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Sunday, December 22, 2024

The Road to Prague

Zurich, Switzerland
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

I STARTED this series out by commenting on how impressed we were with efficiency of the Swiss in nearly everything they do, but particularly how well we like the Swiss train system. I also mentioned things in terms of vaunted Swiss and German efficiency, at the same time foreshadowing a different story. From everything we knew we expected the German setup to be, clean and efficient. From everything we experienced in Switzerland we expected the German setup to be as ultraefficient and well run as the Swiss. For the most part, our experience in Munich was only with their tram system, and it appeared to be mostly efficient and well run, with one (unfortunately recurring) issue.

A warning for anyone traveling to Munich. Many (maybe most) of the trams do not have credit card readers. They are cash only - coins only

IN MUNICH, as we exited the train station and found the trams, we found that there were ticket dispensing machines right in the train cars. The first one we boarded had a modern, seemingly efficient, credit card reading machine and we rather easily procurred tickets for 4 of us. We assumed (and you know what that means) that they would all be like that. They are not. A warning for anyone traveling to Munich. Many (maybe most) of the trams do not have credit card readers. They are cash only. Coins only - a stark contrast to our first ride, and a surprise to us. Be sure that you have adequate coins for riding the trams. Not only were they cash only, but they didn't have the modern digital readout the first one did, and we found it difficult to figure out. We wanted to be law abiding. We wanted to pay for our tickets. We found ourselves getting on train after train where we just couldn't seem to figure it out before our destination stop. So we rode a few times without paying. Several times. Not because we wanted to. We had read about the "ticket" police in each of these countries, but we think that maybe because we were there during Octoberfest, maybe they were being less "vigilant" about enforcement? For such a major city and major tourism destination, maybe upgrade? Maybe put machines outside the cars at the stops?

As soon as we got on the train things went south

THE MUNICH tram experience, however, turned out to be minor compared to our travel to Prague. A few things conspired together to fuel "Murphy's" fire. We were traveling during Octoberfest, a notoriously busy time not just for Munich, but for the entirety of Central Europe. As luck would have it, the earlier train for that day had been - for some reason - cancelled. And finally, our tickets indicated that we should board a certain section of the train, even though we had no assigned seats. It turned out that this was because they were dropping 4 cars about 1/2 way to Prague to be sent in another direction. This information - to the best of my knowledge, was never communicated to us. My wife and I boarded in the right place. For reasons I cannot remember, Bruce and Joyce did not board the same car as us. 

Oberammergau, Bavaria
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

AS SOON as we got on the train things went south. As I mentioned, we had first class tickets. The cars were set up differently than any other train we rode during the entire trip, with a narrow hallway down one side and compartments with 8 seats (4 facing). They looked like they might have been comfortable. Not really efficient though. The problem was that every seat was already taken and the hallway was jammed full of people. We did not have assigned seats - just first class. We were informed at purchase that assigned numbers were not necessary. It turns out that matters on the German Rail system. Maybe. As we looked up and down the train (there was a coach class car immediately in front of us) the situation was the same. Every available space was jammed with people. This couldn't work, could it? Well guess what. The train pulled away from the station on time, with every car full of passengers jammed in like sardines. Think about that. Think about the safety issues, let alone comfort. And realize that this was to be at 5 plus hour train ride! We rode either standing or sitting on our bags the entire time. For the first time in my life, I developed plantar fasciatis at the very end of the trip. I am certain that the 5-hours of standing in a narrow passageway on a train was a prime contributor.

Aisle in First Class on German Train from Munich to Prague
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THEN IT got even worse. When the train stopped at the stop where they were to drop cars, it turns out that Bruce and Joyce (along with 100's of other unknowing  passengers) were on those cars. An announcement was made that if they were traveling on to Prague they would have to get off here and try to reboard on one of the remaining cars. As if that were possible. We didn't know all of that at the time and it was pretty disheartening to pull away and see our companions standing on the platform watching us go. They were told they would have to wait for a train the next day, or hire a car to get to Prague. They could try their luck at the next train coming, but it was also very full. It turns out that they fortunately were able to crowd on the next train - after about 2 hours of standing on the train platform.

Malestranska Tram Stop - Prague, Czech Republic
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WHEN WE finally pulled into the station at Prague, we were exhausted and frustrated. The Prague Train Station is quite modern and was well marked (if you speak Czech 😁). We somehow managed to find our way to the subway. We had directions from the Vrbo we were staying at which put us first on the subway and then to pick up a tram to our final destination. With the help of a very friendly expat from somewhere in Europe, we figured out the correct stop and finally made it. One of the really positive perks about being age 65 or older in Prague is that we are not charged for any form of public transportation, including trams, funiculars, busses, subway trains and boats. It was great for our stay there to be able to just jump on and not worry about the ticket thing (especially after Munich).

It is better very early in the morning

WE HAD been in contact with our travelmates, and it was clear that they would be at least 2 hours behind us. We refreshed and rested our feet a bit and then went out to explore. Our spot was right in the middle of Malostranska ("Lesser Town"), a bustling and very cool area just at the western end of the famed Charles Bridge.  We quickly discovered the Malostranska entrance to the Charles Bridge, where we saw a mass of people! Here is a tip based on our local experience: It is better very early in the morning. We found a local market nearby and bought a few snack items and then went back to our home away from home for the next 4 days to get off our feet and relax. When Bruce and Joyce arrived an hour or so later, we all walked just down the street a few hundred feet to a nice "local flavor" restaurant.

Entrance to Charles Bridge - Malostranska - Czech Republic
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IT GOT better from there. The ordeal over, and all things considered, we all ended the day in good spirits. We did not have a lot planned for Prague, but the next morning at 11:00 we did have a food tour, which was all in the Malastranka area and would give us a good "lay of the land" on that side of the river. As we walked the few steps back from the restaurant (one we would visit again, not only because it was very convenient, but we also liked the atmosphere, food and beer), darkness had fully fallen and the lit city streets gave us a preview of what was to come.

Malostranska - Prague, Czech Republic
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PRAGUE WOULD turn out to be my favorite of the 5 cities we visited. After the first of the year, I will blog about our experience in Prague, and what I think were among the best of all the photographs I made on this the trip - during our 4 - day stay in Prague. In the meantime, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 14, 2024

The Bavarian Alps

The Bavarian Alps
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 -All Rights Reserved

WE SPENT 4 days in Zurich (and surrounds), Munich (and Bavaria), and Prague. We probably should have spent 4 in Berlin, but our travel plans only accomodated 3. There was much more to do in every place.

Oberammergau - Bavaria, Germany
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved
WE SPENT our final day in Munich - well, mostly out of Munich. We were signed up for a tour of castles in the Bavarian Alps. I could see from this trip that I could easily have spent another day in rural Bavaria. We drove through some villages that looked photographically intriguing; in particular Oberamergau, a very "Bavarian" village known for its performance of "The Passion Play," in its "Passion Play Theatre." The town has traditional Bavarian style gable roofed architecture, and several buildings whose exteriors are painted with frescoes. In addition, the villiage is know all over the world for its skilled and often intricate wood carving, a tradition dating back to the 12th century. The village had strong ties to Bavarian King Ludwig II (known alternately as "The Mad King," or "The Fairy Tale King" - more on that subject below). For a really detailed and interesting read, check out this blog post from Tricia's Travels. Ober (upper?) and its neighboring Unterammergau (lower?) share similarities and are both on the banks of the Ammer River.


Linderhof Palace - Bavaria, Germany
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ASIDE FROM the relentless gloomy rain, these villages looked like great spots to stop and wander with a camera. Our day, however, was already well-planned. The 3 architectural wonders we were to visit were nearly 100 miles from Munich, involving an already long commute to and from the places; a palace and two castles (though one of them involved only some views from a distance). With time for stops and some walking to and from the destinations, our day was full.

Linderhof Palace - Bavaria, Germany
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OUR FIRST stop for the day was Schloss Linderhof. I mentioned above that we would come back to King Ludwig II. Ludwig ascended to the throne in 1864, at the tender age of 18, upon the death of his father, Maximillian II (of Bavaria - not to be confused with Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian II who lived and died a few centuries earlier). Ludwig was apparently and odd sort who withdrew from the rigors of ruling and immersed himself almost totally in the arts and architecture. He was apparently wise enough, however, to maintain the policies of his father and retain all of his ministers. During his reign, he commissioned 3 elaborate palaces.Two of them, Schloss Linderhof (Linderhof Palace) and Schloss Neuschanstein (Neuschwanstein Castle) were the main events of our excursion. Readers may recall from an old blog post here that the difference between a palace and a castle is that the latter is fortified - usually with at least a wall and often a moat. The germans use the word "schloss" to cover both.

Linderhof Palace - Bavaria, Germany
Copyright Andy Richards 2024

BECAUSE OF his isolation from world and focus on the arts, including architecture and music (Ludgwig was a primary patron of composer Richard Wagner, and rescued him from near bankruptcy), Ludwig - even though King of Bavaria - became alternatively known as "The Mad King," "The Fairy Tale King." or "The Swan King" (Neunschwanstein translates to "New Swanstone" in English - Ludwig apparently loved swans). He was also a bit of a "night owl," often sleeping through most of the day and active during the night. Remember that when he started out, he was only 18. Sounds awfully familiar in coparison to my own teens back in the day. Both of these castles demonstrate Ludwig's affinity for the art of the day, and demonstrate the reasoning behind these nicknames. Photography of any kind was not allowed in the interior of this remarkably small palace, so you will have to take my word for it that it was very ornate. I think the interior of Linderhof is a greater demonstration of Ludwig's artistic and extravagant tastes, while his second commissioned work - Neuschwanstein is much more dramatic in its exterior. It is said that Linderhof borrowed much of its inspiration from Versailles in France (itself inspired by Louis XIV - "The Sun King"). Narrative also notes that much of the interior decoration is in the style of Rococo. To my eye, it was extravagantly ornate, with some very expensive and perhaps rare materials used in its construction and furnishings.

The spectacular formal gardens showing fall color in the background - Linderhof Palace - Bavaria, Germany
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THE PALACE is about a 15-20 minute hike from the parking area up a grade to the grounds. Photographically, it was worth the hike. I sure wish we could have maybe seen a peek of sun though. During our visit to Linderhof, it kept up a steady drizzle. In some respects, the wet saturated subject may have photographed better though. At first blush the palace itself doesn't feel as large or grandiose as many we have seen throughout Europe, as can be seen from the front on view. The grounds, on the other hand, are remarkable. As you move away from the palace itself, the layers of landcape and grounds seem to make it grow in splendor.

Gardens and Music Pavillion - Linderhof Palace - Bavaria, Germany
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THE FRONT of the main castle faces the formal gardens, whose central feature is a large pool with a gold fountain in the center. At the rear of the building, there is another garden, with a man-made grotto, fronted by another fountain. As you can see in the far back of the photo, there is a very small music pavillion. The motif here seems to be gold, green, black and with, accented with bright flowers in many places.

Linderhof Palace Garden - Bavaria, Germany
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TO THE sides, there are additional, smaller and more intimate gardens, of equal beauty and detail of design. A major feature of the main garden, though is the remarkable mechanics of the fountain in the middle of the pool. The water that feeds the fountain comes from the mountains in the background, with a source apparently high enough above the fountain itself to create substantial water pressure. There is a valve that shuts the source down most of the time, but at intervals, the valve opens and the viewer is treated to a show. My composite shows the fountain as it slowly builds to its apex, and eventually dies back down. Considering its age, it is a pretty amazing sight.

The Fountain at Linderhof Palace - Bavaria, Germany
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THERE ARE a couple other interesting pieces in the park that is now the grounds of Linderhof, notably a Moorish Kiosk and a Moroccan House, both originally constructed for International Exhibitions in Paris and Vienna, respectively. We walked by the Moroccan House but did not have time to stop, or to find and visit the Moorish Kiosk. Maybe next time.

Schloss Hohenschwangau (Alpsee in the background) - Bavaria, Germany
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LUDWIG II attended the Passion Play (perhaps multiple times), but rather than staying in Oberammergau, he stayed in the nearby little village of Hohenschwangau ("the Swan District"), at Schloss Hohenschwangau, his own childhood summer residence, which was built by his father, Maximillian II. Interstingly, at the time, this castle was known as "Schwanstein." Ludwig continued to live there after taking the throne, even after 869 when construction commenced on Neuenschwanstein ("New Schwanstein"). Hohenschwangau is open to visitors and it would have been nice to have toured it. Neither our purchased excursion, nor time permitted this trip, however. For this trip at least, I would have be happy with the opportunity to photograph it. I made a few, but my best perspective was from high above, on the road up to Neuschwanstein Castle.

From Neuschwanstein - Alpsee, the village of Hohenschwangau, and Hohenschwangau Castle
Bavaria, Germany
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

SCHLOSS NEUSCHWANSTEIN was built on a high bluff high above Hohenschwangau, with dramatic views both of it from several vantage points below, and from it as one can see sweeping views of the valley below. Wikipedia describes Neuschwanstein as a "Romanesque fortress with soaring fairy tale towers." The description is most certainly apt, and its dramatic profile has made it perhaps the world's most famous castle. Indeed, Neuschwanstein is the inspiration of Disney fame, as none other than Walt Disney himself visited the castle in the 1950's and the castle not only inspired the famed Disney Logo, but the castle in the first Disney recreational property, DisneyLand in Anaheim, CA, is pretty much a direct replica. Since then the replica castle has been the central attraction in the layout of the other Disney properties - notable perhaps the biggest, Disney World, in Orlando, Florida. The castle has also been feature in Disney movies like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, among others.

Marienbrucke - The view of the Castle - Schloss Neuschwanstein - Bavaria, Germany
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

PHOTOGRAPHING THIS castle may have been my primary goal during our stay in Munich. I have seen prints and photographs of the castle from a couple different viewpoints and am not sure where some of them are. The most popular viewpoint is the Marienbrucke ("Marie's Bridge, named by Ludwig II after his mother), which crosses The Pollat, a relatively small, rollicking stream deep in a gorge near the castle. The footbridge crosses the gorge, which opens to a spectacular view of the Castle and the valley beyond. The bridge is a very popular spot and there will be a wait in most instances to get to the bridge from the dropoff point of the shuttle up from Hohenschangau. I waited probably from 10-15 minutes. It was my first time there, and I was having a hard time visualizing what was happening, until I made it to the actual bridge. It really doesn't go anywhere, so once you have shouldered your way out, you must eventually return. That makes for a real logjam of bodies.

Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria, Germany
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

IS IT worth the wait and the elbowing crowd? I think so. You be the judge. I got lucky for my few minutes of fame, as not only did the rain stop, but a sliver of blue sky and sunshine broke out. Photographically, probably better light than a full, sunny sky would be, as we were there about mid-afternoon. When I get a opportunity like this, knowing it might be my one and only opportunity, I tend to go overboard. I made a lot of shots which on later review seem awfully similar. Better, I guess, to have more than you need.

Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria, Germany
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I AM (slowly) learning to take a moment to make a snap or two of these kinds of places with my smart phone. I don't often have the time or ambition to post process images on site and post them to social media, or send them to friends. It is much easier to do that from the phone. I made several of that here. On the computer screen it is really difficult for me to tell the difference at web-level resolution. That technology just keeps getting better. I also had the fun opportunity of offering to take a handful of shots of couples and even one family, with the castle in the background. Knowing a little about photography meant I think they got better shots. There were many folks either taking selfies, or of each other where it was obvious they were not getting an optimal framing of the shot with the castle. It was fun to be useful!

Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria, Germany
(made with my Samsung S21 smartphone)
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THERE IS a "crows nest" that is up even higher, across the bridge and along a pretty narrow, slippery and potentially treacherous trail past the bridge that eventually turns again upward. It is dirt and narrow. I saw the people up there, but I had an entry time at the castle for the interior tour and didn't think I would have time. I wonder, though, if that is one of the viewpoints I have seen in print? If we ever get back, I will - health and fitness willing - venture up there. The only other real shots were after I left the bridge and took the trail (about a 10-minute walk) back down to the castle entrance. None of them were spectacular, as this one illustrates.

Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria, Germany
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THERE ARE three ways to get up to the castle. You can take a shuttle (tickets can be purchased at the base in Hohenschwangau for about 4 euro - if memory serves it is cash only). It takes you up to a dropoff point where the road forks - toward the castle, or toward the Marienbrucke). I did that. You can take a horse-drawn carriage, again from the base in Hohenschwangau, which drops of and picks up about 5 minuts from the castle gate. I don't know what the price of that is. I do know we should have planned to take it back down off the mountain. The third way you can go is to walk it. I wouldn't recommend that, unless you are a seasoned hiker and have plenty of proverbial gas in the tank. It is a steady uphill grade all the way up. The map they handed out from Hohenschwangau says it is a 40-minute walk. NOPE! We often find that the estimates are generous and it is usually shorter. Not in this case. Thinking the walk down the hill would be easier, we opted for that, thinking that if is was 40 mins uphill, it might be 30 mins downhill. Our guide said 15. We were both wrong. For us that is understandable, but I seriously doubt anybody could make the climb in 40 minutes. Bruce did walk up, but he stopped and rested several times and he took over an hour. It took us nearly 45 minutes to get down. That could have been o.k., but our guide gave us a time to be back at the bus (and we knew that if we were seriously late, they could leave without us). For the guide that is not understandable. If fact it is inexcusable. This wasn't - as they say - her first rodeo. She presented as having done this many times. The one and only complaint I have about the excursion folks for the day. Otherwise it was great. But she and I had a conversation when I reached the bottom. My wife desperately needed to be able to slow down and to stop and rest on one of the benches placed along the way, but we were afraid, particularly as our 15 minutes turned into 30, and then 40, that we might not make it on time. The only solace was that we weren't alone. Give a better estimate of times!

Horse Carriage - Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria, Germany
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WE MOSTLY napped on our bus ride back to Munich. We ended at the now-familiar Karlsplatz. We were tired, but also hungry and thirsty. Neither Bruce nor I had lunch. It all played well into our scheme, though. One of the items we had wanted to check off was to try one of the Augustiner Beer halls. We had been given a recommendation for them. I am sure that any of the other beer halls would have been fine, but I remembered the first one we had seen on our walking tour the first day in Munich. I also knew that it was about a 5 minute walk past Karlstor (Karlsplatz Gate) - so right around the corner. It met expectations well. The beer was fresh and cold and the food was good. We finished refreshed and after the short tram ride back to the Opera, were ready to retire. And ready for our next adventure. We had a 9:30 a.m. train scheduled for Prague the next day. We had opted for first class and knew the tram number and timing to arrive well ahead of schedule. What could go wrong? Hint: Mr. Murphy was out in his full splendor the next day. 😠

STAY TUNED.

Saturday, December 7, 2024

Munich - Day Three - Finally! Octoberfest!

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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HAVE I mentioned that the prime motivator for this trip at this time was Octoberfest? We have traveled 4 times in the past couple years with our good friends, Bruce and Joyce. Long time readers here will remember them from my posts on Portugal (their idea: we "tagged along" and are delighted that we did, as I discovered my favorite city abroad - so far, anyway: Porto, Portugal). They then joined us on a cruise from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Iceland, Ireland and England, with a couple extra days in Amsterdam and Rotterdam for them (Rotterdam only for us - but we discovered a great city and look forward to our next visit). We had also done a long weekend in New Orleans. We are close neighbors and talk often, and the subject of travel often comes up. Bruce has mentioned his interest in seeing and experiencing Octoberfest several times, so we finally decided it was time to qeue that one up.

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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OF COURSE, our view is that you can't take a trip over to Europe just for Octoberfest (though am sure many do). The challenge for us was to create an approximately 2-week itinerary that included Octoberfest as our "anchor." It turned out to be easy. We could have added more time and destinations to the itinerary. I know I will go back and visit some of them. For the moment, though, lets focus on Octoberfest.

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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PHOTOGRAPHICALLY, THIS was not one of my best outings. The nature of the beast. We were with a group of about a dozen people, in a very crowded fairground environment or inside a tent at a shoulder to shoulder table with benches. Most of what I did were more or less snapshots, but will hopefully give a feel for things. I think if I were going to try a more serious run here, I would go by myself and plan to spend the day scoping the scene and looking for good places to shoot from. I also think this is one of those "what is it like to be there" spots with lots of people in the mix, so I would have to look for opportunities as things constantly moved and changed.

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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MOST ARE aware that the celebration takes place in Munich. Many probably didn't know, though, that the celebration takes place mostly in September. It ends on the first Sunday in October. The genesis of the celebration was the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig. Citizens of Munich were invited to the festivities, held in a field just outside one of the city gates, which is now a fairground where Octoberfest is held. The festivities included a grandiose parade and featured horse races. The parade still marks the opening of festivities, but I do not believe there are any horse races these days. The event was so popular that by citizen acclaim, it was made a permanent festival, and held each year following (except for some interruptions during wars, Including WWI and WWII).

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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OCTOBERFEST IS said to be the world's largest celebration of its type (a folk festival), attracting upwards of 7 million visitors from all over the world, annually. Here is a scary statistic: they also serve over 7.7 million gallons of beer each year at the event!

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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THE SETUP was not quite what I had imagined. To understand it, we have to talk about the beer situation in Munich. The production of beer in Munich has always been highly regulated. There are currently only 6 breweries that are authorized to brew their beer within the city, and today, each has their own sponsored tents (several breweries sponsor multiple tents).

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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WE HAD a reserved table in just one of the tents - sponsored by Hacker-Pschorr. The 6 authorized breweries are: Augustiner, Spaten, Lowenbrau, Hofbrau, Paulaner, and Hacker-Pschorr. Since our tent was sponsored by Hacker-Pschorr, that is the beer we drank at Octoberfest. I can say, though, that we drank a few of the others, including Augustiner, Lowenbrau and Paulaner while in Munich. It was all good. I am not a big beer drinker, but there are times when a very cold one tastes really good. I am basically a Lager drinker when I do. From my research, the most popular beer served in Munich is a Lager style "Hell" (light). The German Hell beer is nothing like what we here in the U.S. call "light beer." It is very crisp and full bodied.

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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WE HAD a tour with a couple local guys prior to entering our tent and finding our table. They gave us a pretty good history of the brewing culture in Munich and of Octoberfest. There are many good accounts online. They explained the local regulation of beer brewing and why there are only 6 currently authorized breweries. The water used must come from within the city. The brewery facilities must also be within the city. The beer maker must meet certain fairly stringent conditions. The beer must be brewed in accordance with the "Purity Law" (Reinheitsgebot) of 1516. This law provided that the only ingredients in complying beer could be water, barely and hops (while not specifically spelled out in the law, yeast has also historically been an allowed ingredient). The history of Reinheitsgebot - not surprisingly - contains elements of politics, religion, and local protectionism. The linked brief Wikipedia entry is a fascinating read and I would encourage the detour for a few minutes. Beer afficionados might also like to take a longer detour to read about the history of one Munich brewery that has been brewed in the U.S. and Canada and how that came about. But please do return here! 😅

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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THE CURRENT six are not necessarily destined to be the only authorized breweries in Munich. There are a couple that have applied and are trying to obtain that status right now. Our guides brought us an example and we started out our morning (kind of early for me - 9:30 a.m - whew!), but I slogged through it. I don't specifically remember what is holding the Giesinger Munchner Hell back (though I think it was that they had not been able to secure brewery space within the Munich City limits), but it looks like maybe they had the rest lined up. It was pretty good. Good luck to them.

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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OUR TOUR and tent reservation incuded a voucher for 2 draft beers and a meal which included a Hendyl (half of a slow-roasted chicken, basted in a paprika marinade). What surprised me a bit though was the drafts. They were each a full liter! I like and occasional cold one, but 2 liters is not in the cards for me. How do many of the folks drink several of these things? To add insult to injury, this "old guy" had to hold onto the heavy beer glass with two hands (at least until I observed the correct method of holding the glass. It looks like Bruce had it all figured out from the "get" though. 😂

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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A FUN day, filled with beer, chicken, and german brass music. Lest we walk away thinking Octoberfest has always been fun and positive though, I feel compelled to discuss the one negative we learned about. I don't do this to end on a down note.The fact that in spite of it, Octoberfest lives on may just be one of the most positive things about it. In 1980, a home made bomb was set of in a trash bin near the main entrance, killing 13 and injuring 225 more people (apparently including the perpetrator). This was the second largest mass terrorism event in Germany (after the 1972 Olympic Village massacre). There is a memorial outside the gate which everyone sees as they enter. You do not see trash recepticles outside around the fairgrounds today, and entering with backpacks and such are prohibited.

Hacker-Pschorr Lager - "The Heaven of The Bavarians" - Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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THE BACK pack thing is an aside that bears mentioning. None of the literature for tour groups like ours - or for the festival as a whole - mentions this. We were walking into the entrance to the grounds when we were stopped by local police and told we could not enter with our day packs. Perfectly understandable, but a bit jarring that we did not know in advance. I would have simply left mine home. Instead, 6 of us had to split off from our group (fortunately there were two guides, so one stayed with us) and walk back about a block to an area where we could check the backpacks (for a fee of course). Not a huge issue, but maybe they should include a warning somewhere. As I often say, a "first world problem." We rejoined the group and all was good.

Memorial - Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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AFTER SPENDING a couple hours in the tent, we headed back out and toward the tram to our hotel. A chilling rain returned. Ironically enough, tired but by that time hungry, we walked the short distance back to our "favorite" Mexican restaurant for supper. This time; burgers. No Mexican in Munich. 😑 We wanted a quick bite and be done for the night. The next day was early and was our trip to the Bavarian Alps.

Octoberfest - Munich, Germany
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