Oktoberfest of Depression.

Oktoberfest of Depression.

by Liv | Published on September 25th, 2010, 6:52 am | Travel

Oktoberfest always seems to depress me. Pictures of thousands of people having fun, drinking beer, somewhere cool.... and me here, drinking calorie free, sodium free, sugar free soda, in my living room, listening to the neighbors dogs bark. One of these years, I've got to go. Till then I will continue to ask "Why me?"

On Saturday, September 18th, with the tapping of the first keg by Munich Mayor Christian Ude and a cry of "O'zapft is!", Oktoberfest 2010 officially started in Munich, Germany. While this year marks the 177th Oktoberfest to be held, 2010 is the 200th anniversary of the very first Oktoberfest in 1810 (some years were missed due to war or cholera outbreaks). The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. This year, festivities will run until October 4, 2010. Collected here are a few images from this opening weekend. cite & more pics.

: A young woman wearing a traditional Bavarian "Dirndl" smiles as she receives a mug of beer in the Hofbrauhaus tent after the opening of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich, southern Germany, on September 18, 2010.

: Bavarian riflemen march in the traditional costumes at the riflemen's procession on the occasion of the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich, Germany on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.

: A tired Bavarian boy in traditional dress is pulled by two participants during the traditional costume and riflemen's procession of the Oktoberfest festival in Munich on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.

: Revelers reach out for a spilling mug of beer in the Hofbrauhaus tent after the opening of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 18, 2010.

: Overall view shows visitors crowding the Hacker beer tent on the opening day of the 177th edition of the Oktoberfest beer festival at the Theresienwiese in Munich on September 18, 2010.

: People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes raise a toast during the opening of the 177th Oktoberfest in Munich on September 18, 2010.

: Women wearing traditional Bavarian Dirndls scream during an amusement ride at the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich

: An overview of a crowded beer tent during the second day of the Oktoberfest

: Girls celebrate and drink beer at the Hacker beer tent during the opening day of the Oktoberfest at Theresienwiese

: Girls wearing traditional Bavarian Dirndl dresses scream on a fairground ride at the Theresienwiese fairgrounds at the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich

These days, nearly everything depresses me. I watch TV, and all I really notice is a long series of messages urging me to consume... which I cannot do. Other than the vacations that I had already paid for before my job was sent out of the country, I have no prospect of ever traveling again, except maybe to Myrtle Beach or Gatlinburg. Yeah. Life as I knew it once upon a time is pretty well gone, and it hurts.

Perhaps we could just go down to the homeless shelter and start are own Oktoberfest... lot's of drinking going on there already.

Liv wrote:Perhaps we could just go down to the homeless shelter and start are own Oktoberfest... lot's of drinking going on there already.

Would they care about drinking beer rather than malt liquor? :orcs-cheers:

Aaahhh, Munich. Good times. I only spent a few days there, but loved it! I bet somewhere in my random junk from going abroad I probably still have the gum wrapper on which a girl gave me her phone number. heh heh

Drunk girls international phone numbers on gum wrappers.... Awwwwweeee.

Found my new job: Great video of how to be a waitress at OktoberFest!

Apparently people lose a lot of things at Oktoberfest:

It really was amazing how little violence happens during Oktoberfest with so many people and so much beer consumed. Though crazy and crowded, it's a safe and peaceful environment. Attendees are allowed to sleep – or pass out in parks all over the fairgrounds and beyond. Of course many people do get drunk and forget things. The Wiesn Lost & Found Office recorded about 4500 objects found including: 90 cameras, 770 ID cards, 420 wallets, 330 purses and 320 pairs of glasses. They also found a rabbit, a pug, a tennis racket (who brings a tennis racket to a beer festival?), a leather whip, a set of dentures, four pairs of women's shoes and a tuba. (Damn... where's my tuba?) cite