Festbeirs, Half Hendls & Ravens!

After an introduction to Octoberfest on Saturday our group felt more prepared for the festivities on Sunday. We had a plan, everyone’s phones were working and we were not going to leave the tent for a bratwurst.   Sunday started with breakfast at the Hotel New Orly. Since all of the boys would not share their breakfast buffet, I walked around the streets looking for a bagel.

Dad joined and me in a visit to three coffee shops and a closed Lidl before deciding on a local favorite, apparent by the line out the door. The no-nonsense barista was not budging in her German to our English but we successfully ordered two pan au chocolates, a ham sandwich and two coffees. Getting milk for the coffees was another ordeal. Thankfully, Dad received help from friends in the line.

Around lunch time we U-bahn’d to Theresienwiese for day two of the festival! Worried about starting the day with too much wandering around before Finbar had a drink, we began with two quick litres each in an outdoor beer garden directly at the festival entrance.  The crowds were growing  so we went into a blue tent where we ordered some festbeirs and half hendls. Cool Dad sat with some euro friends a few tables down.  The boys and I met some Brazilians, Germans and Californians at our table.  Just as the band started to pick up, playing some of Dad’s favorite songs, it was game time. Liam and Finn were not going to miss a down so they left the beer hall to find one of the sports bars recommended by Mom to cheer on the Ravens from Munich.

Dad, Brendan and I are  just getting into the groove so we met Michael’s gang at another tent. Thanks to the handy Octoberfest  map app (and their height) we found them with no trouble. After a few more songs and Patrick’s fleeting romance with more Brazilians, we decided it was time to meet Liam and Finbar to watch the Ravens.

The bouncers at the bar decided I was too drunk to enter but Dad convinced them I was fine! Our group reunited in a basement full of drunk Americans watching football after their long day of fest-ing. Good thing Dad, Brendan and I took our time meeting Liam and Finn since they were banned from entering a few bars until finally bribing the Irish Pub to let them in after their day of festbeirs. Anything for the Ravens!

Unfortunately, Lamar’s defense let him down ending in a narrow loss for the Ravens. The offense looked promising against the best team in the league so we were not too disappointed with the outcome. Well some of us weren’t. Dad led his adult children home as they yelled through the metro about how much they love Lamar.

Monday morning marked our first tent reservation and our first morning wondering how many days straight we would be able to continue drinking.

Dad shared his breakfast with me this morning so I was able to enjoy the bacon and eggs! Ciaran, fresh off a GAA season ending loss, a Ravens loss and a 1 AM drive to Dublin was fresh and ready for his first Octoberfest experience meeting the gang in the lobby of the Schottenhamel  Tent for the noon booking. Reunited with the Butlers we sipped our first beers with a bit less enthusiasm than the day before. After an appetizer platter of beer cheese, sausage, pretzels, meat toast and radish duos our energy returned and the beers went down a little easier. Some of the group even decided to trade in their half hendl coupons for litres. 

After our reservation ended we knew to choose our next beer tent quickly before they  showed full on the Oktoberfest phone app. Michael led us  to the very fancy Champagne tent, Marstall. The pink and orange decorations gave it a beautiful circus tent look! Not as many songs to sing along to at this tent with a classier crowd but we made some new friends from Virigina and California. A group of Swiss guys impressed Dad with their many accents and languages, especially their switch from American English to British English.  Michael coaxed the group up to the champagne room where three bottles of €270 Champagne were purchased in quick succession. The group started to shrink at this point with Dad and Patrick making Irish exits. Ciaran and I thought it best to leave when Finbar and Roman were chatting with their newest Octoberfest girlfriends.  Amazingly everyone once again made it on the metro independently to Home New Orly. Back to sleep to get ready for one more day! 

On our last day we celebrated birthdays early and enjoyed yet more litres and Bavarian treats at  the Kafer small tent.  After that we tried our luck on the Devil's Wheel amusement to end our Oktoberfest adventure.  

Dankeschön!

Birthday Struedel

Birthday Dumplings