Oktoberfest: in memory of Papa Dave
Trip Start
Apr 01, 2008
1
56
59
Trip End
Oct 05, 2008
Munich,
Bavaria,
Germany
Sunday, September 21, 2008
We woke up at 6:30am determined to be some of the first inside Oktoberfest so we could get a seat at a table inside one of the beer tents. There are fourteen tents at Oktoberfest that each hold betweeen 4,000-11,000 people, but with over 500,000 people attending opening day, they are quickly full. I guided our group to the Hacker tent because I had heard it was one of the best parties and also a very traditional Bavarian tent. The queue to get inside started small, but by 8 it was crazy, crowded and people were getting crushed. At 9 the doors opened and the rush to get inside was crazy. Somehow, JP, Jared, Karl and I made it in as a group and we looked for a seat at a table. Many tables had seats still available but they also had people defending them for others still to come. Fed up with hearing the same answer of "i'm holding this seat" I sat down at a table that was being defended by only one guy. I motioned for the others to sit as well despite the protests of the reserver. Then others looking for a table asked if they could sit, I said "of course!" and the table was quickly full. The lone reserver still had a seat but his still to come friends no longer did so he ran off to try to find another table, I doubt he did.
For the next three hours we sat, waiting for the beer to start being served (on opening day they dont start serving until noon). It seemed like it was taking forever and we were all very tired. I did my best to keep everyone cheery and got to know my neighbors including Tanya and Judith, who were from Munich and dressed in the very lovely traditional durndl dresses. Finally the opening parade marched through, the band started playing and beer was being served. The beer wenches were carrying eleven steins at a time each filled with one litre of beer; it was very impressive and had to be ridiculously heavy, but I had yet to get mine. It seemed like every table around us got served first and the anticipation of my first litre was getting overwhelming. And then, I finally got my first beer of Oktoberfest! It was delicious and the waiting, anticipation and surroundings made it possibly the best beer I had ever had. Once the entire table got beers we all "Prost"ed and then the celebration really started. We spent the next ten hours singing, dancing, drinking and flirting. It was a truly fantastic day. For the entire day I was thinking about Papa Dave and how much he loved Oktoberfest. I couldn't help but think he was there with me in spirit.
We finally stumbled out of the tent about 10:30pm and we spent a little more time with the German girls before stumbling back to our van exhausted. That night Jared and JP both got really sick, to make matters worse for me I woke up with Jared inches away from my face, breathing on me. I asked him "Jared, can you please stop breathing on me" it made for a good laugh for the entire van because no one was really asleep. The next morning we were all pretty exhausted, broke, hungover and they were sick so we decided to sleep in some more. By this time our van was getting very, very smelly. It did not help that Jared was using the insoles which I had previously attempted to through away because they stunk so bad. We made him store his shoes along with my smelly insoles outside.
Jared's mom had mailed him another credit card, but unfortunately the mail boxes etc where it was, was closed on sundays. Jared was distraught but again I reassured him that it would be ok and loaned him some more money. We needed to get Jared's card so we couldn't leave Munich so we went on a daytrip to the Dachau concentration camp. We debated going to Leichtenstein for the night just to say we had been there, but it never materialized and we stayed in Munich.
After Dachau we went to the train station for some showers, which were very refreshing and inspired us all to go back to Oktoberfest for the evening. At the train station, JP and Karl bumped in to one of their former travelling friends Hannah and she decided to come along with us. Back at Oktoberfest we couldnt afford anymore of the 10 euro (15 dollar) litres but we went on some rides and just enjoyed the atmosphere of Oktoberfest. On one of the rollercoasters 18 year old Karl sat next to a 60 year old women. We convinced them to kiss after the ride; it was a good laugh. Once again, I bumped in to Benny and Phoebe (the friends from Istanbul and Varna). We also found several abandoned beer steins which we took as souveniers and I bought a silly hat.
Oktoberfest was definitely a highlight of my entire trip and will always be a cherished memory. I hope to one day go back and then maybe I can afford a pair of Liederhosen.
