Dear Slow German listeners, I'm sorry that I have been so long not reported. One reason for this project was: I created an audio book on "Oktoberfest 2010". The Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, and this year it is 200 years old. The audio book can be bought online, sometimes even at Audible and iTunes, Tradebit currently at a special price. For the slow-German listener I've thought of something: If you buy the audio book and buy me the email sent, then you'll get from me the entire script to read along!

Dear listeners of my podcast - sorry that I have not published any new episodes in such a long time. One of the reasons for my absence was this project: I produced an audio book about the "Oktoberfest 2010". It is celebrating it's bicentennial this year. The audio book can be bought online, at a special price for Tradebit, and in a few weeks also on Audible and iTunes. If one of you Intends to buy the audiobook, please send me the receipt and you will get the transcript Exclusively!

Dear Slow German listeners, I'm sorry that I have been so long not reported. One reason for this project was: I created an audio book on "Oktoberfest 2010". The Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, and this year it is 200 years old. The audio book can be bought online soon ...

Today I want to tell you something about current events from the Oktoberfest. Because that starts tomorrow here in Munich. You know it all safe, because that is the largest Oktoberfest beer festival in the world. Every year some six million people visit the Oktoberfest!

It all began in 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese back in October. In a meadow outside the city, they organized to celebrate the day a horse race. Since that is the Theresienwiese meadow. Meanwhile, the city has grown so much that the grass is no longer on the edge of the city, but in the middle. Meanwhile, we also have something similar to the Statue of Liberty in New York: The Bavaria with a lion wakes up beside her on the lawn. You can climb into her head and from there has a wonderful view over the city.

Every year there is the Oktoberfest, unless it was wartime, and the city was suffering from a cholera epidemic. Because in Munich in October but is already very cold at times, it was decided to bring forward the feast. Now it takes place in September - only the last weekend in October. The Oktoberfest always lasts three weekends, sometimes it gets a little longer. It always takes 16 to 18 days long.

The guests are international. The Munich itself often go with their business colleagues to the Oktoberfest, but there are also many Australians and Japanese to party and drink here. It is typical that appear a few weeks before the start of the Oktoberfest Italians with their caravans here. They park their caravans on the edge of the fairgrounds and have such a perfect neighborhood - even drunk yet they are able to waver in her bed. During the weekend, when most Italians will be in Munich, the way in the radio traffic announcements made ​​in Italian.

Opens the Oktoberfest is always on Saturday at noon by the Mayor. This is currently in Munich, Christian Ude. He then stands in front of a giant keg of beer and it has to tap into. So pour the first beer. He then calls "Ozapft is", and the Oktoberfest is opened.

I like to ride on the Ferris wheel. It was erected in 1880 for the first time and was twelve feet high. Today it is 48 meters high and you have a wonderful view of the city.

In addition to ghost trains, bumper cars, roller coasters and similar amusement stalls, there are naturally drawn to many huge beer tents at the Oktoberfest. It is here, but there's no Heineken or Guinness tent - at the Oktoberfest, only traditional Munich breweries sell their beer. These are, for example, Lowenbrau, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr and Augustiner. The Hofbrau tent is the largest and holds 10,000 spectators. If one of the 14 large tents is full, the doors are closed. Only when some visitors have gone back, they are reopened. Sometimes even the tents close at eleven clock in the morning their doors, so many visitors are here.

In the tent, you can drink beer in liter jugs, known as the beer mugs. To eat giant pretzels with cheese, radish (which is in Bavaria Radi), fried chicken or even oxen. Whole oxen turn in a tent around a huge barbecue skewer.

More and more the way to go back to Munich for the Oktoberfest traditional costumes. This means that the women wear a dirndl, so a dress with apron, and the men's leather pants. Two months before opening the Oktoberfest in Munich, then suddenly all shops that sell these costumes - then they are gone.

The Oktoberfest is to remain a traditional folk festival, which is very important to the people of Munich. It should not be just about binge drinking, but quiet and family friendly. Therefore, the brass band in the tents for some time may only play a relatively quiet, up to 18 clock at night they have to play traditional brass band music. Only in the evening they are allowed to sing pop and pop music.

I live happily in the vicinity of the Oktoberfest. I usually do not go out, there are too many people there to me, it's too loud. But still I feel that is Oktoberfest time watching: Even here, where I live, many people walk around in costume and go as to work.

So, that was my topic for today. I will go to the costume parade on Sunday - because many groups from across Europe marched through Munich in their costumes, with horse-drawn carriages and marching bands.

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Today I want to tell you something about current events from the Oktoberfest. Because that starts tomorrow here in Munich. You know it all safe, because that is the largest Oktoberfest beer festival in the world. Every year some six million people visit the Oktoberfest! It all began in 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese back in October. ...

I live in Bavaria, more precisely in Munich. And here there is a tradition that you may know - beer gardens. A typical beer garden has orange-colored benches and tables. The floor is covered with small pebbles. Large chestnut trees shade.

But that's not all: A real beer gardens in Bavaria is divided into two sections. In one area it is served by a waiter or a waitress. This part can be seen usually because you can see here on tablecloths on the tables. The other part is the more important: here you can bring your own food! Thus, we see so locals who spread their own tablecloths and conjure up all sorts of delicious food baskets. The beer and other drinks, but must be bought at small stands in the beer garden.

Traditional beer gardens give beer only in pitchers of that are huge for non-Bavarian: A whole liter of beer fits in here, and the glass is called thus not more glass, but mass. Food can also be bought if one has not brought anything. There are usually grilled sausages, half a chicken, fried fish often called mackerel. I find delicious, especially the cold snacks: cheese in a giant pretzel, Radi (radish that is) with saline or the famous Obazda.

Obazda is an orange-colored mass that you can smear on bread or a pretzel. It consists of Camembert cheese, onions, paprika, butter and a little beer.

Incidentally, it is quite normal to sit with others, strangers at the table for a beer garden is a sign of sociability. And another note, so there is no confusion: A beer garden does not mean that men go there to get drunk. A beer garden culture. This is where friends, families take their children here, businessmen meet for lunch to eat here. It's all about comfort, not alcohol.

Large beer gardens have room for 7000-8000 by the way people - and they are chock full of beautiful summer days! So if you come to Munich in the near future - I recommend the traditional Augustiner beer garden near the main train station! And do not worry: There are also non-alcoholic beverages.

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Episode download
Text downloaded as a PDF
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Learning material downloaded here (08-20 series)
Learning material downloaded here (follow 08-50, 25 €)

I live in Bavaria, more precisely in Munich. And here there is a tradition that you may know - beer gardens. A typical beer garden has orange-colored benches and tables. The floor is covered with small pebbles. Large chestnut trees shade. But that's not all: A real beer gardens in Bavaria is divided into two sections. ...