When I left you, I was getting ready to go to THE ORIGINAL Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Oktoberfest started in 1810 as a celebration of the wedding of a Bavarian princess...and has continued ever since! My friend Megan and I left after my class on Friday afternoon and took a train to Paris, where we transferred and took an over-night train to Munich...or Munchen (pronounced Moon-chin). Word to the wise: I would definitely recommend upgrading from bottom class when taking an over-nighter. We were cramped in a cabin with 4 other people and without leg room or reclining chairs. Obviously, I wasn't too well-rested the next morning when we arrived in Germany.
However, the atmosphere carried us through the day. We got off the train at 7am, in already crowded Central Station. The station is not just for incoming trains, but also all the metro lines, so it was FULL of men in lederhosen and women in dirndls (the traditional Bavarian outfits- all eating a breakfast of champions: pretzels, sausage and beer.
Megan and I walked around for a little bit, exploring where the Oktoberfest tent grounds were, and trying to find cheap dirndls. Then, we got in touch with our CouchSurfing host. Yes, COUCHSURFING! It was my first time trying out this online forum, where travelers can network and stay on someone's couch for free. I was a bit nervous...and ready to resort to finding a hostel...but it turned out to be one of the greatest experiences! We stayed with Jorn and his dog Lola, who were both extremely hospitable.
For the rest of our first day in Munich, Jorn took us to a beer-garden since all the tents were already full and showed us the ropes (and etiquette) of Oktoberfest. It was nice to have a translator since Megan and I don't know ANY German, but then again, beer is the same in both languages. We spent most of the afternoon at the Paulaner Biergarten. Megan and I both agreed it was our favorite beer of the trip :)
Main entrance:
Paulaner Biergarten:
There are 14 beer tents at the festival, with a bunch of little food and souvenir stands between them, outdoor beer gardens, and a carnival section with rides and roller coasters:
Miss Lola:
The Hippodrome is the most exclusive (and colorful!) beer tent at Oktoberfest:
Our second and third days in Munich were really the most eventful after we learned Oktoberfest basics and the metro system that first day. We got up early on Sunday morning and made it into the Lowenbrau beer tent around 9:30am, finding a couple spots to sit with native Germans! They were a little shy at first, but got more confident in their English with a little time...and maybe a liter.
As you can see in the next two pictures, the beer tents are HUGE! And each one has a different theme or dish it's famous for. The Lowenbrau tent is obviously famous for the mechanical lion that sits on top of it. Easy to spot!
Aside from the beer, the cuisine, and the costumes, I learned about another Oktoberfest tradition. I'm not sure what they're called, but there are all of these cookie stands throughout the festival decorated with flowers and phrases in frosting, like 'I love you' and 'Best mom ever'. The first day, I told Jorn I really wanted to eat one, and he was caught off guard because they're not for eating! Little did I know that would be an Oktoberfest no-no. You're supposed to buy them as gifts for other people, who then wear them as a necklace. And the bigger the better!
On our last day in Munich, Megan and I decided to stay away from beer and went exploring the rest of the city. We took one of those 'hop on, hop off' buses, which took us past some really cool memorials, city center, Marienplatz, and even a former Nazi building.
Marienplatz (one of the most beautiful architectural works I've seen):
The statue of Bavaria, who the region is named after:
Before catching our train out, we finished the trip with an amazing meal in the Marienplatz center and shared real German apple strudel. Yummmmmm. On a side note, Germany makes a lot of cars, and all of the taxis are beige Mercedes. Classy.
Overall, Munich has become one of my favorite cities along with Paris and Amsterdam. Next time I visit I have to go on one of the castle tours!
xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com
How fun! And I have to say you had the best Oktoberfest hair! Love the braids!
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