We sat next to these AWFUL people from the Carolinas...they were rude, and very unfriendly. They even had the nerve to video tape Carolyn, Catherine, and mine's conversation...(did i use proper grammar there...i have awful grammar). They said they filmed us because they'd never heard such words before...I was less than pleased.
We arrived in Florence around 10:30 pm, and waited to leave for Germany around midnight on an overnight bus. The bus trip was ... pleasant. haha. I had a handy little blow up pillow my Dad convinced me to buy..THANK YOU Daddy. lol.
We arrived in Munich, Germany around 8:30 AM, and had just less than an hour to get ready and be back on the bus to head into the center of Munich so we could explore. When 3-4 girls are in one room that can prove to be difficult! But we managed.
Munich was absolutely beautiful, it was very gothic in some areas...the streets are CLEAN, unlike Rome's haha. And the people are unbelievably friendly and cordial! There was nothing I didn't like about Munich...I think the German's definitely have this life thing figured out with the way they live...I plan on living in Germany one day now haha. I mean Sigmund Freud was from Germany, and he is pretty prevalent in the Psychology field, even though the majority of his theories are no longer valid to us today...but that's irrelevant.
Bottom line...I LOVE GERMANY, and the food..surprisingly. I had gingerbread hahaha, and cheese spatzle. it was yummyyyyy.
We spent the day in Munich, and the majority of it was just sightseeing and OF COURSE, purchasing my drindl for Oktoberfest. I found the perfect drindl, which served as my only souvenir for the trip. What better than a drindl?
Oh we also went to the haufbrauhaus...however you spell it. Which was an experience. we managed to find italians in a german beer house. hah. It was fun, and the food was yummyyy.
After a long day in Munich, we came home...SLEPT, and then we were off to Oktoberfest bright and early around 9:30...which was actually way too late, since it was opening weekend.
We went from beer tent to beer tent, unsuccessful in finding a table. Missed the opening parade in all the time we spent finding a beer tent...settled for the haufbrauhaus (spelling? hahah), quickly left and went to a beer garden for a few hours. which was a blast. they played a lot of american music for some reason.
The germans are realy big on the white stripes, every beer tent played seven nation army as a lead up to getting their beer haha.
EIN PROSIT!!! that's another beer song haha.
I ate sausage, chocolate covered pineapple, and of course gingerbread all day hah. Drank a little beer...which is by the way on a completely different level than beer back in the states. As you can imagine.
I met some lovely germans my age, and we sat for hours talking with them about cultural differences and just silly things.
That day at oktoberfest was completely overwhelming on a side note...there were carnival rides, food everywhere, beer tents EVERYWHERE, and thousands of people. most of them dressed in drindls and the traditional german wear for men. which I can't spell and I'm too lazy to get up and find the information packet, but you get the point. You could easily tell the difference in vibes from the beginning of the day, to the middle, and to the end...everyone was a little more uptight, then after a few beers, everyone is friendly, outgoing, dancing on tables, singing, yelling. whatever, and then by the nighttime, everyone is exhausted and aimlessly roaming around haha.
I got asked if I even spoke english while wearing my drindl, I just shook my head no, because the girl was obnoxious and I didn't want to talk with her. lol.
and I was also asked to have pictures taken with, of course by probably the most drunk men in the beer garden at that point, but I was nice and gave them their picture...little did I know their thank you would be a kiss I did NOT want. haha. I was less than thrilled and I think that man knew that.
Sunday was another day spent at Oktoberfest, which we were actually successful in getting a table in a beer tent, and spent a few hours there. I really wanted some souvenirs, so a few of us left to go find some...where we saw a little parade, and the beer tents horses...yes each beer tent has about 8 clydsdale horses with a carriage that shows the beer tents names and symbols on them. I got pictures of course! I also had more chocolate covered pineapples that day haha. I was obsessed, couldn't help it. I found myself a shirt that says Oktoberfest, and then a gift for Alex, which I think will come to use for him. haha. Sunday was a little more relaxed but a lot of fun.
We had to head back to the bus by 3 pm, and we ran into a little whoopsie with two of my roommates, they missed the bus and had to take a train home later, you can imagine how stressed and worried Catherine and I were...there was some miscommunication, but in the end they made it home a few hours after us, so it was a relief haha.
Anyways, we watched movies on the bus, and made it back to Florence by around midnight. Spent overnight outside the florence train station with some other kids waiting to get back to Sienna. Hah, it was nearly as magical as it seems though...It was freezing cold and we were all exhausted after a weekend at Oktoberfest. But we made it through and our train left Florence around 5:50 AM haha. In the time we spent in Florence I met a boy worth mentioning. His name is Jonathan, and he reminded me so much of Wilson! It made me miss Wilson terribly :[, but Jonathan is coming to Rome soon, so I told him to grab lunch with us...it's funny how easily you meet and make friends abroad...no one is as uptight as they are in Texas. I love it.
Okay, we made it to Rome, took a taxi home because we were beyond exhausted, and then I was in bed by 10 am, and slept till about 2...it was wonderful.
As soon as Catherine and I were back in our neighborhood we IMMEDIATELY went and got two chocolate croissants EACH. hahaha. what a welcome home breakfast :]
I managed to make it to my later class...where I was having trouble paying attention, but on the way to class my professor actually almost ran into my bus on his bike haha. and He also made a reference to Lost (the tv show) in class which made me like him a little more...but I already enjoy his teaching skills as it is...maybe it's because he's Italian...whatever.
I also shamelessly got another two chocolate croissants after class, because well...I was craving them. I can't help it. they are 30 cents for one...how can you resist that? And I smell it everyday down the road!! So I caved. AND Catherine and I went and grabbed a lovely dinner at a local restaurant in a neighborhood. There we met an Australian couple that asked us to join them for dinner because they wanted to hear about America, and just other silly things. They were fabulous!
The husband, Vern, was more than bulky, but had the softest blue eyes, and was such a sweetheart. Yet he cussed like a sailor. It was hilarious when he was telling us stories about their trips around the UK, France, and Italy...we won't get into them because well..it involves a lot of cussing haha. and I have to keep this family rated. but it was unforgettable. The wife, Nikki (who is a chef!!), was adorable...very bubbly and full of personality..They were very fitting for each other. and talked like such australians, they described drinks as sherbets, and said it was "flogging rain" instead of pouring. It was interesting talking to Vern about Texas, because he had never been. And I got to amaze him with the fact that my mother's side of the family owns a farm, and has more than one gun (since guns are illegal in Australia after a mass murder incident)...the look on his face was priceless, and he could not stop laughing at the fact that people actually lived like that! haha.
I also had gelato on the way home, and slept like a baby.
This past weekend has been unforgettable, and full of adventure. I'm getting used to this lifestyle very quickly haha.
Ciao, Kate
Hey, that wasn't your only souvenir. You did get your customary map!
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