Oktoberfest Weekend!

Hello Everyone!

Sorry for the delay (between work and moving I haven't had time to update you in awhile).

 

This past Saturday I found myself (and over 500,000 of my closest German friends) in Munchen

for the opening of the 2009 Oktoberfest.  We hopped on the train at 5:45am (with beers in hand

and ready to go) and arrived in Munchen at 9:30 that morning.  I have never seen so many people,

and so many beers at one time.  The rule of the fest is that you have to be sitting down to be served.

As luck would have it, my many years of musical chairs as a child was actually training that proved

of the utmost importance for this event and I was somehow able to find a seat and enjoy a beer.

The day was fabulous!  (pics to come on facebook soon as possible).

 

Sunday was then followed by a day at the Franken Therme.  The natural saltwater baths were heavenly

after a long day shoulder to shoulder and mug to mug with all those people.  The pools varied in salt

content.  3% (ocean-like) 12% (easy to nap floating peacefully on top of the water) and 26% (It is like the

feeling of balancing on a ball in a pool.  The slightest loss of concentration and you were on your back or

stomach trying to regain some sort of control in the water.  The day wouldn't be European without a trip to

the sauna and embracing the nudity of yourself and everyone else.  There is nothing quite like the feeling

of not knowing the language or the protocol for the sauna and being naked.  Most awkward moment so far?

Definitely.  But by the end of the trip I'm sure I will have many more oddities to account for.  But--the sauna.

Sooo great (once you figured it out).  There were different smells in the saunas (strawberry, cola, tutti frutti..and

so on).  In one sauna you exfoliate with honey and salt and then spend time in the honey scented room sweating

it off.  In between events there are showers and soaps and shampoos.  There was also a snow chamber that you

go into for a little bit after you left the room--brrrr!  And then there was an ice water dip to top off your time in the

steam room.  It was a blast (we will probably be heading back there a few times before we head home).

 

All in all, last weekend is my favorite so far!  But there is still more to come :)
Megan M. Gallagher