Among Europe’s largest cities, one of the finest examples of Old World tradition and New World technology is Munich. Hotels built centuries ago offer visitors a taste of the past alongside modern amenities such as wireless Internet connections. Yet it wasn’t so long ago that Munich hotels and historical buildings lay in ruins. Surprisingly, much of Munich’s restoration could not have happened without the help of the Nazis.
The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October and is an important part of Bavarian culture. It is one of the most famous events in the city and the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending every year.
And you won’t just find Oktoberfest happening in Germany, either. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations – modelled after the Munich event.
Essentially a beer festival, every festival begins with a keg of beer tapped by the Mayor of Munich who declares “O’zapft is!” – Bavarian for “It’s tapped!” A special Oktoberfest beer is brewed for the occasion, which is slightly darker and stronger in both taste and alcohol and served in a one-litre-tankard called Mass. Read the rest of this entry »