"Moo, what doos?"
"Ohai Poo, me gonna wear dirndl today. Got a drinking party for blah blah blah.. some event."
"Didn't you do that last weekend?"
"Yep, but it's something-something blah blah this weekend."
Yah, I get it. The beer is good in this town. Even for someone who doesn't usually drink beer, I will drink it if I'm in Munich. When Dad and Bro first told Moo of their arrival date, she got super happy and said 'There's a mini Oktoberfest on!!!' The name is Frühlingsfest to be exact and it translates to Spring Festival. Any excuse for a celebration in Bavaria.
Not many people know of Frühlingsfest - I certainly hadn't - but if you want to experience Oktoberfest without the tourists and expensive airfare, then this is your best bet. They have a few less beer tents up but they're still just as grand. Apart from that, it's held on the same grounds (Theresienwiese), they've got the same rides, they serve most of the same food, the locals still dress in tracht, it is much easier to get a table and it's held in Spring instead of late Summer/early Autumn. In fact, I just felt like I was re-living my Oktoberfestivities from last year!
Moo and Swiss Chris decided that we should go to the Augustiner tent because now that they're locals, they have been able to critique all the fine beers in Munich and had decided that the Augustiner Helles is the best in town. That must say a lot because there sure is a lot of stiff competition around.
Moo and Swiss Chris decided that we should go to the Augustiner tent because now that they're locals, they have been able to critique all the fine beers in Munich and had decided that the Augustiner Helles is the best in town. That must say a lot because there sure is a lot of stiff competition around.
The stein. Not full of Helles. The beer is nice, but I really couldn't drink a whole litre stein. A radler (aka shandy) was ordered instead.
Yes I learned a good lesson at Oktoberfest last year and have my stein-holding technique down pat. Moo and Swiss Chris bump beers. Look at those happy beer smiles. Joy all around!
The entire food menu was written in German. No good for me, but ok for Swiss Chris and Moo (kinda). Moo already wanted a roast chicken, I already wanted a schweinhaxe (Just look at that word, dammit, the word just looks so hearty! Say it out loud - SCHWEINHAXE!!) and Chris, well who knows what he wanted. I guess he just wanted 'man-food'.
Chris saw a platter for three which contained pretty much everything our hearts desired plus some knodel, potato, sauerkraut and roast pork and well... that was the end of the story. We received many curious looks from other diners who then went on to order the same. *thumbs up*
Just to get a bit of perspective on size. Moo, ready with the gravy. Need moisture for our meat thanks.
Don't be too surprised. We finished it all and here's the hock bone for proof.
A few of Moo's friends joined us in their tracht and German speaking ways. More steins were had, along with constant 'prost'-ing and arm-linking-table-swaying. There's a term for it in German but I don't know what it is. Moo and I had to cut the day a little short to head to the airport to collect the Dad and the Bro but not without some sweets on the way out!
I was really keen to have some apple fritters but we were told it was an Oktoberfest thing :( Doesn't matter, there were plenty more options to be had!
I just love fried dough in all forms. Quarkballchen (fried curd cheese donuts) dusted in cinnamon and sugar. So warming to the cockles. Then we had some dampfnudel with cherries! I had been disappointed at the damfnudel/germnodel mix-up at Oktoberfest and had been dying to eat the same dish I first sampled in Berlin 2007. It didn't have the chocolatey centre but this was close enough :D
Geez, Germans eat a lot of meat and carbs.
Anyway, Moo's bound to go back again before the festival ends. For anyone who can't spare the time for Oktoberfest, put Frühlingsfest on the list!
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