Taking the plunge at Oktoberfest...

Before I begin to deleve into my cultural adventures here in Germany I would like to take a minute to mention to you that through the blog My Marrakesh featured on this page under other blogs.... there is a link for a charity.... if you go there and just post a comment a dollar will be donated. If you have a chance please do so ... or the link is here to post a comment.. you could just say hello but it will go to charity.
http://beadingstars.blogspot.com/2008/10/lets-make-deal.html

Now onto German adventures ! First...well I guess second at this point I have to mention one of my best friend's Jenny....

who since High school French class has been corupting me. Now she would tell you it is really me that gets her into all kinds of trouble ...... but you all know just how sweet and innocent I am.......

OK that was a stretch needless to say when we are together wild fun is about. I love her laughter and ideas..... it lifts my spirts to be near her. Jenny is inspiration not just for fun and myhem but for things important too..... Like most friends she reminds me that even though I have gray hair ( thanks to my 4 darling kids) I am still the same wild girl from french class...... I had a chance to see Jenny in Wisconsin.....


so I have to admit I have tossed in a few of these pictures.......

Now If my move had happened on schedule I would have been here in Germany when Jenny and Tony came for at least a month..... we know this didn't happen.... So I had been in Germany for 4 days when Jenny and Tony were in Munich or Muchen as they say here.
What did I do? But of course.... I hopped a train to Muchen to meet them !!!! Now 4 days... I could barley say hello in German.... Sam bought my train ticket on his class field trip...for his cultural class...... and thankfully helped me back to the train station to meet the train. Jenny and Tony met me on the other side and the merryment began..... The full on German experience. Volkfest..... aka Oktoberfest...... This is where I was happy to have Jenny and Tony they make me more adventurous at times.......

I took and IC train there and an ICE train back....... the highspeed "bullet" trains..... it was sooooo much fun the seats are comfy the people helpful..... and the countryside scenery beautiful. I went through villages and saw foothills and trees full of fall color.
I arrived into Muchen after dark so the main square or "platz" was dark..... This building which is the Courthouse is gorgeous and there are beautiful flowers all around it.
I really enjoyed hearing about the buildings and the city from Jenny and Tony. They had taken a bike tour that day..... and someday I want to go back and do this ...the pictures were awesome. The buildings were breath taking even in the dark. We went for a traditional German meal at HB.
I tried a German Radler which is lemonade in beer and very good...... Sam I actually finished a beer ( it took several hours... it was a whole liter !!!!!) I finished it though..... and yes I could still walk, talk.......
I ate a delicious fish meal.......
We found it under the vegitarian section..... one of the few things I could recognize on the German menu...... It was delicious.......
Later...... after catching up our waiter "smuggled" us downstairs with our beers..... it was very cool......

Downstairs in the resturant they had a traditional band playing eclectic "polka" music and a few other hits.....
there were crowds of dancers, drunken singers, friends having fun. Beautiful and artful painted cielings......
A few visitors from strangers to our table...... What could be better !

Oktoberfest ......
It rained a lot....... and was cold.... I am told that this is unusual weather for this time of year. It rained so much that while standing in line we became so saoked that 3 layers were dripping wet.
Yes, we were that dedicated to getting a beer in the "tents". I have to tell you that a "tent" is actually a building and this is where the "party" is happening........ and it is dry and warm....... We arrived at 10 in the morning to stake out our claim in the lines......
For those of you planning a trip for next year..... stake your claim at 9 am...... We happily wandered around taking in the sights and sounds of this festival. The buildings have these amazing "sculptures" that move and roar and there are tons of wreaths and decorations......


It is truely a sight to see. I was amazed on one building the spit over the "fire" was rotating...... The "tents" were decorated so uniquely.
We began our journey to the tents at 11. Standing in line nose to nose....elbow to eye.....in the pouring rain. While waiting in line there was a parade of nations. A very outgoing South African related stories of drunken fun from the day before. He proudly showed off a bruised and swollen ankle.
There were Italian's, German's, I met fellow Military members from Italy. There were New Zealanders, Australians, British and Irish. All standing in the rain smooshed together waiting for beer, music and the excitement of the "tents". We put up a good fight we waited until 1:30.....
We couldn't feel our toes anymore and the water was dripping off of us. The three of us ventured down the path to this very pretty Beir Garten. There were heaters outside, waiters and waitress' with crates of bier.....pretty flowers and wooden benches to rest. After drying by the heater food and bier was in order. We had perfect seats to see crates of beir being lugged, people in traditional dress enjoying the festival, all while sounds of music waffted through the air. There was of course a bier and some soup or suppe. Yes we enjoyed the festive atmosphere for a good while. Then I was kissed on the way out by a drunken Italian...... who called me "bella" by the way......... It was off to the "tents" again after all we had refortified with beir and food....... We waited and talked and stalked the doorways of the "tents" to no avail..... there was more rain.... and finally we found a short line to a "tent" we thought forsure this was it........... We went inside........
There was no band or wild festive goers..... but a beautifully decorated "tent" with colored streamers and painted wood work.
This was a dining tent.....with heat and no rain..... we shared a table with two differnt groups of people. The apple strudel was a work of art..... it even had a custard sauce to die for...... and of course the very important Brezel...( soft pretzels). We also delighted in a huge cheese platter...they said was for one... but three couldn't finish it. 1 Beir, 1 meal....then you had to go...this was so others could eat and be warm....... Back to the tents to try valiantly to enter.....
We wandered the fairway, delighted in the sights, enjoyed the festival, chatted for awhile, talked to security guards ( seeking the tricks to get into a "tent") ..... but alas the party was coming to an end..... well for the "tents" at least. While we never made it into a tent; we enjoyed the food, sights, and merryment. Oktoberfest is full of interesting sights, foods, and of course beir. I am so glad I was there with friends to be immersed in German culture. After our fun we headed to the train...... when I saw some flashing pink lights...... being the curious girl that I am I wandered over......
A brewery/resturant! Can you imagine our luck.... it was warm and festive. We waited in line for a chance to go in. This was the "tent" experience we had all been searching for !!!! There was music and beir , dancers, guests dressed in the traditional garb. We sat down at a table with a delightful German couple. We spoke little German they spoke little English.... yet we managed to laugh and talk and have fun. A new cultural experience that was strange and full of laughter...... they "snort" mint powder here. Yes, I have to admit that when this white powder to snort was offered we stared in a bit of shock. Through gestures, broken language and the bottle containing the powder I manged to read it was "mint" for your health. It smelled like vicks vapor rub..... and it thoroughly cleaned out your sinus' ( this must be the health part) I have to admit I snort things badly ..... which of course brought much laughter to the table. I did a brave and strange thing..yes it is legal and incocuous I did read the label. It was so fun to be in the music and sitting among friends. The German couple were very nice and she even presented me with her edielwiess scarf. During the festival you see these colored scarves with the flower all over. I was so touched by her gesture and will remember this everytime I wear this scarf. After an evening full of fun we all headed back to the hotel. The next day I headed home on the train with memories of another adventure with Jenny and new cultural experiences here in Germany. Thanks Jenny and Tony for letting me come along.
For awhile there was a bridge between my US life and my New German life....... they are a lot closer than I expected. PROST ( Cheers in German) To my friends , family and for a year full of good fortune for all.