Oktoberfest–The Original and Still the Best

With a cry of “O’zapft is!” the festival known ’round the world begins and the sobriety of Munich ends. The exclamation is Bavarian for “It’s tapped” the exclaimer is the mayor of Munich in observance of his most joyous duty and the festival is Oktoberfest. “Ah,” you say, “I know Oktoberfest.” Let me assure you, gentle reader, that unless you have seen the tents filled with thousands of revelers, tasted the Oktoberfest draught unobtainable legally at any other place or any other time, unless you have been granted a smile by a dirndl wearing girl or washed down käsespätzle and roast ox tails with a liter tankard of lager–you, my kind friend, do not know Oktoberfest.

In the middle of the above rant you may have noticed an intriguing claim. You may have noticed I mentioned a beer that can not be found, barring larceny, outside of Munich during Oktoberfest. You did not misread, you do understand correctly. Oktoberfest beer is only sold within Oktoberfest tents. Darker, more flavorful and more potent than mere mortal beers, the Oktoberfest beer is a celebration of the celebration. If you are able to travel to Munich to be at Oktoberfest do us both a favor and make sure to have at least one draught of the stuff. Spread the legend.

Oktoberfest has been imitated around the world by other countries and regions of Germany looking to get in on the celebration or cash in on the popularity of the original, but none of the imitators can come close to matching the verve and spectacle of Munich’s pride and joy. The festival is held religiously, it literally takes a war or cholera epidemic to cancel the thing, and every consideration is made to adjust the celebrations and keep them modern and relevant without sacrificing tradition. The first such change was made by the Munich city founders who pushed the celebration forward from the middle of October to the end of September to take advantage of the weather. More recent innovations include lowered music volume until the afternoon and the 2008 ban on indoor smoking.

Get to Munich in time for the opening parade, firearms salute and the first keg being tapped and you might not make it home in time for November.

Bavarian Castles

Castle Road in Bavaria is not a misleading title. Named for the unusually large number of romantic castles in and around the thirteen historic cities along the route, Castle Road is definitely one of the more scenic paths a visitor to Bavaria can enjoy. The impressive, yet homey, castles lining Castle Road has made a trekking the winding road one of the more popular journeys for visitors.

Bavaria is just as well known for its well preserved historic heritage as the proverbial Bavarian pretzel. Green hills surrounding well maintained and immaculately groomed gingerbread villages make visitors feel as if they’ve been dropped into a storybook. For the visitor looking to enhance that sensation staying in a genuine royal castle is the ultimate experience.

Schloss Sommersdorf is one such castle offering accommodations to guests. All the rooms have been maintained in the original, old world style but the kitchenettes and bathrooms are completely modern. The family that built, and still inhabits, the castle would not have it any other way. After your first night enjoying the gothic hall, the view of the moat and the entrance hall’s fireplace you will feel just like the royal guest you are.

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Schwabing–Bohemian Bavaria

Admit it, there was a time in your life when you considered dropping out of school or quitting your job and moving to Greenwich Village, taking your painting or guitar playing more seriously and living la vie boheme. Don’t deny it, there’s an artist’s heart beating somewhere deep in your chest. There’s a free spirit longing to escape your office. Send it to Schwabing.

Schwabing used to be Munich’s bohemian quarter. It did not escape the gentrification common to such periodically hip areas, but thanks to the proximity of Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität and the Technical University of Munich, student activity and the rebellious, free spirit of youth has not fled.

Nowadays, Schwabing is the place to dine in Munich if you’re looking for either a classic beer and pretzels Bavarian pub or the cool, new and soon-to-be famous avant-cuisine of the month. Once you pass under the Siegestor you’ll know you’re in a unique neighborhood. As a bonus, if you’re not up for finding yourself you can always get lost in one of the largest public parks in the world. Now that’s wild.

Peacock Island

Every country, even most regions, have their quirky attractions that just don’t seem to fit in with the local atmosphere. America may be the king of the out-of-place. Every midwestern county with two acres of unoccupied interstate-side land seems to host the worlds tallest this or biggest that. What the world’s biggest twine ball is doing in Darwin, Minnesota is beyond me, but what Peacock Island is doing in the Havel River is no mystery.

Peacock Island is pretty much what it sounds like, an island with peacocks. Most people don’t imagine frivolous beauty when they think of Germany. The country has a reputation for austere design and imposing architecture dominated by even more imposing personalities. It may be for just those reasons that King Wilhelm Friedrich II designed a purpose built work-of-art landscape project so ambitious his successor had to help him complete it.

Everything about Peacock Island was planned with typical German precision and attention to detail, but extraordinary aesthetic ingenuity. The paths were planned with line of sight in mind and each turn presents an architectural treat or stunning panorama. The island is a work of art in flora and fauna, and each structure is similarly special. From the artificial gothic ruin, the diary, to the palace which was designed as a ruined Roman country mansion, every inch of Peacock Island begs exploration.

Day Trip From Freiburg

Along the southern edge of the western Black Forest, Stuttgart and the surrounding area lend themselves to day trips and meandering excursions. Taking a road trip from Freiburg to Stuttgart could take as little as two hours, but that would be missing the point of slow travel. Slow travel caters to both of the explorer’s true desires; to know one place in detail, and to never stop moving. To meet those seemingly contradictory impulses one can turn a Sunday drive into a Sunday–and–night drive.

Leaving Freiburg and heading north along the river valleys affords amazing views that will have your shutter finger itching. Trace the river valleys from the road and let yourself pull over whenever you wish. It may not be a bad idea to bring a picnic basket. Other sights worth checking out are the Uhrenmuseum (clock museum) and the world’s biggest cuckoo clock. The actual cuckoo is over one meter long. Perhaps the reason the black forest inhabitants became so proficient at creating ornate time pieces is so they can remind themselves of the passage of time, Time that seems at a standstill in a place where the serene spirits of long gone trees can yet be felt, towering tall.

Despite the classic style and medieval sentiment of much of the black forest, Stuttgart is a cosmopolitan city in every sense. Of course, there aren’t many modern cities around with castles from the year 950, but that’s what makes it Germany. Stop at the Triberger Wasserfälle–the highest waterfalls in Germany–before making your way into town and enjoying a haute cuisine dinner in the fourth largest city in Germany.

Gelnhausen - Germany’s dark secret

This charming little village nurses a dark secret upon its quaint half-timber breast. The historic and picturesque old town’s cobble stone streets seem to echo with the clop of long gone horse shoes, or it could be the sighs of women being escorted off the mortal coil.

While some towns strive to hide their dirty laundry, Gelnhausen will not let itself forget. The Hexenturm, a tower used to imprison suspected witches during a 16th century, still stands dark and foreboding–and full of the implements of inspired confession. Many adjectives can be used to describe the collection but I will use just one: impressive. Impressive in scope and magnitude, impressive how inventive people have been in creating instruments intended to separate their fellows from their inhibitions or very sanity. Just as impressive are the results of the torture. Dozens of suspected witches were mutilated, burned and drowned in the slow and lazy Kinzig River.

If you don’t mind having the tour in German, you can get a tour on Sunday afternoons from May to October. You can also arrange a tour in English for 60 Euros if you have a group of 30 or more. Sweet dreams.

Franconia–Unique Within Bavaria

Every city in Franconia is a bit of a curiosity. Originally a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire and now officially part of Bavaria, and the area immediately west, Franconia holds on to its own traditions. One of the best preserved Franconian cities is Würzburg. Established as a bishopic, Würzburg’s fortress was built above the city and across water to seclude itself from the populace and inspire authority. This location gave it the perfect vantage from which to observe the unfolding epoch.

Würzburg has seen plenty of violence come and go but much of the old city remains, shielded from the troubles by the river. Several very impressive artifacts remain. The Würzburg cathedral is not to be missed. An affair of rolling rooftops, ornate windows and spire-topped towers, the cathedral will never fail to impress. Take in the view from the Old Main Bridge and you can feel immersed in antiquity.

Dozens of noteworthy and famous artists have emerged from Würzburg to take the wow the world stage. With such inspiring scenery, turbulent history and dramatic architecture it’s no real wonder that Würzburg has been home to creative souls. Several festivals take place year round and, coupled with the host of interesting museums and gallery collections, these make Würzburg an excellent town to visit or stay in in any weather.

Fairy Tale Road–Germany

I know what you’re thinking. In your head you’re saying, “Fairy tale road. Right. It’s a theme park or a marketing ploy.” You couldn’t be farther off. I don’t know if the Märchenstrasse is called that because of how its landscape inspired the Brothers Grimm to such stories as The Pied Piper or Rumpelstilstkin but I do know that the stunning beauty of the misty valleys, forgotten villages and proud castles, while dreamy, will not allow you to become a sleeping beauty.

The Fairy Tale Road begins in the town of Hanau and winds north around 300 miles. Guidebooks will tell you that the route is best explored by car. Depending on how much time you have to dedicate to this worthwhile trek, and your energy level, I would say you ought to consider making it a long hike. The Märchenstrasse is a part of German folk consciousness. The rivers and old world settings are, in my opinion, only disturbed by the clamor of an automobile, even the purr of a German engine.

Not to miss along the Fairy Tale Road are the Towns of Marburg and Bremen. Marburg’s challenging hillsides are lined by staircase streets reminiscent of San Francisco if the city by the bay had been hobbled together by wood gnomes and populated by university students. Oh, did I mention Sleeping Beauty? Sababurg castle is the inspiration for that beloved tale, surrounded by thick wood.