Herbst

Herbst is the German word for autumn, and I have to say that it is beautiful.

Normally I love the fall, and this year is especially amazing.  Because our town of Zolling is a few kilometers from where we work (too far to bike, unfortunately), we drive to work every day.  This has given us the chance to enjoy the amazing countryside here.  The fall color is beautiful.  Each morning we get to see the sun rise over fields and over the church towers in Freising.  Last week's sunrise was especially beautiful, but hard to capture in pictures.  We drive through bucolic villages (if you can call them that--they're pretty small), past pretty churches and fields, and enjoy the the fields and forests along the route.

The other day there is a wind blowing all the city smog and haze (there isn't much--Munich is pretty green) away.  This is called the Foehn (hairdryer), and the result is that we have amazing views of the Alps on our drive.

Here are some pictures to get you an idea of what it's like here.

This is the edge of town in Freising on the way to school.

 Then we drive through fields with views like this on a country highway.

We come through the little village of Grosseisenbach.  It's got this great little church.

Fall color

Bavaria (Bayern in German) is the largest German state.  It is largely Catholic, and these little roadside shrines are on major roads, in towns (there is one at the corner by our house and another at each of the other three corners on that road), and on small rural lanes.  This one is at a major crossroads.

The back way home also offers amazing views.

This is a "town" of a dozen homes or so.  Note the narrow road through town.

These are the church spires of Freising.  We get this sunrise regularly.

Oktoberfest

Yep, it's that time of year!

Now, if you're like most Americans, you probably have a few ideas about Oktoberfest which may or may not be true.

1)  Oktoberfest is a big festival.

TRUE

Oktoberfest is, first and foremost, a "Volksfest" (folk festival)--in fact, it is the largest in the world.  It is a carnival--meaning it's great for kids!  It has booths, games, rides, etc.  I went on 2 of the 3 major roller coasters and the "70s Adventure," but for financial reasons I skipped the games, ferris wheel, haunted houses, and the spinning rides.  I skipped the pony rides, too.

2)  Oktoberfest is celebrated in October.

FALSE

Oktoberfest spans 16 days most of the time.  It ends the first Sunday in October, which this year fell on  the 7th--the latest day it would ever run.  It starts 2 weeks before that on Saturday at noon (this year on Sept. 22).  This means there are THREE weekends you can attend as well as weekdays if you aren't working.  The only exception is if the first Monday or Tuesday happens to be October 3rd, which is the German national holiday (sort of like our Fourth of July).  Since people have that day off, Oktoberfest is extended by 1-2 days on those years.  Basically most of Oktoberfest is celebrated in September.

3)  It's all about brats and sauerkraut.

FALSE

You can certainly buy both, but the traditional food at Oktoberfest is roast chicken!  Typically they serve 1/2 chicken ("halbes Haenchen," a common food in Germany, is called a "Hendl" at Oktoberfest), and the traditional side item is a potato salad.  Also common are pork knuckle ("Schweinshaxn"--this is more likely to be served with sauerkraut) and large pretzels ("Brezn"), which really fill you up.  At the booths you can also buy finger foots, including wurst, fries, onion rings, sandwiches, candy, chocolate covered fruit, and more.

4) Everyone wears lederhosen.

MOSTLY TRUE

It is incredibly common for people to show up in Trachten, or traditional Bavarian dress.  This means the men wear Lederhosen, or suede leather pants that come to either just above or just below the knee.  They are worn with wool socks or just calf socks.  The pants have suspenders, and you typically wear a checked button down collared shirt underneath.  The most common is red/white checked, but blue/white is also popular.  Purple/white, green/white, and plain white also appear.  Hats (adorned with feathers, goat hair, etc) are traditional, as are wool coats of varying kinds.  The younger crowd is less likely to wear these extras, though.  Be sure to pronounce it correctly, whatever you choose to wear.  It's LAY-der-hoe-zen, not LEE-der-hoe-zen!

Women can buy Lederhosen as well (just make sure you buy from the women's section so they fit right!), but more common is the Dirndl.  This traditional dress is pretty amazing because I have yet to see two alike.  It is worn with a blouse underneath (which only adds to the variety as you buy this separately), a necklace of some kind, and an apron.  Some have a laced up bodice in the front with ribbon or chain, others don't.  They should always come below the knees, though many tourists and teenagers buy shorter ones.  You can buy a waistcoat or a shawl or even a matching hat with it.  Lacy socks are also an option.  What is really important, however, is the apron.  The strings are wrapped around the waist and tied in the appropriate place.  Single women tie the apron on the left, while married or taken women tie them on the right.  Only little girls tie the apron in the middle, and widows and waitresses tie in the back.  People do actually observe this tradition, so make sure you don't get it wrong!  As a side note, you should know that it's virtually impossible to look bad in a Dirndl--if you get the right one, you are guaranteed to look good!

It is entirely acceptable to go in normal clothes, and many people do.  Feel free to buy a Dirndl or a pair of Lederhosen if you come, but if the price tag gets to you, come in jeans and a sweatshirt.  You won't look out of place.  Just be sure, whatever you decide, that you wear comfortable shoes for all the walking, dancing, and riding rides!

Yes, I have a dirndl, too.

5)  Oktoberfest is a typically German thing

FALSE

Oktoberfest was around before Germany was a country, and it's a typically Bavarian thing, and more specifically, a Munich thing.  Bavaria is the southernmost state in Germany, and it joined the country a bit later.  It's always had a bit of an "independent" thing, and Germans (including Bavarians) often joke about it not being a part of Germany.  The Trachten described above are traditional Bavarian clothes not worn in the rest of Germany.  Sure, other cities host Oktoberfest festivals--mostly because tourists expect it and Germans love an excuse to throw a party--but it really is a Munich thing.

Just for your viewing pleasure, this is the city hall building at the Marienplatz, the main square in Munich.  It is not actually part of the Oktoberfest.

And a bit of history (because I can't help myself):

Oktoberfest started in 1810 as a celebration of the marriage of King Ludwig I and Theresa.  It was originally held outside of Munich, but it now takes place on the Theresienwiese ("Festwiese" or, as the locals call it, "Wies'n") in the heart of Munich--just a short walk from the central train station.  While it has already celebrated the 200th anniversary, it has not taken place 200 times (cancellations due to wars, cholera outbreaks, etc. have happened over 20 times).   

There are 14 large tents (they are actually semi-permanent structures), each holding between 1,000 and 10,000 people at a time.  There are tables inside and outside--the only places to get a sit-down meal.  They typically have a live music program of some kind, and the music varies by tent.  In the mornings and afternoons you hear more old-school, brass band "oompah" music, sometimes interspersed with something else of the old-school/traditional variety.  As the night moves on, you're more likely to hear songs you know.  You'll hear English language rock songs (John Denver's Country Roads is a classic, but we also heard Neil Diamond, ACDC, the Village People, and more) mixed with German pop/rock, and mostly Schlager--German 70s type songs that everyone knows.  When the fun music comes on, you stand on your bench and sing or dance along.  Certain tents have more German music, while others have more heavy rock.  You're bound to have fun either way, though--if you can get in.  You can't get in on Saturday without long waits, though.  Saturday is instead a great opportunity to enjoy the rides, the games, and more.

If you plan ahead, you can absolutely fit right in.  It's a fun experience for all, and I highly recommend a trip!

Pictures part 2

Shall we continue our trip?  We left off on the western edge of Pennsylvania, which really is a lovely state.  It's surprisingly hilly and surprisingly rural (other than Pittsburgh, of course).

 We ended up very close to Shanksville.  The fields there look like this, and Flight 93 crashed in a place just like it on 9/11.  It's very pretty.

 We ended up at Gettysburg, high water mark of the Confederate army during the War Between the States.  This is one of the most peaceful places you can go, and it's hard to imagine it as the site of such fierce fighting.  I have heard people say it's one of their favorite places to visit, and I can't recommend it enough.

There was a tower you could climb with signs explaining the troop movements and the landmarks.  There were also monuments to the various armies and units from each state here.  A warm summer evening, the breeze, and the crickets made it a reflective place to visit.

 Pickett's Charge ended here in hand to hand combat.

After driving through Gettysburg we ended up on some REALLY rural, extremely pretty back roads on our way to Baltimore, MD.  The result was that there was no sign telling us we had crossed into Maryland.  I had to content myself with this sign announcing the Maryland State Route 140.

We crossed the Chesapeake Bay and drove down the Atlantic Coast, stopping for seafood on the way.  Yummy!

Here we are near Chincoteague Island, a place near and dear to the heart of every horse lover.  As you can see, the landscape along the coast is scrubby brush and pine.  It's still quite rural--the cities are mostly a bit inland--and the highways are still not big.  Thus the signs for VA and NC are not great pictures.  They grow a lot of tobacco around here.

North Carolina is of course home to the best university ever.  No trip is complete without a stop at Duke University.  Go Devils!  The campus is lovely.  Alumni are allowed to get married in this chapel, and when I was a student we once had a class on the top of the chapel tower at night.  It was amazing!

The western side of North Carolina as well as South Carolina are beautiful.  The Smokey Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and amazing weather made this part of the drive pretty fun!

We have finally entered my old home state of Georgia!

 Atlanta is actually not a bad city, and the Varsity fast food joint, pictured here, is worth a visit.  It's your classic greasy fast food--chili dogs, nachos loaded with cheese, curly fries, and orange smoothies are the way to go here.  Be sure to get one of their paper hats.

Driving through South Georgia there is NOTHING but flat, hot, scrubby land for miles--except this enormous KIA plant.  I wonder why they picked this place for their plant.

The town where I grew up is known for its golf carts.  It's pretty normal to see people go through drive throughs in them.  Chick-fil-A is a southern fixture of fast food.  The chain hasn't made it to Oregon.  Most people in Georgia can't imagine living without it.

We spent a few days with family in Alabama at a lake house.  The walk down to the water was pretty steep, but the weather was awesome and the lake nice.

 This was in GA just before we got to Florida.  I had to put it in, of course!

We stopped to get him out of the road.  He was kind enough to pose for a few photos first.

When people think of southern Florida, they think of beaches or CSI Miami.  I think of strip malls with some palm trees.  I get lost every time because all the strip malls and palm trees look exactly the same.  It's neat the first time you go, but it's crowded, hot, and somehow feels very superficial and plastic and phony.  I'm not a fan, though the beaches are nice.  I got eaten alive by mosquitos though!

From here we caught a flight out to Munich!  We spent the rest of the summer getting settled, and I think it's time to get you caught up on life in Germany in the coming posts.

Study hard, and be sure to look up our route on a map in the library!

Pictures!

I know you guys are all like looking at pictures more than reading, right?  Okay, some of you might like to read, too.  Anyway, I thought this might be a better way for me to tell you about the summer.  THIS is why you should all make travel a part of your life, even if it's only in this country!

Warning--VERY LONG post of mostly photos to come.

We left Eugene on June 20th, 2012--just a few days after school got out.

Lone tree in eastern Oregon somewhere.  There wasn't much else.

Yes, I documented each state line.  You'll see I got good at it, and it gives a nice narrative of where we are geographically, as pictures are in order.  It was harder to do when there was no interstate.  Idaho was my first state sign.

Gravel roads, dust, and traffic meant the Wyoming sign didn't turn out great.

Jackson Hole, WY

I saved the Grand Teton/Yellowstone pictures for another time.  Otherwise this would be overwhelming.  Imagine a bunch of pictures of Yellowstone here.


This is the Beartooth Highway, which is closed much of the year (look at the snow in late June!), which winds from the Northeast end of Yellowstone, to Red Lodge, MT.  Worth the drive, but hard on older engines as it climbs to about 12,000 ft.  Sarah (our car) was having trouble cooling down.  Popping the hood and letting icy winds do the trick while we looked at the mountain goats was a good plan!

Montana is called Big Sky Country for a reason.  It's big, empty, and you can see for miles--further than  anywhere I've ever been.  The sky just keeps going.  The pictures below were taken hours apart.  It was an endless drive through nothing.  Occasionally a ranch house.  It was pretty, but it was VERY big and VERY empty.

 The occasional geological formations broke up the long drives of nothing.

As you can see, not much changes once you enter South Dakota (unless you take the detour to Mt. Rushmore, which we skipped because we'd both been and it's out of the way).  That's why they create their own fun.  Wall Drug is a kitsch store that is advertised on signs like these for hundreds of miles.  We spent a half hour there (we spent the night in Wall).  It's a must-see.

Plains like this were once buffalo as far as the eye could see.  These are cattle.

 Like I said, they create their own fun in SD.

 We weren't in MN very long.  I drove for most of it, though, so not many pics.

A true midwestern storm (thankfully no tornados).  This was pretty much the only bad weather of the trip, and it didn't last long.

 Crossing the Mississippi River is quite a milestone after so many miles in the car.

 Yep, there are cornfields in IL.

Up until this point there had been trees, but no forests.  Driving through Illinois and beyond it was easy to understand why they say that once upon a time, a squirrel could go from the Atlantic to the Mississippi without touching the ground.

Indiana was my least favorite state.  The heat (Sarah had no air conditioning) may have unduly biased me.  The lack of scenery compared to previous states didn't help.  However, pictures show that I am, perhaps, being a bit harsh on a state whose capital is India-no-place.  Oh, I meant Indianapolis.

This picture was actually taken on the eastern end of the state (the next day), but I included it in the Ohio bunch for the sake of geographic clarity.

 Cincinnati lies along the Ohio River, which forms the state line with Kentucky.  We spent the night in KY with a friend, but we didn't really get any pictures of the state.  We did walk along the river.  It is a lesson in pollution.  Sad.

 We crossed just a tiny snippet of WV.  We were only there for maybe 30 minutes.  Anyway, this is the last of our states (other than our side trip to Alabama) which didn't border the Atlantic Ocean.

Okay, a future post will include the rest of our adventure--we're almost in PA!  However, since we moved to Germany and that's what you all want to see, I included the section below.

Germany is the land of castles, but the most famous is the iconic Neuschwanstein, inspiration for Disney's Cinderella castle.  Built by Bavarian King Ludwig II ("Mad King Ludwig"), this fairy tale location was built before Bavaria belonged to Germany.  It isn't old like many casltes--it was built during the American Civil War.  Look for a READ poster from this place--one of the CY teachers came here with me!  Do you know who it is?

The best views of Neuschwanstein are from this bridge, but it was crowded (and the castle's exterior is under repair).  It wasn't worth the effort to get a good shot.  Next time!

 From the walk (and it's a walk!) up the mountain to Neuschwanstein--the bus only takes you part way anyway, so we walked the whole thing.

One of Ludwig's other castles from the trail to Neuschwanstein.  You can visit this one, too.  Haven't done that yet.

 Hope you weren't too bored!  Still to come:  pictures of geysers, buffalo, waterfalls, Gettysburg, Duke University, and Florida.  I may be kind and include a few more pics of Germany.

Ms. K