Norway: Bergen & other notes

I can’t wrap up my posts about Norway without mentioning Bergen, our favorite city of the trip. It was adorable, charming, vibrant, historic, and fun – everything a European city should be. There’s a small market for extremely fresh fish (and other stuff, like local knitwear and cloudberry jam) downtown. This was a gorgeous sunset … Read more

Now where was I?

Whew, that was fun! I feel like I’ve been on vacation for the past two weeks. I think I managed to attend Oktoberfest 8 or 9 times – so at least half of the days. Impressive that I’m still standing, no? The major thing I learned from my marathon of festing is this: if you … Read more

There’s a club for everything

Really? This is a team sport? Practiced by men? OK, listen up Germans. I know how much you like to use English words (such as, say, ‘club’). But sometimes, when you only put part of what you are saying in English, and leave part in German, you can end up with a meaning you never … Read more

The home stretch

This Oktoberfest business is seriously exhausting! I’ve spent 6 of the past 11 days at the Wies’n, and I’m planning to go at least one more time. I’m going to need a vacation once this is all over. The other night we had dinner at the Käfer tent, one of the smaller tents at the … Read more

Oktoberfest advice: avoid these common injuries!

As fun as Oktoberfest is, there are still some dangers lurking, particularly where beer steins are involved. This friend (who will remain somewhat anonymous) demonstrates a couple common Oktoberfest injuries for us. See this vertical welt on her forehead? Here she reenacts how she got it:My advice: don’t do this. Injury number two: blisters from … Read more

Dear American news media,

Please stop citing Bild as a source when you report about Germany. You look like idiots. Yes, Bild is Germany’s “top-selling” newspaper. It is also the intellectual equivalent of the National Enquirer. Seriously. Take a look. Disgustedly yours, Jul

Breathalyzer, Oktoberfest style

This Fräulein was administering breathalyzer tests to the guys at the table behind us in the Hippodrom, but not for the usual reasons. They weren’t interested in finding out whether they were fit to drive (the Premier of Bavaria has already educated them about that). Instead, they were receiving certificates proudly boasting the blood alcohol … Read more