hotels, neither of which reviewed this article before publication ( quality time ) LAST MAY, GERMAN AIRLINE LUFTHANSA launched its first direct flight from Vancouver to Munich, on an Airbus A350-900. Planes now leave daily, and passengers fly in style. The aircraft's curved wing means that it uses 25-percent less fuel than its competitors, with lower cabin pressure, too. Then there's the LED lighting system, which adjusts according to the time where the flight originated. Perhaps most surprising, the plane's economy class section has won awards and is actually an enjoyable place to be. As sweet as the ride in is, the destination–Munich Airport–might have it beat. YVR gobbles up accolades, but does it have a Little Italy section? Does it have replicas of local sports stadiums? Does a Porsche whisk first class passengers from the plane to the gate? Munich Airport is home to more than 50 restaurants, including Schuh- becks, run by Bavarian celebrity chef Alfons Schuhbeck. Yes, one is a McDon- ald's, but "even that's quite nice," according to an airport employee. –N.C. FLYING HIGH Bavaria may be rich in history, but Lufthansa and Munich Airport treat guests to the newest innovations in air travel might have it beat. YVR gobbles up accolades, but does it have a Little Italy section? Does it have replicas of local sports stadiums? Does a Porsche HANG ZEHN Munich's Eisbach river draws surfers from all over 66 BCBUSINESS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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