Tuesday

OKTOBERFEST AND THE MOUNTAINS


Munich, Germany: Sept 18, 2004_


First day of Oktoberfest! For those who don't know what it's like (such as me previous to attending), it's like a big state fair, with rides, stupid carnival games, sweets, and of course beer.

The drinking is done in what they call "tents" but are actually buildings with tent tops (I don't know how that works...) and there's a band in each one playing festive music, with traditional German music as well as pop songs ("We are the Champions", and "We will rock you" seem to be the favorites...), while people are standing on the bench chairs singing and dancing along. It's a big party in each tent, holding hundreds of people (yes, crowded! I felt bad for the waitresses). And each tent has a different brew of beer, so people hop from tent to tent.

Yes, I had a small share of one brew (we stayed in one tent). :) The funny thing is, proper Germans are still proper Germans, in any setting. Ok, so Germans use a knife and fork for everything they eat. A few guys at our table ordered chicken halves--even after all the drinking and being in the party atmosphere, they still ate so cleanly and neatly with their knives and forks. Me, I would have ripped off the drumstick and eaten it with my fingers. That's the only way I know how to eat them!

Sorry, no pictures of Oktoberfest, I forgot to bring the camera :( .



Raubling, Germany: Sept 19, 2004_

Around our area are many farmhouses along the mountain sides that are partially converted to cafe style restaurants. The roads (some paved, some dirt) up to them are used as hiking/biking trails. So, it's common for people to hike up to them, eat, then hike down...exercise and meal built into one trip. On Sundays, all stores are closed except for restaurants, so people tend to do these hikes on Sundays, including us!

Click on the pictures to see bigger versions

On our way up the hill....

from left: Ralf (JP's coworker), Sylvia (Manfredo's girlfriend), JP, Manfredo (JP's coworker)

On our way up, we pass by a church... this place, with the mountains in the background and the green hills, I wanted to start singing, "The hiiiilllls are aliiiiiiive with the sound of muuuuuuusiiiiiiiic......"



Manfredo and Ralf decide to trespass and pick some apples to munch on....



We pass by a small residential area....ahhh, the beautiful Bavaria home with colorful foliage

and of course, the satellite dish.


Another pretty home...people with allergies, stay away.




I was so hungry, I just wanted to fly to the farmhouse....



Finally after 2 hours, time to eat, with a nice view...



Sylvia and Ralf, and the farm house behind.




On the way down.....



Checking out the live wire crossing the trail, connecting the electric fences (for the cows :). Yes, I heard plenty of cow bells!

Actually, I wonder, if a cow gets up at night, and wakes up all the other cows with its bell, do the other cows get mad?


JP and the goat eye each other




Ralf feeding the goat with berries....



Look at their weird eyes...


A nice Bavaria home & garden, next to where we parked.




This was one of the longer hikes, but there are many short ones that people go on after work for dinner. A few days earlier, JP, Ralf, and I went on a short one after they got off work...


Raubling, Germany: Sept 13, 2004_


We drove only about 5-10 minutes from the apartment until we parked and started hiking. It was about 30 minutes to get up to the farm house.

Ready to eat...say cheese.



Our view off to the side.



That's it for now! Tschuess! (informal good bye, pronounced like "loose" except start with a "ch".)

2 comments:

Adagio said...

Re. a blog name: what about A Bit of Skirt in Europe.


Just a suggestion....

Anonymous said...

ummmmmmmmm....beer.
Me like Beer...........