Drink a beer...

There are few things the Germans do well (Vince would highly disagree with this statement). They do a very nice Christmas and pretzels, but that's about all I can think of. Some claim that they do beer well, but as I only like Guiness, you would say I'm slightly biased. Also many claim, German sausages are the best. As a vegetarian, I would say Morning Star has the best veggie sausages out there.

But after a nice 4 day trip, I can officially say the Germans do Festivals quite well. Oktoberfest is like nothing I've seen before. It's a 2 week event based on drinking huge mugs of beer. Some say Americans have a drinking problem, for the Germans drinking is the national pastime, right along side of football.

Walking around Munich during Oktoberfest is how I choose to picture Germany in my head. About 80% of the population is wearing lederhosen and dirndls (the funny Bavarian traditional outfits). No matter how many times I told myself to not laugh at the ridiculous men in man-pris or hot pants with suspenders, I couldn't control myself, it's just too funny.


Not only do they drink it in large quantities at this festival, but the whole "opening ceremony" is a parade of kegs. People (including myself) line the streets of Munich in hopes of seeing their favorite kegs drawn into the festival grounds by either huge Clydesdales or oxen. Sometimes floats filled with Bavarians (you can tell because of the lederhosen and dirndls) drinking the huge mugs that are associated with Oktoberfest. After an hour of watching kegs and kegs of beer go by, Vince, Josi, the Sablowski's, and I ventured into the fair grounds.




On a side note, I was given a lovely Bavarian beer drinking hat to wear during Oktoberfest, I personally think it was Vince trying to tell me I am a witch, albeit a Bavarian one.

Oktoberfest is not just tents and tents filled with beer guzzling Germans, it's an outdoor carnival, with hundreds of games, rides and food vendors (all of which cost you either an arm or a leg, rollercoasters take both) AND tents and tents filled with beer guzzling Germans and tourists.So with money in our pockets (our pockets being Vince's two pockets on his jeans), we decided to try out some rides since the beer tents were already full and there was no space for 6 people to sit together. The first thing we did was the Devil's wheel. From the name you would think it was scary, but in fact it was like I was on Ninja Warrior. You sat on this disk that spins quickly and tried to be the last one on it. For the first time in my life, I was an American Gladiator. The disk spun so quickly you would get sick to your stomach if you didn't focus on a part of your body. Once the spinning of the disk itself had knocked off a couple of the competitors, the moderator then lowered a giant swinging ball onto our heads to try and "knock" us off. Now, you are not only clinging to the spinny disk thing but you are also trying to not get your face flattened by a huge swinging ball. FUN. After a severe trauma to my nose and desperately struggling against the circular momentum pulling me away from the center, I was defeated.
Whatever, I wasn't the first off so it doesn't matter. If they couldn't get you with motion sickness or huge balls in your face, the last resort was trying to lasso you off. This was how they captured Vince. He wasn't able to get the rope off once it was around his neck and was pulled off. That left, the ever valiant Josi trying to be number one. Sadly after one too many giant ball in the face and ropes under her butt, Josi was taking down. Causing our clan of six to stumble out of the Devil's wheel and go eat some delicious sugar coated toasted almonds.... mmm.

After 2 rides on the swings (one gave you a view of all of Munich, we decided the beer tents were too crowded and to try and go to one of the halls in the city which is basically the same thing, but not as touristy) After one giant beer and too much meaty German things (did I mention that I am a vegetarian), the adults (Susan and Ralf) decided to go to the hospital (Susan was having an allergic reaction) and we decided to go to another beergarten (I was having a beer reaction). Part of my Oktoberfest goals included being thrown over Vince's shoulder and carried around. Well it slightly came true as I was on Vince's shoulders saying HALLO (with a German accent) to random Germans on the street.

Needless to say, Oktoberfest was well worth it.

I just discovered how to use italics if you can't tell.