Munich in September

Not to be a buzz-kill, but I recently saw an article that said the Oktoberfest may be cancelled again for 2021.

I know it's early and things could change, but just be aware.

 

In that case, don't look for Amber Marzen at the Fest, it's all Festbier and some other styles at kiosks outside the tents.* You may still be able to find Amber Marzen at some of the Bierhalls around Munich. I did, but that was a long time ago.

If you go to the tents earlier in the day you won't need reservations. And don't be afraid to ask about empty seats -- people are usually friendly. It *is* a party, after all.

A little clue -- a table may have a reservation (Stammtisch) sign/tag, but you can sit at it until the actual reservation time. AND, if the reservation holders don't show up after a certain time past the reser time, it's a free table!

*Others have said they've seen Weizen and/or Dunkel in the tents, but I never have.

 

BTW -- here's a custom search for you:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...ktoberfest&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=107

 

Two hours outside of Munich is quite a stretch. You can get a hotel in the greater MUC area and travel quite effectively with the train and subway. Even when travelling in between larger cities, the train system is affordable and smart. Car rentals and gas are quite expensive, avoid it if possible.

 

FWIW -- here's the article I was referring to.

 

How's it going over there?

 

Sorry to hear. Too many people letting their guards down over here too.

 

I have to agree with @Snowcrash000 . Things are shitty and getting worse via-a-vis Corona. Long story, but they've seriously fucked up the roll out and distribution of the vaccine. For a good summary, the NY Times basically nailed why it's horrible all over the EU, and that it's 20x worse in eastern Europe, which has a worse medical system and most of their best doctors working in the EU & UK. But in Germany in particular, the # of cases per 100k population has doubled in 2 weeks (from 65 to 135). When it hits 150, the government will almost surely insist on a full lockdown in order to keep in getting into territory where Portugal or Ireland were earlier this year. The UK variant of the virus has reached critical mass here and it will only get worse before it maybe will get better. Already, nothing is open, no restaurants, no movies, no museums, shopping only with online appointments. Oh, and wearing a surgical or FFP2 mask is mandatory almost everywhere, including parks, and that's while the numbers were low.

That, and the creaking, ridged bureaucracy in getting the vaccine rolled out, plus the absolute disaster in procuring enough vaccine, means that Germany probably won't get to the place that the USA is in currently until at least August or September. I'm just hoping I can get vaccinated by then.

If anyone plans on coming here, even if you're fully vaccinated, be prepared for 5 day quarantine upon your arrival, which can be shortened with multiple negative tests, and you must be tested before you leave as well.
People are only being allowed to fly into Germany if they have urgent business or family. Otherwise, your application will be thoroughly scrutinized and it could be you won't be allowed in at the passport control.



Sorry, plan a trip to Germany next year, or this winter.

 

@boddhitree thank you for that summary. My German friends are really having a fit, of course lots of complaining. Personally I'm blown away how the Germans dropped the ball on this, but the bureaucracy of the EU is well known. Just would have thought they'd be more aggressive. Their superior organizational talents outdone by the Americans? What?

Here in CA I'm blown away at how quickly they are getting people into facilities and pharmacies, now that the older population is close to "done", many people my age (50 ish haha) are getting it now. I've heard that a large chain is not even checking paperwork on your employer, it's a FCFS thing, and they seem to be keeping up with supply. My friends in Indiana and Texas are reporting a lot of the same.

Hope the Europeans figure this out soon, with a pandemic it truly is a small world.

 

I wish I could report the same for my county in Illinois, but we just aren't getting the quantity of vaccines we need -- everyone gets the "vaccine unavailable" message when they try to sign up.

 

About 3 years back I was looking at a display in the Munich Hauptbahnhof about the project to add second tunnel under the Altstadt. Big project in scope and €.

There was one article posted that cautioned it would not be on time and under budget. The new Berlin airport and main train stations were used as examples of what to expect.

My wife told me that as much as we want to go back, it won't be until fall of 2022 at the earliest. I agreed.

 

Different times. My first trip to Munich I flew into the old airport -- two years later the big, new one was open.

I don't remember seeing or hearing anything about them building the new one on my first trip, so I always assumed it was put up within those 2 years.

Then again, I don't think they had to tear down or work around anything for the new facility.

*Edit: nevermind, I just schooled myself -- I guess construction actually started in 1980 and they relocated a whole village!

Wow, 12 years to complete the thing.

 

We're hoping to go to Germany after Thanksgiving this year, but the more I read, I'm becoming less and less optimistic each day.

 

Thanksgiving may be doable, but you can strike off any festival, especially Oktoberfests and any place people would gather until Thanksgiving or maybe Christmas. Austria, according to one of my online students there, will go into 100% lockdown tomorrow. No going outside for any reason other than work, grocery shopping, etc. Germany isn’t far behind them. Everyone I talk to predicts a week after Easter we’ll also be in it. Again, read the above NY Times article to see why Europe is in this predicament vaccine-wise. On top of that, Germans have to deliberate on everything, have tons of red tape, and everyone is angry here. Only about a month or so ago the quick test was allowed. For example, yesterday on the news they stated there are 2.5 mil doses sitting around with nowhere to go, even though the vaccination centers are often empty due to a lack of vaccine. I read about a 70+ year old woman who was turned away from a vaccine because she forgot 2 of the 7 pages she had to fill out. Her next possible appointment would next month. Here they’re pleading with the government to allow dr.s to vaccinate at their office. They’re also throwing away lots of it at the end of the day if all appointed people don’t show up. People here are screaming and wondering why we can’t do it like in America.

 

The wife subscribes to several German online News services, she tells me it is not pretty. Many are agrivated because BioNTech developed the vaccine in Mainz, Pfizer is producing it in Belgium, and the can't seem to get large quantities of it.

 

Well, I could throw out a bunch of tips, but let me sit at my PC instead of this phone.. I read an email today from Lufthansa saying you could enter Germany with a negative C19 test within 48 hours of boarding your flight? Anyone know any more about this?

Prosit!!