We took an overnight train on Friday night and arrived just in time for the opening day of Oktoberfest.
The best way I could describe it is that it's like a carnival...with beer. Lots and lots of beer. There are amusement park rides, a million food stands selling pretzels, sausages, heart cookies, etc and "tents" that serve beer and food. The tents are the main attractions.
These "tents" are actually buildings! Getting into a tent is a difficult task. As big as these buildings are, they fill up so quickly so it is hard to get seats. Many people even make reservations well ahead of Oktoberfest just so they can claim their own spot in the tent. Luckily we were able to squeeze our way into a few of them, like the Hippodrom.
In the tents you can order beer and/or food and socialize with the other Oktoberfest visitors. And the beer is served in giant 1 liter mugs (only in the tents can you get these huge helpings of beer)! Of course I ordered one. Personally, I dislike beer for the most part but this beer was probably the best beer I have ever had.
This is a hill. People used this hill to pass out/sleep on when there were too drunk. And no, I was not one of them.
We went on a ride! It was an Olympic themed rollar coaster with 5 rings. Yep, we went upside down 5 times. It was great.
Inside of one of the tents. Can you see how crowded it is?
We took some time outside to explore the City of Munich.
We went to City center.
And we took the metro to Dachau concentration camp,the first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany.
Translated "Work will make you free."
Sleeping barracks.
It goes without saying that it was a little depressing to be there because of its history. But I'm so glad that we made the trip out. To be able to see some of the history we learned so much about in high school makes it feel much more real.
The Church of Reconciliation was built later after the war. The design had no right angles, a clear contradiction to the plan of the concentration camp itself (which was very rectilinear and right-angled itself). The architect of the church regarded the right angle as a sheer symbol of the Nazi murder system.
Inside, visitors could light a mini candle and light it using the main candle. These mini candles are placed next to a rose. RIP.
I think our trip to the concentration camp balanced our Oktoberfestivities pretty well. Because after all the ridiculousness and sillyness of Oktoberfest, it was good to step back and put life back into perspective again. Overall, it was a good weekend.
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