Dirndls and Lederhosen

9/30/2013 - Munich, Germany

We had been told that 3 days at Oktoberfest was too much. Two and a half was just enough. We arrived early enough to sit at the Hippodrom tent for a beer. We met two other friends from Chicago before heading out for the afternoon. By now, we were all wearing lederhosen (except for the one lady, in a dirndl, of course).

We ambled slowly through the tents in the afternoon. We grabbed a few souvenirs, stopped to get pork sandwiches for lunch, and met all sorts of foreigners over beers. We had a collection of English-speaking people at our last table of the day: other Americans joined us, as well as Australians, English, and Irish. Of the entire group, one of our Americans was the biggest hero: between all the singing and dancing, we got him on the table to drink an entire stein of beer. Everyone in the tent around us cheered.

Pictured: Interior of the Hacker-Pschorr tent at Oktoberfest

New International Friends

9/29/2013 - Munich, Germany

Today's first stop in Munich was the touristy, but essential beer hall Hofbräuhaus. The three of us sat at a table with 4 Russians and 2 Koreans. By the end of our lunch, we were exchanging e-mails,  making jokes, and taking photos together. The Russians turned out to be Olympic speed skaters. The Koreans had 4 different cameras, including a digital Polaroid-type camera that they used to give us photos. 

Later, we visited the festival grounds. Our companions there were mostly German. The first man we met, from Munich, was enjoying his 37th Oktoberfest. When he learned we were Americans, he said, "You Americans are everywhere!" At night, we met a girl from Leipzig at her first Oktoberfest. She told us we were the first Americans she'd ever met, and amused us by reciting every negative stereotype an East German would have about the United States. 

Pictured: The Hofbräu tent at Oktoberfest, with the traditional hearts for sale.

Two Towers

9/28/2013 - Cologne, Germany

Cologne was our last stop before the "main event," Oktoberfest. We didn't see much of Cologne; our hotel and the main sights are all close to the train station. But we made sure to arise early enough to enjoy views of the Rhine and Cologne's cathedral.

The cathedral is the largest in Germany, and the largest I've seen on my trip so far. With its two Gothic towers, one of my friends said, "it looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings." It made me think of the Pyramids. Like the Pyramids, the building is so large and old that it's hard to imagine how it was completed. But for such an outrageously large building, the interior was subdued. We entered to soft organ music and people praying quietly. A good stop.

Pictured: View of Cologne Cathedral from across the Rhine.

Balcony of Europe

9/27/2013 - Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Moving at a quick pace from Belgium to Germany, we didn't have much time to stop in the tiny nation of Luxembourg. We saw the gorge, and then I bought some socks. Our trip has been movnig too quickly for chores like laundry.

Luxembourg looks like a nice place to live, but there isn't a lot for tourists. Our first stop was the "Chemin de la Corniche," a promenade overlooking Luxembourg's gorge. It is a nice view; guidebooks and websites call it "Europe's finest blacony." After enjoying the view, we made quick stops at Luxembourg's cathedral, royal palace, and main park. We made some quick stops for lunch, socks, and snacks, then boarded the train to Germany.

Pictured: View from the Chemin de la Corniche

Guildhalls and Trappists

9/26/2013 - Brussels, Belgium

Through Brussels, we walked from the EU area, past the Royal Palace, and into the medieval Grand Place. It brought out the contrast: the EU's buildings are sleek and sterile compared to the variety of architecture and tiny detail in the Grand Place. At the EU, each country is represented by a flag or star in some places, but the guildhalls were more poetic. The Archers hall has a she-wolf and the Brewers have a golden tree. 

We took advantage of our last chance to visit Belgian pubs in Brussels, and our home base (Antwerp). Not only is the beer some of the best on the planet, but the pubs also had great personality. The first, in Brussels, was hidden in an alley behind some more modern shops. The second, in Antwerp, has vines of hops long ago grown and decayed in the bar, with Baroque music playing and a cast of Belgians and stray cats walking in and out of the bar. We couldn't have asked for better ambience when enjoying the world renown Trappist ales.

Pictured: The Grand Place in Brussels

Bookquest: Brussels, Belgium

9/26/2013 - Passa Porta

The Misfortunates by Dimitri Verhulst

The Misfortunates is a popular Belgian book about a family dealing with alcoholism. The man at the bookstore recommended it with a warning that it has "some dark humor." I felt I had to get something beer related in Belgium, even if it is dark. 

Passa Porta is one of several English language bookstores in Brussels recommended by Lonely Planet. They had a fine selection of English language fiction, including a section for Belgian and Dutch authors translated into English. The staff was happy to make recommendations, knowing which books were contemporary, where they were set, and a fair amount about the authors. 

Belfry Town

9/25/2013 - Bruges, Belgium

We had heard that Bruges was "like Disney World." It is catered to tourists like Disney World, but it has the advantage of hundreds of years of history. Even among European cities, Bruges's old town stands out. Most have a section of town that is old, but Bruges is entirely a medieval fairy tale land. 

We had a great time, and it would have been a highlight of the trip if we had only done half as much. We entered Bruges through a park with swans and horses, walked through a convent, got Belgian waffles, toured a cathedral and an old hospital, got a beer at town square, climbed the belfry tower for views of the town, got Belgian chocolates, toured the canals on a boat, got Belgian fries, toured Bruges's only remaining brewery, drank unfiltered Belgian beer, had Flemish stew for dinner, and had a taste test of Belgian beer before walking through the city at night on the way to the train station. 

Pictured: Bruges at night