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Oktoberfest 2019

Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on October 14, 2019

This post could easily be summed up with one sentence: “a 30 yr old body does not tolerate spinning rides quite like a 20 yr old body.”

I have skipped out on a handful of fests here in Germany, because a lot of them involve nothing more than sitting in a beer tent…drinking beer. There is nothing wrong with this, but for someone who doesn’t drink beer this doesn’t appeal to me much.

“Here, hold this beer for the photo!”

When I learned that Oktoberfest not only had beer tent, upon beer tent, upon beer tent, but also had rides like a carnival…I knew I had to go. Growing up I made sure to visit the county fair every year to get my fix of sketchy rides that threatened my safety. The faster they spun, the harder I laughed, and the more fun I had.

Fast forward to now, and I managed three rides before feeling my guts and my brain sloshing inside of me. I’d have been better off sticking to the Ferris wheel.

A group of girls and I decided to go after work on a Tuesday because the rides were supposed to be half price (they were not, but such is life) and I anticipated riding as many as I could within a few hours. We took the 4p train to Munich, (which had multiple delays and unexpected train changes) and arrived an hour later than expected around 6p.

Before we embarked on rides, we stopped into a beer hall for the girls to get some beer, and for me to get some brathendl.

We got lucky when we walked in, because this was our fourth beer tent we tried to find space in. They were all packed, but we walked into this one and a waiter saw us, grabbed us, and led us to a table right away. All it meant was that the 11.80 euro beer cost the girls 15 euros after an automatic tip (he didn’t even ask, but again, such is life.)

After spending a good hour enjoying dancing on benches and stuffing our bellies, we made our way out into the darkness of the night. As we were leaving the crowded tent myself and one of the other girls were groped multiple times. I hate that I have to even say this, but a pro tip for ladies planning to attend Oktoberfest: be aware.

It was more annoying than anything, but sadly this happens often at Oktoberfest.

We didn’t let the creeps stop us, it was time for some rides. Only one other girl out of the five of us wanted to go on the “intense” rides, so we split up and she and I took off towards the roller coaster. I should have known when the cost for one ride was ten euros that it wasn’t half price, but when at Oktoberfest (I also spent 13 euros on half a chicken when I normally pay 3.50 euro back where I live!)

Two of us on the far left are the daredevils!

The roller coaster (above) was ride number one, and it was a blast. This was a good ride to ease into the sketch. Right next to the roller coaster was a ride that looked fun at first glance, but I lost my shit when I got onto it. It started slow, but as it got faster and began to spin more I felt the chicken in my belly trying to claw its way out.

The ride never went fully upside down, but it got close, and the higher it went the more fear I felt.

I never got to the point where I needed to barf, but I started to feel all kinds of funny. We took a break and went through a fun house before ending the night with the worst of them all. I couldn’t find an exact GIF, but it’s similar to the scrambler. Which is appropriate because my brain was a mush of scramble after this ride.

The ride was never ending, and although in the moment it was comical, I felt like I was drunk when I got off. I felt sick and had a throbbing headache the remainder of the night. Despite the discomfort, I regret nothing and had a great time with the group of girls I went with. We only stayed for a few hours, but I got all I needed from Oktoberfest.

I will likely go to at least one more fest during my time in Germany, but it’s not until the spring. It’s like a mini Oktoberfest, which seems more my speed. At this fest, I’ll stick to the swings and the Ferris wheel where my 30yr old body belongs. I think I need the entire winter to recover after Oktoberfest.

We took the 10p train back to Garmisch, and I had a lovely chat with a German named Andy. His neighbor works as a server, and got him a free spot in a beer tent box where he had unlimited beer and food. Andy was living the life at Oktoberfest, but I don’t think his 50yr old body handled the beer quite like his 20yr old body.

Q: Would you go on the rides at Oktoberfest, or stick to the beer tents?

| 12 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Carnival, Germany, Munich, Oktoberfest, Rides

Munich, Germany

Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 11, 2019

Last week I took a day trip into the city of Munich, which is just over an hour long bus ride from where I am living. I had originally planned to visit the city alone, but when I discovered two of the girls I went to Innsbruck with were also going, I changed plans to go with them. The weather was perfect the entire day – it was cold, but the sky was cloudless and sunny.

Before arriving, I searched the Google for a few places that were on the “must see” list, and planned to spend the rest of the time wandering the streets. I like to have a balance of knowledge and spontaneity when traveling to new places. This ensures I see a few top spots, but also opens the door for places I’d not have stumbled upon otherwise.

Munich is a high end city and a lot of people visit to shop, but I came for the sights. I came for the architecture, for the cathedrals, for the parks, and for the food. The Marienplatz (city center) area is home to Neues Rathaus (Munich’s New Town Hall) which was at the top of my list of must see’s. The gothic style building dates back to 1867 and the inside was like a labyrinth. This was the first stop of the day, and we happened to arrive just in time to see the Glockenspiel perform, which only happens a couple times a day.

Neues Rathaus on the left, Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) domes in the middle, Mariensäule (St. Mary’s column) on the left.

There is something magical about seeing a building in real life after seeing a photo, like meeting Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Walking around the corner to see Neues Rathaus was one of those magical moments. As touristy as it may be, the building is a must see when visiting Munich. When walking around inside the building there were children everywhere, one of them was flaunting his money at me and I wasn’t sure if he thought I was a prostitute or just trying to brag.

Based on my thick puffy jacket and long pants I’ll go with the latter.

After wandering around the Marienplatz area for a bit, we headed off to find some cathedrals. I absolutely love the strong faith in Europe, and although I don’t identify with Catholicism (despite being raised catholic) the beauty of these old churches is awe inspiring. Our first stop was Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady.) The cathedrals iconic domes can be seen in one of the above photos.

This was a good start to the cathedral crawl, and I felt that each cathedral after was better than the one before it. My only complaint was that my group didn’t want to spend more time inside each place we stopped (perks of traveling solo.) We also visited St. Peter’s Church and Holy Ghost Church, but my all time favorite of the day AND of all time thus far in my life was Asam Church. Usually when I think of a cathedral, I think of bright lights and stained glass windows. I think of white walls and a victorian themed decor.

Holy Ghost Church

However, upon walking into Asam Church all my stigmas surrounding cathedrals were shattered by the dark gothic vibe. The walls were dark, the decor was dark, and the ambiance was dark. It was the most beautifully dark cathedral I have ever seen, and I will return to Munich just to sit inside of it for longer than 5 minutes. The inside is much smaller than the other cathedrals we visited, and I can only imagine what the hymns sound like inside those walls.

Such beauty.

A trip to the city isn’t complete without sustenance, and although the Hofbräuhaus is very touristy, it’s a traditional beer hall that dates back to the 16th century. Inside we were lucky to get a table, because if you don’t sit you don’t eat. People are known to scoot into a booth with strangers because it gets so busy at times. I’m not a beer drinker, but I did partake in a bowl of potato soup and a “side” of sauerkraut which was enough for three people.

I ate it all.

The inside was beautiful and we listened to traditional live music.

I look forward to going back to the beer hall during Oktoberfest.

After our feast, we were off to the Englischer Garden, a public park created in 1789. Even the parks in Europe have deep history, it’s amazing. There is currently a lot of snow in Germany, which made the park look like a true winter wunderland. I can’t wait to return and see this park in the summer months. I envision myself sitting on the grass, having a picnic, eating bon bons and wading in the river.

For those who like to partake in the hops, there is also a biergarten nearby.

After making a pit stop into Starbucks for my compadres (the sign was in German, it was fun) we made our way to the last must see spot on my list. The Siegestor Arch was originally dedicated to the glory of the Bavarian army, and underwent serious damage after WWII. The arch was almost demolished in 1945, but was partially restored and now promotes peace. The total distance covered in Munich was 12 miles on foot, and I’d say we covered some solid ground.

Munich is a city for everyone. If you like to buy expensive unnecessary items, go to Munich. If you like to learn about history and visit museums (I need to go back to see some museums), go to Munich. If you like to explore old architechture and historical buildings, go to Munich. Just outside of Munich are two other must visit places: (I haven’t been to either yet, but they’re on my list ASAP) Dachau Concentration Camp, and Neuschwanstein Castle.

That wraps up my second trip outside of my “home” town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I’ve officially been living in Germany for three weeks (today) and I still feel like I’m on an extended vacation despite the fact that I’m working. Life is wild, and I’m happy to be along for the ride.

Q: When visiting a big city would you rather: shop, visit museums, or visit landmarks?