Reservation Locked - Write it down!

Thanks to the efforts of Paulaner Girl, I just faxed in our reservation at the Hippodrome.

I had to pay up front... so this is now a done deal. 30 Euros (8 people) each, which is applied to our food there.

Date: 9/28/09 - Monday
Time: 3:30pm - 6:30pm

They will have a snack spread on the table (Radishes, Bacon, Cheese, Bread, etc.) and a 19 euro credit toward beer and other stuff!

Yippee!

Parrotheads in Paris

Apparently Jimmy Buffett heard that Barleyman and Paulaner will be in Paris this September. He cancelled his west coast dates, and scheduled a concert in Paris September 26. Unfortunately for us (and Jimmy), we will already be in Munich. I guess he forgot to check our schedule :>).

Getting closer .....

Getting closer to Germany is getting closer to Paulaner. Even in Metz. Which is a wonderfull city! As we are heading for Luxembourg I wonder what beer I can spot for you next week.

Another Sad Day

I had to do something I hoped would not be necessary. I created a new table tracking the number of rounds of bier that someone must pay for because of a lack of posting. The first to reach this glorious distinction.... RodG

Good for those of us that must drink his biers.

Desperado

You must be desperate! But it's French. Beer with Tequila. Something for Rod?

A sad day.....

First Farrah, now Michael. Two icons from my younger days.

I remember my mom outlawing the poster. I just hung it on the back side of my closet door.

I also remember Thriller. Watching the video on MTV, hooked up to our TV and home stereo. John S thought it was amazing. I did too.

Hippodrome Reservations

We have the opportunity to make reservations in the Hippodrome tent for Monday for what they call their "Hippo Happy Hour" We would have a reserved table from 3:30-6:30. At 6:30 we would have to vacate the table, and hopefully could find another table. Since they only will take reservations for 6, 8 or 10 persons, we would have to reserve and pay for 8 people ahead of time. The cost is 30 euros per person at the time of the reservation. That includes some radishes, cheese and bread, and goes toward a minimum beer consumption. There is no actual cost for the reservation itself. The only other reservations that I can find are lunch on Sunday or Monday. If we want to take the reservation, we will have to act really soon. So we need to take a vote and decide.

So post your vote, yeah or nay?

Post about proposed activities at Ocktoberfest

Per request, some discussion about where to go, what to see while in Munich. Um: Hof Brau Haus, Weisn (Beer Tents), Cloister Andechs, two, maybe three day trips. Go with the crowd. Would like to see a bit more of the food market near Hof Brau Haus; it has been fun during the odd hours I've been.

I'd suggest:

Day 1 Arrival	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Departure
2:00 HbH	Tegernsee	Cloister Andechs	?	Early morning Checkout
7:00 Weisn		Englischer Garden		Train to Airport
	Weisn	Weisn	Weisn

Nudist Ocktoberfest?

Woody?

Important Issues of the Day

How's a person to decide?!

Accomodations

Just a refresher in case you were interested...

Hotel Alfa

Henk & Gemma Asked...

"What happened with the opportunity to reserve a table? I remember that Barleyman with LSI has a liaison with their subsidiary in Munich. Does that work out?"

Here's the latest email I received from Hotel Alfa concerning this topic..

Dear Keith, hope you´re fine. I only would like to inform you, that I´am still taking care on your reservation at the Octoberfest. As soon as I definitively get notice about the exact date and hour I can offer you, I will let you know. Lot´s of greetings from Munich and have a nice time Anton Hotel Alfa

Favorite Tents

Do we have a tent strategy this year? Last time I was in Munich, I think we only made it into the tents once, and once is just not enough. Since the whole purpose is to attend Oktoberfest, we need to spend more quality time communing with the German people in their natural habitat, while drinking their national beverage. In other words, visit the beer tents. So I propose we have a plan.

In past years, which tents have been our favorites? I must admit, my memory gets a little foggy as to which tents we've even been in. Of course, true to my name, I like Paulaner. The tents that serve it are: Armbrustschützenzelt, Winzerer Fähndl, and Käfer's Wies'n Schänke. However, I can't ever remember being in these tents. I know we've been in Löwenbräu and Augustiner-Festhalle, but from there it all becomes fuzzy. I'm sure I just ate too many pretzals.

Recommendations & Tips for the Trip

Some Updated Tips n Tricks for Oktoberfest

• Go with the group. A laid back atmosphere is critical in Bavaria
• Get plenty of rest before you arrive. we go non stop.
• Have your reservation at the Rehab center made before you leave. You will be unable to work touch tone phones after the trip. It's best to just have them meet you at the airport when you arrive home.
• Eat a lot of food. It will provide a good base for the beer
• Try new things. Even if you have never had Haxen, and think it looks too much like a pig knuckle, try it anyway*.
• Sleep on the train. Just make sure there is someone awake to make sure you get off at the stop.
• Check out the German Rail Passes. They have 3 or 5 day passes that allow you to go on the DB and S-Bahn lines. In the US you can get these at AAA. The only issue is that the twin passes require you to travel together (i.e. you get one pass)
• Make sure you try the Donner in the little shop near the Hotel Alfa. ask for them 'spicy'. Do not take the Donner to bed. You will wake up smelling of onions and spicy lamb.
• Don't ask for wine at the Beer Tent. Lynch is able to sneak it in for you.
• Don't ride the upside down rides after eating a hendel, a bretzel, 2 sausages, a radish, and 4 Maß of Bier.
• For $50 they will let you lead the band.
• They don't serve ice like they do in the states. Even at Burger King. In fact, the Burger King doesn't make ice until after 11am. even then you get one cube for a big gulp.
• Try not to attend over the daylight savings time change. They get really confused, as do you. You may even show up early for your train.
• Never go in the pissort in the Hbf.
• Wear comfortable waterproof clothes. Between the rain and the beer, you need to keep dry. Many times we will leave the hotel early in the morning and return early the next day.
• Never, under any circumstances, look inside a sausage.
• Never sit at a table with a sign on it that says something scary in German
• Make sure you sit near the Aussies and Kiwis in the beer tents. Have your camera ready at all times.
• Don't steal lighters from shaven headed crazy ladies in Dachau Irish pubs
  
• Don't complain. Don't Bitch. Don't whine. Suck it up and follow Vozel.
• Have fun, enjoy seeing old friends, and remember, What goes on in Munich, stays in Munich.

*Note: This rule does not apply to Tuna fish pizza.

Hops

An important ingredient in Beer is Hops. Only the Female Flowers (see the picture) of a Hops Plant are to be used. So always read the ingredient list before you drink. Just avoid Flatulism.

"Lock Steward Payment"

Today we had to pass 7 non-automatic Locks. All serviced manually by turning wheels (by hand) for door opening/closing left and then right, filling the Lock (we are still up) and again to open the doors. This system exists from the 19th century and still in operation. The Guy who operates the Lock lives in a House next, mostly in the middle of nowhere. He respects assistance and likes to be awarded. So today I turned wheels and gave "bottles" of Bols Jenever. I believe 7 Lock Stewards living between Dun sur Meuse and Verdun will have a happy night.

This Week's Posting Theme

I have certainly enjoyed the posts of the last two weeks since everyone is trying to meet the weekly posting challenge. I am especially envious of the posts from Barbus and Schlumbgerlady; who wouldn't be. Their trip looks wonderful.

I propose a theme for this week's postings, though. As an Oktoberfest blog, and since we once again have a newbie in our midst, I propose that all posts this week address something of an educational nature about Oktoberfest for our friend, RodG. We should take this opportunity to tell RodG seem of the secrets we have learned over the years, give him some guidance for navigating through the maze we call mecca, and maybe share some interesting anecdotes. RodG started last week with his post about bier types to avoid (should have been which ones to savor), but nonetheless an inquisitive topic.

My first words of wisdom... Treat the visit as your one and only visit. Enjoy yourself and try to do as much as possible, but don't feel compelled to do everything everyone else might do. Four days is short, but the visit is about friendship and culture, interspersed with some bier and story telling. Hopefully you can be the source of a future Oktoberfest memory.

Happy Fathers Day

Hope everyone is relaxing today and enjoying father's day!

Ein Glas Bier von Weizen

Ein Glas Bier von Weizen

Knowing what beers to avoid

I once mentioned to Chugger that some beers cause a reaction in my body that is unpleasent - sometimes to the point of incapacitation. He nodded, knowingly, and rattled off a bunch of stuff about yeast and brewing process as if I understood and I said, yeah and uh-hu as if I did understand, but, in fact, I did not and do not.

Without taking me into the science of brewology, is there a simple guide to what to avoid if one is particularly prone to digestive distress? What should I be careful not to consume?