Munich Oktoberfest - warm up follies

Leading up to the 2 weeks and 3 weekends of traditional buzz during the Wies'n, there are quite a lot "Wies'n Warm Up Parties". At those bashes the theme, dresscode, music and food are, as expected, Bavarian Dirndl/Lederhosen style.

Nothing surprising so far, but today I stumbled across yet another pug dog story linked to Oktoberfest and the related Warm Up Parties. Remember, in 2010 a poor little puppy ended up in the lost and found office.

This year a quite fancy Wies'n Warm Up Pug Dog Party was organized. 74 female pug dog owners payed 100 € to enter the event, themselves dressed in rather exotic Dirndl and botox, their dogs in Lederhosen. Makes for an unforgetable group picture! Host of the event was dog "Sir Henry" and his dog-mommy Uschi Ackermann. (The two even have their own homepage.)

During the event some German folk singer performed his new Wies'n hit song called "Scharfe Möpse". For all the non-German-readers here, that translates into either "Spicy pug dogs" or, using more colloquial German language, into "Hot bo*bs". Hmmm yeah, one hell of a classy party entertainment I'd say...

Sir Henry himself

But not enough with the pugs. Her significant other is Gerd Käfer, owner of a successful gourmet food business in Munich and the dog fever in combination with Oktoberfest must have gotten also to him rather severely. While she was organizing the party, Mr. Käfer wrote recipes with Bavarian culinary specialities for - yes, who else- dogs! I'll try to find out if those cook instructions with names like PUG DOG SUSHI (is it just me or does that more sound like a sliced up puppy??)or WOOF PIZZA are bestsellers...

Bavarian pug dog (the gourmet, not the ingredient!) recipes

I can just agree with the author of a southern German newspaper who asks himself, if there is no limit to the lunacy grasping people as Oktoberfest time approaches.

Munich Oktoberfest in numbers

This year's Oktoberfest, or "Wies'n" as the locals call it, is coming up.

For quite a while now it hasn't just been a local thing anymore, people from all over the world come to say "Prost!" and "Mahlzeit!" which results in some crazy numbers:

• 95 gastronomical companies feed the visitors

• Oktoberfest employs 8.000 fixed and 4.000 changing workers

• the biggest tent is the "Hofbräuzelt" with 10.000 seats available (including the beergarden)
• all in all there are 14 big tents and 21 little ones (the smallest has 60 seats available) and together they offer 105.000 seats

 

 2011

• had 6.9 million visitors
• 7.5 million liters of beer (Maß) were consumed 
• 522.821 chicken and
• 118 oxen were eaten
• 4.750 things landed in the lost and found office including a Viking's helmet and some fake teeth

Wies'n Hendl

entrance of a tent called "oxen roaster"

even crazier: in the previous year 2010 the same office had to deal with a pug dog, a bunny, riding crops oh hello Christian Grey! and more hearing aids and fake teeth.

the poor dog found in 2010 - who would even bring one to Oktoberfest?!

 

200 people ask here for their lost phone DAILY!

"You talkin' to me?!"

...sounds familiar? 

Spill the beans you movie lovers, whose famous words are these?

Well folks, there are some people in this world who just don't seem to believe in the most basic rules of courtesy. I could list at least 5 names right now. Looking at these people, I'm sure, the reason for this lack of manners is not always a foul character, but sometimes insecurity, arrogance, stress, no education...

...frankly, I don't care.

In my opinion, it should be known to and possible for everyone to greet, say "thank you" and "please" and it surely doesn't matter in which language. Just saying it, will be understood and positively noted. Internationally, overcoming all language barriers, cultural differences and diverse customs.That easy.

Do you agree?

bitte.

1. please; if you please
2. you're welcome
3. excuse me
4. here you are (when offering something) 

danke.

wie bitte?

per favore / per piacere / prego / per cortesia / per gentilezza

grazie / grazie mille

prego?

please/ you're welcome

thank you

pardon?

Politeness is to human nature what warmth is to wax.
{Arthur Schopenhauer}

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.
{Francis Bacon}
 

The small courtesies sweeten life; the greater ennoble it.

{Christian Nevell Bovee}

 

courtesy pays off

...also here.

easy enough, right?

15 impressions from the Kirchtag in Oberbozen

Lederhosen

One of the music groups taking part in the procession came from Bavaria, Germany.
That's how they were dressed:

Bavarian Dirndl

Bavarian musicians

Some important town personalities take part in the procession with that beauty of a historical carriage:

...pulled by Haflinger horses, a breed originating from South Tyrol.

Haflinger horses

you have to put up with less traditional peace signs in the pics if you know the "stars" :)

The blue apron is typical for Tyrolean peasants.
In the time, when they weren't allowed to wear their traditional costumes (due to the planned "Italianization" of the region by the government), the blue aprons were regarded as a secret backup costume.

traditional costume

A short Dirndl, maybe a little less traditional, but who cares when the legs are this mind-boggling :)

traditional costume Ritten area

traditional costume Ritten area women

Rocking the town: "Kirchtag" in Oberbozen

Every year, on the 15th of August, the whole town of Oberbozen is going wild. Thousands of tourists and visitors are invading our little town to celebrate the "Oberbozner Kirchtag", the Assumption Day.

Pretty much every town in the southern German-speaking area has their own patron saint, and on this saint's day the so-called "Kirchtig" is held. In Oberbozen that day is the 15th of August, the Assumption Day of Holy Mary and it starts with the celebration of a Mass and a procession. But right after complying all those formalities, the fun begins: Traditional celebrations, folksy music, lots and lots of traditional costumes and Dirndl dresses.

South-Tyroleans, Germans and Italians come together for a huge party, eating traditional foods and drinking considerable amounts of beer and wine.

Even though Italians have their own holiday to celebrate on the 15th of August: the "Ferragosto", which is the "turning point of the summer", and supposedly the hottest day of the year. Around Ferragosto, life in Italy shuts down for a little while, everybody goes on vacation (mostly by the sea or in the mountains) and celebrates this holiday first introduced by the Roman emperor Augustus and therefore is the oldest holiday in the history of mankind.

The Olympics 2012

...are over. Did you watch?

here the official medal count:

 

Italy: 28 medals (8 gold, 9 silver, 11 bronze)

Germany: 44 medals (11, 19, 14)

Canada: 18 medals (1, 5, 12)

but what about some stars and stories?

 

• After the German Betty Heidler threw her hammer 72,39 meters were shown but not put into the computer. While her competitors were running the lap of honor, Betty discussed openly with the judges. Finally the width of her hammer-throw was measured by hand: 77,13 meters and bronze!
• Germany's men won Olympic-hockey-gold! The 4th time already! Try and work on the ice-hockey qualitites gentlemen, it's time to challenge Canada.
• Germany's men won gold in the beach volleyball discipline as the first European team ever. Against Brazil the superheroes of beach volleyball.
• The North Italian walker and Olympic gold winner in Bejing Alex Schwazer was banned from the Olympic games in London for being suspected of Epo-Doping. He was tested in June during training camp and admitted to the news that he made a mistake and wanted to be stronger this time (after he won gold at the last games) and that it was wrong. He also said, he got the doping in Turkey. And unfortunatelly in Italy you are prosecuted by the government authorities for doping. Not good.
• Tiffany Foster and her mount Victor were disqualified from competing because the horse had a little cut on the front leg and was sensitive to touch. FEI hypersensitivity protocol states that in that case, regardless of the cause, the horse has to be disqualified. Even if Victor was most probably fit and ready to go, the rule serves to protect horses in general from tormenting procedures used to make horses perform better. Good rule and bad luck for Victor and Tiffany Foster I would say.
• Canadian women are 2012 soccer bronze medallists! Italy? Germany? Soccer nations where are you? Oh ya right, Germany was busy with the men's hockey medal. Hello weird world!

against firm beliefs...

This won't be the only post about Dirndl.

Because

1. 50 % of The mashup mission is right now on a trip to Canada and New York City. With her Dirndl and she's commited to wear it. We'll see the pictures soon!
2. We live in South Tyrol and I grew up in Munich. Even though - against kept firm beliefs abroad - we're not wearing a Dirndl everyday, we do own and wear them on a regular basis. Mountain parties, traditional festivities, Oktoberfest and other suitable events call for the traditional dress.
3. A friend from Munich is a Dirndl & Accessoire Designer and she's awesome. In fact I love her creative designs so much, that I'm planning a whole post just about her. And no, she's not paying for it. (Her creations were in InStyle and on official Oktoberfest pages.)
4. It's "interesting" to see, what idea North Americans usually have, when they think about a Dirndl. Halloween is all I'm saying.
5. Oktoberfest-season is coming up and we should all be well prepared :)

here's a little sneak peek:

[from] 

and here the shocker
from a Canadian costumes onlineshop, linked on a
 Canadian "quality Oktoberfest costumes" page...

seriously?? [from]

***

10 random mashup challenges to begin with

Challenge n° 10:

Take that: the speed limit on Canadian highways is 100 km/h. And they`re built so wide and spacey that in Italy you would fit five cars next to each other on one lane. Not that I exactly miss being passed on the right side, but being a criminal for going over a 100 km/h?

I can literally hear some of you sigh right now, thinking what a wonderful life it would be without any discussions about insane speeding with the beloved driver and ...oh no, dear speed-lovers, dont pale and worry, I haven't heard of any plans to introduce these limits in Europe any time soon! Relax, there's still the car industry to protect you...

 

Talking about driving habits: sooner or later I`ll for sure indulge in writing about my first experiences with a BIG truck in Canada. And parking it. Or driving a car with a German license plate on a mountain road in South Tyrol. Italian campers cramming Munich’s city streets around Oktoberfest time. Danish patience and toll-station-wack-outs.  Another time.

10 random mashup challenges to begin with

challenge n° 8: "You look like a gypsy."

Political correctness is a quite problematical theme in our lifes. While my husband really believes in fairness, transported through language, I maintain the position, that you should be allowed to call a spade a spade. He simply calls that "being rude". I know, there might be some ambigous sayings and idioms in my vocabulary or rather generally in the South Tyrolean vocabulary. I tell my daughter: "You look like a gypsy!" (yeah, I'm not proud of it but it happens), cause her undershirt is sticking out. Or the kids are playing that very popular game called "Who is afraid of the black man?" In those situations, my husband rolls his eyes and I look around, hoping, that none of the aforementioned ethnic groups are nearby.

10 random mashup challenges to begin with

    challenge n°6 and 7: cold breath & purple yams

   Who would’ve thought, that you tell people, asking about cultural differences, about your experiences in supermarkets? Seriously every time I come to Canada in the summer I catch a cold, because I forget to bring a sweater when I go shopping. It’s freeeeezing in the grocery stores! But then I return to Italy and get all grossed out when people behind me in the line literally stand so close, that I can feel their breath. And of course smell them. Ugh! Luckily all the fresh food and veggies make up for it..

   

   Which would be the next random difference between the cultures: fresh and home cooked food. Yes, you heard right, meals made from scratch! Once, when we were living in Denmark I made pasta and my man's Canadian buddy couldnt. freaking. believe. that I made it with real tomatoes and onions and all. In Italy you have a vast assortment of fresh fruit and veggies from early springtime to late fall and I`d say, 19 out of 20 people know, how to cook at least 5 meals with fresh ingredients. In Germany, most people take pride in theoretically being able to cook to some degree and not wasting too much time on it on workdays. In Canadian supermarkets you find EVERYTHING canned and ready to be popped in the microwave. That might be convenient on the one hand but on the other it’s a pity in terms of taste and health benefits. (I helped one of the Canadian wifes to make Thanksgiving dinner last year and on a sidemark: there's no canned pumpkin in any store around here and mashed yams is not supposed to be purple, even if it tastes the same. The guys won't eat it.)  Then again, great fresh and local produce are offered on the farmer’s markets and lots of Canadians are very health-conscious when it comes to nutrition.

10 random mashup challenges to begin with

Challenge n° 1: The German speaking Italian

[from]

So, I'm from South Tyrol. Never heard about it? Don't worry, lots of people haven't. Until now: South Tyrol – I like to call it my Landl – is a region in the very North of Italy, bordering on Austria (Not Australia! Don't get mixed up here). In fact South Tyrol used to be part of Austria until 1919, when after WWI it was annexed by Italy. Cause, yes, Italy was part of the war winners – if there even exists anything like that – while Austria was part of the bad guys and lost plenty of territories. And until today, the main language here is German, or rather an Austrian variety of it. So, that's the big picture. The small picture is the following: I travel around, not even very far, I meet new people. They normally ask for my  name and were I come from. I say Italy. They get puzzled. Cause firstly – I don't look Italian at all, blond-haired and blue-eyed. And secondly – I don't speak Italian. Not very well anyways. So, if I try to explain and the second sentence I say to someone is: “Oh, well, you know, back in WWI...” Then that might be the last thing I told that person. Not good smalltalk material. When I traveled to Lisbon last spring, I was talking to my mom and sister on the bus. And the guy standing besides us smiles at us, saying: “Oh, Sie kommen aus Deutschland. Ich spreche selbst ein wenig Deutsch.” And we say: “No, we're Italian.” And keep talking German to each other.