Oktoberfest 2014

We took a little field trip to Munich at the end of September to participate in Oktoberfest. Tony really wanted to go, and I'm always up for a new experience, so we jumped on one of the Army ODR (Outdoor Recreation) bus tours. Since the bus left at 0300 and was scheduled to return at 0200 the next day, we waffled on whether it was the best way to go. Ultimately, we decided it was worth it for several reasons. We didn't have to worry about drinking and driving, or finding lodging in an area where hotel prices were jacked sky-high. We also didn't have to worry about paying tolls or dealing with big city traffic, or one of us being tired after a long day and getting behind the wheel. And we figured we could always go check it out and do it on our own next year if it went well. I tell you what: best decision ever!

Proof of me having a beer, and enjoying it!

It's normally a five- to six-hour drive to Munich from our part of Italy. I don't know that for certain, since I've never done it, but Tony has and he concurred with Ye Olde Google Maps. The buses obviously go slower, especially through the mountains, and we also knew there was a scheduled pit stop just over the Austrian border, so the plan was to arrive sometime around 1100. When we rolled up to the meeting point, Tony noticed one of the bus drivers was one with whom he was familiar. And guess what: that guy drives like a demon! Even with our pit stop, and a slightly delayed departure, we still got to Munich by nine a.m.! So we were on site at Oktoberfest and drinking beer by 0930.

Beer Tent

Now, if you know me, you know I'm not a huge beer fan. I have a short list of beers I will drink when the social situation calls for it, and an even shorter list of beers I actually like. But I wanted to go to check it out anyway, and one cannot do Oktoberfest without drinking beer! I had a couple radlers, but you should know that at Oktoberfest, you can only order beer by the liter. Whoa nelly. Even when you ask for one liter and two mugs, you are usually declined, though we were able to successfully cadge a waiter once. The first radler I had was with a light beer, and the second was with a dark beer, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn I liked the dark radler a lot! Normally I tend to skew toward wheat beers and summer ales and the like. Anyway, when we first arrived, we took a quick stroll down the main midway, and then ducked into one of the tents. When I say tents, you should know these are full-scale structures with floors and roofs and which seat thousands of people at a time. They are monstrous! Even at 0900, the tents were already pretty full, and pretty rowdy. People were singing and cheering and dancing on the tables, but it was kind of wholesome. We snagged a table at the next tent and settled in for a while. I ate the BEST PRETZEL of my life, too. Cheesy and chewy but somehow also fluffy. Mmm, yummy. I would drive all the way back there if I could be assured of another pretzel like that.

If I go back, I will ride this ride!

I was surprised how family-friendly the entire shebang was. There were several roller coasters and ferris wheels, and swings and rides and all those fun fair games with the milk cans and basketball goals and goldfish bowls. I was very glad we arrived early in the day, when it was bright and clean and less crowded. We decided to catch a cab to downtown Munich for lunch, and went to the original Haufbrau house! I ordered meatloaf, which was basically spam, and I was terribly disappointed with it. But that's where I had the dark radler that I loved so much, so it was worth it. There was live music, and lively cheering, and we even learned some of the songs. The seating is communal, with really long tables stretched down the middle of the room. Well, I should say that's what the seating was like on the third floor, where we wound up. The first floor had more traditional smaller tables and I have no idea what the second floor looked like, just that there was live music on EACH floor. Our neighbors were kind enough to teach us the words to some of the songs, and they also told us the middle weekend of Oktoberfest has morphed into the traditional weekend for Italians to pilgrimage to Germany for the festivities.

After lunch, we caught another cab back to the main grounds, and wandered around for a while more. We thought about going on some of the rides, but the prices were high at the first roller coaster, and then someone had to pee, and then the lines were long, and then we decided to meet up with another group of Army folks. By that time of day, the tents were all closed to newcomers, and you could only go in if someone else came out. And that is not really the way of the tents! The general idea is to go park yourself and sit there all day and drink, if drinking is what you want to do. Luckily, our buddy came to talk to the bouncer to let us in. The bouncer wouldn't do it, of course, because the tent was already at capacity. BUT, our buddy got his waiter to go talk to the bouncer and assure him that there was room at their table for us, and we got to bypass the line and go in! I felt like such a rock star. So we parked there for a while and just had fun drinking and people-watching. More singing and cheering and table-dancing. I thought only tourists would be wearing lederhosen and dirndls, but I was very wrong about that. Many, many, many locals were wearing them, and of course lots of tourists were, too. One of the families we sat next to at our second tent was from Munich, and all four of them were dressed up, even the baby. The parents said they came mainly for the kids, because it was a fun event for them and something they should grow up remembering. I was really impressed, and Tony was even tempted to buy a set for himself. I think if we had more time there, we would have done some shopping for things like that.

Love this man, this kiss, this pic, and the photobomb!

By four o'clock, we were pretty tired of drinking and walking around, and found a spot on the hill to do some more people watching. We sat on some steps at the foot of a ginormous statue, and just chatted and visited for a while. Our departure meeting wasn't until 7pm! I imagine if we'd arrived at eleven the way we were planning to, the timeline would have been just fine. But it was a long day. I really don't know how people stay there all hours of the day and night. And by that late in the afternoon, there were lots of drunk people, too. We saw several people being wheeled around on gurneys, and lots of people drunkenly weaving and being supported by their friends. I also think if we'd stayed much longer, the place would have lost a lot of the family-friendly vibe. It was nice to watch the sun go down and all the midway lights come on, though. My biggest complaint about the day was actually leaving. There was some mix-up with the buses, and we ended up walking to two different locations to meet them, and then waiting about an hour. Otherwise, all went well. We made it back to the base right before two, very satisfied with the whole outing. I mostly feel like now I've done it, I don't need to do it again, but if Tony wanted to go next year I wouldn't really mind. Good times were had by all.

The bromance continues...

The boys enjoying a brewski before it got too crazy.