Almost Go Time!

Well, here it is.  3:20am.  Up all night waiting out the car service.  I'm not going to lie...I'm exhausted.  I'm not quite sure why I chose to wait it out all night after post late night packing.  This will be an interesting day for sure full of hallucinatory sleepless visions.  More from the airport.

Auf Weidersohn Germany

After one last day of Oktoberfest, the journey ends. I find myself ready to head back. So, time to pack up the clothes, take one last appreciative look at this homeless man beard I've grown in, ice the bruises from last night's unfortunate man vs bike incident and make our way to the airport. NYC here I come!

Interesting

Apparently, it's not frowned upon for parents to smoke and drink liters beer with a baby. Hey. Why not. Anythig goes in Germany.

Last Call

It's time to head off to Oktoberfest for the final full day of Germany vacation.

Sorry, I'm used to Germany.

One of the nicer and Weirder things about germany is that no one tips. Not only do you rarely tip, but bartenders are really shocked if you do. It's strange. The theory is that you went to the bar and did all the work, so why tip? At first I found it strange, now I see the logic and I plan to low ball all american service people from now ok and claim to me german.

German Magic

Update. Wow. I don't know what was in those cold pills but I feel pretty awesome. Now. During the three hour Berlin walking tour I felt at death's door, but after dose number 2 and an afternoon nap, way back in the game. Bring on tomorrows final day, germany.

Somehow I think I might regret this...

Hofftastic

At one point yesterday I decided it was time to settle one of life's great questions. Do Germans really love david hasslehoff? I asked two Germans and one Austrian. They all said no. Although, a British guy joined into the chat and despite claiming to not like the hoff, he could sing the words to the classic get in my car. Well played British guy.

Oktoberfest Part 2

Oktoberfest was the most ridiculous party I've ever gone too. We headed out at noon yesterday with our new Canadian friends that are staying with us.

On that note, we rented out space in a weird guy's apartment in Munich. Turns out he rented out the room to an army of canadians. They're very nice, but we're cramped in a room like a summer camp.

So we head off with them to see more of what this Oktoberfest is aboot. They reserved a table and invited us. There are 14 "tents" and by tent they mean giant houses that hold hundreds. Beer is served by the liter in giant glasses. You can also get a variety of food including your own chicken. Obviously I got that. Today will be all sight seeing, since that is not something you can do back to back, especially when fighting this german super cold I've aquired.

Oktoberfest

It is a crazy scene. It's like Disney Land for grown ups full of beer. More to follow.

Cultural Differences

As we head to munich, I thought I'd take a moment to point out some big differences I've seen so far from America.

You can drink beer at fast food restaurants. Yes, you can top off your healthy subway foot long sub with a bottle of becks or enjoy your whopper with a fresh bottles brew. No super sizing.

Americans realy are fatties. The mcdonalds menu has a fee value meals, but the number one is the one cheeseburger meal. Not two. Also there's some American themes burgers that really have that bacon piled ok.

They love beer. It's remarkable. Bars don't close, there's no laws against walking down the street with one. It's everywhere.

They hate water. Waiters judge you for asking for water. There's no water fountains anywhere. It leaves you parched like a camel in the desert, but without your hump of water reserves.

You have to pay for bathrooms. This one is really outrageous. We were out at a castle miles from Berlin, ad the bathroom was still 30 cents. All kinds of ridiculous.

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This might look like the "new" palace in Potsdam, but it's actually my new house.

Day 2 and 3 were full of good old fashioned german excitement. By day we climbed the Reichstag to witness parliament at work, climbed the Berliner dome to witness city views and followed the Berlin wall, to a bier garden (yeah. I spelled it all german-like).

The night was a trip along the main strip and then people watching in the last bar standing. Odd odd people dancing to whatever music showed up. Some were normal (us). Some were not (I'm talking about you, weird dude with the ripped shirt and face painted on your chest).

Day 3 was a day of touring all the fancy churches in the area. At night we went out with a group of Germans that one of by friends put me in touch with. Needless to say that group had just about enough of us. Now onto final day in Berlin.

You can cross if you want to.

People here are insanely nice about some things. On day three we have yet to run into perilous street trouble. Even if you have a don't walk light the rule is basically still cross and traffic will stop for you. The exact opposite of the NYC cabbie who charges at you like it's an extra tip to pancake you.

Don't hassle the hoff!

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Day one was packed with nonstop excitement. After arriving early, we instantly went on a 4 hour free walking tour that we stumbled into. It was led by this American guy who really thought he was the german descendant of fredrick the great, but he was actually just joe average from Indiana.

After seeing most of the city and learning whatever that dude blindly taught us, it was nap time.

After a dinner and such a long walk to find a bar that iincluded learning that prostitution is entirely legal and the women come swarming at you on side streets like they haven't eaten in 5 years and you're a thanksgiving turkey, we found a good pub. We drank this beer (the strongest beer ever), befriended some Germans and ended up at a secret club until after 4am. All in all an eventful night one.

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The irony of this is that we found this street after a half hour of looking for a bar. Needless to say, this street didn't have one either.

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The best way to top off a long day of touring most of Berlin? Mmmm bockwurst with curry ketchup and fries. When in Rome, er eat like the Germans do.

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After some minor passport issues, broken shoe laces, angry flight attendants and watching some kids save narnia, we successfully arrived in Germany.

One hour to take off....

Kicking it off with a quality meal at jfk. Price for a quesadilla and pint of octoberfest: one million dollars.

Packing up...

So far that is all I've packed at midnight on the night before departing for the Germany adventure. I certainly hope the trip is as disorganized as my packing is! What are the odds of that?