Oktoberfest 2012

We spent a month back in NJ catching the end of summer and beginning of fall. You don’t quite realize until you visit home how incredibly easy everything is there. I am not saying it is so hard here in Europe, but the day-to-day errands and comforts are just in front of you. Here you have to work a bit at accomplishing things that would not even be a second thought at home. The back roads and city driving in the US is just so different. There really is room on the road for 2 cars to travel comfortably (well maybe not in NY City!). It was wonderful to catch up with family and friends with plenty of time to just sit back and enjoy our home in Manasquan Park too.

We didn’t stay long in Koln when we got back. My sister, Megan arrived in Koln a week after I did. We enjoyed 2 days here and then headed south to meet Bob from a work trip. We drove to Munich and on the way stopped in the beautiful town of Rothenberg. It is a walled medieval town in southwest Germany. Half-timbered houses, narrow alleys, church spires and a picturesque town square define the town. The day we stopped there were tables’ set up for lunch that the local Lion’s Club was serving. The tables were decorated for the season in a very simple, but seasonal way.  The town is like stepping back in time – almost Disneyland like with everything just so authentic and old.

Where we sat and had a little lunch. Wine and beer served of course.

Pretty fall table decorations

You go up the wooden stairs and can walk the wall around the town.

We headed on to Munich where we were fortunate to find Oktoberfest in the last days before it closes up for another year. At the hotel desk the man mentioned that there was one of the largest Beirgartens just down the street, so we started off having dinner and a beer there. Check out the “bus boy wagon” picking up the used beer glasses. It seems that drinks are never served in plastic or paper containers even in a park.

Beirgarten

When in Germany...

Picking up the empties.

 Then off we went to Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest began as a wedding celebration for Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810 that all the residents were invited to attend. Drinking and horse racing were involved and it was such a success that they continued the tradition in the city eventually dropping the horse racing part.

We were a bit surprised when we arrived at 8pm. It looked more like the boardwalk at Seaside Heights than what we pictured Oktoberfest to be. There were rides, games of chance, cotton candy and souvenir vendors everywhere. Then we found the beer tents. We had heard that you had to have a reservation to really enjoy the day and it really didn’t sound like you could just show up and participate. 

Guys in lederhosen

Traditional drindls

 We were also told you could not be served unless you had a seat (true). In the second tent we went in a waiter asked us if we would like a seat, so we sat at a long bench with others and ordered our beer for the night! The beers are huge. Your wrist hurts just picking it up and the waiters and waitresses walk around carrying 6 of these with ease! There is live music, dancing, and singing. There is no space for dancing on the floors to speak of, so people stand on the benches and dance. You are sitting on a bench that is bouncing up and down most of the time. You are not allowed to dance on the tabletops just on the benches! For the most part everyone is dressed in traditional lederhosen and dirndls. It was very much like Karneval in Koln, but more controlled and with traditional dress rather than costumes. They say 7 million people participate or visit the tents for Oktoberfest! The tent we visited sat about 3,000! Many others seat more than that.

Standing on the benches singing and toasting

Outside the entrance to Ochsenbraterel Tent - the figures are bigger than life size and turning the spit of a roasting pig

Our friendly, kind waiter and Megan

  The Ochsenbraterel Tent with a larger than life ox slowly turning on a spit serves Spaten Beer and oxen specialties. That’s where we drank, sang, and danced until about 10. Funny thing is it closes at 10:30. I think we got our seat just because it was 8 o’clock on a Wednesday night and it was emptying out a bit. It could not have worked out any better for us if we had really planned it. Megan got to check Oktoberfest off her bucket list – successful evening and lots of fun.

Prost to Oktoberfest!!!