Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Munich Madness

Earlier in October, I went to Oktoberfest in Munich.

I had planned on leaving Bratislava with a friend and then meeting another friend in Munich. However, both of them canceled on me. I questioned whether I should go or not. I decided to go anyway because I had already bought the ticket.

I left Bratislava Friday night and planned on staying in a sleeping car at night. However, I had no place to stay Saturday night. I planned on sleeping at the train station. Two of my friends went to Oktoberfest the year before and said the train station was an acceptable place to sleep. Finding a hostel or hotel in Munich during Oktoberfest is like finding a needle in a haystack. A bit worried and a touch excited, I was planning on bordering my second train when I received a message from a friend who said she had a friend who would let me stay with her Saturday night. What good news!

I arrived Saturday morning at 6:30 and walked around the town for three hours before going to Oktoberfest. After some time, I called my friend's friend, Verena, and we met up at Oktoberfest. We were then fortunate enough to enter a tent. Getting into a tent without a reservation is just as hard as finding a hostel or hotel during Oktoberfest. Inside the tent was one big celebration of singing, dancing, eating, and drinking. Everyone was merry.

Sunday, I walked around town with my hostesses friends. The city was very charming. I enjoyed the city very much except for the large number of people who were still intoxicated at 10 a.m. from the day before.

One of my favorite places was a church in which there was a footprint in one of the tiles. My hostess, Verena, said that this was the footprint of the Devil. I decided to see how big his feet were, and, turns out, we have the same shoe size. Either that or I am the Devil.

After walking around town, I caught a train back to Bratislava. The trip was very exciting and an emotional roller coaster.

For those who were wondering what the Oktoberfest Police Station looked like. Turns out this building is permanent. Everything else at Oktoberfest is taken down except for the police building. So, they use the building for two weeks and it stands there with computers and whatever else they have in a police station for 50 weeks a year.