Oktoberfest 2008

all picturesSaturday we went to Oktoberfest. We always do, for various reasons. For example: Cathy loves the food, and since I won't eat sauerkraut it's like her one chance all year to eat a cabbage-based dish. The main thing I look forward to is a family tradition of ours: every year since we've been married, Cathy and I have found a way to get out there and buy a Christmas ornament from the one exhibitor who actually has ornaments imported from Germany (a few of the other exhibitors have ornaments, but if you look closely you find they are from Poland or China, or I even saw some this year from Wisconsin. The ornament was a kid with a big cheese wheel, and the cheese wheel actually said Wisconsin on it!) So we've slowly accumulated this collection of ornaments... this year Mikey even bought one with some of his own money, so there's a bonus ornament this year!

And of course, there's just the general atmosphere of fun and German-ness out there. I've actually been to Germany once (one day hopefully I'll get to take Cathy with me and go again!) and it's my favorite country I've been to since the U.S. (it's a short list anyway... Germany, Austria and Switzerland... Switzerland is right up there in the running, too... and then Mexico and Canada, and Paris France) so it's fun to kind of get a taste again once a year. Mikey said he just likes to go and have fun!

This year there was a special treat for us... a friend of ours was performing in one of the tents and we got to go see it and kind of support her. I can't tell you who or what because my wife was sworn to secrecy, but our friend did a beautiful job and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance. And we did eat some German food, and we did get our annual ornament(s), and we did have a great time! Mikey even rode a ride! (The rides were incredily expensive this year... $2.50/$3.00 for a little kiddie ride. Outrageous!) Want to see all the pictures? Here's the whole batch!