So today was the big day, the biggest party in the world, Oktoberfest!
The night before, the Fanatics organisers made it clear that we had to get up really, REALLY early to get our seats. Turns out that the “special relationship” with the beer hall organisers roughly translates to “get there fucking early” to get the best seats. So we were up and on the bus by 7am, and we were one of the last ones to do that.
Once at the Oktoberfest grounds, which were just like a massive show grounds with big pavilions that were the beer halls, the lineup began. Everyone was squashed in like sardines, and we had to wait until 9am to just get in, which was a massive stampede. The 90 minute wait outside was tedious in and of itself, but that was just the beginning, the beer on the opening weekend doesn’t get served until after the tapping of the keg ceremony, which is at midday, so more waiting!
The anticipation was crazy, a sea of people getting restless, but it made the first beer the most amazing thing ever!
I wish i wrote this blog a while ago so I could tell all the stories a bit better, such as how i nearly got locked out of the tent, or the lad that sculled three litres of beer in an hour and then threw back up into the pint glass, or the etiquette of ordering a round, but i think ill just let the pictures do the talking.
Welcome sign on the way into the show grounds
The sea of people in the Hofbrau tent, one of I think sixteen tents at the show grounds
The tapping of the Keg ceremony just finished, we are about to get our drink on!
Beer time!
The bar wenches bringing eleven one litre steins to our table. Yes she carried all of them at once! They cost €9.25 each, but you had to tip on top of that, so usually I was giving €25 for two, or €15 for one. Expensive I know, but it ensured that the bar lady would come back to me first, and getting served was a big effort.
Guy standing on his table to skull the full stein. This was a common occurrence
Yeah boi!
If you didn’t believe me before when I said the bar ladies carry all of those steins…
A photo of our costumes that we forgot to get earlier in the day. Its somewhat surprising that this photo turned out so nicely, as I was pretty bloody numb by this stage!
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