Many influencers visit Munich every year and capture the city through an array of videos, articles and photos. In order to gain some real insight into their creative work and to find out what they love so much about Munich, we have put together a questionnaire. This time: Thies Philipp Janknecht-Bühler, a blog author from Fellbach near Stuttgart.
How did you imagine Munich before your visit?
The first two things that popped into my head when I thought of Munich until then were Oktoberfest, Lederhosen (traditional Bavarian leather shorts) and the CSU (political party).
And what was it really like then?
I was pleasantly surprised by the large number of cyclists weaving in among the traffic, which is surely due to the fact that the roads have reached their limits and, therefore, the bicycle seems to be the faster means of transport in many places.
What did you like best?
Of course, as a person from Stuttgart, you can’t help but feel a little envious of the two Eisbach waves. We had a vote in Stuttgart at the beginning of 2018 whether to build something similar in our city, but unfortunately without success. That makes Munich a place where you can meet snowboarders, skaters and surfers with their boards on the subway. This is, of course, so super cool and far removed from the falsely bourgeois image the city has yet to shake off completely.
And the most interesting place?
Alte Utting (disused pleasure boat) near to Bahnwärter Thiel (techno club and alternative culture centre) and behind the Viehhof (quarter) is a truly unique place and its charm reminds a little bit of the Bar25 or the Katerholzig (nightclub) in Berlin. Who would have thought it: an old steamer on a disused railway bridge in the middle of the city? It is nice that Munich makes such a thing possible.
The most delicious food? The best drink?
As for the tastiest drink, definitely the Guatemuc (café) which can be found in Werksviertel Mitte (quarter) The rice-based drink “Horchata de Arroz” is a typical Central American drink, which is often enjoyed ice-cold in summer. Tastes more or less like rice pudding in drink form. Things are also particularly delicious in the vegetarian restaurant Prinz Myshkin. My go-to dish here: the Asian Fresh Salad. Especially on hot summer days, with tonnes of flavour and freshness to boot, all without any animal products.
And the most beautiful encounter?
As a passionate graffiti writer, it was impressive for me to see pictures of my idols like DaimSwet, Dare or potentially the most famous writer of Munich – Loomit. As style writers they have strongly influenced the European graffiti scene for over 30 years and were also responsible in part for arousing my interest in graffiti. It's nice that parts of their art are still preserved in some places.
The best moment?
Probably at the MUCA, the Museum of Urban Contemporary Art. There has been an Urban Art Gallery in Stuttgart since 2013, but the exhibits in Munich are really impressive. The façade alone, tagged with the word “Sword”, is a real eye-catcher. The subline of this piece of art asks the question “What came first: Word or Sword”.
What did you learn?
The best remedy against a fear of heights is high altitude air. The half-hour ride on the Ferris wheel at Werksviertel Mitte made my knees tremble a bit when climbing into the cabin, but at the zenith of the half-hour ride, my initial fear of heights had subsided and I was rewarded with a view of grazing sheep on one of the rooftop spaces nestled in Werksviertel Mitte, as well as a stunning view of the City of Munich itself.
What are you taking home with you?
A bit of envy, but that's just as well. Munich has much more to offer than I had initially thought. A strong urban pulse paired with great green spaces in the heart of the city. We have the Rosenstein Park in Stuttgart, but it can't quite hold a candle to the Englischer Garten (park), especially since we don't have the Eisbach or a river like the Isar with its clear water, which offers the people of Munich a nice source of refreshment in summer. There, the Neckar (river) is not so much there for bathing fun.
You can give a friend three tips for a trip to Munich – where do you choose to send them?
Start with a cool beer in the beer garden located at the Chinesischen Turm (Chinese Tower), then continue on to the Eisbachwelle (river wave) and watch the surfers pull off their majestic moves. If, like me, you have a soft spot for graffiti, street art or urban art, then get on your bike and cycle through Munich with the Street Art Bike Tour before taking in the MUCA afterwards.
What do you want to do on your next visit?
I would like to spend a day in Munich on a bike and leave the car behind.
And which photo did you like best yourself? Why was that?
Probably the Atle Utting on the bridge. That's quite an unusual sight.
Your personal tip for the perfect holiday photo?
Find the right time of day for the perfect light. Many pictures only fully release their magic with the right light. Sometimes it is worth setting the alarm clock to shortly after 4 am to catch the first rays of sun in summer. One nice side effect is that you seem to have the world to yourself, even if just for a small moment.
Your three golden travel tips?
1. Even if it may sound a bit trite. Walk off the path. Travelling always means discovering and expanding your own horizon. Look for places among your travel destinations that are perhaps a little more unknown. This can happen to you even in Munich, where you can discover the city from an entirely different perspective.
2. Have a camera with you and be sure to capture the beautiful moments of your life. Often, a mobile phone camera does a good job of this. The best camera is always the one you have with you.
3. Try to avoid the high season so that you experience the destination with a little more privacy. More often than not, tourism destroys the magic of a destination.
Finally: What do you think the people of Munich understand by the Bavarian term Diri Dari? Do you have any ideas?
If I didn't google this one now, I'd be totally lost and would probably never associate this dialect with currency.
Who are you and what do you do?
Thanks to my wife Mia Bühler I came to the uberding blog, which I have been helping to create since 2011. What once was music as one of the key expressions of creativity for me has now been largely taken up by photography and videography. To continuously reinvent myself and to keep my finger on the pulse of time helps me best to keep the ageing process in check.
Where do you get inspiration for your work?
From everything that grabs my attention. No matter whether it’s visual or acoustic. I like it when things you find off the beaten track develop their own dynamic and thus create something new and unprecedented.
What is the biggest challenge in your job?
To stay entertaining and to give added value to the readers with the stories on our blog or magazine and, at best, to inspire them.
Thank you, Thies Janknecht!
