They dance atop the Glockenspiel

The Big Ben in London is among the first ones that comes to mind when you're asked about bell and clock towers. Heck, if you're from Mumbai, probably the Rajabai Clock Tower tops that list. But does the Glockenspiel in Munich even ring a bell, pun intended?

It certainly didn't for us when we landed in Munich, all set for the Oktoberfest and the rivers of beer that flow their course. And it probably would have remained that way if we hadn't done our customary walking tour of the city. Beer purists may scoff at us but, as we took a day off from Oktoberfest, we reminded ourselves that we were travellers first, and beerholics later. 

After a quick round of introductions, our tour guide pointed at the building right next to our meeting point and asked us to pay attention. And then, just like that, the magic started. Right on the hour at 11 am, it chimed and the stationary figures started to move. As the crowd watched in wonder and amusement alike, a couple of stories were enacted from the 16th century. The first was a story of the marriage of the local duke, complete with a fight amongst two knights on horseback, which of course the Bavarian knight won. The second was a dance performed to symbolize the victory over the plague. After around 10 minutes, a golden bird chirped thrice and ended the spectacle to massive applause from the spellbound audience.

Theatricality aside, the spectacle was really amusing and ensured our walking tour started on a great note. Munich isn't only about the Oktoberfest; when you're there, make sure you do not miss this interesting performance.

The big list of lists

Our backpacking trip across Europe has seen us visit several monuments, parks and other attractions. In hindsight, some could have been skipped, while, given more time, others could easily have been on the list. As our trip progresses over the next two months, we'll update this list in chronological order, not one of preference though. Hopefully, the ones we miss will be reason enough to go back someday.

Museums

• Anne Frank Huis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
• Museo Nacional de Prado, Madrid, Spain

Places of Worship

• Begijnhof, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Le Basilique du Sacre Coeur de Montmartre, Paris, France
• Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, France
• Le Mont St Michel, Normandy, France
• Temple de Debod, Madrid, Spain
• Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Belem, Lisbon, Portugal
• La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

Places of Residence

• Le Chateau de Chenonceaux, Loire Valley, France
• Palacio Real de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
• Castelo de Sao Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal
• Palacio Nacional da Pena, Sintra, Portugal 
• Castelo dos Mouros, Sintra, Portugal
• Real Alcazar, Seville, Spain
• Alhambra, Granada, Spain

Parks and Gardens

• Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France
• Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris, France
• Parque del Buen Retiro, Madrid, Spain
• Park Guell, Barcelona, Spain

Markets

• Mercado San Miguel, Madrid, Spain
• El Rastro, Madrid, Spain
• Mercado Central, Cadiz, Spain
• Mercat de La Bouqeria, Barcelona, Spain

Interesting Monuments

• La Tour Eiffel, Paris, France
• Torre de Belem, Sintra, Portugal

Major Avenues, Boulevards and Squares

• Dam Square, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Champs Elysees, Paris, France
• Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
• Avenida de Liberdedad, Lisbon, Portugal
• Plaza Espana, Seville, Spain
• La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain