Oktoberfest # 196

Wow!
This is the only event/destination I planned to achieve on my travels in 2006. I am so glad I did! It was everything that I thought it would be and more.
For those of you who have travelled, you may have noticed after a while, that because european countries are so small and close together, they all start looking and sounding the same. Then you go a bit further east, just over the hill from Switzerland. Germany. (well i only managed Munich in the south of this large nation)I realised that germans like Australia - think Hahndorf. Many have called it their new home because they have some simularities, probably more than the UK). Space and greenness and big doors are in abundance. Food, well, they are very meat and potatoes but it was soo good and you need hearty food to keep down litres of beer. (Interesting fact #1) An agreement was signed by brewers many moons ago that German beer would add no preservatives to their beers. Therefore you can comsume as many litres as you want, and as long as you have a litre of water before you snooze, you will be fine!?
(Interesting fact #2) Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12 October 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields were renamed Theresienwiese ("Theresa Fields") to honor the Crown Princess, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to "Wiesn". Horse races in the presence of the royal family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in subsequest years gave rise to the tradition of Oktoberfest.
Beer tour version (Interesting fact#2b) Oktoberfest is in September, as it was originally a festival to get rid of the leftover beer for the next seasons batch.. this first happened in October but it has been brought forward to celebrate in better weather! Take your pick as to which one sounds like a better reason to celebrate.. PROST!

Recommendations
Day 1 - Augustiner Beer Garden and Hall (2nd biggest)
Day 2 - Mikes Bike Tour of Munich(ie pub crawl) followed by a visit to Hofbraehaus
Day 3 - Munich marketplace and of course Oktoberfest!
Day 4 - Oktoberfest parade and get yourself a costume to wear - munchenites are quite patriotic and so many families were celebrating their tradition. No wonder, the traditional costume (lederhosen) is so cute and colouful!