The Swede Life: "Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, Der Gemütlichkeit!" ("A toast, A toast, To cheer and good times!")

I hope the long break in blog posts is a good indication of the intense experience that is Oktoberfest. It has taken close to a month before I've felt ready to reflect and revisit our time in Munich. =)

There is a lot to catch up on. This past month we traveled to Munich and Budapest. I'd also like to do a brief update on life in Stockholm. So with that in mind, this next post will be Munich and I promise another post will go up this time next week!

Let's get started!

Munich is a beautiful and historical city in its own right but I can't lie and say that Oktoberfest wasn't the main draw for us. The festival ground is like a typical fair ground with carnival rides, street food and souvenir stands. The tents are situated in make-shift avenues among the games and food. While technically temporary buildings, I think the word "tent" is severely self-deprecating for these beer behemoths. Several of the tents we visited had upstairs, full dining rooms, chandeliers, etc, all the extravagances that a typical "tent" is sure to lack. The luxury of the tents is fitting, however, when you consider that Oktoberfest started as a royal wedding celebration for Bavarian Prince Ludwig, later King, and Princess Therese in 1810.

One of the beer wagons at the Oktoberfest.

I loved how ornately decorated the beer posters were.

Surprisingly, there are lot's of families that come to the festival grounds.

One of the "tents".

A few of the rides. Look at how high the swings are!

Traditional gingerbread cookies that have mushy, lovey things written on them.

So of course, I had to get one for Phil. =)

While our intent was to spend part of one or two days at the tents, we quickly fell prey to the dangerously addicting atmosphere of Oktoberfest. Imagine a basketball court (or 2, depending on the tent) full of long tables and benches packed with people from all over the world toasting (read smashing) each other with huge, and I mean HUGE, glasses full of beer. Now add in the Oompa music and the incredibly patient, traditionally dressed waitresses. The far part of the crowd begins to sing, slowly the sing-a-long almost wafts towards us and soon the whole tent is swaying, singing in pigeon German. All this stimulus plus the 8% beer creates a feeling of being on a merry-go-round: dizzying, blurry and exhilarating!

While this doesn't do a good job of showing this tent, it definitely describes the atmosphere!


We met up with Max, a friend from Vassar, and his friend Christina.

And our trip down the rabbit hole begins...


Beer!

Inside the Hippodrome Tent.

Clearer view of the inside of one of the tents. Can you spot Phil in the crowd?

I tried to get a picture of the food but, as is my motto, I decided to "eat first."

View from inside the Paulaner Tent, I think?

Another view of the Hippodrome Tent.

Us at our "jolliest".

After two days at the tents, one almost lost camera, and one friend's visit to the first aid tent, among other shenanigans, we managed to pull ourselves away to do some sight seeing around the city.

The Glockenspiel

Rathaus (The New City Hall)


Candles at the Frauenkirche. This church is the symbol of Munich. Pope Benedict XVI was archbishop here.

Memorial to Holocaust Victims and Resistance.

There are hundreds of small memorials to victims of the Holocaust and those who resisted the Nazis. This gold line represents a path chosen by resistors that avoided a Nazi monument. It was dangerous to take this route through an alley without a reasonable excuse for avoiding the main road where the monument was located.

On-lookers in Marienplatz

Beer gardens are a part of Bavarian culture, especially outdoors, under shady trees. The tradition emerged due to brewers who would keep their beer cold under the chestnut trees. Eventually the brewers began sharing and selling their beer, making a patch of shade a likely place to buy a beverage. You can buy food or bring your own, the main point it to enjoy the beer. =)

Schnitzle with potato salad and sausages with sauerkraut.

I spy! Phil taking photos from Peterskirche.

Scottish Bagpipes. I have no idea why.

Phil in action!

Pretty!

The English Garden

A little surfing!

Lush and green.

We also took a day trip to the castle that inspired Disney's Cinderella Castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein, definitely an item on my "bucket list". =) Given that fact, I took about 10 times more photos than necessary but I will share just a few.

Built in the late 1800s. Rumor has it that King Ludwig II tried to bankrupt Bavaria by building this castle.

All it needs is the shooting star over top and we're in a Disney movie!


I mean, c'mon. Really?

Last photo of the castle, I promise!


beauty!

View if the castle is to your back. Not a bad thing to wake up to every morning.

After observing the romance of the castle, we switched movie genres and had a little misadventure of our own, loosing track of the hiking trail and climbing, rather scaling, down the side of the mountain. A few scratches later, we reemerged into society.