Prost!

        Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany. Let’s start with my living accommodations. I booked a campsite through a company called Stoke Travel. It is run by crazy, young Australians, whose main concern is making sure everybody is having a good time. We slept in giant tents, really more like tee pees, in the freezing cold, rainy weather. I know I am making it sound miserable, but it really was worth it and an amazing experience. The campsite turns into a party at night, with food, drinks, and a “dance floor”. This was basically a make shift DJ set with rainbow lights and a covered grassy area. It was awesome.

            So after a night of little sleep we woke up at 7am to set off for Oktoberfest! Thankfully, our campsite sold dirndls, which are traditional German dresses. So we bought those early in the morning and didn’t have to worry about long lines and expensive prices.

            Oktoberfest reminded me of a fraternity party times 1000. There were people of all ages and all nationalities. Women of all ages would walk around taking orders for beer. The beer we drank was Hofbrau, and I surprisingly liked it more than I thought I would. The woman waiting on us was extremely friendly, attentive and efficient, which is rare I have been told.

I met people from Belgium, Germany, Australia, The U.S., and New Zealand. That is just a handful of countries that were represented at the festival. The most interesting thing I found about meeting a lot of foreigners is how many of them were interested in American politics. I met an Irishman who said, “So what are your thoughts on the War in Iraq?” right after I had told him my name. I had similar experiences with other foreigners as well. I thought it was strange, but also showed me how educated people from other countries were.

            All in all, it was a fabulous weekend. The campsite situation was an experience, and I was definitely ready to be home in a bed and have a proper shower by the end of it all. I found Germans to be friendly, fun and down to earth. Munich did not steal my heart, but it was a nice city. Most importantly, I cannot wait to return to Oktoberfest one day.