Some of my best friends (who I am living with when I return to Santa Clara) and I all met up in Munich, Germany, perfectly located in the center of where we are all studying abroad. Brenna and Janey flew in from London, Stephanie from Paris, Emily from Rome, and Ivana took the train from Vienna. A while back we booked a room at the Holiday Inn so we all reunited there on Friday afternoon. I don't think I can describe how wonderful it was to be reunited with them. After being apart all summer and the beginning part of this school year, it has felt like ages! Especially since I am used to seeing them every day. Anyways, I think we all agreed that we all felt complete again and couldn't stop talking about how much we loved our abroad experiences. Friday was a great day to just chill out and walk around Munich for a while. That night we stumbled upon the cutest restaurant with outdoor seating and Christmas lights strung on the veranda. Although we knew it was going to be a "splurge." it was definitely worth it! They first served us pretzels (of course). Then I had a pumpkin soup with shrimp in it. Next was pork with cabbage and some kind of fried bread. Then, to finish off this delicious meal, we ordered an apple strudel and another type of specialty dessert which was absolutely delicious. I have to say, German food surprised me. It is a very heavy diet (lots of meat and potatoes) but delicious nonetheless. Oh! Earlier in the day I tried weinerschnitzel. YUM.
That night we went to bed relatively early so we could wake up early and to get a table at Oktoberfest. We all slept well (kind of, we smooshed three girls to each bed) and woke up bright and early to start the day off well. After a bus then a train ride, we arrived at Oktoberfest. I think the first words that came to my head were, "What the heck?" It pretty much looked like a carnival, with rides, food vendors, and plenty of games to play. However once we kept walking we found all of the beer tents. Beer tents are essentially massive tents with rows and rows of tables inside. There are beer gardens outside of the tents, which are just rows and rows of tables outside. We found our way to one beer tent (supposedly one of the best ones) and slowly made our way through the crowd inside. It was amazing. There were SO MANY people, at 9am! Every table was jam-packed with people eating, singing, and drinking. I don't think I can adequately describe the crowds of people from all over the world. It was so much fun to listen to all of the traditional songs and see everyone so happy! We luckily found a table that had a little space so we squeezed in. The rest of the day was a blast! The people at our table were from Belgium, France, and the United States. They were fun to talk to and they also taught us some of the songs that are sung during Oktoberfest. Crazy.
Before coming to Munich, I never understood the true Oktoberfest. In reality, it is a very important thing in Germany-- a celebration of their culture. So many people were walking around in lederhosen. Initially I thought only the tourists wore those to the festival, but you actually LOOK like a tourist if you aren't wearing one. Also, Oktoberfest is attended by everyone. I saw so many familys, old couples, young couples, and even pets! I would think its like state fair, but on a much, much larger scale and way more interesting.
On Sunday morning, us girls took the train into the main center of Munich to get breakfast and walk around. I just need to comment on how interesting the Germans are. It was literally 10 in the morning and people were ordering beer with their breakfast. They really love their beer.
I had to take a bus to the airport that was a good 45 minute ride. This was the perfect opportunity to see a bit of Germany and drive through the countryside. I am sincerely obsessed with this country, maybe because it reminds me a little bit of home. I now understand why so many Germans settled in Wisconsin-- the landscapes are very similar. Anywho, the houses were so quaint and the countryside was absolutely beautiful. Also, since it was the start of October and fall was starting to show, the leaves were just starting to change colors and there was a distinct crispness in the air. I have also learned that Germans as a whole are extremely friendly. We had no problems getting around because people were generally willing to help us. We weren't looked down upon for being Americans, which was a huge problem in France.
Margherita and her friend were joking around with me the other day, saying that I go to Germany for Oktoberfest when I should go to Berlin. After talking with them, I definitely want to go back. There is so much to see in Berlin and the rest of the country. I hope to make it back someday to fully experience and learn about Germany.
Reunited at last!!! (Plus Stephanie, she was taking the picture)
So I think its safe to say that I had a great time in Germany and was extremely surprised. Although it was hard leaving my friends, it makes me even more excited to live with them in the winter! I am also very excited to coming back to Germany some day.
Well, anyways, ciao for now!
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