Munich Oktoberfest celebrates 200 years in 2010

Germany is justifiably famous for its great beer and wine festivals, which start in late summer or early fall and focus on regional wines, beers, and culinary specialties.  The most famous is the Munich Oktoberfest, the world’s oldest and largest beer festival , which celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2010.  Festival dates this year are September 18 to October 4.

The Munich Oktoberfest turns the city into party central.  Dozens of huge tents serve food, beer and entertainment to thousands of people each night, and a sprawling midway lures visitors to Ferris wheels and other rides.  Each of Bavaria’s beer breweries has its own tent and serves only its own beer, and of the beer tents serve tons of wurst, roast pig and chicken nightly, and every tent features an oompah band.

World's largest Oktoberfest beer festivals are in Munich and Stuttgart

Every few minutes, the band plays a rendition of the “Prosit” drinking song, and everybody stops chatting or eating or drinking to stand up and sing while waving their beer mugs in unison.  It’s tough to resist.

I’ll admit — I’ve been there, and I’ve done that.  And, I never ceased to be amazed at the strength of the waiters and waitresses who thread their way through the crowds while  juggling up to eight one-liter mugs without spilling a drop.  You’ll have the most fun if you pick one tent and stay there for the evening, rather than tent-hopping.

Portland, Oregon is one of the most environmentally friendly cities on the planet, so it should not surprise anybody that this green, eco-travel destination has a solar-powered brewpub.

April 22, 2010 is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a day to think about the environment and keeping it green.  Since my own personal definition of saving green includes saving the green in in my wallet, here are my High Fives – the five best travel websites to [...]]]> http://www.car-and-travel.com/2010/04/earth-day-2010-saving-te-green-in-your-wallet/feed/ 1 http://www.car-and-travel.com/2009/12/beware-of-dangerous-airport-food/ http://www.car-and-travel.com/2009/12/beware-of-dangerous-airport-food/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:37:04 +0000 Evelyn Kanter http://www.car-and-travel.com/?p=264 Airport food is worse than you think.  It’s enough to make you sick.  With all the new airport security rules, we’ll be spending more time at airports, which means we’ll be eating more airport food.  But unless airport food vendors clean up their act, there will be more passengers locking themselves in airplane bathrooms, like the Nigerian businessman en route to Detroit. 

USA TODAY reviewed inspection records for nearly 800 restaurants and food vendors at 10 U.S. airports, and found a long list of violations.  These included food stored at dangerously warm temperatures which would allow bacteria and pathogens to grow.  It’s not just at the ‘grab and go’ sandwich kiosks.  USA Today also found serious violations at airport restaurants with table service.