Oktoberfest in Munich

How could you be this close and not go? With my time in Germany coinciding with Oktoberfest, I finally made it after all these visits to Bavaria.

It’s a huge draw and I found just getting to the fairgrounds at Theresienwiese to be an experience. I drove northwest about an hour from Bad Reichenhall to a suburb of Munich called Sauerlach and utilized the Park+Ride system.

We did this when Mom and I visited Amsterdam. Basically, you park your car at a train station in a quieter suburban town and ride the rails into the city from there. It sure beats fighting traffic and desperately searching for a parking place (believe me, there aren’t any).

Once I got off the train at the right station, I just walked with the crowds dressed in dirndls and lederhosen directly to the Oktoberfest entrance. There was no charge to enter, you just went through security past stern-looking Polizei.

The celebration which grew into Oktoberfest began back in 1810 for the marriage of Bavarian King Ludwig I and Princess Therese. Today, the event runs for about two weeks, concluding in early October (hence the name).

Millions of visitors attend the fair in Munich with similar Oktoberfests held around the world. Personally, after being here for the original, I think Tulsa’s is pretty authentic. Can’t wait to go when I get back home.

In Munich, only beer conforming to Germany’s Reinheitsgebot (purity law) and brewed within the city limits can be served at Oktoberfest. Six local breweries qualify and take several months to build massive beer halls for visitors complete with elaborate decorations. Some can accommodate more than 10,000 revelers!

My favorite was the Augustiner-Festhalle. It just looked the part. Plus, they served Augustiner beer from individually tapped wooden kegs rather than stainless steel vats like the other tents. I’m sure I could taste the difference!

Each of the breweries had decorated horse teams pulling wagons loaded with wooden barrels of their beer. The teams rolled through the fairgrounds and were a big hit. Everyone passing by wanted a picture with the team representing their favorite brew.

Coincidentally, the Budweiser Clydesdales in America were first introduced to the public in 1933 to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. They even delivered a case of beer to FDR at the White House.

Along with the massive beer halls and food stalls, there’s a sprawling carnival complete with acres of rides (just in case you’re ready to hurl). I wisely decided to skip the rides and the hurling.

I must have walked about 10 miles today and by the early afternoon, I was whipped. After leaving Oktoberfest, I did stop off at Marienplatz in the center of Munich to look around a bit. I’ve always through Munich was a pleasant place, not overwhelming like other big cities.

I dropped in at the original Hofbräuhaus to see it once again. Although it’s extremely popular with tourists, it’s also frequented by locals, many of whom store their personal steins here (the traditional gray ceramic ones, not glass).

I was impressed by the elaborate frescoes of Bavarian motifs on the vaulted ceilings. Notorious history happened at the Hofbräuhaus. In 1920, Hitler and the National Socialists held their first meeting on the third floor. It was also extensively bombed in World War II. Of course, none of that is visible today.

It was quite an experience attending Oktoberfest for the first time after all my visits to Germany. I was surprised at how many traditional elements still exist and how upscale it seemed. Of course, I’m sure it gets crazy at night when the Germans let their hair down.

Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit!

……….

Thanks for coming along on the trip. If you have questions or suggestions, tweet @JasonRMatheson. Missed an entry? Click here.