Uh...it's Octoberfest.

Drink beer, and lots of it, and think of me.

Octoberfest is about me.

I love you all.

Ein Prosit der Gemutlichkeit!

:stout:

Yes John, Prost! ("Prosit" is Bavarian.)

So, if the beer doesn't encourage you to celebrate, maybe a few nice pictures will.

http://o.aolcdn.com/art/gat/news/20/3/wiesn2009.html

Excellent pictures.
My mother has been engaged to a German guy for (I don't really know how long and they are illegally married) 18 years and there is a German brewery in Dundee in South Africa close to where he grew up. Best parties ever or at least what I can remember of them. I remember we went there once for Oktoberfest (couldn't afford the German vacation) and as a student and guitarist in a Rock band thought I had all the ammo to drink with those guys. The first round went draught and Jagermeister. The second round went Draught and Stroh rum. The third round went, whatever you put on the table and the next few rounds I can't remember exactly but we ended up sleeping in the restaurant. When I woke up there were people still drinking. I had a bloody mary and a very fine South African breakfast and by lunch time we were at it again. I have no recollection of the evening but I was told the comedy show I did was legendary. It means I made a fool of myself in short.
Octoberfest in Germany is on my must do before I die list.

I've got to go there some day myself.

But I hear a lot of bad things about it. It's very crowded, and there are a lot of young American kids who jump on tables with a liter in each hand and make fools of themselves. Several people die each year of exposure. No lie.

But other than that, it's the biggest festival in Germany. Like an American state fair, but without the cows and giant pumpkins. And with beer and babes dressed like in the pictures.

Maybe if you or anyone else bothers to make the pilgrimage I can meet you there.

Thanks. Good to know. (I thought I'd be taken to task for my missing umlaut.)

Great photos. Maybe I should start planning my vacation for next year.

Yowza!

Apparently Germany and the EU came to some agreement over this controversy from a few years back:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-New......13399577

I was at the Oktoberfest in 1994 & 1995...

...I'm still recovering!

Balducci, shame on the EU.

I don't want to get into trouble with Café mods, so I'll just tell y'all what to Google.

Google "Salma Hayek" and "dirndl" and be amazed.