Oktoberfest!

[dockothebay]

We just returned from a trip to Europe and one of the highlights was spending a day at Oktoberfest in Munich. Wow - it was spectacular. It is a 15 day festival - think MN State Fair, only 6 times bigger! There are about 10 huge beer tents, each sponsored by the big German breweries, and several smaller ones. We were lucky enough to get a table in the Lowenbrau tent - at noon! Each brewery also has a team of draft horses and a decorated wagon that is paraded around a couple of times during the day. Photo opportunities were plentiful, I thought I'd share just a couple of my attempts. (You all know how hard it is to get pictures without some danged tourist getting in the way )

Here is part of the inside of the Lowenbrau tent, each tent seats 10,000 people. You can only order their brand of beer and only by the liter. 50 euros for 6 beers!!! Darn spendy - but great beer!!

This is the Lowenbrau wagon - talk about fall colors!

Here's the driver

Here is one of the horses - from Augustiner Brau

Prost!!

[fishinchicks]

Thanks for sharing a part of your vacation! The colors are so vibrant on all the costumes and harnesses. I like the close up of the horse in the last photo.

[machohorn]

I would have been in HEAVEN!

[Lisa Almquist]

Sure wish I could take a break to have a glass of beer like that driver! Your pictures are so vivid. Thanks for sharing!

[Catmendo]

Cool pic's, thanks for sharing! Hey......the guy who you pointed out as the "driver" could pass for "Norm" off that all-time popular TV comedy, "Cheers"! I've often wondered where he ended up!

[nofishfisherman]

Wow, thats like $12-13 a beer.

[dockothebay]

Thanks for the comments everyone - my pleasure to share! Stu - I think I saw Norm and Cliff several times. And, yes, the beer at Oktoberfest was expensive - but I don't know when I'll ever get there again, so I wasn't going to have a "Coke Light"

Actually, in the grocery stores the beer and wine were really reasonable, and in some places less expensive than bottled water.

The colors that day were awesome - even with an overcast sky. Between the tents and all the locals in their lederhosen & dirndls, there was a picture every time you turned around. But it was hard to hold my camera and that 1 liter mug at the same time

[The_Lee]

I am jealous... I was in Germany last year during Oktoberfest for training before we started our peacekeeping duties in Kosovo and we weren't allowed to go to Munich at all... Now I am even more disappointed. Love the pics, now I must make a return trip there for this event in the future.

[dockothebay]

I sure hope you can get there - it was great fun. Where were you training? We saw a number us US servicemen and women during our travels - Thanks for what you do!

[nofishfisherman]

Actually when I was in Austria the beer is pretty cheap normally. My guess is that you were paying the Oktoberfest mark up. I can't fault you at all though, I would have paid it to.

[Steve Foss]

Great shots, Jackie! Thanks for showing us some more of Europe.

[Dbl]

Great photos, what a cool trip you had!

[so haaad]

Airline ticket to Germany: $400+

Price for 6 beers: 50 Euro

Oktoberfest in Munich: Priceless

[dockothebay]

Airline ticket to Germany: $400+

Price for 6 beers: 50 Euro

Oktoberfest in Munich: Priceless

Exactly!

[fishinJohn]

More please

Definately a stop on my list. Thanks for sharing.

[DMN]

Nice series, I like the sideshot of the wagon best.

Thanks

Dan