Munich and Octoberfest

We finally found some lockers that worked at the train station. Most were full or broken. Looks like we're not the only people who are doing Munich and Octoberfest in one day. After locking up our bags, we walked over to the Marienplatz to check out the Glockenspiel at noon. It's a carousel of dancers, a wedding party, and some jousting knights that perform a couple times a day for tourists from high atop the Rathaus in the central square.

Seems like Germans and Austrians don't always accept credit cards at busineses, so we had to do a bit of research to find an ATM that didn't charge exhorbitant fees. That's a big contrast to the Scandinavian countries, which are mostly cash-free now. We meandered to the nearby victuals market and found a cheap place to eat after getting some Euros. Gotta love the 1 to 1 exchange rate!

Then it was a long walk to the Theresienwiese, or Octoberfest grounds. Locals abbreviate the festivities to the "Wiesn" after the park. We stopped by a very small and interesting church on the way, the Asam church. The eccentric brothers who funded it used a hodgepodge of architectural styles. Let's just say it looked busy.

And then, FINALLY. The Mother Church of all things beer.... the famous Munich Octoberfest. We purposely chose to go on a Monday and just for the day. Rooms were sold out way in advance, or were outrageously expensive. Weekends are absolutely crazy and you can't get a seat in any of the beer tents. It proved to be a wise decision. We lucked out on the weather also. After a brief shower, it was sunny and warm the rest of the day. We had no idea that it was really a huge carnival with beer tents. We walked around a bit and poked our heads in a few of the tents. Six Munich breweries each have a huge tent. And it must be a tent. According to tradition, there aren't permanent buildings on the grounds. They all come down after the fest is over in early October. But they sure look permanent. And no other beers can be sold. And you can't walk around with beers. You must be seated in a tent to get a beer. So it's a mad rush on opening day and on weekends. Going at 1;30 on a Monday was a no-brainer.

We chose to go to the Augustiner tent, since I read in a blog that it had the lowest gluten content of the six. I found that I could get away with a few with no issues. So, after we walked in, we were promptly seated at one of the dozens of tables. Looks like were were in the cheap seats with other foreigners. Many families and companies pay big bucks to reserve tables a year in advance for seats near the band in the center, or up in the makeshift balconies. Steins of beer are sold only in the one-liter size and cost $12.80 or about $3 more than at the Augustiner beer hall near the center of town, or about double of what it would cost at a local pub. But it was well worth it for the atmosphere and fun. We knocked back a couple, sang "Ein Prosit" quite a few times, and chatted up some guys next to us.

Then we went out to explore the carnival and went on one ride. The complex is pretty huge and we walked around quite a bit before heading back for another Augustiner. We sat outside in the sun with a group of civil engineers from a local company and shot the shit. By 6:30, we were walking to the station just as the crowds started getting bigger. By 7:30 we were on a train heading SW to Fuessen, two hours away. And by then I was never happier to see a bed in my life. What a day. Octoberfest is something everyone should try at least once in their life. And the place was packed with foreigners from all over the world. About half of the attendees were wearing dirndls and lederhosen and everyone was laughing and smiling and having such a great time. I don't know if I'll make it back. Maybe if I get some Lederhosen......

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