Munich, Day Two

I woke up early today, Monday, 9/24, but only because my body insisted it was time. By the time I showered and dressed for the day it was only about 7:00 AM local time. Jet lag hasn't been an issue at all - if anything, jet lag should have made me sleep in. I guess it's like everyday is Christmas morning over here and I don't want the sun to burn holes in my eyelids.

I got myself out of the hotel, grabbed a quick bran muffin and a tea from the San Francisco Coffee place down the street, and began to wander a bit. The Oktoberfest grounds don't open until about 10, so a couple of hours to kill. 

Not that many people were walking around, which I found strange for a Monday - I guess a different pace of life, even in a major European city. 

There were QUITE a few people, however, queued-up at one particular location:

The Apple Store in Munich, Germany, September, 2012

Yes, love for Apple is universal. It was about 8:15, and the store didn't open until 9. I actually visited the store after my Dachau trip on Tuesday and got to play with the new phone - awesome! No I didn't buy one and they were sold out anyway. 

Finally it was time to head for the Thereseweisen and my day at Oktoberfest!

The Augustiner festzelt at about 10:30 AM.

As you can see from the photo, the tent wasn't too crowded and I snagged a table entirely to myself - the plan being that I would save seats for meine fruendinen (my friends) from Salzburg.  I had looked around the tent on arrival and they weren't there yet. I never did find them, nor they me. So I made some new friends.

Here are David and Louise, a very sweet couple from northern California. They run an art gallery and represent talent from Europe as well as the U.S.  They have traveled extensively and are no strangers to Oktoberfest - even though Louise doesn't drink beer!

We exchanged information and tips, and Louise had a great big journal in which to log her encounters and the information provided.  I was embarrassed that, traveling without my day bag for Oktoberfest, I did not have my pen and notebook with me. I nevertheless paid forward my travel karma and gave them intel on the restaurant , Die Weissen, which I had liked so much in Salzburg, their next stop.

David and Louise stayed long enough for a couple of beers and for lunch -  David and I each has a half-chicken, and Louise had a salad plate. they bid their adieux shortly afterwards, and I was faced with this character:

This is Marcus, on the right in the picture, and he was my afternoon entertainment. He decided it would be funny to run around a bit with my camera and take some photos for me.  Here's some of what he captured:

 

ABOVE: Marcus snags a pretty girl, but then gets too greedy with the next pic. BELOW: Marcus risks my camera in the Pissoir of the tent, and my other table companions. 

  

I left the Augustiner tent after a few hours and headed in to The Schottenhamel tent. As the night drew closer (the picture below was taken after I was leaving) the band played less traditional music and more party music, as the old foagies had pretty much left and only the youngins like me remained. 

I partied it up old-school. Well, actually, I was pretty much done drinking for the day but I was enjoying the atmosphere and pulsating vibe. At this tent I met Dave and his Mexican roommate whose name I never got. Dave is from Munich and speaks really good English. 

 Here are Dave, in the rear, and his roommate. Party on, fellas! I spent another hour of so with them, but I was getting tired and a little more than a little hungry.

I said my goodbyes and headed out to find the nearest sausage stand. 

 

I ate my sausage, got some mustard on my shirt, took a final walk around the fairgrounds at night, and caught a subway train back to the hotel. I was tucked-in by about 11:30 PM. 

My artsy, Photoshopped view of a Munich subway passage. 

Tomorrow I go from party to solemnity - Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial.

Baaderßtrasse 1, Munchen, Germany