Munich, Germany...Oktoberfest!

Dean and I traveled with Jessi and Tyler to Munich, Germany to celebrate OKTOBERFEST! We arrived early in the morning after a red eye flight and decided the best plan was to keep moving! We took a train to Augsburg, a town just outside Munich, to visit Dean’s friend Manuel. He was the perfect host…starting with beers, traditional Bavarian food and a walking tour of the city.

Unfortunately the red eye flight eventually caught up with us! Luckily Manuel was kind enough to offer up his cozy couch for us to pass out on before we took the train home to Munich. We were like a bunch of zombies stumbling through the streets of Augsburg…

Oktoberfest actually takes place over 16 days in September ….confusing, yes. Over six million people attend. There 14 big tents (holding around 8000 people each) and 20 small tents. It is a carnival, drinking event and foodfest all wrapped into one. We were lucky enough to attend the day the draft horses pulling the beer kegs were presented…and yes, I kissed one on the nose.

The “tents” are absolutely lavish….believe it or not, this tent was put up just days before we arrived. There are huge, clean bathrooms….full cooking facilities…live bands….rows of tables….fireplaces, etc.

And yes….we dressed appropriately! Lederhosen and dirndls…..and we were not the only ones! Locals and tourists alike participated in the tradition.

We were fortunate enough to spend out first day of Oktoberfest with Lars, a good friend of Manuels. He has numerous connections and has spent many years working and playing at Oktoberfest. We toured the various tents…small and large…learned how to pace ourselves with the huge steins of beer, ate delicious foods, and learned drinking songs.

The best part was meeting the locals! Singing songs, swinging beers and wearing authentic lederhosen with all the fixings.

Ah….the food. Mr. Eisenbraun was in heaven. It took the vegetarian/vegans a few days to adjust. By the end of the trip we were all nibbling on bratwurst, pretzels, spatzl, haxe (pig knuckle), shnitzel, etc.

Oktoberfest at night..carnival lights, stumbling drunks, garbage all over the ground….completely entertaining!

Yes, we did do something other than drink beer! During the day we walked all over Munich….saw the Glockenspiel, outdoor beer gardens, the original Hoffbrau house, etc. We also did Mike’s Bike tour…riding for four hours around the sites of Munich.

This picture had to make the cut. One of the tents is famous for its ox….they kept a going tally of how many had been slaughtered (90 oxen on average). We walked up just as they were putting up a fresh ox (not an easy task..they are massive!)…and toasting after!

Our last night of Oktoberfest….we went early to get our own table. Easier said than done. Had to “make friends quick.” We were lucky enough to join these young locals in a night of standing on tables and singing drinking songs! (and yes, for those who know Bruno...he joined us for two nights!)

We spent our last night in Germany in the Alps! Rented a car and drove out to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (say that 10 times). Stayed in a lovely B&B with painted ceilings and beautiful gardens. We hiked up to a restaurant on the side of the mountain.

The top! As our B&B hostess said, “it goes up for a little bit for a long time…but you look sporty” (said in German accent). It was perfect weather, good company and amazing food….just like the entire week! Prost! On to Africa!

Cuba

There is a bill being considered by U. S. Government that will allow Americans to travel to Cuba so I decided to write an entry into the blog of a trip to Havana Cuba that I would like to do if it were legal for Americans to travel there. I would, of course, NEVER try to travel to a place that my beloved government has banned me from travelling to.

The trip would likely be five days sightseeing in Havana and one day excursion out to an eco-community in the hills outside Havana.

The first day I would just go on foot in and around old Havana “La Havana Vieja”. This part of the city sits at the mouth of the bay of Havana. Original founded by the Spanish as a stopping point for Spanish galleons it was also a major slave trade port. The buildings in this part of the city are very beautiful but like most of Havana have slowly become dilapidated over the last 50 years. They are trying to restore many of the buildings but it’s happening slowly and the extent of the damage and the sheer number of buildings that need restoration is daunting.

Of course, I would visit the Partagas cigar factory. I would not be allowed to take a camera into this factory but here is what the lobby and cigar shop would look like. All buildings, businesses, etc. are government owned so once Fidel took over all the different cigar companies became one. So Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagas, Romeo & Juliet, etc. are all made in this (and other) factories. I would be surprised to learn that, regardless of price or grade, all hand rolled cigars are made by the same rollers with the same outside leaf (the most expensive leaf). It is only the inside tobacco leaves that determines the quality & price. I would try them all and be shocked to find that Partagas was my favorite… I imagine.

I would also visit the Museo Del Ron which is a museum depicting the traditional Rum distillery (complete with multiple tastings). Originally the Bacardi family ran its operation in Cuba but after Fidel’s revolution they pulled up tent stakes and moved to Puerto Rico. Now Havana Club is the main rum of the country (of course, government owned). Most locals drink rum neat (in a glass no ice). Mojitos & Cuba Libres are primarily consumed by tourist only. One mixed drink that the locals do occasionally drink is a mixture of liquid cane sugar and rum. (I don’t know the name of it).

If I were there in August then the days in Havana are hot and balmy. To cool off I would imagine that most evenings during my stay I would want to grab a HUGE Cuban cigar (considering they only cost about $8 US there) and some Buccaneer beer and join the locals on the Malecon. The Malecón is a broad esplanade, roadway and seawall which stretches for 8 km along the coast in Havana, Cuba, from the mouth of Havana Harbor in Old Havana to Vedado. Locals sit and just “hang out” from early evening to late at night all along this area.

The last day there I would probably head out of town to get a view and experience the Cuban countryside. There is an old coffee plantation that has been converted to a sort of eco-resort. Here I would be able to learn a little about rural life in Cuba as well as do some canopy zip-lining. Another added bonus to this trip would be that I would be able to ride the one hour bus ride there and back sitting next to a Cuban law student, who speaks perfect English, and get an interesting perspective on Cuban life, Government, and her view of the United States… I imagine.

From my reading of Cuba it seems like a very beautiful place with very wonderful people. I sure hope the U.S. lifts the travel ban someday so I can go there and do all these things.