Drinking with the locals

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A discussion on a Travel Bulletin Board led to my meeting with Karin, a native Municher. I had never met her before, so when I arrived in the city, I phoned and arranged to meet her where Rosenheimstrasse meets the bridge over the River Isar. I parked and phoned her again to say I was at our rendez-vous point. “Where are you exactly?” she enquired? I scanned for a landmark or street sign. “Einbahnstraße” I replied. She laughed, “That means One Way Street!”. I walked towards the bridge and saw Karin dressed in a fetching dirndl. We hugged hello and headed for Theresienwiese via the U-Bahn.
The large tents and insane fun fair surprised me, but there was more to come.  Karin suggested the Augustiner-Festhalle, because she preferred their brew, a great reason at a beer festival!  As we walked there she explained that the Hofbräu-Festzelt attracted the most tourists but revellers often got too rowdy. We squeezed onto a table full of locals, most dressed in lederhosen or dirndls and soon the whole table chatted as if we had known each other years. The oom-pah band played traditional German songs, the beer flowed, we ate pretzels, the singing got louder, more people stood up and raised their glasses. My highlight was 8,000 people singing “Smoke on the Water” accompanied by the Brass Band while we stood precariously on trestle stools holding our litres of beer. A memorable night, thanks to Karin’s local insight.

This post has been entered into the Grantourismo HomeAway Holiday-Rentals travel blogging competition

8 thoughts on “Drinking with the locals

  1. Thank you Jools. It was unforgettable. I believe the Oktoberfest authorities banned all non traditional music the year after, so I am unlikely to repeat that same scene.I can’t wait until next October though, when the Biannual Brussels Oktoberfest is staged at place Jourdan. They erect a beer tent for one of the Munich Breweries. Last year it was Paulaner.

  2. Hi John – great post! I’m so sorry for not leaving a comment. I was so sure I did. I know I visited… we had such dodgy internet in Kenya, that it probably cut off on me while I was visiting. Anyway, we’re now tallying results and putting up an announcement very soon. Best of luck!

  3. Hi John – great post! I’m so sorry for not leaving a comment. I was so sure I did. I know I visited… we had such dodgy internet in Kenya, that it probably cut off on me while I was visiting. Anyway, we’re now tallying results and putting up an announcement very soon. Best of luck!

  4. Nice post! I was so sure I had commented on this one, but can’t see my comment here. Must have been the dodgy internet in Kenya. Judging has just finished and we’re tallying results now and putting up an announcement soon. Best of luck!

  5. Thank you, Lara. I think it must be something to do with the way Posterous works. Your comments were posted awaiting moderation. Now I’ve approved one too many and can’t find a way of removing it.

  6. Sounds like you had a cracking time – great to have a local guidance on the beer. I suppose you weren’t tempted to try on the lederhosen?

  7. Heather, yes it was amazing. I think if I attend Oktoberfest again I will try to get some lederhosen to wear. I felt an outsider in my jeans and rugby top.

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