Let’s go to Oktoberfest!

It all started at the Hofbrahaus.

Our dear friends joined us last week for Germany’s most popular event – Oktoberfest. We’d planned the visit for months. Then last week, it finally arrived. They finally arrived. By a miraculous stroke of good luck, we landed rooms at Marriott using points that the boys had accumulated through work travels. Our first evening we cautiously metroed to Marienplatz bracing ourselves for the hours to come.

 We had a hearty dinner, made friends (hi guys!) and were entertained by a cute chap with a whip (!) who was later joined by a dancer spinning in circles so fast that my stomach hurt for her.Oh, and we drank a few liters of beer.

Just so, you know, we could get acquainted with the stuff.

The oompha band partied on while we ducked out, preparing ourselves mentally and physically for the day ahead.

Enter: Oktoberfest.

A simple, infamous, party held on huge fairgrounds within the city. Upon arrival it surprises most folks to find that the majority of the fest consists of an endless amount of amusement park rides, games (the target market must be 29 year old men), and German fair eats. Since Munich lies in the German state of Bavaria, Bavarian dress is the norm here. Everyone, young and old, sports their best dirndl (ladies) and lederhosen (gents). This scene looks like a ton of fun and I can understand why this is so popular with families.

We were on another mission though – the Hacker Pshorr tent. One of 14 monstrous tents at Oktoberfest, Hacker Pshorr is noted as being the best.

The lederhosen-clad boys led the way sporting sweet USA socks.

Once inside we were hit by a wave of commotion and music.

We quickly grabbed a table (11AM at this point) and ordered our first round. Beers are 10E each but served in a 1 Liter ‘Mass’ and at least 6% abv each equates to drinking 4 Bud Lights.

After a few hours of chatting with our neighbors, drinking (Radler’s for the gals!) and attempting to get the table to play ‘The Ground is Lava!’ the boys concluded that IT was time.

They stood up on our table, before hundreds of fellow partiers, and with full beers in hand called out “Prost!”. Chugging their beers, it was quiet at first, then chanting and cheering erupted. Dan and our buddy finished in 17 seconds (!) and the crowd roared. Our new German friend, who had joined them, accidentally left a few drops at the bottom of his mass and was taunted with boo’s. Looking down in embarrassment he quickly threw back the rest and the hall cheered.

Here’s what happened:

Later into the night this charade happens frequently. Once was enough for the guys though and they spent the rest of the blurry day on man-Cloud 9. 

 A handy seat map at the front of the hall, each little line is a table filling 10-12 people with seating inside and outside in the beer garden. By lunch time the place was nearly packed. The square box in the center is for the oompha band, standing on a revolving stage so no one has a bad seat. Brilliant!

As the night wore on we made more and more friends at the tables around us. Standing and singing to songs like Sweet Caroline and Country Roads. Clanking our mass’s, yelling “Prost!” for what felt like every other minute. It was certainly one of the most memorable and fun events that I’ve attended, ever.

I’m scribbling it off my bucket list now. Oktoberfest for the win!

So, is this little event on YOUR bucket list yet?