Germany Archives | North of Something

The BEST Info on Oktoberfest + A Bavarian Giveaway!

21/09/2015 by Jamie 37 Comments

We have been in Germany for almost a year now and I’m gearing up for my very first Oktoberfest! Two of my sisters and my brother-in-law are flying in for the occasion and I can’t wait to explore this famous festival for the first time. This year Oktoberfest runs from September 19th through October 4th and as usual they are expecting upwards of 6 million visitors.

So! I have searched the interwebs for the best info on Oktoberfest and here is the best of the best:

How To Survive Oktoberfest by Nomadic Matt

His best tip: Don’t reserve a table for daytime hours unless you plan to be sitting down the whole time! He does recommend booking a table for the evening hours since that’s when it’s nearly impossible to find seats.

Oktoberfest: Everything You Need To Know by the Economical Excursionists

“In many parts of Europe, including Germany, sharing a table with strangers is no big deal. If you see a table that has people on it but think you can squeeze in, just ask if those spots are free. If they are, you are in luck! Pop a squat, order a beer and start chatting it up with your fellow table mates! Most people at Oktoberfest will be able to speak English, but if the people at a potentially free table are clearly German speaking, just ask, ‘Ist das frei?'”

19 Essential Tips for Celebrating Oktoberfest by Samantha Angell

“Bring plenty of cash. Most-if not all- of the tents will only accept cash, and even at that the exact change is preferred. On top of wanting to have cash to purchase food and drinks, you will also want cash for the various attractions at Oktoberfest grounds, transportation, and tips.”

Gearing Up For Oktoberfest by the Oxford Dictionary Blog

Here you will find 18 essential German words and phrases for Oktoberfest! Here’s a few of them:

Bayern (das) German name for Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria. It is the largest of the 16 German Bundesländer (states), with Munich as its capital.

Lebkuchenherz (das) A gingerbread heart. These are very popular at Oktoberfest and also generally at German fairs and Christmas markets.

Prost German for ‘cheers’ (not only useful for Oktoberfest). Alternatively, you could also say ‘Zum Wohl’ (‘To your health’).

Maßkrug (der), short Maß (die) A Maßkrug is a beer jug, either made out of glass or stoneware, which contains exactly 1 litre of beer. All you have to do is order a Maß.

Oktoberfest With Kids by Must Board First

“Go on Family Day! Tuesdays during Oktoberfest are family days, which means rides and games cost less. This doesn’t mean that the beer-loving crowd won’t be there, but it does mean there will be tons of other kids there as well (so you won’t feel so guilty bringing your own) and you won’t spend as much keeping the kiddos entertained as on the other days.”

Now it’s time for a Giveaway!

In the spirit of the season, I have joined forces with my friends at MilliGfunk and the Economical Excursionists to giveaway some very festive Oktoberfest gear!

Items to be included:

One (1) Leiderhosen Apron

Two (2) Authentic Munich Hofbräuhaus beerhall Maß

One (1) Mini Maß filled with local Bavarian gummies

One (1) Satchel printed with the Bavarian Flag

One (1) Package of mini Bavarian Chocolates from local Bavarian chocolatier

One (1) Faux Lebkuchenherzn Necklace made from local Bavarian Chocolates “Gruß vom Oktoberfest” (Translation: Greetings from Oktoberfest)

One (1) I (heart) Germany tissue packet

One (1) Bayern Postcard showing daily life and scenes in beautiful Bavaria

Total estimated retail value: $50 USD.

Eligibility: For this giveaway, only U.S. residents with U.S. or A.P.O. addresses are eligible to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t forget to check out the amazing blogs of my friends below!

MilliGFunk blogs about travel, healthy living, and home at MilliGFunk.com. Follow her on Bloglovin’, and Instagram!

Economical Excursionists are experts in all things budget travel and travel hacking related

Follow the Economical Excursionists on Pinterest and Facebook! Here’s the link to the blog: EconomicalExcursionists.com

Weltenburg Abbey on the Danube

09/06/2015 by Jamie 6 Comments

The Weltenburg Abbey on the Danube is a monastery and brewery that has been brewing beer for over a thousand years. Not only are they respected throughout Germany for the cultural and historical aspects, but the on-site brewery has won a few highly respected awards in the world of beer drinkers. The Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel received the “World Beer Cup” as the best dark beer in the world in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

We parked across the river from the Brewery and took this ~~ferry~~ raft across to the peninsula to the brewery. When we got to the other side my son yelled “Lower the anchorrrrr!” and the guy laughed and then almost took out the kids with his enormous anchor on a stick he kept swinging from side to side. It takes about 5-10 minutes to walk to the brewery from where the raft lands (depending on if you have small kids with short legs) so it took us about 15 minutes which included various stops, including one to pose on top of this rock.

We arrived at 11am and the Beer Garden was already hopping and the beer was flowing. As far as facilities go, there’s a really nice bathroom, but no ATM in sight so do yourself a favor and get cash before you get on the raft, because you will need it for the tour, the beer, and any souvenirs you might want.

The Brewery Tour is available April through October and it’s in German, but if you smile and nod a lot, you’ll blend right in. Plus, for 11,80 Euros per person you get quite a bit of beer at the beer tasting part of the tour and your own Weltenburger beer glass to take home.

My favorite beer was the Weltenburger Anno 1050 (one of their lightest), which has won the gold medal with the “European Beer Star” in the German Style category. My son’s favorite is the apple juice (Apfelsaft)!

There are about a million flat river rocks, perfect for skipping, along the banks of the Danube. It was a really hot day in Bavaria so we cooled our feet (and one of us accidentally cooled our butt) in the very chilly water. There were people in kayaks and other various floating-intertube-type things enjoying the slow-moving river.

We also got to see the inside of the monastery where some monks were singing some really pretty songs.

Overall it was a neat experience and even fun for the kids when we weren’t yelling at them to be quiet.

Nürnberg Ostermarkt (Easter Market)

01/04/2015 by Jamie 24 Comments

This past Saturday I was lucky enough to meet up with some amazing bloggers in the area and we explored the Nürnberg Easter Market. Together with Betsy from Java Cupcake and Melissa from MilliGFunk, we went up and down every dang aisle of the market to check out all the incredible vendors.

I was excited to be there right at noon when the gothic-style Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) chimed noon and the figures under the clock sprung to life. Some quick research on German Wikipedia tells me that the clock was installed in 1506 and it depicts the Holy Roman Emperor being circled by “prince-electors.” Holy history, batman!

Since this was my first time in Nürnberg, I just HAD to do some more historical research after I got home. In the 12th century Nürnberg main market square was just crappy marsh land where the Jews were forced to settle. And the current location of the beautiful Frauenkirche Cathedral is where the Jewish synagogue used to be. What would the 12 century Jewish families think of our present day Easter market?!

Below is a photo of the square in 1707. It has hardly changed! Even in the early 18th century this was an area set up with vendors just like it was last Saturday when we went.

+ Image Source +

And in the early 20th century it was a popular rally location for the Nazi party. In 1933 it was rechristened “Adolf Hitler Platz.” The photo below is from 1934 when troops from the Nazi party were deploying.

+ Image Source +

There was a ton of damage done to the square during World War II, but the Germans are nothing if not efficient when it comes to restoration.

Today the marketplace boasts year round markets throughout the seasons. The Easter holiday is no exception and it is truly beautiful! We saw so many traditional German Easter decorations, many hand-made.

I absolutely adore watching vendors in the midst of their creations. Even with a language barrier I see many of their faces light up while talking about their products. This woman had some incredible sweaters and a million other items made with yarn. The man in the photo below makes some unbelievable pieces with wood.

It’s also really fun to see the different artistic personalties, ranging from proud and confident to shy and bashful. The man below was more of a salesman selling commercially made (although traditionally German, many wooden) toys. He was very friendly and even struck up a conversation with me in German, to which I just smiled :)

The food was also incredible! I had some freshly made kettle chips, corn on the cob (on a stick), and some fresh bread that was made right there at the vendor stand.

This is the Schöner Brunnen, which was getting worked on so it was partly covered up. Still beautiful!

Here are some photos of the cool Easter paraphernalia I picked up at the market.

My son adores the little Easter bunny :)

If you are in the area and want to check out the market, it will be running through Easter Monday!

And don’t forget to check out the amazing photos of the Easter market at Java Cupcake + MilliGFunk!

MilliGFunk is a Healthy Lifestyle, Travel + DIY Blog

Java Cupcake is a Baking, Life + DIY Blog

Getting Lost in Kallmünz, Germany

28/03/2015 by Jamie 8 Comments

A few weeks ago we drove out to Kallmünz to see the town and the castle ruins. I wrote a guest post for Mapping Megan to highlight all the amazing things you can see and do there: “Traditions and Festivals in Medieval Kallmünz, Germany.” Check it out!

Here are some of the photos that didn’t make it into the above article.

We hiked up to the ruins as a family, but I managed to get myself so lost on the way back down… Like my husband had to drive to the other side of town to pick me up kind of lost. It was a beautiful day to explore though!

This is one of the only small signs that direct people from the road to the castle ruins up on the hill (or mountain… depending on where you come from).

The buildings in the small village are amazing! There is one called the house without a roof that is literally built into the side of the rock face.

For more photos and lots of interesting history, facts, and current events/tours in Kallmünz, check out the post I wrote: “Traditions and Festivals in Medieval Kallmünz, Germany.”