Collecting Experiences, Not Things: Munich Oktoberfest

13 Oct Collecting Experiences, Not Things: Munich Oktoberfest

Our motto and motivation is to “collect experiences, not things”. Whilst on our journey, we’re aiming to spend our time and money on spectacular experiences, to be left with incredible learnings and memories, not tangible objects. This way, we’re sure to keep our lives light without additional luggage, but also be the change we want to see in the world.

Our third featured experience is the annual Munich Oktoberfest.

Beers, boobs and bretzels are our immediate highlights, and yes, in that order. Oktoberfest has taken every party or festival we’ve ever attended, and made it look like a small house gig. The sheer volume of people was a shock to the system (roughly 6 million attend each year), which made us wonder how many liters of beer had to be brewed for the 16 day affair (turns out, over 6.7 million). Unreal!

Catching a bus or train towards the Theresienwiese (I’m sure anytime during the 2 week stint) is an event in itself. It’s a Bavarian fashion show, with locals and foreigners sporting all sorts of lederhosen and cleavage-popping dirndle kleid. It’s absolutely beautiful (except for the cheap replicas, which don’t do this traditional attire any justice). Majority of the ‘fashion models’ are also pre-drinking, sharing beers and laughs before even reaching the venue; a wise move especially for those on a budget, as liter steins cost €10,50 (approximately $14 US) and one must have a full drink in hand at all times if one wants to sit in any of the tents or biergartens. We managed to hold seats for about an hour at the Löwenbrau Biergarten, and the atmosphere was sincerely sensational. Worth every drop of expensive golden nectar.

The collection of rollercoasters, spinning rides and the gorgeous Reisenrad (that’s Deutsch for Ferris wheel) make it an epic outing for families too (so if beer isn’t really your thing, come enjoy the colorful entertainment instead – although, be warned, queues might take up a lot of your time).

We’ve had “have a few beers at Oktoberfest in München, Germany” on our Wanderlist since the beginning of our journey, and after being there and doing that (sadly without getting a t-shirt), we would recommend it to anyone wanting to experience true Bavarian celebrations. What a crazy party! It’s really no wonder all other Oktoberfests try to imitate this spectacular event. Vielen dank München!

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