The REAL Oktoberfest: Munich + Fussen + Heidelberg, Germany

Before starting school, a couple girls and I arranged a trip to Germany prior to starting school.  It went something like this:  We flew to Frankfurt, with the intention of taking a train straight from the airport to Munich.  However, once in the air, we found out that the airport we were flying in to was about a 1.5 hour car ride away and that we only had about two hours once we landed to catch our train.  In a panic, we spoke with the people around us; the guy sitting next to Melissa and I turned out to be in the US army and was stationed in Germany.  One of his fellow army members (also on the plane) just so happened to be headed in the direction we needed to go, and offered to give us a ride.  Little did we know, the ride was on the Autobahn...I nearly peed my pants.


We made the night train in time and arrive in Munich the following morning around 7am.  From there we went to the campsite we would be staying at for two nights for Oktoberfest.  We stayed at a campground for an excursion company called "Stoke Travel."  Stoke provided us with food and drink, as well as tents and sleeping bags.  The tents and sleeping bags were nasty...you HAD to have a good buzz and then some to sleep in those things...but it was really fun anyway.  

(campsite)

The first day we were tired and cold but eager to make good use of our time in Munich, we took a shuttle to the Oktoberfest grounds.  Most of the people wore traditional clothing (even if they weren't German): Lederhosen (guys) & Dirndl (gals).  The first day we just wandered around the grounds and sampled all the food (brats, soft pretzels, etc.). The next day, we got up early and went to a beer hall by 9am.  A stein of bier was 10 euro!  It was fun to be able to say we had a beer at the REAL Oktoberfest...ok maybe two or three :) 

(nothing like a stein of beer & a donut to start the morning off right!)

Although we had a blast at the Stoke campground, our next stop was to another town in Bavaria, called Fussen.  Fussen is a cute little town, famous for its two magnificent castles: Neuschwanstein (this is what Disney based the castle off of in Sleeping Beauty) and Hohenschwangau.  It pains me to say this, but we planned too many activities in the next two days, and were not able to go in the castle because we had to catch our next train to Heidelberg, Germany.  Boooooooo! It was really depressing.

Neuschwanstein Castle...from afar :( 

Heidelberg is a picturesque town, located on the Neckar River.  We arrived in Heidelberg at night and stayed at an amazing little hostel (with the nicest beds and pillows EVER...a god-sent after those damn smelly tents in Munich)  The next morning, we woke up early, before most of the town was up and went sightseeing.  Heidelberg also has an old castle, though not nearly as magnificent as the ones in Fussen (it's actually considered to be "ruins").  The Neckar River area was my favorite part of the town, especially the beautiful Old Bridge.  We also visited a couple of famous churches and Philosopher's Walk- a place where philosophers and professors from the famous Heidelberg university would walk and talk back in the day.  

(Heidelberg & the Old Bridge)

Overall, we had a wonderful time in Germany.  I would definitely like to go back someday and see the things I missed...but ahhhhh! so much world to see!!!!