“In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus – oans, zwoa, g'suffa!”
As that redneck comic might say, "You might be a drunk if you have your own locker at the Hofbrauhaus."
The Hofbräuhaus am Platzl is a world famous beer hall in the city center of Munich, Germany.
This inn was originally built in 1589 by the Bavarian duke William V to avoid buying beer for his troops from Lower Saxony. The general public was admitted only in 1828 by then king Louis I. The building was completely remodeled in 1897, when the brewery moved to the suburbs. In the bombing of WW II, everything but the main inn ("Schwemme") was destroyed.
They're remodeling tonight, with scaffoldings in the main beer hall, but the sound of drunken laughter and Om Pah Pah is the same as it's always been as we open the door to this first-night Munich tradition. It's chilly outside and the warm interior feels great on my face; the place is packed, even now at 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon.
We somehow find ourselves at one of the special local tables, which are reserved for the regular customers. That's where the lockers come in. The regulars get reserved seating and in the back of the building are row after row of small lockers where you keep your personal beer stein. (I guess it would be a pain to lug these monsters around.)
Our waiter is an ass -- which is the norm for this place -- but he doesn't kick us off the table. We're sitting across from a couple from Connecticut who have also just sat down. He's in the electronics business selling doohickeys that boost the signal of in-store flat screen displays and the like and we actually know some of the same people. Crazy.
The first one-liter stein of beer goes down almost too easily as we flip coasters. This is another tradition: place a stack of coasters (start with an inch or two) on the edge of the table and then in one, smooth motion flip the stack and catch it in your hand. It's a game that's mildly amusing at first and will be hilarious by the end of the second beer. I tell Josh I'll buy him a locker like the locals have if he double flips two three inch stacks. Luckily for me, he fails as coasters go flying.
Another round? Why not? Number two is great and we buy a pretzel from the roving pretzel girl: huge things, these pretzels, soft, doughy with rock salt.
Another round? well, okay. But three is enough. More than enough for me, really, as I now have to concentrate while walking to the bathroom. "Step right, step left, slow down, don't run into the local in Lederhosen." I walk like an inebriated tin soldier, but I'm hardly alone. In fact, the whole beer hall is doing the drunken two-step. Two old locals in traditional Bavarian outfits, lederhosen and green felt hats with long feathers, stand shoulder to shoulder at the pisser. It would make a classic photo. A weird one though.
It's about a half mile back to the Anna Hotel and the cold sobers us up a tad. It's only 8 p.m. but the long, long day has caught up to us and after wolfing down a club sandwich from the hotel restaurant we call it a night. Now I'm just unwinding by writing this, but it's going to be an early night. Big day at the trade show tomorrow (working on a Sunday!?) so I'm glad it's early. I think I'm sober enough now not to have a hangover. I need some sleep and I know exactly where to find it. Guten abend!
After 15 hours in transit, our weary travelers are parched.
The world famous Hofbrauhaus snares another two victims.
They grow the beer big here in Bavaria.
No "Sweet Home Alabama" tonight and that's just fine with me.
We make our escape at 8:00 p.m. -- but it's already too late for some.
In the Marianplatz.
The restaurant and bar at the Anna has these great lights that slowly change color every ten minutes or so.
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