Oktoberfest, Munich

We weren’t planning on spending anytime in Munich because cities are very tiring, stressful and usually expensive. But we were very lucky and just happened to be passing by the city for the beginning of its’ annual 2 week long Oktoberfest (Beerfest). It is the 200th year of the ’Oktoberfest’and it attracted lots of tourists and beer drinkers from around the world.


We spent our first day in Munich walking around finding a tourist office for information. We drove in to the city and parked on a quiet street about 3km away from the centre of town. Then we walked in the last of the way, it took us along time to find our way to the information office but once we found it we got a map and a timetable of all the major events of the festival. With our information we found the special area set up for the festival, another 2km walk. At the site we found a massive carnival, it was as big as Disneyland, with even bigger rides and roller coasters. The size of the rides was very impressive and it was hard to believe that they were only temporary and were designed to be transported around. Among the main roller coasters they had even set up a flume and a huge Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel was built on top of the containers it had been transported in. Half of the rides were too ‘dangerous’ and banned in the USA.

Among the rides and shops were lots of beer halls, tents and gardens, tomorrow they would be packed with people drinking from large 2 litre steins and eating sausage and other German foods. Most of the tents were actually temporary buildings two stories high with wooden walls and windows all bolted together.

After walking through the area we continued on the a park and had some pretzels while mum and dad checked out a car park we could camp in. They were gone awhile and when they came back the said it was full of beer drinkers and was really expensive so we walked back to the camper and just stayed the night there on the street.



The next morning we got up, packed a picnic and walked towards the centre of town to watch the opening parade. There were lots more people in town and nearly everyone was dressed up in traditional Bavarian outfits, men in their leather shorts and women wore traditional folk dresses. On our way we passed the train station which was packed with people all arriving. We followed the crowds and they led us to the parade. It was very busy but we found a nice spot next to a group of already having lots of fun and beer! They were very loud but they attracted all the people it the parade to look our way, so that was helpful. We climbed up and sat on a wall for a better view. Mum really liked it because there was shade and we didn’t have to stand up the whole time. The parade was made up of lots of horses towing carts and trailers and brass bands. All of the beer companies had a part in the parade, they each had a cart towing barrels of beer and a cart for the family of the company. There were also lots of carts carrying the waitresses. The horses were very beautiful. They were huge and there harnesses were decorated with lots of metal and colour. They were also covered in lots of bells. We joined the huge crowd that followed the parade to the grounds of the festival. The festival was officially opened with the firing of some load Canons. All the rides were lit up and going. They looked extremely scary and dangerous, we were satisfied with the time we spent in England with the Merlin pass so we didn’t go on any. The massive Halls were packed shoulder to shoulder with dressed up families, waiters carrying five steins in each hand and the ‘Oom Papapa’ band on a terrace. We just looked through the window because the line to get in went out the door. Little stalls were selling giant pretzels, spiced roasted nuts, chocolate dipped fruit and gingerbread hearts decorated with icing to hang around your neck. We had lunch on the hill next to the Statue if Bavaria. We liked watching drunk men try and hit a………………We walked back to our camper and drove to a campervan dealer on the A8 where we stayed the other night.

We were intending on driving towards Fussen and Austria today but we went back into Munich for another parade. Today’s parade was about the history and people of Barvaria. We walked the 3km or so back down Arnulfstrasse and found a grassy spot to watch. We had moved around when some rude people came and sat in the middle of us and blocked our wonderful view. The parade started with old steam powered and the newest vehicles in Germany. Some horse carts and carriages like the ones yesterday, threw out giant pretzels and iced gingerbread hearts which hit Thomas in the head, but we did get to try them. There were 56 parts to the parade and it took more than three hours. It was a great way to experience the culture of the area. There were lot’s of pipe and drumming bands and people holding flags and banners. There were lot’s of big horses dressed and bells and things. Everyone was in costume from 100-1000 years ago. A clown/joker came along a wiped black soot of the crowds noses, Maddy got some on her. There were whip crackers that sounded like fireworks. In the end big street cleaners came and washed up all the horse poo.

We walked to the Marienplaatz in the centre of the city. There were cafes and fountains and lots of performing street artists. We looked in the windows of a historic beer house and garden. Despite all the people in the temporary halls of the festival this was full as well. Munich was a nice city and not really hectic like NYC and London and we were glad and lucky to have been here at the time of ‘Oktoberfest’.