99 (Thousand) Bottles of Beer on the Wall...

I would like to begin my blog post in a slightly questionable manner, by quoting the Urban Dictionary description of Oktoberfest:

“A huge party that goes on in October in Munich, Germany. Everyone's drunk 24/7, and there are rides, food, and everything you could ever want. Most importantly, there's a metric overload of beer wherever you look. 10% alcohol beer, by the liter.”

…yes, Urban Dictionary, it’s hard to deny that Oktoberfest is remarkably fratty. But here are a few things you may not know about Oktoberfest, that I have learned during my adventures:

1.     Contrary to the Urban Dictionary definition (and for some, popular belief) Oktoberfest is absolutely NOT in October. Why, you ask? Oktoberfest is held during the last three weeks of September to get rid of all the beer produced in the previous calendar year. The new harvest season begins again in October.

2.     Yes, they use the metric system; No, the beers are not strictly 10% alcohol. Depending on the bierhaus you go to, the alcohol content ranges anywhere from 8% - 10% (that I have experienced); this alcohol content doubles the average U.S. beer at 4%! [NOTE: I am gauging that statistic by the average watery college beer.]

3.     Oktoberfest is not strictly for drinking, though it is cause for celebration. The festivities are held for all ages, and children can play carnival games, eat cotton candy and ride the roller coasters that stretch across nearly half of the Oktoberfest grounds.

4.     Of course, visitors of age (15 years old in Germany) can drink in the massive beer tents that are set up in a grid formation behind the carnival grounds. Each haus carries its own reputation; for example, the Hofbrau Haus is known for the American crowd it draws (as you will clearly see in videos later in my post) and is where I spent the majority of my time!

My journey began once upon a Friday morning. I arrived blindly early in a city that greeted me with Mercedes-Benz taxis and Heidi Klum doppelgangers; needless to say, I was elated to be in Munich. Because the Oktoberfest festivities begin so early in the morning (sometimes around 6 AM), my travel companion -- Bridge -- and I had little time to waste. Mindlessly throwing on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt at the hotel, I hopped onto a tram and ventured into the city center to find the Oktoberfest grounds.

Arial view of the Oktoberfest grounds

…I immediately realized that my outfit choice was, indiscreetly, a novice mistake. At best. The entrance to Oktoberfest was flooded with hundreds of men and women described best as offspring of the Von Tramp family--but think COLOR. Lots, and lots, and lots of color. The traditional garb worn by women is called a dirndl, and comes in both traditional and contemporary styles. Men, however, wear leiderhosen, which is traditionally brown suede and embroidered in a number of different patterns. These trousers look like board shorts that are connected to a thick set of suspenders – no wonder it’s all the rage.

A deserted 7 AM entrance to Oktoberfest

The wafting smell of beer hops and bliss were the first sensations to fill me, and after fighting my way through a dizzying crowd, I stumbled upon the Hofbrau Haus. As I mentioned earlier, this bier haus is famously American in attendance, and to my knowledge, avoided by locals. But authentic or not, this tent was a spectacle. Wooden picnic tables lined the haus floors from front to back, with thousands upon thousands of Americans feasting on limitless liters of Hofbrau beer. Monstrous shrubberies hung from the canvas ceiling, with souvenir shops and food stands lining every inch of wall.

The Hofbrau Haus...

...after we finally made it inside!

Tables are “claimed” at Oktoberfest on a first-come-first-serve basis, and generally groups of friends and universities will cluster in the same area. This was the case for Richmond on both Friday and Saturday, and I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with a number of my closest friends; some by planning, and others by happenstance. I was even fortunate enough to cross paths with a handful of friends from high school, and it serves as a reminder of how small this world actually is.

In Hofbrau Haus with my Prague AND Richmond roommate, Bridge!

....the pretzels are as tall (and large) as their accompanying tales.

Best friends/roommates take on Oktoberfest...

Each table is served by one waitress, also known as a “beer girl,” who takes care of drinks and food for everyone at their respective table. I was STUNNED by the number of liter beers these waitresses could carry: they would weave their fingers between six different jug handles on each hand, and carry them to the tables on behalf of our gluttony. I can hardly fathom how they did it, because I could hardly hold my own jug. Go, go, gadget fingers?

The party oozed American-ism throughout the afternoon, and it's really the first feeling of home I’ve had in a while. A band was situated in the middle of the room on a platform, and they played classics like "Sweet Caroline" and "Hey Baby" on endless loop. As the event got progressively -- and by progressively, I mean exponentially -- more rowdy, a brave few people would stand on their table and slug down a thick liter of beer. Rightfully, a roar would explode during the drinker’s final gulps, and from time to time, elicit a patriotic “U-S-A” chant. I was lucky enough to film this feat performed by one of my very own friends at Richmond, as posted below:

And so, the rumors are true – Oktoberfest is a spectacle that remains unmatched by any other Fraturday in existence (sorry, Mardi Gras enthusiasts...) It was a miracle that we repeated the same ritual the next day at an even more crowded and diverse Hofbrau Haus on Saturday morning. But after a weekend of overindulgence, we finally found some time to tour Munich.

The Glockenspiel Tower

Much like Prague, the city center of Munich is set up with a network of Metro stations, and local travel is mostly split between trams and subways. The train station is at the very middle of the city, and from there, sightseers radiate. Our group went to see the Glockenspiel Tower, which is most well known for the marionette-like statues in the clock’s spire that dance around when the clock strikes a new hour. 

"When in Munich... eat the Schnitzel?"

Of course, we also stopped in not one, but TWO different beer houses throughout the day. The first was the Schneider Weissehaus, which was crowded and filled with rowdy Germans – and I shamelessly dined on my first Wiener Schnitzel. For a sneek peek of the ambiance, take a look at the clip below:

And the second beer house was again Hofbrau Haus, but not to be mistaken for the one we visited at Oktoberfest. This was instead a famous restaurant with Hofbrau beer, but the permanent house in the middle of Munich. Aside from beer hauses, we couldn’t resist but have Haagen Dazs in the domicile of its conception. Before we knew it, our Sunday touring in Germany was spent, and we had to bid auf Wiedersehen to the motherland of gingerbread and braided pigtails.

SO -- here I am, back in Prague, and reluctantly in one piece. After a full day of registering for my classes at Charles University, I am preparing for a night of karaoke in Prague 2. Keep your ears open, because I have a feeling you’ll be able to hear me all the way in the US…