Oktoberfest 2019

On Wednesday morning I got up bright and early for a 6:30 flight out of Berlin.  I needed nearly an hour to get from our house to the airport.  I was actually flying out of the airport that is closer to us but because it was so early the bus that would make it the quickest wasn't running yet.  I ended up walking the 15 minutes to the sbahn and then took a bus and then the ubahn and then another bus.
The airport was not very crowded and I made it through security quickly.  I had about 45 minutes before my flight left which was nice.

There were many people
on my flight dressed like this.
I figured I'd just follow them 😆

The flight was super quick (about 50 minutes) I landed and easily found the ticket kiosk to buy a day ticket,  Even if there hadn't been signs I knew I could follow this couple that was on my flight and clearly heading to Oktoberfest.  Turns out there were many other people flying in just for the day!  The day ticket would get me to and from the airport and any other train/bus travel I would want for the day. The day ticket cost 13 Euro and apparently a taxi, one way, would cost 80 Euro. I was making money!!
The airport is a way out of town but within 45 minutes I was at the enormous main train station.  I met up with my long-time friend, Christina and we headed to a cafe.  I was starving because it was 9:30am and I had eaten breakfast at 3:30.... We hung out in the cafe for a few hours.  I charged my phone and we caught up. She was in Europe for a destination wedding outside of Munich.  The bachelor party was at Oktoberfest and then the wedding was a few days after in Garmisch - a beautiful mountain town that we drove near 4 years ago while visiting the area.

It was a gorgeous Fall day.  Warm enough for
short sleeves!!

After the coffee shop we headed into Oktoberfest.  I'm not exactly sure what I expected but it turned out to be the Puyallup fair mixed with a German Christmas Market - on steroids!!  There are 10-14 enormous beer tents that are built up each year just for the event.  Each beer tent can hold thousands of people.  We were there on a Wednesday around noon.  It was not overly crowded but full

enough to make it lively. In each tent there is a big brass - Ooompa Ooompa bands playing.  People are singing along and swinging their enormous liter mugs of beer.  It is a spectacle.
Prices were pretty crazy.  A liter of beer was 12-15 Euro.  A plate of food ( traditional hunk of meat and a potato dumpling) was 2-25 Euro.

After a few hours in the beer tent hanging out with Stina's friends and the wedding party we decided to walk around the grounds a bit and then into the main square of Munich to see the Glockenspiel and to walk around the town square. I was amazed that at the Oktoberfest festival 80% of the people

there were fully dressed in a Dirndl or Lederhosen.  We were some of the only ones not dressed to the 9s.  While walking around town in their shopping area I was shocked to see that every store was selling the traditional attire.  H&M and all of the major stores had their front display Oktoberfest garb.  I almost bought one for a Halloween costume but didn't find any that I loved and none of them fit well.

The hanging wreaths and greenery is all hops.  Each tent was decorated different,
beautifully and uniquely.

We had a nice dinner outside under a small beer tent and then it was time to already head back to the airport.  The day was full and it went by quickly but living this close to Munich I have to say this is the way to do Oktoberfest.  Just fly in for the day.

that was the guy
who got a ticket for leaving
his bag unattended. 

On the train ride back there was some suitcase that no one was claiming.  The security guards were starting to freak out.  When the train stopped again they demanded that everyone get out and wait on the platform until the suitcase was claimed.  Eventually a pilot, who clearly had not been paying attention, claimed it. He was read the riot act, he was given a ticket or fine of some kind and then we all got back on the train.  It sat there for a few minutes and then they demanded we get off the train again. We all did and we were standing on the

platform.  At this point 30 minutes had passed and most of us were on the train trying to get to the airport which was only a couple more stops away.  Finally another train comes and we all get on. Once the train stops we all start running as now most of us are worried that we will miss our flight.  Turns out security was the slowest I have ever seen it.  This slowness was partly due to the fact that there were handfuls of drunk young college aged guys, all dressed in lederhosen, trying to get through security.

I get to my gate panicked that the gate had already closed.. it was just 20 minutes before departure but thankfully the flight had been delayed.  We boarded and the plane took off within minutes. We ended up being on time in the end.  I was home in bed by 10:45 PM.  I'll say it again... this was the way to do Oktoberfest.