The title says it all. What commentary can I possibly add to a post who’s pictures tell the entire story?! Normally, I envision my readers hanging on to my every word and each carefully crafted pun (I said that I “envision” it… I know it doesn’t really happen) – but this time, I think I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking. Of course, I do have to give some sort of framework around the pictures (hey, it is my blog, after all).
Crowds fill the streets during Oktoberfest 2013
You may have just read about Josh and Abby’s visit where we ate too much, indulged too much and just did… too much! You know, the norm. We were lucky enough to also have Dave and Jill drop in for part of their trip and join us again in Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest. We were excited to get to the party – but before we could drink our first liter of beer in Munich, we needed to get there. There is no better way to travel through Europe than the train – and when you have an overnight-train option, it’s a win. You get your “hotel room” for the night included in the cost of transportation. But travelers be forewarned – the Ritz… It. Is. Not!
We took up four of the six bunk beds in our tiny room – luckily our “neighbors” were normal and smelled fine
Plenty of headroom in the top bunk
I settled in nicely
I couldn’t figure out why Google Maps said that the capital city of the German state of Bavaria was only about 6 hours by car and nearly 11 hours by train. We figured out the mystery when our train stopped in Verona for four hours – and they cut the air conditioning to conserve energy (I’m sweating just thinking about it). Josh and I were wide awake when we pulled into Verona at 11:00pm, so we opted to hop off the train for a few minutes and inhale some fresh air. Since we had plenty of time, we thought we’d go for a short walk. Forty minutes later, the Arena di Verona appeared before us and light up the night’s sky. We certainly didn’t envision being in the middle of Verona just after midnight, but all of a sudden… there we were. In fact, we were so unprepared that we were wearing our pajamas and flip flops, with very little money and no cell phones on our person. The fact that I couldn’t take a picture of us in our tank tops and shorts in front of the colosseum was depressing (I had the blog in mind) – but it was quite a fun adventure. We certainly stuck out more than any normal American tourist possibly could – the place was packed with people as a concert had just let out. We took a cab back to the train station and experienced a moment of panic when we discovered all the doors to the station had been locked with heavy chains and deadbolts (meanwhile, the girls were asleep on the train with no way to contact us). We found the one open entrance and still had plenty of time to share some whisky with people from our train, as our feet dangled over the tracks.
The arena in Verona – I borrowed this image from a trip I took earlier this year. We were walking around this main piazza in our pajamas
When we pulled into Munich the next morning, we were actually feeling quite refreshed despite a horrible night’s sleep. We were blessed with an early check-in at the hotel, so we quickly showered and got ready for the day. We ended up arriving in the Theresienwiese (the fairground where Oktoberfest is held) by a respectable 11:00am. There have been a few things in my life that have completely overwhelmed me. Seeing my bride walk down the aisle. Witnessing the birth of my daughter. And now I can add to that list… Oktoberfest.
Passing under the main gates for the first time in our lives
Each of the tents had their official wagon of barrels in front as part of the display
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair, held each year over a period of 16 days. The fair is host to over six million visitors from around the world. That’s like inviting every single person in the country of El Salvador to come stay in your city for two weeks! A staggering seven million liters of beer are consumed during the festival. Only beer conforming to the Reinheitsgebot (beer brewed within the city limits of Munich and containing 6% alcohol) may be served at Oktoberfest. There are only six brewers that meet this requirement and have the right to serve their beer.
Our first four liters of official Oktoberfest beer
How did this all get started, you say? Well, on October 12, 1810 King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The good citizens of Munich were invited to attend the joyous festivities in the fields in front of the city gates. The fields adopted the name, Theresienwiese (Theresa’s Meadow).The festival grew significantly in attendance as well as production value over the next two hundred years. The modern festival is all contained within the current Theresienwiese – an enclosed fairground in the southwest portion of the city. The fair is broken into a maze of streets divided by large tents (the Hippodrom, the Armbrustschützenzelt, etc.) and small tents (Ammer Hühner & Entenbraterei or Bodo’s Cafezelt, for example). The tents are where most attendees spend the majority of their time – where all the beer drinking, rebel rousing, singing and chaos takes place. The rest of the fairgrounds are comprised of the food vendors (serving traditional foods, such as Schweinebraten, Würstl and Käsespätzle), souvenir stands (where you can purchase a traditional steinkrug – beer stein) and carnival games and rides. Take it from me – you do not want to get separated from your group after consuming half a dozen liters… the grounds all begin to look exactly the same. You might decide to break down and cry like a 9 year old girl who got separated from her parents (I’m not confirming or denying this actually happened).
One of the larger tents – Hofbräu-Festzelt (Hofbräuhaus tent)
Another of the large tents – Armbrustschützenzelt (Paulaner Beer)
A street scene in the fairground – carnival rides and games as well as various vendors
Food stand
Carnival game – knocking cans over
Another carnival game – rifles
Since we had arrived at a respectable hour (before noon) we took a chance on one of the more popular tents, Hofbräu-Festzelt – the counterpart of the famous, Hofbräuhaus. We settled into a wonderful spot, with plenty of space to spread out and enjoy our first tasty bier (beer) and brezen (pretzel). Some Aussies sat down next to us and the real party began. Our new friends were hilarious, fun and really made the party!
Walking in to the Hofbräu-Festzelt
Josh and I smile for a photo while we wait for our first beir
The delicious first “taste” of Oktoberfest
Jen’s first beer
Abby’s first brezen
A group shot at our first table
Aloisius waits patiently for the girls to start throwing their bras up toward him
Our crazy Aussie friend, demonstrating his “angry dolphin” and his torn lederhosen
Despite the fun we were having, I had one harrowing thought repeating over and over in my head – “I’m not wearing any lederhosen!” The garment of Bavarian working-class men has become the traditional garb of the festival… and there I was wearing a stupid sweater and a pair of jeans. I felt as uncomfortable as if I had shown up to an interview wearing sweatpants and an REO Speedwagon tee shirt. I was able to convince Josh to head to the “lederhosen outlet” we saw adjacent to the fairground’s entrance. We found a Turkish businessman that owned a booming store with plenty of folks in the exact same predicament as us… people that showed up not realizing everyone gets into the spirit of tradition. I asked to see his cheapest pair of lederhosen, I tried them on and selected a matching shirt. After some quick negotiating, I was all dolled-up for €60. But that wasn’t the end of it. You see, Josh had tried on the same pair, but it didn’t compliment his butt properly. So he tried on another pair. The color of that pair didn’t compliment his eyes (or something like that). A third pair didn’t flatter his calves properly. Finally, he ended getting the perfect pair, a traditional shirt, socks and who knows what else. His total? €150 (about $210)! I’m laughing to myself all over again as I’m typing this. He was so mad at me the entire walk back (for “making” him buy lederhosen) that he barely talked to me. His temper was further exasperated when Abby couldn’t believe how much he spent for such a “stupid shirt”! He ended up throwing his new shirt away and putting his original shirt on under his lederhosen. Now that we were properly dressed, I could relax and start drinking!
I came back ready to really join the party
A local photographer for a Munich paper got a photo of this beautiful couple
Now that I’ve got my lederhosen, I’ve got a big grin
Jen and Abby got to work while we were out
Silly girls
If someone stands up on their bench, it means they have to “skull” or drink their entire beer
Finishing it will earn you cheers; falling short will land you public shame and jeers from the crowd
My new buddy helps me track my consumption of steins
Abby poses for a picture in a picture in a picture…
Dave and Jill found our spot in the tent while Josh and I were buying our lederhosen and the party really started to take off. We spent some more time in the Hofbräu-Festzelt, before deciding on a change of scenery. We walked toward another tent (I couldn’t tell you which one if my life depended on it), stopping only for some würstl (sausage) and to pick each other up off the ground. All the carnival games had gotten Josh and my typical competitive juices flowing – and so we left the group momentarily to compete. He took me in the first competition (knocking pins over) and I crushed him in the next (shooting ducks with a rifle… how I was able to hit 8/10 I’ll never know). While we were decided what the tie-breaker should be, we somehow just devolved into wrestling in the middle of the festival.
Dave and Jill join us in the first tent
Group photo
Dave and Jen cheers
This guy was soaking his dreads and having people suck the beer from them
He tries to get Dave to participate
We shuffle from our first tent to our second…
Our second tent – they were serving Hefeweizen
The girls were dancing… not sure where the bunny ears came from
Three different version of “Blue Steel” and a pretty smile
Another group shot
Josh and I venture to the outside world
Josh does a little shimmy…
…. and a shake
We start wrestling
I think it just turned into big man-hugs
This is what Josh found when he got back – the girls were just taking a short power-nap. They did rally though
We kept the party going for several more hours before finally heading home. It felt like 2:00am but was actually only about 10:30pm.
Classic – I couldn’t tell you where this hat came from
One of our last photos of the night
The next day, we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast sponsored by our hotel, the New Orly. We still had so much of the city to absorb, so we eagerly set out as soon as we gulped down our final freshly squeezed orange juice. Our first stop – Abby’s lifelong quest to see the Rathaus-Glockenspiel in the Marienplatz (center of the Old Town). The Rathaus-Glockenspiel is basically a giant cuckoo clock in the Town Hall building – but instead of a bird popping out, 32 life-sized figured dance to 43 bells and tell the story of Renata of Lorraine’s marriage to Duke Wilhem V (the founder of Hofbräuhaus and my personal hero).
Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) in the Marienplatz
The central tower housed the Rathaus-Glockenspiel
A collection of pretzels dangling just out of reach
Josh and I stand under the pretzel tree
After witnessing the dancing figures, we walked around, taking in the sights of Altstadt (Old Town) – including impressive churches like the Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau and Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan as well as the Royal Gardens and so much more.
Beautiful building in the Altstadt
The Frauenkirche (Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau, “Cathedral of Our Dear Lady”)
Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan (Theatine Church of St. Cajetan)
I’m happy to embrace all of Munich at once
Josh and Abby in the Royal Gardens
Me and Jen in the Royal Gardens
We were lucky to have a beautiful second day
At this point we had been in Munich for nearly two days and had yet to visit a biergarten (beer garden), so we asked some locals for their recommendation and set our sights toward the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Beer Garden) located in the middle of the Englischer Garten (English Garden), Munich’s largest park. We settled in for a beer outside and listened as the band played some traditional German music. We grabbed lunch and awaited Dave and Jill’s arrival.
Inside the Chinese beer garden
This is where our group reunited for the second time
The Englischer Garten has a unique feature – a man-made wave pool in one of the park’s rivers
We watched the surfers catch gnarly waves for a little while
After everyone had their fill of beer and food, we walked to the train station and headed back to the Theresienwiese for Round 2 of official Oktoberfest festivities (FYI – the Aussies we had been congregating with the day before had been in Munich five days and hadn’t once explored outside the fairgrounds – I don’t think I’ve had stamina like that since I was 18 years old). We visited a few more tents, drank a few more liters and ate a few more würstl’s. A highlight of the day was when we were sitting with some proper English lads and recounted the tales of our insane Australian friends from the day before. Not wanting to be outdone by the offspring of their country’s prisoners, one of the chaps took off his shoe and drank beer from it! Then they left to go ride roller coasters. I don’t think they quite reached the same level as the Aussie’s – but they got an “A” for effort.
Round Two begins…
We stop for a photo before settling in to our first tent
We chose the Bräurosl tent for our second day
Inside the tent – it was hard to find seats because it was late in the day
The entire gang on the second day
Jen and I salute another day of fun
I didn’t know Robert De Niro’s older brother would be at Oktoberfest
Having fun
Our British pal
Oh, that’s just nasty
I pretend to do the same thing with a shoe I found – what was I thinking?!
I am about to buy my last würstl of the trip
I ordered the biggest one they sold
We shared our final table at Oktoberfest with native Bavarians
The Hofbräu-Festzelt as our time in Munich comes to a close
As the sun was setting we headed back to the train station and boarded our overnight train back to Como. Josh and Abby disembarked the train in Verona, venturing on their own to Venice for a romantic day-trip and overnight stay. We had an amazing time in Munich with our wonderful friends Josh, Abby, Dave and Jill – something that we’ll never forget. If you have never been to Oktoberfest… add it to your bucket list. Jen and I will be happy to go back with you!
Abby brought Julia back an authentic lebkuchenherz (heart-shaped gingerbread cookie)
Sometimes living abroad is hard. Like when you miss a good friend’s wedding in upstate New York – an event that turned out to be the social gathering of the year (according to Facebook pictures and word of mouth). Thankfully Dave and Jill completely understood when we declined to come. Or when one of your best friends tells you that he’s planning on “popping the question” via email, because there’s really no easier way. Those are the types of conversations that should be reserved for a late night in a neighborhood bar, complete with lots of back pats and free rounds for the groom-to-be. Thankfully, Josh was great about keeping me in the loop, sending us pictures of his wonderful proposal to Abby in Charlestown earlier this year (and even calling us via FaceTime shortly afterward). So, yeah – living abroad can be hard when you miss these special moments in your friends and families lives. However… when we’re able to host our friends and family here, we are always grateful for the experience abroad.
Abby, Josh, Jill, Dave, Jen and Julia
For that reason, we were absolutely thrilled when we heard that Josh and Abby were going to come visit us. We coordinated the timing of their trip so that they would be visiting during a beautiful time of year and the start of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. As soon as they booked their airfare, I reserved our train tickets to Munich, which I’ll write about in the upcoming post.
Josh and Abby in Varenna
Shortly after learning of Josh and Abby’s visit, we got even more good news. Our friends Dave (aka, Dr. Dave) and Jill were also going to be in Europe at the same time and wanted to spend time with us here in Como. I mentioned that we would also be going to Oktoberfest and they were able to arrange it so that they could join us there too! While they didn’t stay with us in either locale, they coordinated close quarters so that we could spend time together.
Dave and Jill in Brunate
When Josh and Abby arrived in Italy, we opted for a new strategy. We decided to be “low-key” for the first day. We even allowed them the option to take a nap, if they wanted. In the past, we have cooked massive meals, whisked people immediately to downtown Como and forced them to stay awake in order to stave off jet-lag. However, we’ve learned that visitors often forget their first day – it’s simply too much, too fast (especially in a comatose state). So when I got them home safe and sound, we simply walked across the street to one of our local favorites, Quattro Staggione. Even though the food is Italian (shocker), the restaurant is fashioned after a German beer garden. Jen and I decided that it would be a good start to get us in the mood for our upcoming trip to Germany. We capped the night off with more food and drinks and they hit the sack early, ready to begin their world-wind trip freshly rested.
The plan the following day was to meet Dave and Jill at our place, before heading to Antichi Sapori – the best pizza place in all of northern Italy. They were driving down from Switzerland and ended up getting lost – opting instead to meet us at the restaurant. When they finally arrived, we rushed through our meal so that we could reach our next destination quickly… an activity that had me as giddy as a nerd at Comic-Con. I had arranged for something that I’ve wanted to do since we moved here – a privately rented boat to drive around Lake Como. I’d looked into it in the past, but only found prohibitively expensive companies or boat operators that drove you themselves. I wanted to be the one to get behind the wheel and really open’er up . On a previous visit to Tremezzo, I discovered a company that was not only reasonably priced – but also gave you free reign of their boats (with surprisingly little information in exchange. Luckily for them, I do actually have my boating license). Josh grabbed some wine and beer and we got on the water ready to enjoy the sights and sounds of Lake Como from the middle of the lake itself!
I pull the boat away from Tremezzo – Josh and Abby settle in for the ride
Julia loved the wind in her hair
The towns along the lake are even prettier to see from the water
I stop driving to pose for a picture with Jen
Josh and Abby enjoying time aboard our boat
Dave and Jill on Lago di Como
Julia gives us a smile
Family photo in front of Bellagio
The “girls”
The “guys”
Isola Comancia – I’ve never been so close
Julia decides to hang out with the boys and helps me drive
I relax in the back with a beer and my girl…
…who promptly lost interest in me when Josh took over driving. Guess she likes men with power
The entire crew on the dock after we returned
After a fun-filled day on the lake we made it home with enough time for Jen to cook a wonderful meal. We had all the usual suspects (cheese, salami, olives, salad, bread, etc.) with osso buco served over a risotto milanese as the star of the show (Abby had her first taste of veal and her first taste of bone marrow all in one sitting). We also had several bottles of wine to accompany the meal. After the food stopped coming, we broke out the traditional grappa. Usually, grappa signals the end of the meal and drinks – but not with this crew! After grappa, I took the guys down to my cantina (wine cellar) and brought back a special bottle of whiskey I had gotten in Scotland earlier this year. The girls opened another bottle of wine and the party continued. Eventually, someone decided it was a good idea to go to the bar next door and close the place down… it was not a good idea!
The late night started out innocently enough…
…and then turned into this…
…and some of this!
After breakfast the next day, Dave and Jill came back to our place and we all went into Como together. We walked around Como for a bit and then took the funicolare (cable car) up the mountain to the small town of Brunate. We had a phenomenal lunch overlooking the lake as well as Como. Later that night, it was another favorite for us – Ristorante Simposio in Inverigo Hotel, a four-star hotel near our home. We were excited to order the zuppa di mare – a mixed seafood dish that [at this particular restaurant] is absolutely huge. The six of us shared the dish as an appetizer, couldn’t finish it and were full before our entrees arrived. And they claim that this dish is for two!
We relaxed in the restaurant’s garden with some vino rosato while we waited for our table
The group enjoyed a wonderful lunch with a great view
Photos compliments of Julia
Hanging out at one of the panoramic spots in Bruante
The zuppa di mare that we’ve always wanted to order, but never had enough people
Dave ordered branzino arrostito al sale (branzino roasted in salt)
The following evening we would depart for Germany on an overnight train (Dave and Jill drove separately in their rental car). But we had all day to fill, so we formulated a plan to go hiking in Switzerland. Our home is close to Lugano, Switzerland – a wonderful city surrounded by beautiful Swiss mountains. Dave and Jill researched a popular climb and so we set out for a vertical ascent that would reward us with wonderful views of the Lago di Lugano and the city below.
Lago di Lugano – the city is on the left of the lake
Josh and Abby along the hike
Dave downplayed the vertical climb of the hike – both Jill and Josh have recently had major reconstructive knee surgery
Of course, the next part of this adventure was our time in Germany – but that warrants it’s own post. So, I’ll conclude this portion of blog with the remainder of Josh and Abby’s trip. After we all returned from Munich, they ventured off on their own to Venice and Verona before returning home to Como. We wanted to spend their last couple days exploring towns along Lake Como and made the decision to discover a new town together (we’ve been to many of the popular lake towns, but there is still so much for us to explore). I’m glad that we agreed to explore together, because Josh and Abby helped us find Varenna – one of our new favorite towns along the lake. We spent all day exploring the town and the castle, Castello di Vezio.
Varenna is a beautiful new town that Josh and Abby helped us find
Josh and Abby cuddle for a picture
Family photo by the water
Josh shares his bench with Julia and she shares some gelato with him
“Mom, smile like this!”
Good place for a photo
“You guys go on ahead, I’ll just hang out here”
Vivid placard on the wall of Chiesa di S. Giorgio
“Cheese!”
“On top of the world!”
Even though Castello di Vezio is privately owned, it is open to the public all year round. The castle, which dates back to 1169 – boasts a wonderful collection of collection of birds of prey, including a fantastic horned owl and some magnificent hawks. There is a garden of wooden statues and totems carved by local artists such as, Luigi Gambato. But most interesting were the “ghosts” that greeted you at the gates (a shocking image as you round the corner) and adorned the caste’s walls and towers. They are made from white chalk each summer by using the frames of willing tourists that sit and allow the artists to sculpt around them. We spent our final day in Como and then bid Josh and Abby a fond farewell as they boarded their plane headed back to Washington DC.
Julia helps Josh pick his final outfit – she models one of his shirts
A tower of Castello di Vezio
The castle was in amazing shape for being nearly 1,000 years old
Beautiful doorways and walls
The trees on the castle grounds were stunning
The ghosts of Vezio offered a strange and haunting welcome
Everywhere you turned, you were being watched
Josh tests the sturdiness of an ancient walkway
Julia ascends the stone steps of a tower with me
The fortress was located with an open view of the lake – located centrally across from Bellagio
The main tower of Vezio
Oh, who’s that poking out on top of the tower?!
I embarked on a climb to the top alone
Looking down I saw a couple of familiar faces
They had an impressive display of birds – this falcon put on a demonstration with a Falconer
This was another Falcon in a different part of the castle
Looking down on the town of Varenna from high atop the cliffs
We discovered the castle’s ancient prison
Josh descends into the depths
Julia is having way to much fun in jail
The prison was just carved out tunnels in the stone
Julia borrows a free ride on their last day in Como
I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing a bit about some of the great times we had with close friends. Keep an eye out for the upcoming Oktoberfest post – the fun we had there wasn’t quite so innocent…
