Franzi takes us around Germany

Willkommen in Deutschland

Welcome to Germany!

After two trains, a night in the airport, a plane ride, and a couch, totally twenty hours of travel we finally made it to Oktoberfest!!! It was a long night of travel but we have decided we officially learned the inn’s and out’s of travel and sleeping in the airport, we consider ourselves masters at it.

            We arrived at our Hostel, “The Tent” Which literally was a big white tent with bunk beds up in the hundreds. The site is only open in the summer and closes right after Oktoberfest. Although only a tram ride outside the city they had a bonfire at night, café, kegs, basketball court, and dinner. After arriving we walked around the local area around the tent to stretch our legs and hopefully wake us up slightly.  We hung out at the hostel that night. They had a large bonfire and we met younger aged people from all over the world. Let me tell you though I think the Aussie’s (Australians’) are invading Europe!!! They are everywhere and they put their life on hold for six months to a year and just travel all over Europe. We also met a group of Guys from Canada and of course people all over Europe traveling there just for Oktoberfest.

    Saturday was OKTOBERFEST!!!!! Laura had a foreign exchange student in high school for a couple weeks, Franzi, who lives in Germany and she along with a couple of friends came down to Munich and met up with us. She was such a doll and amazing help. Germany although beautiful was the first time here where I felt out of my comfort zone and helpless. As many of you many know I clearly no zero German, and we were surprised to find nothing was in English. It was not that we expected it for obviously they have no need for it but it was still a culture shock. Franzi and her friends were amazing with her English as well as with her patience with helping us translate anything and everything. We started at the opening parade. Each beer tent has their own floats with barrels and flowers and people dressed in lederhosen and dirndl dress. Everywhere you looked where Clydesdale horses too, decorated. The mayor then taps the first keg which symbolizes the start of Oktoberfest and all other beer tents are allowed to open and tap their kegs as well. The Parade was so neat to see, it was an excellent representation of the culture. It like Buckingham palace was crowded with people of all cultures here to celebrate that of the Germans.

            Oktoberfest was a lot of fun. It was like a big state fair with ides and food and games and of course large, extravagant beer tents. I can honestly say I have never seen so many people in one area though, which should be expected with it being opening weekend but the main way of getting around was with people pushing you, and let me tell you they are not afraid to shove their way through. The atmosphere was crazy though, people were dressed up everywhere. The beer tents had lines wrapping around the park and the beer garden was overflowing with people. Unfortunately to get into a beer tent one needs to make a reservation a year in advance (which we didn’t find out until arriving) or wait in line for hours upon hours.

That afternoon we hopped the train and rode up with Ingolstadt. I loved the small town Germany with the cubble stone streets and old buildings lining the narrow streets. Franzi and her friend Franzi showed us around town, we saw their school, the church in which was built for Mary, and town square.  We then went out to dinner at a traditional German restaurant. Laura Veronica and I each got a different dish and passed it amoung the three of us, the food was beyond amazing!   Spatzel which is a dough based noodles with cheese (but way better and nothing like then mac and cheese),  schnitzel which is breaded and fried meat served with French fries, as well as a meat entrée that was amazing but we have no idea what it was. We topped off our meal with a traditional german desert. Franzi then took us back to her house we we spent the night. We could not have asked for better hosted (Mom I was very well taken care of). We crashed very early, for we had a full day and were raising before the sun at 3:45, in the morning we had coffee and rolls with nutella on it then hit the road to catch our coach bus. When I say road I mean, the auto bound!!!! From there it was just a coach ride, plane ride, bus right and train ride back to grantham.