Oktoberfest in Munich

This photo was taken at Marienplatz, Munich during Oktoberfest. The young people agreed to have their photo taken, though they did not speak English and were a bit puzzled.

Oktoberfest in Munich is a 2-week celebration. This year we saw some of the street celebrations, and I must say it was a most interesting time to visit Munich. The ladies were attired in dirndls, the Bavarian peasant-inspired, corseted dresses featuring white blouses and coloured aprons. The equivalent outfits for men were lederhosen and checked shirts. Hotel rooms were scarce, though.

Munich has a population of 1.42 million, and about 6.4 million guests visit during Oktoberfest. Of course, the 6.4 million visitors also bring a lot of hunger and thirst with them:
114 oxen, 58 calves and 6.7 million liters of beer were consumed in 2013. The guests spent about 400 million Euros on this year's Wiesn. Oktoberfest beer is approximately 6% alcohol by volume, more than the typical German beer.

There is no charge to getting into Oktoberfest, but it is advisable to have a reservation if you want to sit at a table. 8.30 to 8.60 Euros is the price for a Mass - one liter of beer. It must be shared with no more than 2 people.

It was interesting that some locals advised us to stay away from the beer tents, feeling somewhat ashamed of all the drunkenness. They did say however, that it is here to stay because of all the revenue it generates.