German

As someone who has little experience with German culture and little interest in parties, it was hard to feel as though I had any expectations when I decided to attend Oktoberfest in Birmingham, Alabama. Oh, sure, beer and bratwurst and sauerkraut seemed to be a given, but I approached the event with no conscious idea or opinion on any other aspects of the celebration. Approaching the site of the Birmingham Oktoberfest, I strained to hear music, to see a swarm of people, to smell a fired up grill turning out dozens and dozens of bratwurst; instead, I heard the shrill whistle of a train as it screeched down the nearby tracks, saw a few people walking their dogs, and smelled only the cloying rose perfume of a woman that had swept past me seconds before. Having already gone to the wrong park once, I was disappointed to have again messed up and was not too keen on trying to search through the event’s Facebook page to find where the event was. Read More