FYI: Octoberfest and photography

[oliver_s.]

We are talking about the carnival that takes place every year in

Munich for 16 days up to and including the first Sunday in October

(hence the name). Think about the following:<p>Outside the

<i>Bierzelte</i>, the temporary outposts of large restaurants, the

crowds are pushing and shoving.<br>Pickpockets love it.<br>Inside

the tents, it is hot, noisy, smoky, and smelly.<br>The risk of

having beer poured on you, a beer stein crashed onto you, or someone

vomiting at you, or any combination of the above, is

high.<br>Private security on the Octoberfest has a reputation for

rude and violent behaviour.<br>One <i>Mass</i>, the standard beer

amount, is 1 litre of alcoholic beverage. The same amount of

gasoline can run a modern car for 20 miles.<br>Finding a hotel room

during Octoberfest time is next to impossible. Camping grounds are

either closed or cold at night and full of drunks.<br>Some

Octoberfest visitors fill up before they visit. I.e. you can run

into drunk people anywhere, any time in Munich during Octoberfest.

Some subway lines go extra slow lest drunk people on the tracks are

run over.<br>Why pay for a trip just to get drunk?<p>Oops, you've

already booked the flight. Now what do you do with your time

over "here"?<p>Visit the <a

href="http://www.stmwfk.bayern.de/kunst/museen/pinalt.html">Alte

Pinakothek</a>. Visit the <a href="http://www.pinakothek-der-

moderne.de/englisch/index.html">Pinakothek der Moderne</a>. Perhaps

visit <a

href="http://www.muenchen.de/referat/kultur/institute/museen.htm">oth

er museums</a>. Rexerve a day for <a href="http://www.kz-

gedenkstaette-dachau.de/english/index.html">Dachau</a>.<br>Go

hiking. The Upper Bavarian autumn is often dry and warm though not

too warm. Enjoy the Alps! (But make damn sure you know what you're

doing--they're as lethal as the Rockies though your corpse will be

found within days. Btw you can find a German mountain whether report

<a href="http://www.alpenverein.de/wetter/wetter.php">here</a>.)

<br>Visit the lakes in Munich's proximity, e.g. the <a

href="http://www.frommers.com/destinations/ammersee/">Ammersee</a>

or the <a

href="http://www.frommers.com/destinations/munich/0099020410.html">Ch

iemsee</a>.<br>Or simply enjoy the <a

href="http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/garten/objekte/ny_park

.htm">park</a> of <a

href="http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/schloss/objekte/ny_sch

l.htm">Schloß Nymphenburg</a>.

[graham_line]

Or try the user-friendly Oktoberfest in Stuttgart instead.

[marbing]

For those in North America: they might want to investigate the Oktoberfest celebrations in the Canadian city of Kitchener-Waterloo in Ontario.<P>

<a href="http://www.oktoberfest.ca/showpage.cgi?operation=homepage">Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest

</a><P>

When Canadian drunks throw up on you, they say 'Sorry'! ;-)<P>

[eric friedemann]

1. Will the senseless Munich v. Stuttgart Octoberfest rivalry never end? Can't we all just get along?

 

2. On a photographic note, I'd suggest renting an underwater camera that can be devomitized with a shower from a garden hose. Or, Ewa-Marine makes swell underwater housing bags for a pro SLR and flash for the cost of a 14-day underwater camera rental:

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh3.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___79667___EWUAXP___REG___CatID=945___SID=F7A58B7C550

 

3. And for those who can't afford to travel to Germany and are made uncomfortable by the sight of large numbers of men in liederhosen, Chicago's premier German restuarant, The Berghoff, is having an Octoberfest block party in downtown Chicago right now- September 3-6. The Berghoff beers are excellent:

 

http://www.berghoff.com/Berghoff/oktoberfest.html

[Jim_Tardio]

The Munich Oktoberfest is indeed an experience. I loved it.<div></div>

[kaiblanke]

Oliver,

<p>

not so rude about the most well known event in Munich. It is very special, but well worth the try. Street (or better tent) photography is nice, and the folkloristic costumes (not many people wear a real 'Tracht' anymore) are colorful. The beer is also good, but remember the alcohol: The 'Festbier' is indeed a bit stronger than the regular beer.

<p>

But you are right about the other Munich attractions, they are numerous and if you have good weather, the whole area south of Munich from Garmisch Partenkirchen to Salzburg is one of the nicest scenery in Germany. But please do not think all of our country looks like that :-)

[aki_dick]

I live in the affected town (of the original feast) just two blocks away.<br>I'd say, stay away from it. Its not worth it. Myriards of drunken people, lots of them unpleasingly agressive, a super-deluxe show of white trash.<br>Not to mention that you hardly can find a place where you have to pay more for some beer and food of moderate quality (hmm, maybe some striptease bars, but there you'll have at least some cute + sexy girls around...) <p>As mentioned above taking good photos is not that easy at all and maybe exept for the big beer tents there's really nothing you couldn't photograph at ANY other decent fair around the world.<br>If you insist to go, my advice: don't go for drinking and photography at the same time, go twice then.<p>The only time I can think of that I enjoyed Oktoberfest was last year when I was working night shift in the nearest emergency room during that time. Couldn't stop laughing for a week facing all that blood stained lobotomized wrecks. It gave me an idea of how war medicine must be.<p>And finally, if you've been there: no way man, don't even think that you've got an idea about german culture!!

[eric friedemann]

1. An uncle of mine is an aeronautical engineer who lectures around the world. He enjoys visiting Germany because of how warm and sociable Germans are- even sober.

 

Several times when he's gone to eat alone at informal pub/restaurants that were deserted, other groups of diners have arrived and have seemed to have just natuarally sat down at his table to include a lone stranger in their group. This pleased and surprised him a bit, as we come from German stock who immigrated to the U.S. His parents and my grandparents were loving, but were a bit shy, quiet and austere.

 

2. "(W)hen I was working night shift in the nearest emergency room (I) ©ouldn't stop laughing ... facing ... blood stained lobotomized wrecks. It gave me an idea of how war medicine must be."

 

In the U.S., the Army has doctors who will be serving in front-line units in the event of war do internships at hospitals like Cook County in Chicago. Inner city hospitals are the only place these doctors can get the opportunity to see and treat large numbers of gunshot wounds and stab wounds.

 

3. "And finally, if you've been there: no way man, don't even think that you've got an idea about german culture!!"

 

I was in New Orleans a few years ago for Mardi Gras. At one street party in front of a bar, I spoke to a Swiss gentleman who was having the time of his life. He said, "I can't believe America is so wild," assuming that Mardi Gras in N.O. was representative of America in general.

[Jim_Tardio]

<i>And finally, if you've been there: no way man, don't even think that you've got an idea about german culture!!

</i>

<p>

I agree, Aki. I loved traveling through Germany. And while the Oktoberfest is definitely not reflective of German culture, it is a spectacle...I was blown away by the size of the tents.

<p>

I also agree that the best action is inside the tents. The grounds outside are just like any other fair...lots of rides and food stands. It's worth a visit if you're in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip to see it, IMO.

[Jim_Tardio]

Another Oktoberfest photo.<div></div>

[eric friedemann]

Here are some of the aforementioned drunken rabble!<div></div>

[dan_andrews]

Or, you could do Oktoberfest in Cairo. The exact location seems to rotate among the major tourist hotels: the Marriott, the Nile Hilton, the Nile Sheraton, etc. Basically a bad knock-off event designed to get expatriates to visit the hotel and drop their money.

 

So, if any of you are coming to Cairo, we could make our own Oktoberfest out in one of the Wadis. Admission will be open to anyone, but bring enough to drink, and bring your favorite camera and enough film--plan on shooting the landscape. Email me first so I know you're coming.

[oliver_s.]

I didn't know there are so many Octoberfest copies! Thanks for telling us.<p>Thanks to all who actually dared to take pictures of that event, especially to Jim. Obviously you survived.<p>Eric, your uncle's experience is unique! From what I know about Germans, the prefer to stay alone while eating.<br>Btw "liederhosen" made me rotfl as it's 'singing trousers'. I've never heard <i>Lederhosen</i> do that! :-)<p>The neicest fair I know is in Munich as well, namely the <a href="http://www.auerdult.de">Auer Dult</a>, which takes place three times a year (!). Originally (it's approx. 500 years older than the Octoberfest) it was a trade fair only. Today it has the usual fair rides and food stands, but one half of it is a big antiques market: all major Bavarian dealers of old furniture and old art have booths. They're overpriced, but looking at all the old household items and browsing through old books can be fun; you may even find the occasional folding camera. There's also a large number of booths that sell new clothing, cutlery, and fixtures--aa heritage of the trade fair tradition. You can buy there almost anything you need for a household! There's also one row of snake oil sellers--or at least the closest equivalent German law permits... all in all, it's fun, it's relaxed, it's still pretty typical of Bavarian culture. For dates, check <a href="http://www.auerdult.de/termine.html">this site</a>; the next one is October 18th through 26th this year, next year the first one will be in late April. It may be worth a visit if you're in Bavaria at that time.

[eric friedemann]

"Btw 'liederhosen' made me rotfl as it's 'singing trousers'. I've never heard Lederhosen do that! :-)"

 

Damn; I Googled that spelling and got a bunch of hits. I thought I had it.

[oliver_s.]

I just did the same and got "about 1,280" hits. If you search for "liederhosen" and specify .de domains (via <a href="http://www.google.de/advanced_search?hl=eng">advanced search</a>, google returns 2 hits and "Did you mean: <i>lederhosen</i>". The latter gives approx. 128,000 international and 54,300 .de hits.<p>Just for the record, "lieder" is the plural of 'song', "Lied", whose <i>ie</i> is pronounced like the <i>ea</i> in 'peace'. The first <i>e</i> in "Leder", 'leather', is pronounced like the <i>e</i> in 'get', mo matter whether you use German or Bavarian. To explain the difference:<br><i>Alles klar? Wir in Bayern sprechen zwar etwas anders als im übrigen Deutschland, aber es dürfte trotz der ja keineswegs gerechtfertigten Ansprüche der Norddeutschen einleuchten, welche Aussprache die korrekte ist</i><br>becomes<br><i>Host mi? Mia redn zwoar a bissl anders in Bayern ois wia im Rest von Deutschland, aba nua dos des kloar is: des isd' richtige Aussprachn, egal wos dia da obn in Preußn sogn, die Saupreißn, die preißischen Hund'! Dene reiß i d'Ohrwatschl ab wann's mia noa amol derzähln wolln wia i z'readn hob!</i><br>in Bavarian.

[eric friedemann]

Unfortunately, the extent of my German language skills is a recollection of my dad half-jokingly calling me "Teufelkind," which translates to "devil child."

[oliver_s.]

I take these from the <a href="http://www.muenchen-tourist.de/deutsch/presseservice/oktoberfest/w73-vorlaeufiger-schlussbericht_2003.htm">official press release</a>. Unfortunately it's not available in English (yet):<p>6.3 million visitors came(5.9 million in 2002);<br>they drank 6.1 million litres of beer (5.7 million in 2002);<br>they ate 91 ox (87 in 2002);<br>they stole 195,000 stolen beer steins (155,000 in 2002);<br>law enforcement recorded 1581 Octoberfest-related deployments for 400 officers on the grounds and its immediate proximity (+11.65 per cent compared to 2002);<br>they recorded 1980 lawsuits (+34.06 per cent compared to 2002);<br>2 officers were hurt while on duty (11 in 2002);<br>2 women were raped on and near the Octoberfest (6 in 2002), both perpetrators have been arrested;<br>the Red Cross took care of 7338 Octoberfest visitors, approx. 10 per cent of them drunk, most others minor injuries (no previous year data available);<br>the Octoberfest lost property office collected 3800 objects, including<br>1050 jackets, shirts, and trousers (yes, trousers),<br>80 cameras and photo accessories, and<br>3 dentures.