Last Wednesday, 24 September, the Oxford Alumni of Bavaria and their guests once more gathered for a joint Oktoberfest Outing. The record number of four big Oktoberfest tables was fully booked by members in no time and the crew was happy that quite a few new members and guests from Oxford made it also.
The Armbrustschützenzelt (lit. crossbowmen’s tent) is one of the most traditional tents, in which a part the German crossbow championships is held every year. As one might have expected, the alumni opted for somewhat more peaceful and less dangerous (in particular after a few Mass) pastimes, and made liberal use of the nigh on endless supply of Märzen beer, balancing their intake with hearty portions of Bavarian fare.
A lot of fun was had by all involved, and after a few hours, remaining seated was simply not an option, as the brass band played classics of questionable musical, but certainly considerable entertainment value. When our tent closed at 10:30pm, we were greeted with torrential rain showers more reminiscent of England than of Bavaria, but that did little to reduce the experience.