oktoberfest 2007

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T07:41:00.001-07:00

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) — Munich opened the beer taps on Saturday to launch Oktoberfest, with an estimated six million people expected to attend the beer celebration over 16 days.

The festivities are held at Theresienwiese, a 31-hectare (12.4 acre) park with 14 large tents where drinkers, many wearing traditional Bavarian costumes, take their spots at long wooden tables.

Last year more than six million litres (13 million pints) of beer were drunk.
The event also generated nearly a billion euros (1.4 billion dollars) for the Bavarian capital, with 450 million coming directly from the festival and 300 million earned through hotels, which are always packed for the occasion.

Listen guys you worry too much.
Don’t hate me because I live in Munich.
I'm still not sure this is a good idea.
Invisible Man say, “Don’t see me so sad!”
Nope, still can't feel good about that, sorry!
Let's try it again when you're, say, artist.

Here's another horrible german story!

Oktoberfest is Munich.

But Munich isn't only Oktoberfest:

Munich - the world's most liveable city

2007-09-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

Munich emerges as Monocle's most liveable city
A general feeling of Gemütlichkeit boosts Munich to top spot

By William Boston Monocle Magazine
Published: June 19, 2007

After much tire-kicking, data-sifting and deliberation, Munich emerged as Monocle's most liveable city in the world. A winning combination of investment in infrastructure, high-quality housing, low crime, liberal politics, strong media and general feeling of Gemütlichkeit make it a city that should inspire others.

Leaning back in a wicker chair sipping caffe latte overlooking Leopoldstrasse as cars zip past under the watchful eyes of the lion-drawn quadriga atop the Victory Gate, you begin to understand Munich's contradictions. There is hardly a more German city or one more proud of its clichés - from Lederhosen-clad locals downing liter-mugs of beer in leafy parks to the clinical appearance of white-frocked scientists at the Max Planck research institute. But beneath the city's boundless ambition, Munich is surprisingly laid-back.
"There's a certain Italian ambience here," says Uschi Schnitzer, a 35-year-old event manager, putting down her book on a sunny afternoon in a café in Schwabing, one of the city's liveliest areas. "In winter you've got the mountains and in summer the cafés, beer gardens and lakes. What else do you need?"
Work-life balance seems to be the city's mantra. Make no mistake, people in this city work hard. With some of the highest apartment rents in Europe and all the shiny BMWs on the streets, they have to. But with high prices comes high quality, so it's no surprise that Munich has one of the fastest-growing economies and lowest unemployment and violent crime rates in Germany. The city works hard to promote innovation.

"This city got biotech going in Germany," says Professor Axel Ullrich, 63, a leading international anti-cancer researcher and director of molecular biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried. The city is also home to corporate giants such as BMW, Siemens, Allianz, Microsoft, and is the center of the German film industry.
"Greater Munich is the most successful economic region in the country," says Lord Mayor Christian Ude, but he adds that commerce isn't everything. The most important urban development, he says, was opening the new Jewish Center with a synagogue and community center in central Munich. "Not only does the Jewish community regain its place in the heart of Munich, the Jewish Center is also an important contribution to the development of the city."

After work, Munich's masses enjoy the city's chill factor. The options are many, whether it's drinking beer in the English Garden or in the shade of the tall trees at Viktualienmarkt, sunbathing on the banks of the Isar river, attending the theatre or concerts, or hanging out in the smart bars around Gärtnerplatz or entertaining at home.
Take Christian Hundertmark, a graphic designer who goes by the name C100. A partner in c100studio.com - a design company whose clients include Oakley, Prada, Burton, Adidas and Levi's - and an avid snowboarder, he describes himself as both a workaholic and sportaholic. "I travel frequently to cities such as London or Barcelona because I know people, but I'm always glad to come back to Munich. I need the mix of big city and nature," he says.
Munich metrics
Population: 1.6 million (greater Munich).
International flights: Franz Josef Strauss International Airport is one of the best in Europe. On average there are 5,876 passenger flights a week to 224 international (42 long-haul) destinations.
Crime: murders, 13; domestic break-ins,
1,340 (2006).
State education: Munich has top-class state schools and universities such as the Ludwig Maximilian. Only 20 per cent of Munich students qualify to attend university.
Medical care: high-quality. Munich has 87 clinics, including the German Heart Centre.
Sunshine: annual average, 1,679 hours.
Temperatures: average temperatures range from -5.1C in January to 22.8C in July.
Wired: nearly 500 public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Tolerance: Munich is considered an island of liberal-mindedness in a sea of Bavarian conservatism. The Glockenbach district is popular with gay residents. The city has strong Turkish and Balkan communities.
Drinking and shopping: Many bars and clubs are open until 03.00; some don't really get going until then. The beer gardens tend to be open between 13.00 and 01.00. Shops close at 20.00.
Public transport: public transport is excellent. Buses and trams are well-lit and clean and run late.
Local media: Munich is home to Germany's largest public broadcasting network, ARD, and its largest commercial network, Pro7-Sat1 Media AG, and is also host to the Burda publishing group. The city's main newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, sells around 445,000 copies a day and is read nationally, and respected for its intelligent, liberal analysis (a Sunday edition is due soonish).
International media: international newspapers and magazines available at the railway station, airport and some newsstands.

FEEDBACKS

As i am born and raised in London and Capetown, now living in Munich, I have to smile about all german comments. I really can understand the reasons and criterias which made Munich number one in this competition.For me Munich is not one of the big cities on our planet, nor is Hamburg. But the people in Munich don”t think their city is a world city. Actually they are talking about Munich as a big village themselves. And that is exactly what makes it so liveable.If you are not looking for Shipbrokers you will find a lot of openminded, cosmopolitan people… I never had a problem to get contact to nice and interesting people!!!Because citizen of Munich and Hamburg are proud of their cities, they like to compare each other all the time. Hamburg is nice and it is on second for me. The difference between the rich and the poor in Hamburg is big and you can feel that on the streets. The richs live the understatement, but they always seemed to me as feeling very arristocratic and cold to other people.Without any doubt it was the ambience, the short distance to lakes, mountains, wildlife on the one hand, an excellent airport (the airport of Hamburg looks like an airport for a small city!!!), easy access to high educated people, the beautyfull city itselve and the nice people, that I followed the call of the company to Munich (which is in terms of media bigger and much more important than Hamburg).
But please don’t think about Munich to representative for Bavaria or Germany! It is not!

Steven Morgan, Munich — 29 June 2007

As an American (and a Californian at that) who has lived in Munich for over 7 years, I can only say this review is spot-on. Munich may never qualify as great, or cosmopolitan or painfully hip, but it is utterly liveable which is why I intend to keep it as my home-base. To all the Kölners, Hamburgers and Berliners out there: don’t hate.

Eleanor >Munich/Germany — 30 June 2007

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

Munich emerges as Monocle's most liveable city

I don’t know every listed city, but I’m form Buenos Aires and I lived in Madrid, Paris, Hamburg and now in Munich and I can agree with the IHT list.

Munich IS the most liveable city I’ve ever lived in my life. It is much much more than a big park. The incomes are high and you really have good live quality.

I think all german people who made comments before have never lived in Munich.

Maybe Bavaria is not a cosmopolitan area, but Munich is defently a cosmoplitan city (for me the most cosmopolitan city in Germany).

If you go out at night you meet so much people form all over the world you can survive and have a lot of fun even if you don’t speak german - if you could speak Italien, French, Spanish, Turkish, Polish you could live in Munich without any problems. Minorities could live without any problems. There even 1000ends of international companies which will contract you without any german word. (Now I can speak german but when I arrived I couldn’t speak german and I had less problems to find a QUALIFIED job than in Hamburg).

The summerfeeling in the city is like the latin way of life (in this way it’s really NOT a german city) but with german organisation.

Only one example: Paris is great. There a good concerts, cool parties, international guests. But have you ever tried finding a cheap and liveable flat in Paris? Forget it! Have you ever tried to go home using public transport in Paris at 3 o’clock at night? Forget it!

Here in Munich I found concerts and international parties of the same quality AND (more or less) cheap flats and it’s no problem to go home at three o’clock at night (There a night Trams and there is no crime).

José Florian Mendez, Munich, Germany — 30 June 2007

nobody cares what hamburgers think :D (ha, just look on that name)and bavaria isnt germany nor is munich a “german” city. bavaria is unique and own culture, with a own language, own mentality, habbits, cuisine, political tradition, humour, scenery. its just part of the german nation since bavaria lost the independence to the prussians in the 19th century. like scottland and england you could say. and me as half american enjoys allways again the clean air, not only polite-friendly people and the pretty city not only at seightseeing spots but in each backyard. like the living traditions which are not only kind of folklore. thats what makes the whole city a living-room, everybodies home. metropolitan doesnt have to mean arrogant and posh people, although there is alot posh in munich if you seek it.i fully agree with munichs ranking, there will be allways others that disagree :o) but hey relax, lets meet in munichs beer gardens and discuss it :o)

eric, munich — 02 July 2007

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I can just agree with the article, Munich is the most liveabe city I’ve ever lived in from severals point of view… and I’m not German, but Italian!

I spent 6 years here in Munich and I’ve just come back because I missed the high quality of life of this city. I didn’t missed my home country while being in Australia, but I missed Munich, it has clean and fresh air, low pollution, you can own a car but you don’t really need to, the green areas in almost every part of the city (there is not just the huge beautiful Englischer Garten, but many park s with high trees and birds in almost every suburb!), its international airport, its clean and very funcional public transportation system, the actractive job market and huge entertainment and cultural program, the clean and well take care of streets to walk or bike along, the low crime, index, lots of lively cafes, various people from all over the world with whom it’s easy to get in touch.

You can take a walk in the city, dine out in different kind of restaurants for more or less the same price as in Italy if not cheaper, or take the U-Bahn and listen to different languages and meet people from every age and every place in the world… And you can always feel save heading back home, it doesn’t matter what time is it. Things work here and they also work well. I’m so happy to be back “home”!

Claudia, Munich, Germany — 02 July 2007

2007-09-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

The factors that make a city liveable:
1. Whoever said that a big city is better than a small or a medium one to live there? Small cities could be better than big ones to live in. And Munich, even if I don’t know anything about it, with its 1.600.000 inhabitants, is not so small, anyway. I moved from Milan (which is not big, but likes to think itself a metropolis) to a quite smaller city in Flanders where I spend right now half of my time…and it’s much better than Milan.

2. About Rome: have you ever tried to live there? Have you ever past one or two months there in summer, when it’s so hot you can’t even breath? Have you ever tried to sign a contract for electricity, or water, or gas, or telephone in Italy, and especially in Rome or in the south? I’m italian and I still live also in Milan, so I know what I’m saying. Most of the people I know (and I’ve known through the years) coming from abroad, find these operations so tiring and unnerving to give up and, most of the time, ending up leaving Italy.

3. Mr Brûlé is surely young, maybe single (or with no family) and probably affluent. But some of the cities classifieds are quite affordable, so it’s not necessary to be rich to live in the cities chosen by Monocle. You need quite more money to live in Paris or Rome (Rome is not an expensive city, if you compare it to Milan, but the houses are quite expensive).

4. As for kids, maybe because I come from and I still live in Italy, it’s one of the worst countries in Europe to have and raise children. I’m sure that everywhere in Europe the politics for the family with kids and young mothers tend to help them, not to obstacle them, as it happens in Italy.

5. Tolerance toward gay people is necessary: communities tolerant toward gays are generally more open-minded.

So, to summarize, to live well in a city you need:

silence and green spaces when needed;f

ew traffic in the city centre and around your house, why not?;

affordable houses and life;some good restaurants (better if not so expensive);

schools open all day long and in summer too, if mother and father work;

good public transports;

good and efficient public services;

good bicycle politics;

a couple of bookstores and newspapers shops near home to find your own country newspapers when you’re a bit nostalgic;

good climate, not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter, not too rainy, not too snowy (if you need air conditioning at home at night more than a week per year, it’s not a good place to live);

no (or at least few) crimes, you don’t want to be scared when you head home late eveninglate evening shopping or at least some nightshop;

something very very rare in the small european cities: a good taxi service;

regular (not espresso) coffee everywhere (the thing I miss so much when I’m in Italy);

open-mindedness for the language: in Antwerp you don’t need to learn Flemish, they speak every language you need, english, french, german;

also the bank papers come in english if requested;

as for your house, at least a small yard (and facing onto a park in the back is a luxury);

and as added bonus for your happiness, some lovely kittens squatting in your backyard.

Roberta Mutti, Milan/Antwerp — 04 July 2007

I´ve experienced that a lot of negative prejudices against Munich come from pure (and very old) hear-say - namely the Beer, Lederhosen and Conservatism thing. Ironically, it is quite a big plus for the city that these dead myths keep a lot of people with the wrong mindset out of Munich.

Georg — 06 July 2007

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

Quality of life is such a subjective thing that it’s virtually impossible to measure. What’s important to one person might be of absolutely no consequence to someone else. And while you can point to crime rates and housing prices, how do you measure how friendly or open-minded the local people are?
I’m British and live in Munich and can honestly say that this is a wonderful city in which to live. It’s safe, tidy, fantastically located, and has great parks, beer gardens, a vibrant cultural scene, wonderful public transport and the Alps on its doorstep. By virtually any objective standard it’s an amazing city.
But I can also understand why its not for everyone. The people can be quite insular and brusk in a way that they tend not to be in some other German cities and there’s more than a dose of pretentiousness thrown in too. But those things would never come up in any measurable study, would they? Everyone has their own reasons for liking certain cities over others, but as other posters have pointed out, visiting a city is very different from living there. I love visiting Paris and London but honestly can’t imagine living in either of them. Conversely people that find Munich to be a small, “un-cosmopolitan” city might be pleasantly surprised if they actually spent a decent amount of time here.
In short I think that Munich is a great place to live, and I can see why it consistently seems to rank so high in these kinds of studies. But equally I can understand why others are less enthusiastic.
Either way, it’s interesting - and refreshing - to see German cities score so highly. Maybe social democracy does work after all…

Chris, Munich — 06 July 2007

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

As a north German now living in Munich I have to strongly disagree that Munich is the most German City, even a typical German city. It is quite the opposite. The Bavarians are quite peculiar people, different from all other Germans, even in their language. Wearing Lederhosen and drinking beer in masses is not at all typical for Germans despite foreign prejudices. However, Munich has become an international city, the so called Zugreisten (newly moved ins) now appear to form a big share of the inhabitants.

The original bavarians on the other side appear to be (like the prejudices say) conservative, traditional, have an aversion against all others, absolutely intolerant, bullheaded, effervascing at the slightest opportunity, and appear to make a virtue from unfriendlyness.

My family (we have a so called migration background) is now living here for about 16 years and we found many friends. But no one is original Bavarian.

But because the city is big you find people from all areas of the world and also people with same interests. The real reason that the crime rate is so low is not because the people here are so honest or the police is so good. It is simply due to the fact that the high prices for lodgement keep all people with low social background out of the area.

Biggest advantage: Weather conditions and safety against crime

Biggest drawbacks: Unfriendliness, intolerance, high prices

hoang, munich — 23 July 2007

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

Munich emerges as Monocle's most liveable city

Having lived in a few other German cities (Cologne, Berlin, Frankfurt) as well as in Italy, the U.S., England and Canada, I strongly agree. Munich is a great city! And it is mainly because it has always kept its village-mentality whilst offering the advantages of a big city.

To hoang: I have never seen masses of beerdrinkers in Lederhosn, except for the Octoberfest, where 70% are visitors. If have never seen as much culture when it comes to drinking beer as here in Munich.

And to be honest, I and my family have always found Bavarians cosier, more open-minded and relaxed than those people coming from other parts of Germany.

But I guess envy has always been one of the not so nice German characteristics.

You should be glad that it is a German city that has been voted no. 1 in the first place.

Where is your loyalty?

Controletti — 23 July 2007

OKTOBERFEST 2007

2007-09-23T05:43:00.000-07:00

And now about something completely different:

Oktoberfest 2007
Oh, I do, do I?

This is why I moved to Munich.