October 5, 2012

A Weekend Of Fests

It’s fall in Germany again.

Ordinarily for me, fall has a sad, foreboding feel to it. To my chagrin, the changing of the leaves are a reminder that warm, long summer days are behind me and the icy winter gloom is setting in. Fall is also the time when Central Europe’s stops their clocks for an hour and two weeks before Central USA making the time difference seven hours instead of only six which creates more challenges when I try to calling back home to my family. It’s football season and I will be thousands of miles from any stadium-side tailgate parties.

But fall in Germany is not met with such dread. Germany greets the change of each season with Festivals and my aim this fest season is to immerse myself in all of them. So for Columbus Day weekend, I stayed close to home and tried out all the traditional festivals going on in my area. The beer is flowing and the cows are coming home. So here my glorious weekend of fests in photos.

Thursday Night: Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volksfest I kicked the weekend off in by staying in my hometown with friends at Volksfest also called Cannstatter Wasen or just Wasen because that’s the name of the fair grounds which is also where the Spring fest is held each year. So apparently in 1815 a volcanic eruption in Indonesia led to a climatic catastrophe even in Europe causing the people of Stuttgart to stuffer a famine. Thousands died. In 1817, when they were relieved of the famine through Russian support, Katharina, King Wilhelm’s Russian wife, sponsored a harvest festival. This fest takes place annually on the King’s birthday on September, 28th in the area of the Cannstatter Wasen. Sounds very much like a Thanksgiving fest to me.

Embracing Southern Germany style in a dirndl but keeping it Southern USA by rocking the boots.

Mixture of German and American gal pals hanging out during the band’s break between sets.

There’s no chicken like fest chicken and that evaluation is coming from a Kentucky girl whose first bonafide employment was selling chicken at KFC. Yum!

Idaho Beau and I

You know they have those stereotyped-filled saying like “I can drink like a German/Irish” but even Germans have hard times holding their alcohol. And they have the argument that letting folks drink at a younger age will teach them responsible drinking habits. Not sure if that’s true. The guy with the vests consoles his puking buddy while the guy behinds them pretends to hump them.

Cathy just arrive to Stuttgart but already had her dirndl ready to party.

Aw. Idaho Beau won a little bear for me.

The Beau, Stephanie & Me causing trouble.

Contrary to popular American belief, Volksfests are more than just drinking. They actually provide a fun family atmosphere with children’s games as well. It’s comparable to a county fair.

Friday Night: Munich’s Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest began as a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Theresa on October 12, 1810. Folks have been celebrating their anniversary ever since. The fair grounds are called Theresienwiese although locals have shortened it to Wiesen, juts like in Stuttgart.

The ride to Munich was a stau (traffic Jam) nightmare! Everyone is on their way to the big Fest.

Made it!

I went up to the upper level of the tent to get a photo of the party from above and was basically adopted/kidnapped by these old Bavarian men. They called me a little Schwabish girl from Stuttgart. They also snorted flavored tobacco up their noses and said all Bavarian men do it. They left their wives at home in the kitchen to have a boys night they told me.

During the day I tested my skills.

Ladies in the Finnish army with their apple strudel. Yum!

Inside the international tent.

This is the flirty, young tent.

My friend Harri from Finland and I getting our grub on before dancing on the tables.

Kartoffeln! AKA Potatos fest style. Simply delish.

Don’t stop believin’! Country Roads take me home —the Europeans know every word!

One drink per hour. Slow and steady does it. People will continue to party around you while you almost die. Then the Polizi will make your friends take you home. You will end the night early for everyone. Do not be that guy!

The next day at the fest poured down rain! It stopped no one.

Everyone just kept the parties in-doors.

Gotta get a fest gingerbread heart.

Munich by the way is a beautiful, fun active city. After the fest, go out on the town for a night on the tiles.

Saturday: Almabtriebfest in Mayrhofen, Austria
From Munich I journeyed about a hour and a half south to a charming little mountain town in Austria. Fests like these go on most of September and into early October in one little alpine village or another. It’s a cattle drive bringing the cows down from grazing in the alps back to their pastures before it gets cold. It’s great Bavarian cultural fun and a nice outdoor outing with family or friends. I blog more about this special Alpine adventure in my post, “Partying til the Cows Come Home.”

It’s quite the sight to see, a parade of cows clanging their giant bells.

In a restaurant in Fussen on the way back to Munich from Mayrhofen. The food was glorious!

All of these pieces of flare were removed from the cows so they could rest after their long trek down from the mountains.

Putin Schnitzel…Schnitzel made from turkey.

This was these calves first fest. I think they did quite well for a first parade.

Only females journey down together.

This cow had to be seriously dehydrated. Another cow came along and she mooed her away from the water. either that or she is just mean and wasn’t really drinking for for 20 minutes straight but was just trying to keep the other cow from having any.

This place was absolutely breath taking. I really just have not other words to describe being in the Alps. I don’t know how Maria had the lungs to sing in the Alps.

Sunday: Ludwigsburg Annual Pumpkin Fest

I never knew so many varieties of pumpkins existed! Over 400! Last year, giant dinosaur sculptures made of pumpkins graced the gardens of Ludwigsburg palace. This year the theme is Switzerland. Like all fests in Germany, it’s not complete without divine food. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin seeds… you get the idea. Ludwigsburg also hosted a Venice fest which happens once every two years. Which I missed this year. boo!