Prost!

Last weekend in Munich I probably heard the word "prost" over 100 times.  It means "cheers" in German and is a very popular phrase at the Munich Fruehlingsfest (Spring Beerfest) which we attended for the opening weekend.  Spring Beerfest is like Oktoberfest but smaller and more tame....basically a bunch of people from all over come together and celebrate in beer tents at a huge carnival.  Someone referred to it as Disneyland for Drunks which is pretty accurate.  I was originally nervous because I thought I would be surrounded by beer the entire weekend but this gluten free gal managed just fine. 

Bre in her dirndl

We left Florence Thursday night through the travel company Euroadventures and arrived at the Jaeger's Hostel around 3 am.  This is by far the best hostel we stayed at.  It was very clean, centrally located, and the bathroom was nicer than mine at home. The next day we tried out the free walking tour but ditched early because it was incredibly boring and rainy.  Instead we explored on our own.  Sara, Bre and I tried on dirndls which are traditional German outfits with the bodice, dress and apron.  We considered purchasing the outfits...but they weren't worth 150 euro.  Unfortunately we couldn't get a picture of all of us because the storekeeper was watching us like a hawk right next to the "No Photo or Video" sign.  But take my word that we looked very German.  Bre managed to sneak a picture in the dressing room.

Walking around Munich

The Glockenspiel at Marienplatz

The rest of the day we just walked around and got ready to head to the big beer tent, Augustiner Brau.  We got there around 6 pm and managed to get a table right near the front where a live band played all night.  It didn't take long until everyone was singing and dancing on the benches.  We stayed until closing time at 11 pm but we could have stayed longer if they let us.  

Augustiner Brau beer tent - holds 3,000 people!

Sara, Bre and Eric's first prost 

On Saturday we visited Dachau which is the location of one of the first ever Nazi concentration camps.  We walked around the camp and saw reconstructed barracks, a crematorium, and several memorials.  It was a completely different atmosphere from the previous night and very eye-opening.

Reconstructed barracks at Dachau

Crematorium 

After returning to Munich we walked around the Englischer Garten which is like the central park of Munich.  We saw the Munich Surfers who surf on the river, and we also enjoyed a drink at the Chinesischer Turm inside the park.  It was very pretty and relaxing!

Munich Surfers

Chinesischer Turm Bier Garten

That night we headed back to Augustiner Brau for round two, only we went a couple hours later and had to wait for over an hour to get into the tent.  By the time we made it in, we only had an hour or two to prost and dance before we were kicked out at 11 pm again.  Everyone made it out of the tent with a few steins for keepsakes.


 On Sunday we departed Munich around 10 am for the Neuschwanstein Castle in southwest Bavaria.  When we got off the bus we had a little hike up to the castle.  It began snowing on our way up, but as soon as we made it to the top it cleared up...what a magical moment it was!  The castle was amazing to see and it was even the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle.  We took a horse and carriage on the way down from the castle, so that added to the Disney vibe as well.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Sara, me and Bre on the bridge by the Castle

Our classy ride down from the castle

Only two weeks left in Florence!  I really can't believe it.  It is just hitting me that I will never be in the situation I am in now where I can experience life like this.  Not that I haven't appreciated it for the past four months but I wish I could slow time down for a bit.  I'm not ready to go home yet!  Tomorrow we are doing Cinque Terre which everyone says is a must-do. We will be hiking around the five towns assuming they are all repaired from the flood damage.


In other news, I turn 21 next Tuesday!  Not that it has any significance here where the drinking age is....actually I don't even know the drinking age here but I would guess 16? It actually seems like it could be 13 though. But anyway, my birthday is on labor day here.  Italians stay out all night on Monday and don't sleep so that should be fun. Prost!