Oktoberfest and Visitors from Prague!!! September 28, 2010

Well, that time of year is finally upon us, Oktoberfest 2010!!! And I am living just mere blocks away!  Although I was excited about all the hype around town and in the office, I soon realized that this huge festival located on my route to work was going to attract way to many (drunk) people, and for the next 5 weeks, after many flat tires from broken beer bottles, I rode a new route to work every morning and night.  However, all the mess was finally enjoyed by me when my friends came to visit from Prague!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday morning, getting up an hour earlier, we got into Schottenhammel Tent, the oldest and most important (because it starts the festivities) and found a seat!

 

Ein echt Bayern Fruehstueck: Brezeln, Weisswuerste, Suesssenf, und ein Mass Bier.
A proper Bavarian Breakfast: Pretzel, white wurst, sweet mustard, and a liter of beer

 

 

 

 

 

Entrance to the Historical Wiesn, since this year marked the 200th anniversary since the first Oktoberfest.

 

 

 

Inside the Historical Tent, with exhibits and tons of info. of how the event has evolved throughout the years.

 

 

 

Hamburg und Dresden_Revisited September 20, 2010

During Jill’s final weeks in Germany, we finally found the opportunity to use our Saturn Pass (promotional train ticket offer for 2 trips to anywhere in the entire country for only $40!).  So, we went about as far as possible from Munich (Hamburg) one early Saturday morning, and stopped by my favorite little town of Dresden on the way back.  I showed her all of my favorite sites and we stumbled upon a few new ones along the way.  I love revisiting my favorite places, and coming back makes me enjoy them even more and like them for new and different reasons.  I hope these cities hold as much meaning for Jill as they do for me . . . ah to live in Hamburg!

While in Dresden, we toured the Semper Opera House, ate at the Watzke Brewhaus, climbed the Frauenkirche, found the Kunsthofpassage, and went out for a Spanish dinner at Espita’s for a nice change of pace!

Dresden Neustadt Station

The world famous, or at least European-wide famous Semper Opera House!

Dinner at Espita’s, a really awesome upstairs where Jill and I finally caught a moment to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

An awesome map of the area, showing the facades you see from street level, looked and functioned great!

Lunch at Watzke Brewhaus, where the bottom of the glass says “Just one More”, but auf Deutsch of course.

Making our climb up the Frauenkirche, and around and around we go.

On the descent, with one final pass through this, my favorite Eastern Germany City.

Darmstadt and Frankfurt w/ Christian und Esther September 18, 2010

With only a few weekends left in Germany, Jill filled up all of our weekends with trips to nearby cities.  First stop, Frankfurt am Main, with a side trek to Darmstadt to visit my friend Christian, whom I met while working in Zurich!  Darmstadt was a smaller but still lively place with an awesome swimming hole, some modern works, and an awesome Artist’s Colony!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Darmstadt, Christian went with us to the big city, Frankfurt a.M., the only German city with Skyscrapers and a truly diverse skyline.  We saw what the city had to offer, walked along the river, and ended with a trip atop one of the tallest towers in town.  Enjoy the views!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oberammergau (Passionspeile) and Schloss Neuschwanstein September 14, 2010

Hooray for FAMILY!  My mom and brother made it safely to Munich, and they came during the early Fall, just in time to see the world famous (and always well publicized by my grandmother) Passion Play in Oberammergau.  We made an exhaustive early morning series of train rides to this tiny village–with no tickets to the performance–to get in line for potential last minute available seats.  After an almost 4 hour wait, we were awarded 3 of the long awaited tickets and got in the door to this amazing and time-honored tradition!

 

At intermission, we explored the town a bit, had some local cuisine, and visited the museum that talked about the origins of the play and its significance.  Apparently, during the Black Plague, residents of this town vowed to God that they would put on this performance in his name every 10 years for the life of their town in exchange for sparing their people the terrible losses ensued by the Plague, and God honored their plea and they have put on this amazing show of Jesus’ life and resurrection every decade since.

A day or two after Oberammergau, Mom, Sam, Jill, and I made our way to Hohenschwangau to see the legendary Neuschwanstein Castle of King Ludwig II as well as his parents lesser know but more complete and totally furnished castle next door.  It was a beautiful september day and we had a great time hiking through this area to the sites and brushing up on our Bavarian History.  This was the 3rd visit to this amazing place for me, the 2nd for my mother, and Jill and Sam’s first, so we all had a great time sharing this experience together.

Olympic Park, Setting the tone for Oktoberfest, and the approach of Visitors . . . September 2, 2010

Here are some more shots of the Munich we have all come to know and love.  Jill and I ventured out to Olympic Park to get some shots of these amazing buildings which were actually designed by Fritz Auer and his team back in the 70’s, before he left Behnisch Architeckten to found his own firm, Auer + Weber + Assoziierte, for whom I so gratefully work today!

 

Löwenbräu, where I experience my first Leberkäse, see below for this tasy Bavarian meal!

 

 

As you can see (above), preparations are already being made for the grand Oktoberfest 2010, marking the 200th Anniversary of this beloved Festival.  Well, it’s time for me to be off, it seems like my family has made the trek over the Atlantic, and now it’s time to show them all that this wonderful land has to offer.  Welcome Mom and Sam!!!