In order to get into a tent on a Saturday at Oktoberfest, you have to be there EARLY. And so I found myself in line at the Hofbrau house at 6:30AM along with lots of other groggy but enthusiastic kids in their twenties. Entering Oktoberfest was like walking into a fairytale, or the Disneyland of beer. Rollercoasters, towering swings, and fun slides were interspersed with massive beer tents and little stalls selling every kind of tasty, unhealthy, wonderfully pungent German delicacy. Just before nine, the mad scramble to get into the tent began. We rushed in and aggressively grabbed a table, because you can’t be served food and drink unless you’re seated.
Haufbrau house is really popular with the international community (especially the American college student community), so there were lots of your quintessential, American frat bro types in the tent. We also met people from Italy (apparently it was Italian weekend), Denmark, Switzerland, France, Ireland, and of course Germany, in Haufbrau house. People of all nationalities were dressed in the traditional German lederhosen (the gentlemen) and dirndl (the ladies). As soon as we were seated, women dressed in dirndl descended on our table with beer stein, and men in lederhosen sauntered over carrying baskets filled with massive pretzels. A traditional German oompah band played music, and everyone danced around waving their beer steins. Each time the band played the traditional toasting song (toast is prosit in German) everyone skipped around clinking glasses with everyone in their vicinity. Oktoberfest is a culture of friendliness.
After our first round and the purchase of some Peter Pan-esque hats, we headed out of the tent to explore. Seduced by the smell of roasting cinnamon, we bought candied cashews at a nut stand. Next it was time for bratwurst. Then, since we are studying in France after all, we headed over to the wine and Prosecco tent. The tent looked like the gingerbread house that the witch in Hansel and Gretel would have lived in, decorated with huge models of German pastries, because it is also a tent famous for its baked goods. As we sipped on an orange-citrus Prosecco drink, we watched the chef pour dough into a massive frying pan and stir it around in oil. He was making a German dish called Kaiser Schwarz, which is like a dessert version of spatzle. Once the dough is fried and chopped into bits, one can choose to top it off with apple or apricot sauce.
After our food and Prosecco break, we walked by the Lowenbrau (lion) tent, so named because every few minutes a huge mechanical lion that is perched a top the tent lets out a roar and takes a sip from his massive beer stein.
Sunday at Oktoberfest was even more enjoyable than Saturday, because it wasn’t half as crowded. We got into tents without waiting in a line, and we met a whole new slew of people from all over the world, including a Swiss hockey team. At night, all the rides were lit up. We went on the Olympic themed roller coaster, which had six loop-de-loops for the six Olympic rings. A crowd
gathered under a huge, old-fashioned looking slide. In order to get to the top, one had to jump on a very fast moving ramp. Nobody seemed to be able to stay balanced on the ramp, which made for some fun spectating. Some people went up on their butts, others on their backs, their feet dangling in the air. I’m proud to say I made it up on my feet, earning me some cheers. At the top, you’re given a sack, and you race in spirals down the twisting turning slide.
Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day party that’s all about doing things to excess, letting go, friendship, and no judgment. I definitely plan to go back!
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