The Tent

Hotel/Resort

The Camaraderie at the Bonfire Makes The Tent Shine

by Sharon Miller, Staff Writer

December 2006

The huge bonfire is a nightly event that draws nearly every pe Most travelers staying at The Tent in Munich, Germany sleep on the floor with a few blankets and a mat. rson staying at The Tent hostel in Munich, Germany. As with most bonfires I have hung around, the beer was free-flowing and the sound of guitars, harmonicas and drunken voices filled the air. However, at this one, if you closed your eyes for a moment and took the time to really listen to the surroundings, it was not unusual to hear at least five different languages being spoken. Of course, you heard all different versions of English: American, Canadian, British, Irish and Australian. But you also could pick out, German, Italian, French, Spanish and on a good night, scatterings of Japanese, Mandarin and Korean too. This was a bonfire where backpackers from all over the globe gathered to share an experience that transcended language, culture and ethnic background. A bonfire where beer, music and discovering yourself and the world around you was all that was important.

Opened between the end of May and the beginning of October The Tent offers bare bones accommodations. Travelers can choose from sleeping on a mat on the floor of the main tent, a bunk bed in the “bed-tent” or in their own tent in the campgrounds. There are single-sex bathrooms with hot water and flushing toilets which, according to the website, were completely renovated in 2004. Breakfast is included in the price if you choose to stay in one of the main tents, however, it is not included if you are camping. They offer a wide variety of or Two travelers share the joy of music outside of the main tent. ganic breakfast foods and for a small fee, you can also purchase dinner. Nevertheless, there is also a kitchen trailer where those on a tighter budget can cook up their own meals.

If you are looking for all the comforts of a Holiday Inn, The Tent is not the place for you. Although they do provide a place to sleep, a place to shower and a place to eat, these amenities are not why so many travelers stay at The Tent. Backpackers stay there because on a warm July evening as you place your mat and blankets within a few inches of the person who will be sleeping next to you, it is impossible to not start a conversation with them. It is impossible to not ask them where are they from, why they are here and where they are going. Before you know it, you are having a slumber party with people from all over the world, sharing your successes, your failures and your hard-learned tips about traveling. Then, you step outside and are swept up in the tornado of music, languages and cultures that is the bonfire. This is why people stay at the Tent, to share in this unadulterated camaraderie that is the joy of traveling.

**All Photos by Sharon Miller

If You Go

www.the-tent.com

Directions: Take the #17 Tram in the direction of “Amalienburgstrasse” and get off at “Botanischer Garten.” Then follow the signs.

Rates:

Main Tent: 9 €/person

Bed-Tent: 12 €/person

Camping: 5,50€/tent &

5,50€/person