Yup, I went to Oktoberfest. The REAL one, in Munich, Germany. And it was great.
Saturday morning we (Elen, Andres, and I) arrived in Munich. We hopped off the bus and made our way to our home for the next few days...Elen's friend Joules. Once at Joules' apartment, he fixed up a traditional Bavarian breakfast: Vealwurst with sweet mustard, Bretzels, and BEER! Then, after we were rested up (sleeping on a bus isn't exactly refreshing), it was off to the VIESEN!!!
As we walked over to the festival grounds, we found a little shop that was selling Dirndl's for not TOO expensive, so of course, we went in so I could get Oktoberfes-ed out! While I picked out my attire for the day, they gave us free beers (yeah, I was LOVING the oktoberfset spirit). Once I picked out a red/black/white one, it was time to go.
Once at the fairgrounds, I was QUITE surprised at what Oktoberfest really was (and VERY happy that I was wearing my Dirndl, so I fit right in). I always thought it was just people in their oktoberfest clothes (dirndls and lederhosen) sitting at picnic tables drinking huge beers, kinda like this:
And while essentially, yes, that DOES happen....that's not what it is really. Oktoberfest is like a huge state fair! There are rides, games, souvenirs, and carnival food (well, Germany style). And THEN there are HUGE tents...and that's where Oktoberfest REALLY is. Yup, that's where you sit at the tables and drinks liters of beers. But there is a catch....you MUST be sitting at a table in order to get a beer. But, in order to be at a table, you have to get there early or else the tables will fill up. But with like 20 huge tents, there are PLENTY of seats....you just have to pick the right tent.
...and luckily, we picked the right tent! Joules had some friends at one of the tents, so once we made it through the line, we were able to squeeze into one of the outside tables, and then the BEER WAS DELIVERED! The beers were about 10€ each (well, less then that, but then you tip, so it still came out to 10€) for a liter. You just got to sit and drink, and the servers would walk around with full beers and if they saw you were emnpty, they'd plop one down, and take your money. NO WAITING! It was great! Check me out:
Once it started getting late in the evening, we braved the inside of the tent. And boy, was I impressed! It was EXACTLY like the Festhaus at Busch Gardens....tons of tables lined up, everyone still dressed up, a stage with the Bavarian band in the middle, the only difference was that everyone was dancing on the tables!
We stayed until the tent closed (of course) - which was about 11pm. Then it was off to visit a friend of Joules who was celebrating a birthday. So off we went (me, still in my Drindl) and there it was...my first time at REAL oktoberfest...I couldn't wait to go back again (and I would, in about 2 weeks, with Megan Beazley in tow).
Guten Tag,
Apes :)
Saturday morning we (Elen, Andres, and I) arrived in Munich. We hopped off the bus and made our way to our home for the next few days...Elen's friend Joules. Once at Joules' apartment, he fixed up a traditional Bavarian breakfast: Vealwurst with sweet mustard, Bretzels, and BEER! Then, after we were rested up (sleeping on a bus isn't exactly refreshing), it was off to the VIESEN!!!
As we walked over to the festival grounds, we found a little shop that was selling Dirndl's for not TOO expensive, so of course, we went in so I could get Oktoberfes-ed out! While I picked out my attire for the day, they gave us free beers (yeah, I was LOVING the oktoberfset spirit). Once I picked out a red/black/white one, it was time to go.
Once at the fairgrounds, I was QUITE surprised at what Oktoberfest really was (and VERY happy that I was wearing my Dirndl, so I fit right in). I always thought it was just people in their oktoberfest clothes (dirndls and lederhosen) sitting at picnic tables drinking huge beers, kinda like this:
...and luckily, we picked the right tent! Joules had some friends at one of the tents, so once we made it through the line, we were able to squeeze into one of the outside tables, and then the BEER WAS DELIVERED! The beers were about 10€ each (well, less then that, but then you tip, so it still came out to 10€) for a liter. You just got to sit and drink, and the servers would walk around with full beers and if they saw you were emnpty, they'd plop one down, and take your money. NO WAITING! It was great! Check me out:
Once it started getting late in the evening, we braved the inside of the tent. And boy, was I impressed! It was EXACTLY like the Festhaus at Busch Gardens....tons of tables lined up, everyone still dressed up, a stage with the Bavarian band in the middle, the only difference was that everyone was dancing on the tables!
We stayed until the tent closed (of course) - which was about 11pm. Then it was off to visit a friend of Joules who was celebrating a birthday. So off we went (me, still in my Drindl) and there it was...my first time at REAL oktoberfest...I couldn't wait to go back again (and I would, in about 2 weeks, with Megan Beazley in tow).
Guten Tag,
Apes :)
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