The good trend continues...

Last year's exchange rate was approximately $1.16. Today (2 Aug) the rate is $1.11. With any luck, we might be close to $1.10 by October. That makes a bier very affordable..

For the newbies and veterans alike.....

A new redesigned Official Oktoberfest Website.

Since I cannot post a picture in a comment...

This is in response to the comment from Flying Dan in the previous post.

Been thinking about....

How quickly to indoctrinate the daughters into the Oktoberfest scene. There are three options that I see available to us:

1. Treat them like little girls and check into the hotel and take a nap.
2. Freshen up upon arrival, and head out to see some of the sites of the city.
3. Drop and run to the Wies'n.

Here's my thoughts:

1. Not appropriate, they are not little girls anymore.
2. An interesting proposal, could stroll through Marienplatz and visit the Viktualienmarkt. Plenty of time for that over the weekend though.
3. This is why we are at Oktoberfest, correct?

So, we all arrive around 8:00-08:30 on Friday, be at Hotel Alfa by 9:30-10:00, check-in, freshen up, head to a tent. It gives them their first view of a somewhat subdued experience that can set the stage for later attendance. Of course we still have the late afternoon pilgrimage to the Hofbrauhaus.

Flying Dan, what say you?  :-)

Official Bier Prices Have Been Set

In general, bier prices are 10.80€ - 11.80€, about a 3% increase from 2018.

The the full list here...

Internet

Construction is Fully Underway

It is mid July and construction is in full swing. It won't be much longer and we will be sipping the golden nectar.

Father/Daughter Training Session

The first training session for Oktoberfest 2019

Traci - Chugger - Flying Dan - Allison

at Mecklenburg Gardens in Cincinnati

I, sadly, will not be joining this year. But....

The website is updated! 

https://www.davefinlay.com/oktoberfest-history-page

An expanded visit theme...

Still a Father / Daughter trip at its heart, but now expanded to anyone who is interested. Due to some unforeseen circumstance, only Chugger and Flying Dan will be true to the moniker and bring their daughters.

Who else would like to join us during this off year sojourn? I say off year, but the odd numbered year is our usual modus operandi. Join the four of us for an unplanned trip.

Typical schedule:

Arrive Friday, 27 September
Depart Tuesday, 01 October


We have our flights, how about you?

Need I say more.....

Who recognizes this venue?

Hint: Great pancakes with bacon and bier.

A plan comes together....

The execution of this year's plan has begun....

A new visit theme....

We, primarily Barley Man, have assigned theme names to our visits over the years. For example:

• The Woody Trip
• The Barf Olympics
• Dutch Treat

These were all good monikers, but almost always were assigned after the trip. For good reason, it was a way to commemorate the experience. However, a fellow Oktoberfestian has recently proposed a new trip theme.

That's right, a Father/Daughter themed visit. Dad would bring his daughter. Oh, did I mention, the proposal is for this year... 2019?

Final Wrap-up

Here's the final wrap-up from this year's Fest.

Finally my photos are done!

Great time in Germany with great friends....

Oktoberfest Photos

Another Oktoberfest in the Books

By now most Oktoberfestians have returned home safely. The others have extended their European visit to include London and Bordeaux. I guess they needed some R&R after Munchen.

I declare the visit a success. No one was arrested and no one got lost. We left with the same number of people that we arrived with. I personally enjoyed two key aspects of this visit; above and beyond the usual joyous friendship and delicious golden nectar.

1. While the group was larger than normal, many Oktoberfestians "did their own thing". As we always say, you do not need to follow the crowd. Several days had people off doing their thing; a good thing.
2. As usual, we visited some new places.

I have already been asked (even before we left), "what's the plan for 2020?" It's too early to commit, even for me. One good thing, though. By then, both Designated Walker and I will be retired. That means we can spend more time, either in Munchen or before/after Oktoberfest. Maybe a long road trip like Barbus and Schlumberger Lady.

Tell us your thoughts on this year's excursion.....

Prost !

Festians on tour

Beer Drinkers Guide to Munich

The essential guide to Munich

At the fest!

First Bier at Hotel Alfa

Keith ...

Sent from my iPhone

__________________

Getting close

Sunrise over the North Sea!

Final Training. My buddies are flying in tomorrow.

Final training pictures.  My buddies are flying in tomorrow.  The first photo my reward from walking from Berchtesgaden to the world famous Eagles nest today.  Patti holding my bier and she actually had a sip!  The second photo is our lunch.  More pork product so the digestive system is now in high gear!  The last photo is Patti and I at a great bier garden in Salzburg.  Augustine Brau. Great bier and great setting!

Lovely...

More pictures from opening weekend here...

Who's flying Lufthansa?

Read the Article

I still have coupons!

Chugger,  do you still have any left?

Training the not yet traveler's.

Einfahrt (make way)

Final Training

Just for Dan...

Keith ...

Sent from my iPhone

__________________

We have added Live people for our training

Fellow Oktoberfest participants.  Live training in Salzburg!  I finally got to talk to someone other than Patti! 

Prost!   See you guys and gals in a couple of days. 

Another wonderful venue to look forward to...

Additional Training for Patti

Look at this a baked spaetlzle cheese dish with a Stiegl.  Oh know!  Looks like I had a weisse beer for dessert.  Patti in heap of trouble tonight! Ha ha

More training in Salzburg

The Weather is Looking Great

Starting in Salzburg. More training ........

Out in the hills of Vienna at some of the wineries today!  Patti had a niece who passed on this date last year.  She was special needs so she carried painted rocks and left this one in the hills of Vienna at a wine.  Statue was dedicated to the vineyards.  Hope the person that finds the rock takes the time to learn about the disease .

Guess what?  In Austria you can still get a Pork Meatball and of course Schnitzel.  Keith it is pork, pork, pork.

Deviated from training last night.

See you all in 5 days.

It has begun.

Leaving tomorrow for Vienna and Salzburg

Well the packing is done and Patti is cleaning the house so it must be time to go!

Guys we will have our cell phones but not turned on for calls.  If you have an I Phone and we are connected to the local free Wi-Fi send us a text.

Henk my number is US 513.236.6246.  Patti US 937.271.0969  Try to text us and we will try to meet for a wine and beer Salzburg.  We are arriving Monday afternoon  from Vienna.

See you all Thursday we are getting into Munich on Thursday around 12:00  Dropping bags and heading to the market for lunch.

Prost!

Something to strive for

https://porto-vino.com/blogs/portovino-blog/10-beers-to-try-during-oktoberfest?utm_source=PV+Marketing+-+Retail&utm_campaign=61f664d600-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_16_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a0e33c58a4-61f664d600-189774027&goal=0_a0e33c58a4-61f664d600-189774027&mc_cid=61f664d600&mc_eid=7bc6701b63

Not sure I’ve tried  all these. Obviously more research is in order.

On my way pt 2

Augustiner Brau : “ein prosit from Leipzig”

O' Zapft is... Part II

The ceremony of tapping the first barrel of beer has become one of the most popular traditions at the Oktoberfest. It was founded by mayor Thomas Wimmer in 1950, making it almost as important for the reputation of a Munich mayor as getting elected in the first place, as people started counting the number of strikes needed to drive the spigot into the barrel with a wooden hammer. During his first Oktoberfest, former mayor Christian Ude kept bludgeoning the barrel with a seemingly endless 7 strikes. But Ude kept on trying and soon managed to tap the barrels with a stunning 2 strikes only. His successor Dieter Reiter needed 4 strokes on his first try.