Nucha's Small World Articles: Munich Oktoberfest

(First published in Small World Ezine on 1 October 2002)

I am not a beer drinker. I have this so-called "broccoli-
tongue", which means I am too sensitive to bitterness. It
makes bitter foods and beverages torturing for me. However,
during my 2 years in Germany, I have tried almost all
kinds of beer they had (and that's a LOT).

And this is the last week of the World's Famous
"Oktoberfest", the largest beer festival. Not too late if
you live in Europe. But you'll have to stay the night out
of town (or at the train station ;-). To a non-European,
I am afraid it'll be difficult to find a ticket unless
you'll go somewhere far away (such as Vienna or Prague)
and take a train to the Fest.

It's been 192 years since the first "Oktoberfest", which
was actually a horse race in the royal wedding of Bavaria's
Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) to princess
Therese from Saxony-Hildburghausen. And that's why the
place is called "Theresienwiese" or "Therese's field".

From then, it has become a tradition of Munich to have a
festival in the same Theresienwiese at this time every
year. The term "Wiesn" has become the local synonym for
"Oktoberfest". And this field is reserved for only this
event.

This year's Oktoberfest (21 September to 6 October) is
going to be the 169th. (The festival was postponed many
times due to war, cholera and inflation). Each year it is
said to accommodate 7 million visitors, who drink 5 million
litre of beer and eat 700,000 chicken, 400,000 sausages,
200,000 fish, 60 deer, and 80 cows.

Me? I spent only one full day and night in the Wiesn. I had
2 litre of beer, rode 3 rounds of different roller coaters,
ate one fish, two sausages and some cake/icecream, and
ended the day with 19 rounds of Tequila! (Oh it was raining
and I was caught in a Tequila booth with 18 people in it...
so each of us bought one round of Tequila for everyone...).
Strange that the Tequila helped me recovered from the beer.
I even managed to get back to the hotel (in another town)
and spend 5 more hours in its bar, flirting with the
bartender (actually trying to get free drinks -- and
succeeded)!

Ah... there's a few times a nice lady like me went wild ;-)

Okay, back to the fest.

On the first day, the fest begins at 12pm, when the Mayor of
Munich taps of the first keg in the Shottenhammel tent each
year. From then, people will start drinking. There will also
be parades from several parties of Munich. Every year, the
first to march would be the parade of the tent proprietors
(those beer producers). They'll arrive with friends/families
and workers/servers on horsebacks, or in wagons.

There'll be parades or events almost everyday until the
Shooting Match on the last day.

It's a loud and fun party. Everybody eats and drinks.
People sing and dance with totally strangers. In the every
tents, there will be bands and concerts. Servers in
traditional Bavarian outfits carry a dozen of a-litre beer
mugs in both hands. Must be heavy. They are so PROs!

Kids are not allowed in most tents, but they can wander the
field, enjoy the foods, the games, the rides, and scary
roller coasters.

You have to pay for the beer and all the games you play.
Kind of expensive, but worth it...

Do not wear your best shoes because the main street (where
the most interesting stuffs are) will be full of poops from
the parades' horses.

More:

Travelling in Europe, train is the best means.

Try not to drive to Oktoberfest because there will be heavy
traffic on all the roads coming to the Wiesn. But if you are
driving, plan ahead. You can leave the car at your hotel and
take a bus, or park it at one of the Park-and-Ride areas.
Check here for more details http://www.mvv-muenchen.de .

There are always public transportations such as S-Bahn,
U-Bahn, or Bus to the Weisn. Actually you won't get lost...

Just follow the crowd!

For those who miss it this year, Oktoberfest next year is
going to take place from 20 September to 5 October 2003.
Reserve your hotel and transportations today :-)

Spare at least three days for Munich, and another day for
outer sites such as Neuschwanstein castle. You won't regret
it. One interesting place of Munich that travel books
always forget to mention is the BMW museum. Give it a visit
if you are already bored of the art galleries, historical
museums and castles. And If you have your children with you,
spend a day at Deutsche Museum. One of the best learning
centre I've been.

I'll write about my Munich trip some time later. I went
there again during Christmas, and it's beautiful.