It's Oktoberfest in Munich!

[tod2]

We finished off our 3 week holiday with two days in Munich. I had forgotten it would be Oktoberfest but my purse felt pretty damaged by the heavy hotel bill! Rates nearly triple between mid-September and mid-October.
The happy mood in the city sort of made up for our hefty hotel bill.

These cheerful chaps were staying at our hotel.




Here are more happy revellers.





We caught the tram to out of town places like the shopping mall at Olympic Park.





And also walked a lot.
















I also found out that opposite sides of the main station are world's apart. I had booked us into the Turkish area which was where all the cripple and homeless are found. I was not nervous in the area but it just wasn't very pleasant. Our hotel was at the end of a cul-de-sac right next door to a casino and bar. A lot of noise in the early hours drifted up to the rooms.








So to avoid this mistake again we went looking for our previous hotel in a pedestrian area. At the same time we enjoyed some tasty fish at Noordsee. It is a real canteen style place but the food was terrific. I had a beautiful piece of Plaice.







This strange art work was in the open pedestrian area. It could have been a fountain at one time.





























Then it was one more look at the shops before taking the SBahn to the airport.

[bjd]

Were those kitschy dirndls and lederhosen on special because it was Oktoberfest?

I have eaten at Nordsee in Brussels and indeed the food is good. It wasn't a restaurant though, just a take-out where people ate standing up near the counter.

[tod2]

Yes bjd - all over the shops the outfits were at reduced prices. One chap came rushing up to the cashier counter with the price tags hanging off the shirt, lederhosen and hat. This amused me as I was hoping he would jump up on the counter top and let the young lady scan him. Instead he tore them off. He was supposed to have been at the beer garden over 20 minutes ago.

I think that the Nordsee place has expanded since we were last there. If not we did not notice how large it was.
At lunchtime the queues were even out on the sidewalk.

[onlyMark]

I eat a lot at Nordsee in Germany. Usually some very good stuff there.
I've not been to Munich in October for the very same reason that the hotels put their prices up no end. The city is nice in the summer with loads of outdoor cafes and restaurants.

[Deleted]

People appear to dress up for Oktoberfest much more than I expected!

[lagatta]

Nordsee looks like a fine option, in particular for someone dining alone.

Did you manage to change your hotel? Zones like that are common beside railway stations.

I tend to avoid events such as Oktoberfest, but I'm glad you enjoyed the ambience.

[tod2]

Lagatta, we could not change hotels as we had pre-paid months ago. The rate was around 250euros a night, which translated into South African currency equates to R8,000 for two nights. This amount is a months salary for many here.
Even if we could change hotels the rates was the same at others. No more Oktoberfest for me!
I will however book a room at Hotel Meier next to Nordsee in the future. It is even more convenient to approach from the main station than The Hotel Condor.

[patricklondon]

I'm another fan of Nordsee - it's essentially a fast food/sandwich shop chain, but for seafood, and it's all good stuff. I also like the Gosch & Sylt chain that seems to serve main transport hubs in Germany, like railway stations and airports. Perhaps they're all part of the same conglomerate.


My blog | My photos | My video clips
"too literate to be spam"

[bjd]

Definitely popular in Brussels, and with delicious white wine by the glass!

[lagatta]

That looks nice, in French and Dutch (Flemish) versions. Wouldn't want to eat at those outdoor tables in wintertime there, under a chilly drizzle.

I was wondering if those places had beer and wine...

[Deleted]

Checking the websites, I found that Nordsee and Noordzee are not at all the same company. Nordsee is a chain with 422 locations throughout Germany, Eastern Europe, Egypt and Dubai. Noordzee is a place with 3 locations in Brussels only.

[bjd]

Ah -- thanks for clearing that up. And sorry for the threadjack, Tod.

[tod2]

Not at all bjd - thread jacks are a very essential part of posting. It shows an interest has been created!

[nycgirl]

I'm jealous, I would have loved to be in Munich for Oktoberfest (although the hotel fares must hurt). A group of (childless) friends of mine in their twenties and thirties went last year and it looked like a blast.

I actually have an affinity for dressing up in kitschy outfits. Unfortunately, I don't think the dirndls flatter me. They look best on girls who are more buxom than I.

[lagatta]

Yes, but you look so much more chic in simple, elegant clothing (and by elegant I don't mean dressy, it could be well-cut jeans and a top).

[Deleted]

I doubt that "elegance" is meant to be a part of Oktoberfest.

[tod2]

Ncygirl - You would look very nice in a dirndl - besides the buxom lasses, the waitresses mostly had teeny little waists and lovely boobs popping out of the frilly white blouse. I think their restaurant tips increased 10 fold over Oktoberfest. What with leaning forward over the table to place your beer down, then bringing the plates of food....It's eye watering stuff I can tell ya!

I would suggest you visit just as the festival starts - we were there from the Monday and it kicked off on the Friday before. Two or three nights would give you a marvelous time.
Failing that period, there is a beer garden in The English Gardens every day with Oompah band playing non-stop ( well on the Sunday we were there it did - a few years ago now so I could be wrong).

My plan for next year is to spend 4 days in Munich as Mr.Tod would like to do the BMW tour and I still have not got to the Neuschwanstein Castle!

[nycgirl]

Why thank you, Lagatta.

Tod, it's funny you should mention tips. I was at a beer garden during an unseasonably cold Oktoberfest one year, and the servers had cozy sweaters on over their dirndls. Our server was bemoaning the fact that her tips took a huge hit because of her sweater. Poor girl.