OKTOBERFEST 2013

Well, it's Oktoberfest time in Munich, and yes I was there to help celebrate. Before you get to see the pictures here are some fun facts to bore uyou with:

• Started in 1810
• Although there are other "beerfests" throughout Germany this is the original and "ONLY" Oktoberfest
• You can start drinking beer at 10AM (PAM on Saturday and Sunday) and must stop at 1AM
• It takes two months to prepare the site for Oktoberfest
• There is no entrance fee
• Over 6 million litres of beer will be drunk during the two weeks of Oktoberfest (I must have contributed at least 10 of those)
• There are 965 toilets and 1KM of urinal troughs just for us guys
• 6 million people will visit the Oktoberfest grounds from 21 September to 6 October
• The average price of a litre of beer is between 9.10 Euros and 9.50 Euros ($12.29 - $12.83)
• Now for the good stuff:
•   500,000 roasted chickens
•   120,000 sausages
•   80,000 litres of wine
•   50,000 pork knuckles
•   30,000 bottles of champagne
• And of course someone has to lose something:
•   260 pair of glasses
•   200 mobile phones
•   Crutches (hell I could have used those to get home)
•   Wedding rings (Yeah, with the servers who wouldn't lose their wedding ring)
•   False teeth - who needs teeth to drink beer anyhow

So there are the bare facts. Now the story. We, myself and three other volunteers, left Skopje on Sunday afternoon arriving in Munich 1.5 hours later. We flew into Memmingen, about an hour and half ride to Munich by bus (cheap airline - "WIZZAIR"). Price was right, less than $100 round trip. Of course with those prices who can expect them to be on time. We were delayed for 2-hours leaving Skopje.

Waiting, waiting, waiting for 2-hour delay in Skopje

Our bus from Memmingen to Munich

Then it was a 20 tram ride from the Munich train station to "The Tent" where we spent three nights.

One option, I didn't choose

My option

More tents

More options

Showers and toilets

Sleeping

Burgers and a beer

Just a beer

The camp fire

I guess it's one way to drink a beer

And fun was had by all, except the guy passed out on the bench

Christi and Austin, volunteers

Then it's off to the "fest"

Austin, Christi and Austin (yes two Austins)

My personal favorite

Lots of chicken

Seems as though I was here a lot

Gotta have the band

Austin and Christi

How I felt the next day

and lots of fish

Beer wagon

Well, that's all folks. We left on Wednesday, had a two hour delay and I got back to my site on Thursday in time for breakfast (10AM)