Volksfest 2013

Another fall, another fun Volksfest.  This time we all (and by all I mean 360 of my closest expat group friends) drank in the bier garden.  So we couldn't see the band.  But we had an awesome waiter.  He brought the biers and food as quick as I've ever received it.  I managed to make it 3 times to Fest this year.  Not bad.  haha
The fair grounds at night:

Bier Garden

My winning in drinking bier (notice not Radler but actual bier in preparation for Oktoberfest):

Inside the tent another night:

Dinner.

Christine

Christine at Frühlingsfest, Stuttgart, Germany

It's that time of year again:  Fest season starts!  The Germans essentially ski all winter long.  Well, that may be what I do.  Come April, they start out Fest season, with Frühlingsfest!  It's like Oktoberfest, only Stuttgart is smart enough to have 2 fests a year.  I drank my 3 beirs and ate my half chicken.  While I ordered 3 radler beirs, once they brought me a Stuttgart hofbrau beir.  I didn't realize this until half way through.  I may slow down the drinking next time.  haha  Not as much singing in the tent this year.  Not sure why.

This year we celebrated in the Gradl tent:

The Expat group (before the festivities):

Christine

Christine at Frühlingfest- 2012

It's that time of year again--Fruhlingsfest Time!  The Germans begin Fest season (that's what I call it) in the Spring.  I think they like celebrating and getting out after a long, generally cold winter.  There is practically a Fest going on each weekend in Stuttgart.  There probably is one happening each weekend, if not in Stuttgart, than somewhere within driving distance.  I took the U Bahn to get here.  It was a quick ride.  I am being good and only buying one dirdle.  So far.  But I love them.  I may buy another one yet.  Maybe I will make a pilgrimage to Muchen (home of Oktoberfest) and acquire another one.  I think a dirdle is the first thing all American girls buy in Germany.  ha ha  For 35 Euro, you receive a half fest-chicken and 3 beir (beer) tokens.  The beir is a liter.  Yes, that is a lot to drink.  Yes, I did not drink all 3.  I had 2 1/2.  Once the evil waitress gave me a regular beir.  I did not finish that one.  I like Radler best.  This is a mixture of beir and sprite.  Don't hate until you have tried one.  And if you are going to a Fest, take my word for it, you can't just drink all that German beir.  It has a higher alcohol content.  You will end up on the ground.  Or something.  I am not taking any chances.  The beir "tent":

The fun:

 Just a really cool picture (that I didn't take):

Christine

Christine at the Schokolade Festival

Germany is a wonderful place.  Tübingen has a Schokolade (Chocolate) Festival.  The only bad thing--they have it for one week.  Really, this event should occur every weekend as far as I am concerned.  And I think the hordes of people that attended would agree with me.  Tübingen is a university town, right outside of Stuttgart.  There were all types of chocolate there.  As is custom (during Christmas time), there is a mug you can purchase for the event.  I had both heiße Schokolade (hot chocolate) and Kirsche gluhwein (cherry hot mulled red wine).  I also sampled Swiss hot chocolate.  

The people:

Examples of Schokolade makers and creations:

Best Schokolade cake ever.  I took a bite before I thought to take a picture.  But it was that good.  

Someone did painting with Schokolade:

Finally, I had a shot of Schokolade in a Schokolade made shot glass.  But forgot to take a picture.  Too excited.  ha ha 


Christine 

Fischmarket in Stuttgart (Also HUGE Announcement)

Sign in front of castle in Stuttgart, Germany

German's love fests.  As best I can tell, they have one every week here in Stuttgart.  For instance, from 7-17 July, the Hamburg Fisch Market happened.  Here, Hamburgers sold fisch sandwiches.  And there were beir gardens.  Always beir gardens.

Beir Garden and people enjoying fish as well.

The Fischmarket did have many different kinds of fish as well.

Fish Sandwiches.  I had a salmon one.

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!

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