L.A. Fair + Beer Gardens + Lederhosen = Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest really wasn't the wild and crazy event that we thought it would be. We had a great time, but we definitely e-pected it to be more out of hand than it was. We went on a Friday and the crowds were dense, but the brezen (pretzels) fresh. Oktoberfest in its most simplest e-planation is like the L.A. fair with more beer.

There are beer gardens set up all through out Oktoberfest--each tent with a different type of beer. The atmosphere inside the tents is incredible. Traditional German bands are set up in the center of the tent on a platform and long, brightly covered streamers line the ceilings of the tents. There are waitresses and waiters running around like crazy to cater to the lines of customers seated on the picnic benches that fill the tent. People with baskets full of huge brezen run through the aisles like buying peanuts at a baseball game. Each picnic bench is cluttered with huge beer steins (I don't remember the correct name)...most of which are usually close to empty. The crowd is rowdy in the tents and having a heck of a great time. The majority of Oktoberfesters are donned in Lederhosen and Dirndl and seem to come from all over Germany.

There were also LOTS of Australians and other English speakers. Instead of deep fried twinkies, there are roasted nuts and and bratwurst. Between the unhealthy typical fair food and the German language spoken all around us, I felt quite at home. :)