Munich and Oktoberfest 2026

I get a standing invitation to come to Oktoberfest in Munich every year.  My good friend Tobias has a way to get a table reserved for him and his friends.  Since I was coming to Europe this year I thought I'd make a stop in Munich before going on to Sicily.  I was lucky to find a Business Class "open-jaw" ticket with Turkish Airlines at a very good price.  I fly from JFK airport in NYC to Istanbul to Munich on the outbound and Palermo to Istanbul to JFK on the inbound.  In between my stay in Munich, including a short visit to Salzburg, and Sicily, I was able to schedule a few days in Naples.  I've always wanted to see Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast so this is the best opportunity for me to do so.  I will write about that trip in my next post.

When I landed in Munich on a late Tuesday evening I had already planned on the trip to Salzburg, which I wrote in my previous post.  Upon my return from Salzburg, after a few hours rest, Tobias and his wife, Christine, and I went straight to Theresienwiese, the area in Munich where Oktoberfest is held.  There was a large crowd on the train and walking towards the fairgrounds.

Tobias, Christine and I

Large crowds outside the beer tent

The official Oktoberfest actually starts in September.  Why?  Years ago they said it was too cold in October so they start in September, and overflow into October.  The day I attended in late September was a beautiful warm day.  We walked around the fairgrounds before going into the tent where we have a table reserved.  It's not easy to get a table.  You can come early and get into a tent but if you are not sitting at a table you won't be served beer.  Through some connections Tobias was able to get a table in one of the tents.  There are about 10 big tents, each holding about 8,000 happy beer drinkers.  Each tent is sponsored by a beer company.  There is a lot of 1-liter mugs of beer sold.  I was told that each tent can generate about 4 million euros a night!  One liter of beer costs about 16 euros.

Our waitress delivering beer

Happy friends!

Drinking and Singing

Fans sining "Sweet Caroline"

Everyone had a glorious time.  Who wouldn't?  After all the beer and a rousing atmosphere you can't help but be happy and singing.  The band was playing very loud music.  As the night goes on the music gets louder and at a higher tempo.  I was waiting for the song that will get everyone singing - "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond.  For some reason this song became the most popular song at Oktoberfest.  Every Oktoberfest I attended in the past, this song will get some to jump on the table and start singing and dancing.  Maybe it's because of its catchy tune and easy sing along tune.  Like many baseball games in the US this song has become the anthem of many public events.  Neil Diamond is sitting happily at home collecting royalties.

I have been to Munich several times but I have mostly gone around the Marienplatz area where there is a big pedestrian mall and in the middle of it all is the well-known and popular Glockenspiel.  

The Glockenspiel in Marienplatz

This time I asked my friend Tobias to show me around the downtown area.  We expanded my previous knowledge of the area and walked by many places I have never seen before.  

Munich Cathedral

Statue of a famous person

An important residence

In the morning we also visited the Lustheim Palace.  It is a beautiful setting for a palace.  It was not busy in the morning but as we were leaving in the afternoon more visitors, including a wedding party showed up.

Lustheim Palace

Another view

We had some refreshments in a beer garden.  I was surprised that the Germans like mackerel.  They eat it barbequed.  Most Americans said that mackerels are too oily, which is exactly why the Germans like it.  Like salmon and sardines, oily fish are healthy.  Mackerels are included in that category.

BBQing mackerels

On Sunday we were invited to lunch with Christine's brother at a small town a few miles away.  There was  a farmers' market going on. 

A German band 

Two women entertaining visitors 

Kids' performance

Our table of friends

It was a wonderful and short visit to Munich.  I feel so lucky to know someone and get invited to Oktoberfest every year.  I will be back!

Salzburg

 Salzburg was not on my itinerary. 

Just before I arrived in Munich I texted my friend what he was planning to do after I arrived.  He said he won't be able to take time off and will be very busy.  He will be going to Heidelberg.  I told him I was thinking of going to Salzburg or Berlin.  He said Salzburg would fit nicely into my schedule.

So I started checking train schedules and asked ChatGPT for a recommended 3-day itinerary and hotel.  There are several trains that stops in Salzburg.  I picked one that is during off-peak and priced lower.  I looked for hotels in the Old Town area and decided on one that is nearby, the Allsadt Salzburg Hofwirt.  I found that hotels in the Old Town area are expensive.  For a simple room I paid more than €300 a night.  Location! Location! Location!

The train ride was smooth.  I walked from my friend Tobias' house to the Daglfing station, about 10 minutes.  I have been to this station many times - to go to and from the airport and to other parts of Munich.  The S8 train went from Daglfing to Munich Hauptbahnhof.  Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) means Main or Central Station.  Every city in Europe has one.  I found Platform 11 and waited for the train that will go to Salzburg. The ride took less than 2 hours, going through the beautiful German and part of Austrian countryside.  Everything was still very green, even though it's already fall.  Like everywhere Europe is feeling the impact of Global warming.

At the Salzburg Hbf I asked the information office for directions to the Hotel Hofwirt, and was told to take the No. 2 bus.  I bought a 1-day ticket and it took about 15 minutes to get to the hotel.

It took a long time to check in to the hotel.  The process was very slow and my room was not ready.  So I had to walk around Salzburg with my backpack.

A view of Old Town 

A pedestrian mall

This is where it started

Sunset over the river

I came back to the hotel for a short rest and that evening set out to look for a well-known restaurant that was highly recommended.  It's called Zirkelwirt, a restaurant that has been around for 400 years.  The food is traditional Austrian and the prices are not very high.

The menu cover

The entrees

Roast Pork with sauerkraut 

The waiter highly recommended the roast pork.  It was delicious.

There were a lot of activities going on in the old town.  There seems to be some kind of festival with a big tent for some traditional Austrian music.

Band playing Austrian music

While walking back to the hotel I met a street singer by the name of Kang.  We chatted and very soon attracted a large crowd of young Austrians who had been at the festival.  We started singing together and soon his guitar case was filled with donations.

Kang with a couple of fans

It was recommended that I buy the Salzburg Card, which allows me to visit most of the attractions in Salzburg for free.  The next morning the first place visited was the Hellbrunn Palace.  I hopped on bus 25 for a 20-minute bus to Hellbrunn.  

Hellbrunn Palace

The famous Trick Fountains was about to be opened so I decided to go there.  Water fountains are hidden in strategic locations so that it'd spray at unexpected moments at the visitors.   Markus Sittikus von Hohenems, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, built the palace and the trick fountains to amuse his visitors.

All the trick fountains at the garden

I took the bus back to Old Town and found Mozart's birthplace and museum.  It was enlightening learning about this prodigy and music genius.

One of Mozart's old violin

A portrait

Another highly-recommended tourist spot is the Mönchsberg.  It is one of five mountains in the city of Salzburg.  I took a funicular to the top of the mountain and was rewarded with a beautiful view of the city.  There were also exhibits explaining  other uses of the mountain top.

A View from the top

Since I was in the Old Town (Allstadt) I also visited the Dom Zu Salzburg or the Salzburg Cathedral.

Salzburg Cathedral

I missed other attractions since I have limited time.  The Salzburg Museum was closed.  I visited the Mirabell Gardens the day before but I wasn't impressed by it.

That evening I took a walk to Old Town again and watched a band playing lively Austrian music.

A lively local band

It was a short but beautiful 3-day visit to Salzburg.  I took the train back to Munich and that afternoon I was ready to go to Oktoberfest!

Taipei

I am now finished with my tour organized by Asia Odyssey Travel (AOT).  That was 38 days.  I now have 3 extra days in Taipei on my own - "free and easy" some would say.  I am going to enjoy wandering around Taipei without a planned itinerary.  Do whatever I feel like doing.  I have 3 nights at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, a beautiful hotel next to Taipei 101

After checking in I decided to explore the neighborhood.  There is a convention center next door.  City Hall is across the street.  There are quite a few shops and shopping centers and high-end hotels in the area.  Without a fix destination I asked where the nearest night market is. It is Linjiang Night Market, probably about a 30-minute walk away.  As I explained in a previous blog every night market is different, depending on the neighborhood and popularity.  This one is relatively small.

Taipei 101 at night

Grand Hyatt Hotel

Sign says:  Linjiang Street.  Tourist Night Market

They sell the usual "small bites":  scallion pancakes, meat buns, fruits, etc.  I saw a store that was selling steak.  I decided to give it a try.  I think I ordered a ribeye.  It was not very good.  Probably overcooked.

Many choices of scallion pancakes

Steak - Taiwanese-style

I checked online to get some ideas on what to do.  I saw a "Free Walking Tour" the next morning, starting at the Longshan Temple.  I have been to many "free walking tours" around the world.  Contrary to what its name said it is not free.  Donations are expected.  You give what you think the tour is worth.  It is probably a profitable model because they are in everywhere city in the world.  Most of the guides are young.  It takes a lot of energy to keep the tourists interested and walk anywhere from 2-3 hours.  I have been on some excellent tours and now that I can afford it more, I give more generously.  I admire the courage and knowledge of these young tour guides.

Our two guides (on either side)

Worshipper at Longshan Temple

Courtyard of Longshan Temple

Bopilao Historical Block (closed on Mondays)

Red House at Ximending

Ximending - popular entertainment and shopping area

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial

Next I took the MRT (Taipei's subway system) back to the Taipei Main Station.  I remember the last time I was in Taipei this was a sprawling shopping center and food courts.  I was also looking for a barber shop.  Unfortunately, I got a little lost and stumbled on a part of the shopping center that caters mostly to video games.  At the end I did not find anything interesting to see nor the barber shop.

A shop catering to video game enthusiasts

The next day I thought I will go to Costco, my favorite store.  I know Costco in other countries sell a lot of local stuff plus the basic stuffs that Costco sells.  I looked up Google Maps for the nearest Costco and thought I figured out how to get there using public transportation.  I first took the MRT to the Taipei Main Station and thought there is a bus that goes to somewhere near Costco in Neihu District.  After asking several people I was lost in the station.  What to do?  I saw a taxi waiting outside and just jumped in and told the driver where I wanted to go.  The fare?  NTD300 or about $9.25.

Costco in Neihu.  There are 3 Costcos' in Taipei

Like any busy food court

Rotisserie Chicken

Water Spinach or On Choy

Ah...delicious Costco hot dog!

I bought the braised pork rice.  So tasty!

First thing I wanted to see is what's different in the food court.  What kind of food do they sell?  What about the Costco hot dog?

Yes. They have the hot dog, American style.  It costs 50 NTD.  US$1 = 32.41 NTD (New Taiwan Dollar).  That means the hot dog and soda combo costs US$1.54.  Four cents higher than the US.  Still not a bad deal.  They also sell a lot of local delicacies.  I saw an offering for braised pork rice with radish soup for 99 NTD (or about $3).  What a deal! And so delicious!

I walked around the store and try to look for things the Taiwan Costco sell that we don't.  Yes.  They have fresh vegetables but Chinese vegetables like bok choy, water spinach (called On Choy or Kang Kong).  German pork knuckles seem to be popular here.  Thank God no brussels sprouts. So is laksa (Singaporean curry noodles), Cantonese BBQ pork.  Of course they have rotisserie chicken for 189 NTD or $5.83.  This wouldn't be Costco if they don't have rotisserie chicken.

Like I explained before, night markets are immensely popular in Taiwan.  On a listing of the most popular night markets one of them is the Raohe Street Night Market.  It is very popular with tourists.  It is almost 1/2 mile long and sells everything from food to tourist paraphernalia.

Entrance to the night market

Selling meat buns

BBQ Beef

As part of the American Express deal to stay in certain hotels I get free breakfast (for two) and a $100 credit to be spent at the hotel.  I was looking for a place to have dinner the second night and stumbled on the Japanese buffet restaurant in the hotel called Irodori.  I have been to many cheap Japanese buffet restaurants in the US but it's more quantity than quality.  But this restaurant offers authentic Japanese food with a live kitchen.  The price was NTD1,580 or almost US$50.  The restaurant was packed and I almost could not get a seat until I told them that I was a hotel guest.  Apparently many customers come from all over Taipei to eat here.  Unfortunately, I did not take pictures of my food, because I was too busy eating 😊.  But here is the website with some pictures:  

https://www.hyatt.com/grand-hyatt/en-US/taigh-grand-hyatt-taipei/dining/irodori

But, first, before I go any further I want to talk about the breakfast at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.  This hotel has 850 rooms and suites, a big hotel, that caters mostly to business travelers.  When I was there a technology conference was going on next door at the convention center.  One of the featured speakers was Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia.  The guests come from all over the world and the breakfast buffet offerings reflect that.  I ate there three mornings and there were still food that I did not try.  I mainly focus on eating proteins and fruits in the morning, with some Chinese treats that I have missed over the years.  It is one of the best breakfast buffets I have had.  One thing I noticed eating breakfast buffets at many hotels all over Taiwan is that they hire many young Indonesian ladies as wait staff.  Like many advance countries like Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, etc,  they are short of labor.  Having grown up in Singapore and learned Malay, I was able to say a few simple Malay (or Bahasa Indonesia) words to some of the wait staff, especially when I want an extra cup of cappuccino.  Here is the Cafe's website:  

https://www.hyatt.com/grand-hyatt/en-US/taigh-grand-hyatt-taipei/dining/cafe

My flight leaves in the afternoon on my last day in Taipei.  I still have a few hours to see Taipei before I go to the airport.  I texted my driver and now friend Addy if he wanted to come eat breakfast with me at the hotel, then take me to Dadaocheng area.  This is a historic area of Taipei started in the mid-1800s' for the export of tea.  It is a major tourist attraction and has many shops that sell or make traditional Taiwanese crafts or food. 

Dihua Street

Dihua Street Post Office

Street Food

A Chinese Temple

Enjoying some local snacks

Popular braised pork knuckles

Chinese noodles

A popular seafood stand

There were also some buildings that showed the history and culture of the area.

An old tea setting

Dadaocheng Theater - for puppets

Puppets used in theaters

It was a wonderful unplanned 3 days in Taipei.  It is a modern city with excellent infrastructure.  The Taiwanese people are very nice and prices are cheaper than in the US.

Addy took me to the Taoyuan International Airport, about an hour away, that afternoon.  Luckily I have a China Airlines direct flight from Taipei to Phoenix, about 12 hours.  I was able to sleep half the time.  The service was excellent.  There are now two Taiwan-based airlines flying direct from Phoenix to Taipei:  China Airlines and Starlux.  It is due mainly to the opening of the TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) fab in north Phoenix.  They are expecting increased passenger traffic between Phoenix and Taiwan and the rest of Asia.  Personally it makes it very convenient for me because I usually have to fly to the west coast, either Los Angeles or San Francisco or Seattle, to continue on to Asia.

This ends my wonderful 43-day trip to China and Taiwan.  I plan to rest and rejuvenate the next 2-3 months - hiking, golf, mountain biking, etc.  I will start traveling again in August - Montreal and Halifax, then Munich for Oktoberfest, follow by the Naples area, and then Sicily in October.