Oktoberfest!
It seems like a distant memory now, but a month ago this was the only thing on the social calender.
"Where can we go tonight?"
"Let's go to Oktoberfest!"
"Again? OK ..., but no drinking this time."
I got up early enough to see the end of the opening parade, where horse drawn carts take beer barrels and some people (how do I get on those carts?) into the Oktoberfest grounds. The grounds and the subway station are officially called Theresienwiese, but it is affectionately known as Wies'n.
When people first mentioned beer tents I thought of marquees that hold some hundreds of people. Actually, these so-called tents surpassed all parts of my imagination. There are 14 of these temporary beer halls structures that fit several thousand people each, with a live band plays in each of them. 
When they play one of the traditional German festival songs like Viva Colonia, something from the world cup, or Robbie William's Let Me Entertain You, most of them get up onto the benches and start dancing. Those Bavarians sure know how to party and celebrate festivals.
I managed to find myself at the Wies'n on 5 of the 18 days of the festival, but only had beer on 4 of them. There was not much choice. I was not too interested in the roller coasters or rides on offer, which, I must say, are very large and impressive for a temporary two week set up.
Some traditional acts and games were also on offer. One involved a lot of people trying to staying on a large rotating disc, and another involved trying to jump on a fast moving belt on an upwards ramp (which takes one to a 70 year old wooden slide). I would say that neither of them are particularly safe, but since they are traditional it is accepted.
During the Oktoberfest, my high school friend Arvind came to Munich. He was taken on a corporate function into the Hippodrome, which is the colourful tent near the entrance into which all the celebrities go. Allegedly he saw Boris Becker and Paris Hilton that night. We also went to a club on a Tuesday night, where we ran into a lot of men and women in traditional clothing, having just come from the Oktoberfest. Clubs and Dirndls and Lederhosen ... it's an odd looking combination!
Now, a couple more photos:
"Where can we go tonight?"
"Let's go to Oktoberfest!"
"Again? OK ..., but no drinking this time."
I got up early enough to see the end of the opening parade, where horse drawn carts take beer barrels and some people (how do I get on those carts?) into the Oktoberfest grounds. The grounds and the subway station are officially called Theresienwiese, but it is affectionately known as Wies'n.
When people first mentioned beer tents I thought of marquees that hold some hundreds of people. Actually, these so-called tents surpassed all parts of my imagination. There are 14 of these temporary beer halls structures that fit several thousand people each, with a live band plays in each of them. 
When they play one of the traditional German festival songs like Viva Colonia, something from the world cup, or Robbie William's Let Me Entertain You, most of them get up onto the benches and start dancing. Those Bavarians sure know how to party and celebrate festivals.I managed to find myself at the Wies'n on 5 of the 18 days of the festival, but only had beer on 4 of them. There was not much choice. I was not too interested in the roller coasters or rides on offer, which, I must say, are very large and impressive for a temporary two week set up.
Some traditional acts and games were also on offer. One involved a lot of people trying to staying on a large rotating disc, and another involved trying to jump on a fast moving belt on an upwards ramp (which takes one to a 70 year old wooden slide). I would say that neither of them are particularly safe, but since they are traditional it is accepted.
During the Oktoberfest, my high school friend Arvind came to Munich. He was taken on a corporate function into the Hippodrome, which is the colourful tent near the entrance into which all the celebrities go. Allegedly he saw Boris Becker and Paris Hilton that night. We also went to a club on a Tuesday night, where we ran into a lot of men and women in traditional clothing, having just come from the Oktoberfest. Clubs and Dirndls and Lederhosen ... it's an odd looking combination! Now, a couple more photos:
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