Volksfest Stuttgart - Oktoberfest tour final hoorah

The Schiller memorial

Stuttgart is the 6th largest city in Germany and is the capital of Baden-Wüttemberg, (which is one of the 16 states of Germany). It is a becoming a major centre of industry and research, with world famous automobile companies and state-of-the-art science & research facilities.

Neues Schloss

It is located between vineyards and forests ...with the Black Forest only about an hour away and vineyards coming right into town. It is also a renowned cultural city, through its Opera, ballet programs and art galleries.
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Recapping, on the last blog, and finalising my time in Munich....

Beer Hall

We returned from our journey to the Neuschwanstein Castle for our final night in München. Emil and I headed back into the town centre to check out one of the famous Beer halls, to get a feed and sample a few beverages.

Upon returning to the hostel it appeared that Oktoberfest had arrived back at the hostel bar....there was singing and dancing to all the great Oktoberfest songs (check the link..this song is classic), the English lyrics can be found on this site. Everyone was extremely messy, most before they had even stepped foot into the hostel, after all it was the last day of Oktoberfest!!!

Johnny Rockstar

The next morning our busabout tour group checked out, most still recovering from the night before... we all piled back onto the bus driven by our trusty driver 'Johnny Rockstar' and headed straight for Stuttgart.. to Volskfest....
Yet another beerfest YEW :)

Cannstatter Volksfest

Cannstatter Volksfest: Is an annual 3 week (17 days) festival in Stuttgart. It takes place from the end of September to the beginning of October and overlaps with Oktoberfest in Munich. It is held on an area called the Cannstatter Wasen, the Wasen area is located in the Stuttgart city district of Bad Canstatt near the river Neckar.

We arrived in the early afternoon, and where staying at Hotel Espenalub..... a real hotel, with a real bed :) This is the white building in the picture to the left. (after the green scaffolding)
We checked in, then went on a tour of Stuttgart. It was a lovely city (as all German cities have been).
(Stuttgart pics - FB)
There is so much history in Europe that Australia just doesn't have! I mean there is the Eureka Stockade and Burk and Wills for example...(lol :)) but these things just don't compare.

The reality is I was largely oblivious to a lot of the early history in Europe... as unless you study history at school in Australia you have very little exposure to it.

mmm beer

With Volskfest awaiting we headed back to prepare for our last celebration of all things that is BEER!!.

We made a short bus trip up to Cannstatter Wasen, and prepared ourselves yet again... Volksfest is more of a local event rather than international event and we definitely stood out arriving in our orange busabout T-shirts.

the Fruit Column

In many ways it is very similar to Oktoberfest; there is an amazing atmosphere and the enjoyment of beer in Steins is the norm. It still had all the rides you could want (including the worlds biggest mobile Ferris wheel), there where the beer tents, live music and great beer drinkin food... the only things it lacked where the stupidly busy crowds of Oktoberfest.
This was the place for me :)

The 'Fruit Column' is symbolic of Cannstatter Wasen, it is a wooden pillar decorated with fruit which stands 26 metres high and weighs 3.5 tons. It is a symbol that recalls the origins of the Cannstatter Volksfest as an agricultural festival.

We arrived early afternoon and made our way to the Stuttgarter Hofbräu tent to join in the festivities. Included in our prize package where 2 free Steins of beer and half a chicken, (sweeet :) and so minus a small tip for our beer wench our first drinks where free....

(these are always the best kind of drinks :)

The afternoon started off slowly for me as I was still recovering from my many consecutive alcohol fuelled nights, but after 2 steins I was strangely no longer suffering from these ill effects.... I guess after 2 litres of beer it is easy to forget why you where feeling this way in the first place...lol

Wasen-Hasi

This smiling giant rabbit is Wasen-Hasi, it has its origins from the Swabian folk-song "Aufm Wasa garset Hasa..." which translated literally means "the rabbits browse on the Wasen..." It is the mascot for Volkfest and has only been around since 2007.
Emil and I decided that it was a good idea to get a snapshot with this happy rabbit, and I have since posted this picture on Hostelworlds website noting 'winners of Oktoberfest comp'

Booster Max 4G is on the right

After our 2 Steins, Emil and I decided to hit the some of the rides (having not gone on any so far). It was decided that after 2 it should be okay but any more would spell trouble. The first ride we went on was the Countdown Freefall, which was similar to the giant drop (Dreamworld). This was too easy so we stepped it up and went on something a bit more intense, the Booster Max 4G fit the bill, this was gold! It spun you around and went upside down and had a great view from the top.

Maxximum

Still not satisfied we went looking for something more extreme again and we came across the Maxximum. Emil and I where the only ones on the ride, so Emil asked the staff to make it go to the Maximum!!!...this was not a good idea, and really shook me up (literately). It was intense and when I got off, could not do any more!! I was out, (Emil tried to get me go on rides more but I couldn't do it)..

Beer Wench

Back in the Stuttgarter Hofbräu house it was pumping and everyone was looking well sourced, so there was nothing to it but to join in again :)
MORE beers required!
(thanks to Paul & Inger for this great pic, its a beauty)

Still feeling a little shaky from that last ride I decided to order my (free) half chicken and roll. This has got to be the best thing I have ever eaten!!! It was simply amazing :)
(a thanks to Bumpy for this pic).

We must have had some of the best seats in the house, right in front of the band, two tables back. Throughout afternoon and into the night the band was smashing out the classics (and not so classics :), there where flames shooting out the sides of the stage and they really engaged the entire audience.

The rest of the evening progressed as expected, messily :) there was lots of dancing on tables, singing and general drunken shenanigans.

I got pushed off my chair while dancing, twice!! by the some idiots who were mucking around behind us.

Inger n Me

The first time I fell on about 5 steins and did not spill any (CrAzY) the second time I wasn't so lucky (and neither was Inger :( I am still very sorry about that Inger) I fell spilling beer all over her & me as she was trying to eat her dinner.
I had a sore lower back for about a week from that fall...

NB: dancing on things can be dangerous in a crowded beer hall, especially after a few litres of beer. :)

We stayed until closing that night, it had been a great day of drinking!
Volksfest is awesome :) And I highly recommend it, especially if you have done the Oktoberfest thing before.

Me n Emil

We staggered out to try and find the train. It was quite hard for our drunken group to stay together in the mass of people exiting the grounds and did manage to loose half of them on the way station (which was 200 metres away (lol)). Re-grouping, we jumped on a train and missioned away from Volksfest
Some people decided to go out into the Stuttgart night-life (even though it was a Monday night).

I went back to the hotel deciding I had, had enough...

in the great words of Marg Simpson
Marge: "Homer you are overstimulated lets get some beer into you and its straight to bed"
Homer: "WooHoo, BeerBeerBeer, BedBedBed"
:) :)

Our final day in Stuttgart, we had enough time before we flew out to check out the Mercedes Benz Museum. Still feeling a little raw, I grabbed my last German breaky (which I have been missing lately) then jumped onto the bus and  headed to the venue.

The museum is huge, I must have taken at least 50 photos (FB link) while I was in there. You get a lift to the top and them work your way down in a spiral manner. It covers the entire history of the motor vehicle as we know it.

Pope Mobile

We spent our remaining time wandering around this amazing museum with our audio guides. It was a great way to spend the morning. There is some really cool things in there, such as; the Pope Mobile, a 4WD from Jurassic Park, and car owned by John Lennon (all Mercedes).

Our flight was booked for late afternoon from Stuttgart, so after some lunch made our way to the hotel to await our departure.

Having now done Oktoberfest for the opening and closing weekends I feel I have now done it properly :) The busabout tour is a good way to see the Beer festivals and would highly recommend it.
I have met some amazing people, most now I'm friends with on FB, and some I have even seen since and had more drinks with :) in London...

In the great words of Damo,
        "what happens in Oktoberfest stays on facebook"
(this has become apparently true, with many a drunken photo appearing with my name on it, lol)

Sunset over Europe

All good things must come to and end, it was time to leave Germany for London again!!!

I was due for another recovery period (which my liver was eagerly anticipating).

Although I did buy a litre bottle of single malt scotch whiskey @ the duty free store on the way out :)


        Until next time, same bat time same bat channel :)