Oktoberfest is portrayed as the Beerfest superior to all other festivals of beer. We woke up at 6 am the last Saturday in September and took two trains to Munich to see if that was, in fact, true.
Lederhosen and a dirndl are the traditional garb for Oktoberfest, but we decided to do our own recreation of German wear. Arriving at 10:30, the grounds were busy, but relatively empty for such a notorious event. More than just beer stands filled the area, rides were set up in the back and off to one side. There were also food stands of all kinds, restaurants, and games. We made our way through the buildings to a tent where Toms coworkers grabbed at table at 7 in the morning. I made it about five steps into the area with my precious bottle of water before it was swiftly ripped away from me by a very enthusiastic security guard.
Every table was maxed out with people, there were benches for sitting but it was standing room only. People at the table behind us also tried to creep over in our space. This led to some very awkward booty bumps and a struggle for more room. A stage set up in the middle of the room enabled bands to set up and sing for entertainment. Trumpet and saxophone players accompanied the performers. Classy. People watching made for easy entertainment and on occasion I would recognize a song being played! I felt so cultured!
Beer was served by the liter, and the waitstaff would bring them by the armful. I was so nervous they would drop all the glasses or slip! I definitely did not finish my entire beer, but it was quite good! Vendors brought around treats, rolls, and pretzels bigger than I've ever seen.
We were forced out of our table at noon when it was reserved by another party. Trying to peruse and wait out groups for another table, five of us got separated from the rest. This lead to us standing in the aisle ways with huge wooden trays of food flying overhead until we migrated to relative safety next to a sectioned off area. Some locals standing nearby engaged us in what can only be described as an incredibly interesting conversation about world history and politics. Nearly an hour later, and after surviving a very long bathroom line, we moved on in an attempt to reconnect with the rest of our group.
The outside was a completely different world from when we last saw it that morning. Crowds were everywhere and those liters of beer were beginning to do people in. Families with small children were in attendance, not something I'm so sure I would have done myself, and couples of all ages were forcing their way through the lines. I found an almond stand and got my favorite cinnamon almonds for a snack as we wound our way around.
Before leaving, we picked up a souvenir and located some water! We encountered one more member of our group, but abandoned the rest as we went in search of a pub and, for me, some healthier food.
All of our trains were departing at different times, (we took a day trip as hotels were probably booked up months in advance) so we settled on a local restaurant for dinner. The restaurant was a "multimedia cafe" which essentially meant their salads were named after James Bond films and their desserts after Harry Potter books. It was awesome.
We didn't have a reliable lay of the land, but were able to navigate our way back to the main station by following the crowds of people.
While waiting on our train, something across the platform caught the eye of one of our friends. Mind you, there were people who needed to take a rest before boarding a moving object, but this guy took the cake. Sadly, two passerby stole his hat just after we snapped this picture.
Oktoberfest was an event we both really wanted to experience. The beer was good, the singing was fun, and the entertainment was undoubtedly one of a kind.
Prost!
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