Somehow, I lived >15 months in Germany and yet resisted the temptation to go to Octoberfest; fortunately a group of friends successfully tempted me to join them this year and I had a ball. The atmosphere is fantastic; it really is one huge, but amazingly well-behaved, drunken party. Looking forward to next year.
It happens that I travelled to Munich by air to Frankfurt and then rail to Munich. I had about 45 minutes to pass while waiting for the train, so I took a walk around a part of Frankfurt that I had not visited previously; the 'Messe' (roughly 'fair ground', but also 'convention area'). The area is full of buildings with interesting shapes.
Nearby was a statue representing something like industry (any locals care to tell me the details?); it appears to have a phone number on its foot. Oh, the arm with the hammer continually moves up and down on about a 10 second cycle.
Upon reaching Munich and then Lochhausen Bahnhof, I had the choice between a 2Km walk, or simply taking a taxi. It was a nice evening, I had been seated for many hours, a nice walk seemed like good idea. It was OK, but for the most part, there was no light all - not even much light pollution from Munich, certainly no street lights - and no footpath. The bridge over the autobahn was particularly, ah, entertaining.
Ah yes, Saturday. >10 hours of drinking, talking, laughing and occasional stupidity. In this photo, we see a camera duel in progress, I have no idea who those guys are...
Rhianna completes a Stein! Dave and Ben rejoice.
Law fraternises with locals. Steve picks up?
Ruth and Sandy hard at work.
Another local, the lovely Katrin.
Quite some time - and beer - later; the group photo.
More Saturday.
The morning after; peace, tranquility, a little snoozing and very, very mellow. The Hotel was on Langwieder See, which appears to me to mean something like 'longer lake'. Better translations are welcome.
Bavaria herself, and her view of the Octoberfest grounds. (Yes, we went back on the Sunday; we were very restrained, only six hours that day :-))