OKTOBERFEST

I thought I could not leave Switzerland before I experienced the famous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Cat and her friend Krista were visiting so thought it was a perfect time for us all to make the 6 hour drive up to Munich.That meant we would be driving on the autobahn. Of course since I am a control freak, I drove. I probably did not drive as fast as Marc would have, but I did hit a respectable 160km a few times. You have to be careful not to enter the fast lane until it is safe. We were passed by cars on our left going so fast it made our car shake as they passed. We figured some cars were going at least 130 mph. It really takes alot of concentration, but it is fun to experience it.
Once we arrived we had dinner with our good friend Hauns, who lives in Munich. He took us to a restaurant that used to be a monestary for our fill of pork knuckle, sausage, potatoe salad and sauerkraut.

The next morning, with Hauns as our guide we arrived at the fest. Hauns answered my request by wearing his traditional leiderhosen.

Once inside the gates it is like a carnaval with buildings (called tents) lining each side that house the different beer breweries. Some are more wild than others. We picked one that mantained some sense of sanity. We were a little worried since all of the tables were already full and they do not allow you to wander around drinking beer unless you have a table, and it was only noon! But Marc had full confidence in Hauns' ability to work his magic and sure enough we were squeezed into a table. First order of business, ordering a beer!

It did not take long for us to make friends with our neighbors and server. It makes it more fun when the dancing, singing and toasting

starts!

We enjoyed the craziness for about 5 hours until we were kicked out of our seats for a previous reservation. I decided after my first beer to be the designated driver and had long since switched to apple cider so Hauns could enjoy the fun. Good thing I did since the police were conducting a breathalyzer check point on the freeway.

Before we left we had to get our fix of local sausage! With tummies full and not too much beer consumed, Hauns hosted a walking tour around the old town of Munich. It was a good time for all to sober up a little so we could get ready for our dinner and more local beer of course!