To Be Determined: September 2004

Oktoberfest Continued

During our time in Munich, Jason, Hope, Jodi and I (all ESI teachers) stayed with Hope's friend Matt, a British college students interning in Munich for the year. He was an amazing host who made our trip a whole lot easier. After a night full of missing passports, angry border guards, empty bus stations and bad phone numbers, Matt was an answer to prayer this weekend. One of many.

So Saturday was spent at Oktoberfest. You can read about it in my previous post. Sunday morning we left Matt's around 10, stopped into a German bakery... let me pause to say that German baked goods are generally life-changing... and then walked around Munich for a while. For lunch we stopped into Munich's world-renowned Hofbrauhaus brewery. Because most people in the city were participating in Oktoberfest festivities at the other end of town, it was quite easy to get a table. Sunday afternoon was spent walking, relaxing and eating. We departed at 11pm. Thankfully, the trip home was completely uneventful. By 7am Monday morning, I was in bed. The downside of all the travelling and late nights came in the form of a cold, which I have been fighting since then. Not to worry, it is getting better.

Ok, I'm done talking now.

Check out my pictures, and let me know what you think. To leave comments, click on the pencil icon in the bottom right corner. If you don't want others to read them, just shoot me an email: harveyme@hotmail.com.

So this is a Beer Tent at Oktoberfest. The picture didn't come out very well, but you get the idea. There are ten buildings like this.

Sunday at the Hofbrauhaus. (From left: Jodi, Matt, Hope, Joel, Jason, Brian, and Me.)

Munich at night.

Munich.

Munich. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day.

I survived Oktoberfest and all I got was this t-shirt...

As I stepped back into my flat this morning at 6am, having just survived a full weekend of travel, parades, euros, and beer, I found myself feeling very comfortable in this small town. In only four weeks I have discovered a certain degree of predictability and understanding in the CZ. Had I not left this weekend, I might not have noticed it... I hope that makes sense.

So on Friday night at 11pm, I boarded a bus to Munich, Germany. By 5am saturday morning I was in a strange bus station with 3 close friends, no usable money, no phone service, no knowledge of the German language, and no sleep. Life felt like a comedy of errors. By the grace of God, we were able to connect with friends, hit up an ATM, and get some sleep all before 8am. At 11:00, we pushed our way into Oktoberfest.

For those unfamiliar with the world-renowned annual event, let me paint you a picture... It is by far the largest carnival I've ever seen, with rides and rollercoasters, carnie games, overpriced food, and lots of sweat. The difference between this carnival and all others? First of all, the food is all amazing... bratwurst and candy and fruit and breads... and of course, beer. Which brings me to the most striking aspect of Oktoberfest... the beer tents. There are probably ten of these huge structures... each capable of holding at least 5,000 people. Put a stein with a liter of beer in the hands of everyone present, and you have a pretty good picture of the Oktoberfest experience. It's really an amazing place during the day, with lots of children running around, huge parades, lots of traditional clothing and music. Really great. At night, it is a scary place. There were a few times I felt very nervous for my female friends... German men don't tend to act especially chivalrous after half a dozen liters of Lowenbrau.

Shoot, I'm late for lunch. I'll tell you more later on, and most likely post a few pictures.

Kralupy nad Vltavou

At long last, here are some pictures of my town and my flat. Though it certainly has is quirks, its a really great place. We have more than enough room, so bring friends.

On a side note... if I were working with Campus Crusade, these pictures would be followed by "This is where I live."

...If you don't get it, don't worry, it's a pretty dumb joke.

Kitchen/Dining Room

El Bano... er, bathroom. Czech and Spanish kind blend together after a while.

Quote of the week: "This what I imagine my grandparents' kitchen looked like."

No dryer to be found.

From the outside.

Flat in the foreground, WC in the background (aka. room with a toilet).

This is where I sleep. Posters needed.

Living/Napping Room

Kralupy from above.

First post

Hey!
Welcome to the blog. It's a bit nerdy, I know... but I figure this way you can see some pictures of my life in the Czech Republic without filling up your mailbox. This message is just a test run to see how all of this works. If you get a chance, let me know what you think.
mike.