Oktoberfest

If you are studying abroad in Europe in the fall, Oktoberfest is basically a right of passage. Anyone who has done so before says it is a must-do, must-see trip. Anyone who is culturally connected, whether it is pop culture or historical culture, will probably concur. Therefore, my friends and I booked our tickets in July to check out the spectacle. 

Flight from Paris to Munich

Most of my closest friends at Hopkins are studying abroad as well. However, we are scattered all over Europe. Being apart for a semester has been a bit easier knowing that we would all see each other sooner than later in Munich. Finally this reunion arrived. Unfortunately, at the last minute one of our friends couldn't make it due to her program. We missed her terribly!!

Pretzel Excitement and Munich Sites

On Friday morning, Taylor and I took the metro to Charles de Gaulle and caught our flight to Munich. We arrived at 2:30 and hopped on the shuttle to the hotel. After attacking our friends in the lobby, we all ventured into Munich to check out the city before the festivities began. While we were fortunate enough to find a reasonably priced room for the weekend, this hotel was a 40 minute train ride away from the city. So after barely enough time to catch up, we climbed up the stairs from the train and into Marienplatz, the center of Munich. We quickly grabbed big bavarian pretzels then wandered around and admired the beautiful buildings.

Munich/ München

We checked out the city until we stumbled upon Hofbrauhaus, a well-known German beer house. We weaved around the packed drinking hall through rooms upon rooms trying to find an open table. While it could have been a frustrating situation, we were happy to scope out the various rooms. We finally snagged a table in the hall with the band who supplied festive bavarian music. We ordered our first liters of beer of the weekend and joined in the festivities. The beers were followed by bavarian bites such as pretzels, spaetzle noodles (think bavarian mac'n'cheese), roasted chicken, and pork knuckles. We then headed back to the hotel in preparation for an early morning and a long day ahead.

Hofbrauhaus

We woke up Saturday morning to pouring rain. After grabbing breakfast at the hotel, we decided we wouldn't let it rain on our parade (pun intended), and we head into town. After following lederhosen clad bavarians, we waited in line at 7:30 AM in the rain to get into a tent. Unfortunately we had no luck. We scanned the other tents in search of a dry table, but when it appeared we were out of luck again, we grabbed a table outside under a covered awning (and a heat lamp).

Oktoberfest in the Rain

We sat there and enjoyed pretzels and warm bavarian nuts until the mayor shot his gun at noon to announce the commencement of the 179th Oktoberfest. At 11:45 we realized that we were at the wine tent, where we could not purchase the classic beer steins. After the parade passed, we took advantage of the brief break in the rain to seek out another table.

A Beer Tent, Liz and Me, Bavarian Nuts...yum

We were forced to resort to one outside, but shortly after we ordered our beers, the monsoon commenced. We popped open our 3 umbrellas to create a make-shift tent for the 6 of us. This may sound like a miserable situation to most, but we actually had a great time. Mind over matter, we kept reminding ourselves as we drank and laughed. After toughing it out until my jeans wicked water all the down to my socks, we decided to head out.

Oktoberfest in the Rain

Determined to make the most of our time there, we ventured back into Munich to check out the nightlife. We enjoyed cocktails at a bar with a superb playlist of American tunes from the early 2000's and danced at a German club populated by mostly natives.

Rain vs. Sunshine

Sunday we woke up to sunshine (thank goodness!!) and headed back into Munich with our bags to see what Oktoberfest is really like. It was packed- think county fair on overdrive. Much to my surprise, it wasn't filled with drunk American college students, but instead with generations of Germans dressed in classic bavarian attire. All the rides were up and running. Parades marching through the streets. Masses of people weaving to find their next activity. Carts selling gingerbread, bavarian nuts, pretzels and souvenirs. We fortunately found a table outside and ordered our beers. We enjoyed the sunshine, dry clothes and great company until two-by-two we parted ways to head back to our respective countries.

Pretzels and Beer, Bavarian Families, Beergarten

When Taylor and I finally landed in Paris and got off the metro to walk to our apartments, we walked up the stairs of our St. Placide stop into more rain. Although it wasn't the warmest welcome (pun intended, again), we were happy to be "home" where we could actually read street signs and didn't feel like people were yelling at us when they spoke to us. While this weekend didn't go as ideally as planned, I wouldn't have changed a thing. We had a once in a lifetime adventure filled with lots of laughter, great stories, and beer.