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.