Oktoberfest

So as I'm posting this, my mother-in-law is on the phone with Gerard. Gerard put her on the phone with me so she could respond to my "enema" post. She said that when she was an intern, they used to refer to enemas as "High, Hot, and a Helluva Lot." Joy! Now that image is burned in my brain.

We spent Saturday morning at this crazy flea market where you can buy children's clothes. Regina and Jason told us about it, and even offered to take us there with them. I think I was expecting something very different than what I actually experienced. First, I thought it would be held outside with several booths where you can walk in and out and see what kinds of things you want... more like a swap meet. What I saw was a giant room of tables containing different types of kids' clothes. The people were very cut-throat, too. Forget the niceties. They were all lined up well before it opened, then charged in and grabbed and grabbed stuffing whatever they thought they wanted into their bags. Most people brought their own large bags purchased from IKEA to stuff things into. It was absolutely crazy. You had no time to browse. If you thought you wanted it, you were better off grabbing it and then looking it over in a corner. I am also still clueless about how they do sizing here. I assume at least that clothing like pants/shirts is based on centimeter height, though I'm not even sure how tall Gerrit is now. I sent Gerard and Gerrit to a corner while I ran around the room grabbing things. I would then throw them at Gerard and ask him to hold them up to Gerrit to see how they fit. If they fit, we kept them. If not, I'd return them after dumping off another load. The whole thing was over and done with in no more than 45 minutes. All in all, it was a great way to get "nice" used kids' clothes at a great deal. Since they don't really have second-hand clothing stores here, this is the way it's done. I spent 57 Euro but got an amazing assortment of warm shirts, sweaters, hats, and mittens. I even got two snowsuits and a pair of snow boots for Gerrit. In two weeks there is supposed to be something similar for kid toys.

Inside the Flea Market

Regina and I with all our lootGerrit & William (Regina's 3 year old)

In the afternoon, we drove to a giant baby superstore called Baby Welt (like a Babies R Us). We hoped to find a double stroller there. I am very picky about what I want, though, and we didn't find it. I want a double stroller that will accommodate an infant snap-in car seat. This is not a popular item here, probably because most people walk everywhere. Instead, they actually have tons of buggy contraptions where the kids actually lay down that attach to the stroller. I may have to have my mom get it for me from the States and "gate check" it when she comes out here to visit.

Sunday morning Gerard got up and took the dogs for a walk. Jake (our $75 easy going pound pup) keeps finding these furry balled up things and brings them to us. We think they are hedge hogs. We haven't been able to see what body parts are hidden when they curl up, and since we've only seen them balled up, we can only assume that's what they are. At least we've been told that hedge hogs hang out in areas that are not polluted, so I guess that says something positive about where we're living. Jake usually finds them in fields when they are playing, but the other day, he found a smaller one in our backyard. Niki (our $1200 neurotic pure bred Carolina Dog), on the other hand, likes to spend her time rolling around in whatever feces she happens to discover. This morning she found a nice steamy pile of something nasty and immediately rolled in it. The consequence for such an action was to be given a bath immediately upon arriving home, and of course, she absolutely hates baths.Early this afternoon we actually took the train into town and went to Oktoberfest. Again, not at all what I was expecting. It was much more family oriented than I thought it would be. I expected it to just be several giant tents serving beer and food inside. Instead, it was more like a giant carnival with games and rides and tents scattered throughout. Gerrit went on a carousel ride and a train an loved it. We were advised to go on a Sunday because "all the Bavarians are at church and all the tourists are still hung over from the night before." It was still extremely crowded, though, so I can only imagine how packed it is at night. This was the first time we took the train from Neufahrn into Munich. I actually think it's a bit far for Gerrit to stay settled. Thankfully he enjoys looking out the train window, but he still got antsy after a bit. I can only imagine what it will be like trying to do this with two kids. Hopefully Gerrit will become a little more patient in the coming months. Yes, wishful thinking, I know.

Inside a Beer Hall/Tent

Gerrit loves the Choo Choo

Waiting for the S-Bahn