One of the best jokes Germany every played on the rest of the world was to name Octoberfest “Octoberfest”. Why? Because the uneducated think that the party is for the entire month of October. Only it’s not. Octoberfest actually ends on the first weekend of October – and it runs for nearly the full month of September. That being said, however, it is just as much fun having Octoberfest in Germany, as it is visiting the sponsored Octoberfest which is held on the Dublin Docklands for the past few years.
If you’ve ever lived in Germany, you are familiar with Erdinger Weissbrau. It’s a popular cloudy wheat beer with a light flavor, and it’s quite easy to drink. They sponsored the event, which several of us attended on (when else) the 2nd of October – the very last weekend it was running. It was packed – from the moment we arrived, there was a wait that went from the entry area (where you could buy a few drinks and ride some rides while avoiding the major push of the beer tents). We talked to a couple people in line – and discovered that it was about 3 hours wait (Yah… NO!).
The line is around the square, out from the docklands and all the way up to Connelly station!
Deciding that waiting in line was no fun, we settled just under the arch, next to a ride, and found ourselves some seats (thanks to my endowed chest in the Dirndl!) where we could have a chat, eat a bit, and people watch while enjoying the atmosphere.
While the ladies and I had some traditional bratwurst, sauerkraut and pickles,
Paddy enjoyed some meat on a stick and a bread bun. And of course, we all had to try the beer.
Finally, after hanging out until about 10pm, the line was gone. Why? because unless you had a wristband you couldn’t get served Beer after 10PM. Luckily, when we bought food, we got our wristband. That meant that we waited about 2 hours – and finally were able to get to the main event itself. We crossed a bit of the dock and went through a barricade – where we found lots of tables in the traditional Munich Blue and white – but also with “green” for Dublin. We had arrived!
Welcome to the Beer Tent! Yes, we found seats, and yes, we joined in the festival.
Naturally, with 1 liter beers, there were plenty of drunk / snoozing folks on the benches (note random stranger below who kept balancing on the bench while snoring quite loudly):
(We did eventually convince him to take a taxi home) and the other random stranger who decided to plop down and join our happy little group.
S asking “why are you here”?
Of course, what would Oktoberfest be – without the obligatory picture of me in my Dirndl, serving up a couple large liter jugs of Proper German Beer!
And so it is that I say until next year, and….
PROST!
