‘All the Oktoberfest stuff is making me miss Germany.’ That was the plaintive instant message received from my daughter the day we debuted the many recipes and reviews related to this fun fall celebration.
It made me think that some of our readers might enjoy seeing just a couple of photos from her personal archives, in the spirit of Oktoberfest!
It was just two years ago that she returned stateside after spending two full years living in Germany and working for the Armed Forces Recreational Center, in the catering center. She was able to spend time with some fabulous chefs from around the world, as well experience the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Germany and German food.
That includes the requisite visit to the German tradition of Munich’s Oktoberfest, with its many tents from which to choose. Thousands of people visit the tents, and people have their favorites. Within the tents, they fill picnic tables and sing along with the oompha bands while eating roasted chicken.
She and her friends visited the largest of the tents, the Hofbräuhaus, during Oktoberfest, as well as the Paulaner tent. During the Fruhlingsfest (Spring Festival) in Munich they visited the Augustiner Bräu tent.
Beyond Oktoberfest, the beauty of Germany was breathtaking – after all, how many people wake up every morning with a view of the Bavarian Alps? The Alpspitz is in the center; the Zugspitz is the peak on the far right.
And I can’t go without mentioning the castles of Germany. My favorite, along with every little girl who’s ever had a dream of the Cinderella castle, is Schloss Neuschwanstein – the real-life inspiration for the Disney version.
We only managed one overseas visit while she was in Europe, and it wasn’t during Oktoberfest, but it put Germany permanently on my list. We enjoyed the traditional food and music, the kindness of the people, and the feeling of walking in a snow globe in picturesque downtown Garmisch. Come to think of it, all this stuff is making me miss Germany, too. It may be time for a trip!
Photo credit: Dana Logsdon
