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Oktoberfest

Hubby is home! He and I and some of our newly enguaged friends took a trip down to Munich for Oktoberfest for Saturday. It was good fun. From where we live, the trip was 6 hours down there (due to extended road contruction and traffic jams on the autobahn). We went to the tourist office in the train station to let them help us reserve a hotel. We could only find two single rooms in the same hotel, so that's what we got. And yes, single rooms are for single people, so we were trying to be sneaky getting in and out of the hotel. It was pretty silly. I really don't think the hotel cared that much b/c all of the city's rooms were full for the occassion. So we sneaked into our rooms, got cleaned up, and headed out for the festivities. We tried being economical and taking a train there, but got lost and ended up getting a taxi to the Oktoberfest entrance. It seemed like an extended fair with a few roller coasters and other rides, beer tents a'plenty, and many vendors selling bratwurst, fish, steak, nuts, and these wonderful cookies that you were around your neck! William got me one that says, "I love you!" in Deutsch (aka German). It almost looks like it is expressing profanity as it reads: "Ich liebe dich", which in English might simply look like the baker messed up the icing for a saucy English message?.?. The guys drank at least 4 mugs of beers each. I am not a fan of beer, but did appreciate the cold and foaminess of it when first served. So after it began getting room temperature I would pass it off to William :-) And we made it out of there with 2 mugs! If the polizi catch you with one coming out of the gate, they will take it from you (see picture above*). We had a bag with us which was the device that enabled us to get out unnoticed with these huge mugs. When these people drink they sing! They "prost" (cheers) with everyone who will raise a mug and were generally friendly. We didn't see any fights (strangely enough), only 2 drunk guys trying to steal a beer. The server quickly lost his temper and threw them out without their beer, so the problem was solved. It was a fun festival and I suggest it to anyone who loves beer, brat, fairs, and/or festivals!