Last Sunday I joined Sarah, a former work and Texas friend, in Munich for Oktoberfest. Once we got over the stress of snagging a table we met some great people throughout the day and got into the swing of things by dancing on the table benches to some good ole Bavarian music and drinking songs. I had to head back at a reasonable hour Sunday just as things started to get rowdy, but luckily I hopped a train back up Monday to meet two coworkers, Jan and Nichole, to pick up where Sunday left off. For those of you that have never researched Oktoberfest I want you to think about the largest State or County Fair you've ever been to. Now, replace the animal barns with beer filled buildings. That's Oktoberfest. There's a main drag, rides (including a ferris wheel and roller coaster which we definitely tested out), and "fair food." The tents were even more crowded Monday evening it seemed, so we were pretty damn lucky to snag a table with some nice Dutch guys near the stage. The band even delighted us with some classic American tunes.
This week I also went to my first Austrian movie theater. Every couple of weeks they have a "special secret sneak peak" so you go, buy your ticket, then find out what the movie is once it starts. Louie and I decided to be adventurous and go for it. We were intrigued by the selection of "Moon." Its an English flick with one main actor, voice over for a robot done by Kevin Spacey, and takes place on the moon, which I'm sure you guessed. Neither of us would say that it was bad, in the end, but we also wouldn't recommend you see it at the theater.
Sort of behind our school is a large brewery called Steigl. They have railroad tracks through the property for efficiency, their own extensive herb garden, and a large yard for the horses to graze. I said "Why does a brewery need horses, unless they are the Budweiser Clydesdales?" Silly me, they have a horse drawn beer cart that they use to deliver beer to the local customers in the area. Pretty awesome. Another place I went Saturday, Raschhofer, even makes a special brew, with lower alcohol content, for their cart drivers so they don't get too drunk while drinking and driving the cart around. These Austrians like to think ahead. Raschhofer also features round tables that spin (channeling the teacups from the fair) and have a stand for a keg right in the middle. It was the perfect spot to celebrate birthdays of three coworkers.
The last new Austrian adventure was watching another coworker play in his baseball championships. I never expected I would be sitting at a ballfield surrounded by the Alps in Schwaz, Austria. The fans could learn a thing or two from the drummer at Jacob's Field, but other than their noisemaking abilities, it was a great day for baseball! This weekend was capped off outside while I explored Mirabell Gardens, used for some of the city scenes in SOM, and hiked up and around Kapuzinerberg for some amazing view of the city.
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