who wants to see 35 pictures of oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest = German food, German beer, German clothes, German people, German music, German culture.

But mostly German beer.

Oktoberfest takes place every Septemeber in Munich (and ends the first weekend in October). We went on the last weekend of the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest. The train ride from Nuremberg to Munich was jam-packed, but the group of us (6 total) managed to find seats!

I shared the contents of my birthday package and Andy was more than thrilled.

Funny picture for someone who doesn't like beer.

Andy was trying to determine who could hold the most biersteins.

I couldn't even hold this one with one hand?!

The women working insdie the beer tent

hold 6 in each hand.

IT IS INSANE.

They're so heavy, I don't understand it.

I have never seen so many people in Munich before. It was unreal.

Inside the U-bahn and unable to move!

The Paulaner beer tent ^^^

Oktoberfest is kind of like a giant State Fair.

A very, very, very German State Fair.

With rides and beer tents.

And bratwurst.

A lot of bratwurst.

Taking the U-Bahn home....much less crowded than on the way there

(because the majority of the people stay overnight).

Andy and Emily modeling their Lebkuchen

(contrary to appearances, these aren't really edible...

...they are rock hard and, though I've never eaten one,

everyone says they are disgusting).

The pictures are out of order...sorry!

I seriously felt like I had gone back in time.

I didn't ride the rides,

but Andy and a couple other friends did.

Note* These photos are not all mine!

I stole a bunch from Emily and Amanda.

Anyway, this is the infamous "4 euro swing ride"

which lasted 60 seconds

and left Andy very dissatisfied.

We arrived at Oktoberfest in the afternoon

and I was ready to leave by 8:00. :)

There is only so much mingling through crowds of drunk people

that I can take.

After awhile, it's time for me to leave.

I am glad I went, though,

because it was such an experience

to be at the 200th anniversary of such a German tradition.

Oh, and do you want to hear

the most depressing story of all time?

Part of my incentive for going to Oktoberfest

(I didn't really want to go)

was that Erica would be there.

You know, Erica -

the girl I spent every second of my summer with

who I said goodbye to in August

and cannot wait to see again.

That Erica.

So we were in touch all day on our cells

and I had to talk my way into the Paulaner tent

(where she was with her friends)

because it was too crowded.

They weren't letting anyone else in

but I talked and begged and pleaded

and I got sent away a couple of times

but finally, I got in.

Once I got in,

I called Erica repeatedly.

She didn't answer.....

I called and called for an hour.

She never answered

so I figured she must have left to go back to Italy

(where she is living).

As I was getting on the U-Bahn,

to go to the train station

and head back to Nuremberg,

she called me....

and said she had been in the Paulaner tent the whole time.

She didn't hear her phone ringing

because it was so loud inside.

That means I had been in the same tent as her,

walking around for an hour,

looking for her....

I had to take my train back,

so I left...

...without seeing Erica.

I wanted to cry!

I could have stayed, technically.

Some of my friends were staying there overnight

and sleeping in the train station.

Why would I sleep in the train station

when I have a nice, warm, safe, comfortable bed?!

So, I left....

never having seen Erica...

Good news, though:

Like I said, she lives in Italy...

so we'll see each other soon. :)