Septemberfest.

Those with even a passing interest in Germany and things German will know that they like their beer and they like a good singsong.  The word "Oktoberfest" will probably conjure up images of Munich, tents, lederhosen, women in Dirndls with "viel Holz vor der Hütte" and of course, Beer, lots of beer.  All of these images come to mind because they are, broadly, true.  What people (including my good self) sometimes do not realise is that the majority of the festival occurs in September (The Bürgers of Munich, being practical types, moved it because the weather was better) and that there are Oktoberfest celebrations all over Germany, including (luckily for me) Konstanz.  So, having been told about Oktoberfests every year in school and in Uni and each person pointing out that it was at a very awkward time for us it seemed rude not to stroll on down to the tent which had been erected on the edge of the Bodensee to house the Oktoberfest am See (an international festival as the very near by Switzerland shares this event, along with may others).  



I should note at this stage that not everyone thinks this is a fantastic thing.  My mentor, who has done a Stirling job of helping me out, finding the things I need and educating me, disapproves.  He says (pretty correctly, as far as I can see) that even the Munich festival has become a money making machine far removed from the original agricultural, harvest festival of 1810 and that festivals in other places do not even have this tradition to draw on.  A further issue is that the Oktoberfest, having started in Munich is a celebration of Bavarian culture, which maybe isn't best suited to Baden-Württenburg, especially as the Bodensee is traditionally a wine producing region (something it still does very well).  Lastly he has a particular Bee in his Bonnet about Lederhosen and Dirndls, which are traditional, but only in Alpine Bavaria, Austria and Süd Tirol (formerly in Austria and now in Italy), noting that most of those wearing them were below 40, the older attendees preferring more conventional clothing.  

Still, this didn't stop a group of us braving the rain and going down, some of us in Dirndls (all of them female) and some in Lederhosen (some of which had been cleverly found in a second hand shop) and one in a Welsh rugby shirt.  Once in we encountered two pieces of Oktoberfest tradition: the Maß (a heavy 1 litre glass mug of beer) and eye-watering prices (a Maß will set you back 10 euro or 30 to 20 cents a mouthful).  Chastened but undeterred we headed to a table only to discover that although a table may be reserved from 6, sitting on it at 5.45 was still not acceptable.  Having eventually found a table where we were permitted to stand (yes, stand - you need to pay 20 eur a head and book months in advance to sit down) we settled in and had a fantastic night enjoying the beer, chatting, singing, dancing and swinging our Maßes along to the traditional and not so traditional music being played by the brass band on the stage. 

All in all a fantastic experience and one that I would recommend that everyone try, wherever you are.  As for me, my appetite has been well and truly whetted for a trip to Munich...