Go West! To München?

It was back on the 26 August when I found the £20 return flight, no further taxes, with Mr O’Leary to ‘Munich West’. As I booked it Jo and Annette were in contact to enquire about Weinachtsmarkts. After the pain of the Euro last year in Koln there was no way Hector was repeating this…but two nights in München, mid-November?

And it came to pass that eleven of us flew from Edinburgh to Allgäu Flughafen on Saturday, November 14. This was the first time that Jonathan and Hector would ever start a foreign trip by the same means of transport and hence arrive suzammen.

Lord Clive and Lady Maggie were due to join us later in the city.

The highest airport in Germany, so it claims above the door. Who is arguing?

Our scheduled taxis were somewhat late in collecting us at the airport, so we just had time to purchase the Bayern Tickets at Memmingen Bahnhof. This is the cheapest way to München, no messing around with buses at €18 a shout.

Two trains, changing at Buchloe, saw us arrive in München at 19.10.

Dr Stan had booked us a table at the Augustiner Braustuben, Landsbergstrasse 19. Hector believed this to be for 19.30. There was loadsa time originally but the scheduled delay in the flight meant that we missed our ‘19.00’ reservation by some 45 minutes. The Doris in charge was not up for sympathy, “Youz are too late!”

And so the splitters sat by the toilet whilst the in crowd, Steve, Marg, Hector Jo and Annette – The Lomond Crew – plus Bernard! Well there were two new ladies in tow… took a space in the main area. We made room for the soon to arrive Clive and Maggie and eventually, Craig, Yvonne, Howard, Tracey and Jonathan all joined us at THE table.

Augustiner Edelstoff, what more needs to be said? As Hector was not flying the next day, he had fish for dinner.

The Sports Bar, Schillerstrasse was the inevitable end of night location. Clive and Maggie may have been last to bed, Hector was a good boy and went home to his wife…

A Sunday in München, or the day Clive threw away his wallet…

Jo and Annette were away early on a bus tour to Neuschwanstein et al.

After a reasonably timed Royal breakfast, Craig and Yvonne appeared to head straight back to the Augustiner Braustuben. Hector and Marg went to a café overlooking the Glockenspiel, for a change. Was it really only three weeks since we had last been there?

It was safe to go for a bier, Bernard ! was there too… what is going on? This is the man who is so strict with himself except when he is not.

As the rest arrived Hector and Marg made a swift exit. We were going to the Tiergarten. The Zoo!

What an amazing spectacle! On entry we saw sheep, goats, Marg became excited and photographed a squirrel.. We can see these in our back yard. This was usually followed by a cat then a dog. Stupendous!

Ah, the bear compound…” Bären im Winterruhe” the sign said… I know what Ruhetag is…ah, hibernation! Exciting! Are there any animals in this zoo? Eventually we found the bird like animals who like to eat fish and swim, but Bernard will not let me identify them by their correct name in case I offend someone.

Six o’clock at Mango was the rendezvous...Howard and Tracey who had been touring obscure bier houses were waiting.

The lamb madras all to myself.

The rest arrived, some looking more tired than emotional. Steve propped himself on the end of the table. He had seen enough of the others?

After the curry there was only one place to go…Dr Stan was not with us to give us the hard stare and disapproving look. Steve and Hector lead the way; Marg went off to phone Scotland, all of it judging by the time she was away.

Only one Southsider made it to the Hofbräuhaus, the rest retired gracefully for an early night. And so a quiet night was had with the remaining crew, joined eventually by Jo and Annette. I remember our last trip with this company; Jo likes to drink other people’s bier, especially mine.

Once upon a time the Hofbräuhaus was a riotous night out. Alas, no more. The band play only traditional music – great, but only a few pieces at a time and there is nothing to get one wound up at all. A very sedate night it is. Bring back Reinhold Frank!

And so we went to Andechs, this was the last time Clive had his wallet.

Do you have Spezial Hell?

Pyraser Day!

Saturday, November 7

is the first ever barrel of Pyraser consumed domestically in Scotland! It is possible that Pyraser has appeared at the Paisley Bierfest, but this is not certain. So an even greater claim may be made…

Fifteen enthusiasts were present to consume 30l of Pyraser Landbier, with 20l of Mühlen Kölsch to (mouth-)wash it down.

In between there was the small matter of The Hector Dry Lamb Curry…cooked not to kill, but to paralyse momentarily...

We were honoured to have Mein Host from the Bon Accord present; he came not to drink the bier but to eat the curry… Lord Clive of Crawley had also made the trip north to join in the festivities. Alistair Boyd was making his inaugural visit to a barrel party, as was Gordon "I've got to go...".

The select group are those who managed to turn out wearing Pyraser garb… “I forgot.” said Howard…