mac and johanna's bike tripjoh: Sept. 28, 2016 Munich and Oktoberfest

Sept. 28, 2016

Munich and the Oktoberfest

We found our way back to Felix and Nadine’s apartment and made our plans for the day. Nadine wanted to have lunch at the Augustiner Pavillion inside the Oktoberfest park so we agreed to meet there after a quick bicycle tour of the city. Our first stop was the Glockenspiel so we rushed over there so we would not miss the 11:00 “show.” The first scene is of the Medieval knights jousting in front of the king and queen followed by another enactment of a wedding dance and finally the rooster crowing. Imagine a gigantic music box coming to life inside a 30 story clock tower.

Our next destination was the Viktualien Markt, originally a farmers market, now popular for its gourmet food items and specialty gifts. Every vendor had samples to taste with pieces of crusty bread to dip with. We bought several gifts and Paj found the squid ink pasta that she had been searching for. Chantal stocked up on gourmet mixes for her river trips.

We viewed some other historical and architectural highlights of the city then found our way to the Oktoberfest. Here we witnessed a mass of humanity celebrating the finest locally made bier and traditional foods in 5 separate tents, each holding 5,000 to 10,000 people. The added attraction is everyone dressed in the traditional dirndles and lederhosen of their region. Oktober fest was first celebrated over 500 years ago at the wedding of a Bavarian king and queen who invited everyone from far and near to join in the feast. It continued every year thereafter on the anniversary of their wedding day.

The beers that are allowed at the fest must be brewed in Munich only. The only brewery that can boast of still brewing in oak kegs is the Augustiner Brewery where we had lunch. Chantal ordered the traditional fare of blood sausage, pork belly and liver sausage with sauerkraut and potatoes along with Felix, Nadine and Johanna. Paj chickened out and had the roasted chicken. The beers came in 40 ounce mugs so one was all that was needed. Of course, they scowled at Chantal and I when we requested white wine and NA Beer which they, naturally, did not serve.

Oktoberfest is like Disneyland on steroids due to the fact that everyone is drinking vast quantities of beer and enjoying immensely the largest festival in Europe. The rides are rivaled by none and a favorite vision is of the high rise swing circling next to the city cathedral in the distance.

After more shopping, we departed to continue our bicycle tour of Munich. We went straight to the Isar River to watch the continuous wave and the skilled surfers who methodically jump into the wave to take their turn at surfing back and forth across the river until they lose their balance and are swept downstream.

Our next stop was the English Gardens built by another aristocrat who felt that the city deserved its own version of a vast center of greenery, gardens, walkways and beer gardens for all to enjoy. The throng of humanity relaxing and recreating was an esthetic joy to behold. We met Johanna;s other nephew and Felix’s brother Cristof and had more bier while they visited. Johanna had a continuous stream of Euros for her great niece, Francesca for gelato and the merry-go-round.