The Shwits

Expectations vs. Reality: Pregnancy and Postpartum

Let’s start with expectation #1: Sitting down to write this post.

Expectation: I’ll do it.

Reality: We’re six weeks into life with Nolen, and this is my first attempt.

And perhaps ironically, my baby, who’s been napping for a glorious 2 hours already, has just started rustling around. Guess we will see how far I get today. 😜

(Update: Nolen is now nearly 9 weeks old, and I’ve just finished writing. 🤷‍♀️)

But, yes. Nolen joined our family on 8 September 2025, and for my own posterity, I wanted to write about my experience with pregnancy and the first few weeks postpartum because my reality was nothing like my expectations. Let me explain.

Born on 08 September — Nolen Lee, approximately 45 minutes old.

I’ve always been on the fence about having kids. Honestly, if Shane was someone who didn’t want them, I would have been ok. I love the life we’ve built, and it was hard to imagine changing that. But, after Ecuador, we knew it was time to have “the talk,” given we were about as stable as we were going to be location and job wise and that we were approaching 40.

My one stipulation? Oktoberfest. I wanted one proper, all-in, no-responsibilities Oktoberfest while we lived in Munich before our lives changed. So, we Oktoberfested, and then decided to see where life takes us. Which brings me to expectation #2.

Expectation: This could take a while.

Reality: Two months.

And I feel very fortunate. I really expected it to take a while since I had been on birth control since I was 16, and we were starting this adventure at 39. There were potentially a lot of factors working against us. I also didn’t expect how TTC (trying to conceive, as “they” say) lived in the back of my mind rent-free. Once we made the decision, I felt the timeline pressure—are we in or out of “the window” each month? When can I take a test? Shane didn’t experience this; I guess that’s the benefit of not being the primary responsible party in this situation. The whole experience gave me a much better appreciation for those couples who go through these ups and downs for longer periods.

And, given that we were purposefully trying to have a baby, I certainly didn’t expect us both to be shocked when it actually worked. 😆

Expectation: I’ll hate being pregnant.

Reality: It’s not so bad.

I attribute this solely to the fact that I was able to be myself throughout my pregnancy. I was fortunate enough to experience no morning sickness, no fatigue, no food aversions, and no major pains. I kept working out until I was 40 weeks pregnant (although I did have to give up running around 20 weeks). I really didn’t need to “give up” much in terms of foods besides the occasional alcoholic drink (which I really didn’t miss until beer garden season) and sprouts on my salad. Oh, and sprudelwasser (sparkling water)—that one really hurt. However, since I needed more calories, I incorporated daily peanut butter snacks (my favorite food) and weekly schneckes (the German cinnamon roll; it means “snail,” which I love). So, I really couldn’t complain about food.

Moreover, I expected to feel hormonal swings, but I felt mentally myself. I expected to worry about gaining weight, but I found it to be fun looking at the data week to week and matching it with baby bump progress pictures. I expected to be weirded out by the fact that a human was growing inside of me, but instead I was amazed by what was happening. I guess you see the pattern?

Now, what I did not expect was having to pee all the time in the first trimester (thought that was a third-trimester thing!), how early on and how often I could feel baby movements (I was barely showing), or feeling simultaneously stretched to the brim, like I ate way too much food, yet simultaneously hungry.

40 Weeks Pregnant — 40 weeks (due date!)

And don’t get me wrong. There were some parts I didn’t enjoy. Like the sporadic pelvic pain (which is why I stopped running), the inability to use my abs to get on and off the couch or in bed, and how uncomfortable sleeping was by the end (I swear, I get more quality sleep with a newborn than I did those last few weeks of pregnancy). And these not-so-fun parts bring me to my next expectation.

Expectation: To have moments of panic!

Reality: It didn’t happen.

I kept waiting for that “wtf have we done” moment during pregnancy, but it just never came. Shane and I are type A, need a routine, plan for everything kinda people. But for some reason, when it came to pregnancy and the upcoming arrival of the baby, we were both able to just let that go and accept that we had no idea what to expect. “It is what it is” was our running motto. I think that’s why those panic moments never happened. We could plan for the fact that we would have no plan! 🤦‍♀️😆

In my opinion, this is also partly attributed to the fact that we’ve now moved to three countries—the Netherlands, Germany, and Ecuador—without ever having visited or vetted our new home. Each time we arrived with no expectations. Ok, we had some expectations in the Netherlands, our first move outside of the US, but you learn how to manage them and integrate into this new way of life. I think pregnancy and baby were just another “move”; we arrived with no expectations and were willing to simply try and integrate the best we could.

I really only had one moment of panic: Going into labor on a 30 °C (~86 °F) day in a hospital with no air conditioning (you read that correctly; there’s no AC in German hospitals), which was a real possibility at the end of the summer. 😆

Schloss Neuschwanstein from the Marienbrücke — 36 weeks pregnant.

Expectation: I have no clue what labor and delivery will be like.

Reality: I had no clue what labor and delivery would be like.

Hey, at least I got one thing right! 🤣

I had really hoped that Nolen would make his arrival on the due date (28 August), but logically I knew this was very unlikely. My mom arrived in Munich a week before the due date, and then my dad, sister, and in-laws were arriving a week to ten days after the due date. I expected (ok, hoped, really) that Nolen would arrive on time, so I would feel more up to doing touristy things with everyone. I was very wrong. I mean, I still wanted to do touristy things, but Nolen didn’t make his appearance until 11 days past my due date.

I can’t speak for all of Germany, but at the hospitals in Munich, induction is not considered until 10 days after the due date. The reason being that it’s not unreasonable to think the due date could have been miscalculated by a week or so, but there are risks the longer you wait. So, 10 days past the due date is what they consider the sweet spot for induction.

What I did not expect was the “is today the day?!” roller coaster of emotions that started around 37 weeks, which is considered full term here. I felt like every day I woke up thinking, “ok, maybe today!” and, subsequently, I found myself feeling very impatient and overanalyzing everything my body was doing. But 37 + 0 days was not the day, nor was 40 + 0 or 40 + 2, 4, 6, 8, or 9, which are all the days we went to the hospital for a check. On the plus side, by the time 40 + 10 days came around (i.e., the day they would induce), we were both so ready to get things going that we weren’t nervous. It was just excitement to finally start this next chapter!

Another positive to induction is that I was able to walk to the hospital, which is something I had hoped to be able to do. The hospital where Nolen was born is only a ~15-minute walk through the park from our house. So, on the morning of the induction, we had a nice final walk as a family of two, and three days later, Shane walked Nolen home (I went in a taxi).

Walking to the hospital for the induction!

Regarding the labor and delivery, as I said, I was induced at 41 + 3 days. They started the induction around 8:30 am, but things didn’t start picking up until about 12 hours later, culminating in a contraction storm with relatively short but very intense contractions with essentially no break in between. So, they gave me a medication to slow the pace of the contractions, and then I was able to have an epidural. I reached 10 cm dilated ~1.5 hours after the epidural, but the contractions weren’t strong enough to push, so they administered oxytocin, which encouraged the contractions enough that I could try “practice” pushes. However, the midwife and eventually the doctors found that his head was slightly stuck behind my pelvis, so pushing wasn’t going to work. They recommended a c-section, which I agreed to, and within (no joke) ~15 minutes after making that decision, they started the procedure.

I thought I might be a bit disappointed we had to switch at the last minute, but honestly, I wasn’t. It ended with a healthy baby who was apparently more stuck than they realized from the pelvic exam. So, it was the right choice! And the doctors and midwives at our hospital were excellent and very calming.

Now, on to postpartum! Let’s start with the obvious. Sleep.

Expectation: I’ll be miserably tired.

Reality: It wasn’t so bad.

If I’m being honest, I’ve slept better during this newborn phase than I did during the last 6-ish weeks of pregnancy. My sleep duration may have decreased, but the sleep quality drastically increased. By the end, I was just so uncomfortable sleeping. I’ll take short, quality sleep over long, uncomfortable sleep any day.

Of course, during those first few weeks, there were days of being incredibly tired, especially in the hospital, where nurses and doctors are always coming in and out. And, being new parents of a boy, we hadn’t quite figured out how to aim the anatomy in such a way to avoid leaky diapers (“wiener down, ruffles out!” became my diaper changing chant). So, there was one night in the hospital when he peed through all the blankets we had for him. This was one of the more exhausting nights for Shane, since I couldn’t do anything but sit in bed after the c-section. Shane had all the other responsibilities—diaper change, bring the baby to me to feed, settle him for sleep, and repeat.

However, once we were home, we settled into a nice routine. And, to our surprise, we had to wake him up every 3 hours during the night for a feed. After about 2 weeks, we started with a midnight bottle, so Shane could bottle feed and give me a break. Since he was gaining weight, we decided to stop waking him up overnight at 4 weeks, and we were completely shocked when he actually slept 4–5 hours overnight. So, perhaps he is our baby after all; sleep is a high priority for him, too. 🤪

The snooziest of babies. — A snoozy baby on our first full day home.

Expectation: Breastfeeding won’t work, and it’s super weird.

Reality: It worked, and it’s not weird!

For years, a running dialogue between my sister and me versus my mom has been how we could not comprehend how breastfeeding could be anything other than weird. I mean, it’s a tiny human sucking on your boob. It’s weird.

“It’s not weird, girls! It’s NATURAL!” — said Mom.

Spoiler alert. Mom was right.

Nonetheless, going into this experience, I had mentally prepared for breastfeeding not to work or to not have sufficient supply, given that so many women have some sort of trouble feeding (or, at least that’s what you hear). I even bought formula and bottles before he was born just to take the pressure off. I had decided that I’ll give it an honest try, but if it doesn’t work, I’m not going to stress over it; there is nothing wrong with formula feeding.

Surprisingly, I didn’t have to go that route. He latched immediately in the hospital without any issues. He was even one of those babies that came out of the womb fish-mouthing, looking for food (takes after me, I guess). After that happened, I don’t think I had a second thought regarding concerns for breastfeeding. I just kind of knew it was going to work, and I was going to enjoy it. And, at least two months in, the overall experience doesn’t feel burdensome, which I absolutely expected to feel given that I am his sole source of food.

First time breastfeeding in public — Breastfeeding Nolen on his first outing (Waldheim biergarten at 7 days old!)

Now, some things I didn’t expect.

Cluster feeding: We heard about it. I knew it was a possibility, but I don’t think I comprehended that ALL babies cluster feed, particularly in the evening. So, in those early weeks when my body was still adjusting, feeding him every hour in the evening felt like “daammnnn baby!” But, with everything, once you know what to expect, you adapt, and the overwhelming feeling dissipated.

So. Much. Milk!: Yes, I realize this is a great thing and a fortunate problem to have, but I still didn’t expect it. I certainly didn’t expect to be dripping boobie milk all over the floor, leaking through my bra, or drowning little Nolen. Luckily, my Sis was around to show me how to use the breast pump.

Breastfeeding problems. — The day I realized I should wear boobie pads in public.

Relatedly, boobie size 😳: Another one of those things you hear about, but can’t comprehend until it happens. In fact, the day I went home from the hospital, the midwife told me to go home, put on my dirndl (the traditional Bavarian dress known for featuring the tatas), and take some pictures. 😆 How your boobs change with milk production is wild, and engorgement is a feeling you can’t understand until it happens. I’ve always proudly been a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Club, so I certainly never expected to need to wear a bra all the time. It will be interesting to see how things change when I eventually stop breastfeeding.

Expectation: I don’t need a postpartum midwife.

Reality: It was nice to have her.

In Germany, 12 at-home visits by midwives are covered by insurance during the first three months. Honestly, we weren’t really sure why we needed this, but since it was covered by insurance, and our doctor said, “Find a midwife,” we found a midwife, and it was a great resource to have in those early days.

Her first visit was the day after we came home from the hospital. She checked both me (my c-section wound and overall healing) and Nolen (which is how we knew he was gaining weight so well). She also checked in with me about breastfeeding, answered any lingering questions (yes, hiccups all the time is normal), and explained how in the hell you give a vitamin D TABLET to a baby (yes, here in Germany it’s provided in tablet form 🤦‍♀️). She was definitely a valuable resource in those first few weeks.

Relatedly.

Expectation: We can do it ourselves

Reality: We can do it ourselves, but it was nice not to have to.

For the first time since we’ve lived abroad, both families visited at the same time for Nolen’s birth. My mom arrived a week before the due date (like I said, we were hoping for an on-time baby!). Dad, Sis, and Cleo arrived a week after the due date (…still no baby), and Shane’s parents, brother, and oldest niece arrived about 2 weeks after the due date, when Nolen was 2 days old. In a way, Nolen’s late arrival was nice because everyone was able to meet brand-new Nolen and visit us in the hospital.

The Wright group meeting Nolen — The Wrights

Like I mentioned, Shane and I fully expected to go on this new-baby adventure on our own. We’ve lived away from our family for so long now that our default attitude is one of full independence. So, when everyone said they were coming to Munich for us and the baby, we didn’t quite comprehend that they were coming to Munich for us and the baby! In my mind, our families are coming to visit, so my trip planning/touristy brain started turning, and I literally kept forgetting they were coming because of a baby—OUR baby—they didn’t care about the touristy stuff.

We had no idea how much we needed their love and support, of course, all the time, but especially in those early few weeks at home. They brought us supplies in the hospital, cooked and cleaned, bought us baby clothes and fuzzy blankets (apparently we were severely lacking), helped with Nolen’s first bath, and snuggled the baby. Perhaps most importantly, everyone provided so much reassurance that we were on the right track; we were doing great!

The time spent with everyone here was invaluable, and we can’t thank them enough for prioritizing us.

Expectation: I don’t want to be a stay-at-home mom.

Reality: I’m enjoying my time at home with Nolen.

The required maternity leave period (yes, required by law!) ends 8 weeks after birth, so I could go back to work now if I wanted to, and I do think I will want to eventually, but not yet. Yes, there have been days when Nolen won’t sleep, and he’s the grumpiest of all grumps, in which case he gets promptly handed off to Shane when he walks through the door. (I didn’t expect cooking dinner or cleaning the kitchen to feel like a break, but on those days it does!) But honestly, we’ve had a limited number of those kinds of days. He feels like an easy-going baby, and I actually like hanging out with him! 😆 Especially now that he’s leaving the “meatloaf” phase (as my cousin called it) and is becoming more interactive.

We’ve also started going to a mom/baby class once a week with other moms and babies of the same age (2 to 12 weeks), which I was skeptical of at first (on account of me being a judgy non-parent), but it has been really nice. The class is in English, so it attracts internationals in Munich, giving us another shared experience outside of the babies. It’s been a nice way to meet other new moms, talk through the highs and lows of this new life, and get tips on various newborn topics. Plus, it’s given me practice navigating the city just the two of us. This kid has already been on buses, trains, and subways! We’ve already signed up for the next class with the same group of moms and babies. ☺️

First U-bahn ride! — He’s an U-bahn ridin’ baby!

Now, I’ve transitioned from maternity leave to parental leave, which Shane and I can take for up to two years combined with supplemented income from the government. I feel very fortunate to live in a country with a system that allows me (and Shane) to have this time with Nolen.

As for the rest of life with a baby, I (we) really had no idea what to expect. Remember that show on MTV about celebrity lives, and the tagline was “You think you know, but you have no idea.” I think that perfectly sums it up.

I didn’t expect to be constantly in motion (constantly swaying!), how tight your back and shoulders get from being hunched over a baby (feeding him, just looking at him, rocking him to sleep), or to always stand on public transportation (that darn stroller!). I didn’t expect how absolutely exhausting it is when he won’t sleep (and how creative you get with “sssshhhh-ing”), but how rejuvenated I feel after HE takes an hour nap. Conversely, I didn’t expect to worry when he sleeps long stretches at night (is he still breathing?!). I never expected to be so invested in someone else’s bowel movements or just how many diapers a baby uses in a day, nor did I expect him to have a sixth sense for when I’m about to eat; of course, he needs something in that exact moment.

However, the real doozy is that I didn’t expect to forget so much so fast. Already, two months postpartum, I realize I’m forgetting the little things. The c-section pain and sleeping in the recliner for a week. The overwhelming feeling of our new life in those first quiet moments at home after the hospital. The rush to bed after he’s asleep to try and get a few hours ourselves. The absolute shock the first time I got peed on (I was soaked 😆) or how his neck smells like cheese (from milk in his neck rolls 🤢). How little he felt in our arms (they indeed do grow so fast!) and those milk drunk sleeps (they are few and far between already).

Our first pee incident. — First of many pee incidents.

Somehow, all these things become normal, or you realize they’ve quietly outgrown it. “Everything is a phase,” they say. Several people have commented on how kids have a way of putting a hard stamp on time, making it blatantly obvious how much has passed. We’re only two months in, and it’s so true.

Re-reading this post, it feels a bit like I’ve been romanticizing this journey, but overall, my pregnancy and postpartum experiences have been a net positive. In my opinion, Nolen has been an easy-going baby, which has absolutely shaped my attitude. I’ve also been fortunate to have my Sister (with Cleo), who’s really helped me mentally prepare to become a parent and continues to be a great role model.

Our next big challenge? Travel with a newborn, which we will be doing soon for Shane’s birthday. I’ll report back. 😜

Tschüss,

Whitney

Füssen, Germany

When Shane decided he wanted to run a marathon as an upcoming 40th birthday challenge, we assumed he would run the Munich marathon in October, but once we found out I was pregnant, fitting in marathon training with a newborn in late August/early September didn’t seem like a realistic option 😆. Which is how we ended up in Füssen, a small town about an hour and 20 minutes outside of Munich, better known as the jumping off point for Schloss Neuschwanstein.

The Marathon!

Shane’s current desire to run a marathon has a 12-year history. See, back in 2013, we ran the Charlotte marathon. Well, we ran part of the Charlotte marathon because it didn’t go so well. One of us (cough:me:cough) ended up spending a lot of time in the porta-potties on the route because they drank too much Gatorade when they weren’t used to it. So, we ended up walking at least 6 miles, and finished in over 5 hours, which was particularly disappointing when we were on track to finish in under 4 hours at the halfway mark.

Charlotte Marathon, 2013 — Thunder Road Marathon, 2013

Since then, Shane’s said he “completed” a marathon, but he’s always wanted some redemption. (I, on the other hand, was OK to leave the marathon experience behind me. 😂) So, he’s been running and running and running, which brings us to the end of July and the Füssen marathon!

Füssen Marathon Starting Line — At the starting line!

Here in Munich, we’ve had really nice weather this summer—not so much rain, warm temperatures (sometimes maybe too warm)—that was, until the week before the marathon. The temperatures dropped to ~16/17 °C (60/63 °F), the rain set in, and Shane was faced with the reality that he might be very wet after 42.195 K (26.2 mi). Which, indeed, he was. It rained nearly the entire time!

Nonetheless, he finished in 3 hours and 48 minutes!

Now, he can officially say he ran a marathon. 🤩

Füssen Marathon, July 2025 — 35-weeks pregnant

Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles

Given our close proximity to one of the most famous castles in Germany, we decided to stay an extra day and do some sightseeing after the marathon. Luckily, the rain eased up enough that we could actually get THE famous picture.

Schloss Neuschwanstein, notorious for inspiring Walt Disney and the Cinderella castle, was built by King Ludwig II, otherwise known as the “Mad King.” In modern times, Ludwig II would likely just be called eccentric, but in the ~1870s, he was considered crazy. Neuschwanstein looks medieval, but it’s not. Construction started in 1869, and the style was inspired by Ludwig’s love of medieval tales. So, he built a place where he could live in his own alternate reality. He never lived, or intended to live, in the castle with anyone else (other than his few servants, of course), using the castle for his own escapism.

Unfortunately, Schloss Neuschwanstein was never completed, as Koning Ludwig II died under mysterious circumstances after being deemed “crazy” by doctors who never even examined him. The rest of the royal family wasn’t so keen on his castle spending habits…

Anyway, as a result, you can only visit a few of the rooms in Neuschwanstein since most of them remain empty. The exterior of the castle was also never completed; construction of the chapel and several towers never even began. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth a visit, though.

The other castle visible from Neuschwanstein is Hohenschwangau. Built by Maximillian II, Ludwig II’s father, the castle was the summer residence of the Bavarian royals. Unlike Neuschwanstein, the interior is complete and can also be toured.

View of Schloss Hohenschwangau — Hohenschwangau and the Alpsee

View of Hohenschwangau — Views from a Neuschwanstein balcony

Logistics

So, here’s the thing. Füssen, Neuschwanstein, and Hohenschwangau are touristy places, especially during the summer (they can be visited year-round). Are they worth it? Absolutely. I put these castles in the “it’s touristy for a reason” category. Plenty of people love to discourage the castle tours since they are a bit pricey, and you can walk the grounds for free. But come on. Are you really going to go all the way there and then NOT go inside? Don’t be silly.

So how did we manage to essentially be ALONE on the Marienbrücke, where you can take that instagramable photo? Go early. We’re morning people, so this really wasn’t an issue.

You can only go inside the castles with a guided tour, and tickets will sell out. So, you should book as far in advance as possible. You can book combination tickets that include both castles and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, which I would argue is the only way to do this.

I won’t go into all the logistics since the official ticket site provides really good suggestions on how to plan your day. However, I will say that we booked a 9:30 am slot at Neuschwanstein, which gave us plenty of time to catch the shuttle bus up, visit the Marienbrücke, and have a leisurely walk down to the castle afterward. (You can also walk up to the castle, which takes about 40 minutes, but since I was 35 weeks pregnant, we decided to shuttle up and walk down. 😆) Neuschwanstein is the more popular castle of the two, so I would recommend going there first. Especially since tour buses started rolling in around 10 am.

For the afternoon, we booked at 3:05 pm tour of Hohenschwangau. Each tour only lasts ~30-35 minutes, which left enough time in between to get lunch in the village below and visit the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, which gives a great history of the Bavarian royal family, with some time to kill. So, I would even recommend a bit earlier afternoon tour, if it’s available.

And that was our last little weekend away before baby! As of writing this, we are officially less than three weeks away from the due date and taking it easy until then.

So, until we’re a family of three…

Tschüss!

Whitney

Life Lately (May 2025)

I realized not too long ago it’s been four months since I’ve touched this blog. It’s not that there haven’t been things to write about because there have been. I realized my blog hiatus corresponds with my social media hiatus. I don’t feel like I lived on the internet. But, at some point, it still started to feel more overwhelming than satisfying, and it’s been nice to get out of the digital world and back into my actual reality.

With that in mind, I decided to refresh the blog with a little life update! So, here’s what we’ve been up to for the past few months.

Travel, travel, travel!

After my mom’s visit in December, we essentially hunkered down for January and February. New Year’s Eve was pretty low-key for us this year, and after that, it was just work and surviving the cold and dark that is January and February. But in March, we took our first trip of the 2025 season back to…

The Netherlands

It felt so nice to be back! After six years in Groningen, the Netherlands will never not feel like home. And surprisingly, I could still understand quite a bit of Dutch, which was great because we were there for our first Dutch wedding! The bride and I worked together at my first job but have stayed friends since. Two others from that job also attended, so it was nice to have a small reunion.

Joy and Roy's wedding, March 2025 — Mini Mucosis reunion

One benefit of the country being so small is that we were also able to pop up to Groningen for a few hours and on market day, nonetheless! We stocked up on spices, ate cheese and droge worst, and got nostalgic. It was great. After, we were off to Zwolle for another friend reunion. So, all in all, great trip!

Lucky for me, I’ve just returned from a second trip to the Netherlands, but this time for work! My colleague and I spent a week working with cuckoos in the ornithology collection at Naturalis, the biodiversity museum in Leiden. This place is incredible, and if you find yourself in the Leiden/Amsterdam area, I would highly recommend it. It was certainly a unique week of work!

Leiden, NL, May 2025 — Leiden, NL, city center

Naturalis, Leiden NL — Naturalis museum in Leiden

London

Next up, our (sort-of) annual trip to London to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins! London is a city that never gets old for us (I’ve raved about it here and here). This trip, we ate. A lot. English breakfast, Sunday roast, Indian food for dinner. I wasn’t sad about it.

We also did other things, like the Docklands Museum (we ran out of time and need to go back!), the Postal Museum and Mail Rail (an underground built specifically to transport mail! Anyone who says it’s “just for kids” is no fun), and The Play That Goes Wrong (if you’re into a silly slapstick play, this is for you!).

Oh, and we went to the Black Dog. If you know, you know. 😬

The Black Dog, London — old habits die screeeeaaaming!

As always, London was a great trip made even better by the company!

USA

We also traveled to the US in April for a quick two-week trip (more on why later). Since it was so fast, we didn’t do much beyond spending time with family, but that was the whole point of the trip!

We generally like to go home for at least three weeks, since we can go so infrequently. This time, we had to keep it short because…

Shane got a grant and is currently in Colombia!

It’s kind of hard to believe, but we’ve been in Munich (well, sort of) since 2020, meaning that Shane’s nearing the end of his postdoc time. Between covid lockdowns and Ecuador, five years have really flown. But he’s looking into the next career step, and the first move was acquiring some project funding for his own work in Colombia! So, now, he’s at a research station for a couple of weeks to set up a project that will run for the next six-ish months.

Research station in Colombia — The research station

Shane's Butterfly Crew (May 2025) — The new butterfly crew!

I’m only a lot bit jealous to not be there with him, living his best life running through the forest catching butterflies. Plus, we had such a positive experience in Ecuador with the people, the culture, and the language. We’ve both been itching to get back to South America. I originally planned to go with him, at least for part of the trip. But, our plans changed a bit, which brings me to, without a doubt, our biggest news…

We’re having a baby!

Baby Wright is due at the end of August 2025!

So far, pregnancy has been nothing that I thought it would be. I’ve always been on the fence about kids, but we decided last year to give it a go and see where life takes us, and I’m happy to say that I’ve had no regrets since. I also expected the worst out of pregnancy; people love to tell you horror stories about fatigue, morning sickness, insert random ass symptom you’ve never heard of. Luckily, I’ve had none of that, and it’s been quite smooth. I think once it’s over and baby is here, I’ll write more about my overall experience, but for now, I really can’t complain.

Oh, and no. We don’t know the sex. It’s a surprise! 😀

So, if the blog is a bit quiet in the coming months, now you know why. Except for a trip to nearby Füssen in July (Shane is running a marathon!), we plan on staying put and enjoying the calm before the new-baby storm. Plus, in September, all our family will visit (we are THRILLED!), and it’s baby’s first Oktoberfest (😜🍻).

Exciting things to come!

Tschüss,

Whitney

Salzburg, Austria

The hills were alive with the sound of mussssiiiccc!

Ok, they weren’t really in December, but that’s not the point.

Growing up, the Sound of Music was a staple in our house, so when Mom and I were deciding where we should go as a side trip from Munich, Salzburg was the obvious choice. Especially since it’s only a two-hour train ride from Munich, and you can use the Deutschland ticket (Germany’s all-inclusive travel ticket).

After arriving in the afternoon, we kicked off our time in Salzburg with a stroll from our hotel to Mirabell Palace and the famous gardens. Famous why? As a Sound of Music filming location, of course!

Unfortunately, in winter, most of the gardens are closed, so we missed some key locations. That’s OK, though. We could still see the famous Pegasus fountain and walk the same paths that Julie Andrews walked!

Mom at the Mirabell Gardens — Mirabell Gardens with the Hochensalzbug Fortress behind

From there, we meandered into the Altstadt (old town) and found the Christmas market in the Domplatz and Residenzplatz. Here, you’ll find the Residenzbrunnen, the largest fountain in the city and one that’s also featured in the Sound of Music during the “I Have Confidence” song. Unfortunately, it was boarded up for the winter. ☹️

Salzburg Christmas Market — Salzburg Christmas market

We intended to start our first full day with a walking tour, but it was quite rainy. So instead, we spent the morning at Mozarts Geburtshaus, the house where Mozart was born. In case you didn’t know, Mozart was born in Salzburg and lived there with his family until he was 25, when he moved to Vienna, which is a fact that will not be lost on you if you visit. You can visit the house where he was born and lived most of his life and the apartment where his family later moved. And, if you pay attention, you’ll notice various other spots in the city where “Mozart ate lunch here” or “Mozart frequented this location.” They are very proud.

The rain stopped after lunch (where I had Mozart’s favorite dish–Leberknödel mit Sauerkraut), so we decided to check out the Festung Hohensalzburg (Hohensalzburg Fortress), the one you see in the background of any Salzburg city picture. You can take a ~20-minute walk up to the fortress or a ~1-minute funicular ride, which we opted for since it was covered in our Salzburg Card (the city’s tourist pass, more on that later). At the top, you’ll find the fortress museum (history, armory, etc.), a small marionette museum, and some great views over the city.

Sound of Music puppets at the marionette museum

We started the next day at the DomQuartier, just off the Residenceplatz, which includes entry to the Alte Residenz (the Old Residence) and the Salzburger Dom (cathedral). This complex is huge; you can easily spend an entire morning here, which we did. Definitely get the free audioguide to understand the purpose of the various state rooms. Eventually, the general tour leads you from the residence to the cathedral. We even accidentally timed it correctly and caught the daily organ concert at noon!

State room in the Residence — A stateroom in the Residence

Salzburger Cathedral — Inside the Salzburg Cathedral

We finally fit in our obligatory walking tour in the afternoon. I say obligatory because a walking tour is the best way to learn a little bit of any city’s history and give context to the sites you’ve likely walked past (or will walk past) a thousand times. Salzburg’s old town is quite small, so our walking tour with Free Walking Tours Salzburg only lasted an hour and a half, which left plenty of time for some random bits and bobs on our last afternoon.

For instance, Café-Konditorei Fürst, the home of the original Salzburger Mozartkugel, a “marzipan and pistachio core wrapped in nougat dipped in dark chocolate.” Be prepared to pay €2 per chocolate-dipped ball and the store to be a complete zoo, but they were tasty and worth the splurge. They also make a great gift! Beware, you’ll see other red and silver-wrapped Mozartkugels if you’re traveling in Bavaria and Austria, but the original Salzburger ones are in blue and silver foil. These you can only find in Salzburg!

Furst Konditorei — One of three Café-Konditorei Fürst shops in Salzburg

While we’re on the subject of sweet treats, you should also try the Salzburger Nockerl, which is meringue served on top of a warm raspberry compote. Typically, the meringue “mountains” come in threes, representing the three mountains around Salzburg. Three felt like a bit much for two people, but we found a single-mountain option at the Wirtshaus Elefant in the old town.

Finally, we stumbled on a shop called Christmas in Salzburg (address: Judengasse 11), which was the most amazingly spectacular thing I’ve ever seen. It’s an entire store dedicated to hand-painted and decorated eggs. Sounds bizarre, but it’s incredible. Despite the name, the eggs are primarily painted for Christmas and Easter, but you’ll also find various other themes. If you’re looking for a unique souvenir, this is your spot. Even if painted eggs aren’t your thing, the shop is worth visiting just to look. Pictures aren’t allowed inside, but the shop window gives a good impression.

Practical Info

Salzburg is a super easy side trip from Munich, with direct trains leaving roughly once per hour. And, as I mentioned, the route is covered by the Deutschlandticket or Bayern Ticket if you’re coming from or going to Munich. (These tickets are valid for one stop past the German border.)

Once you’re in Salzburg, I recommend the Salzburg Card, which is their city tourist card. They offer 24-, 48-, or 72-hour versions that can be purchased online or at various points in the city (tourist information centers or your hotel, for example). We did the 72-hour card for €41 (€46 in the high season), which gave us access to all the city buses and museums we visited (walking tour excluded). And, since we had bus access, we stayed in a hotel near the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), which had easy access to the old town at lower rates; hotels in the old town can get quite expensive, even in the low season.

And that sums up our short trip to Salzburg! I’m excited to visit again when the weather is warmer to see the city in a different light and visit some of the nearby outdoor attractions.

Until then, Tschüss!

Whitney

Weihnachtsmarkt Mania 2024!

If you’ve frequented The Shwits long enough, you know that German Christmas markets are one of my all-time favorite things. Our visits to the Weihnachtsmarkts (also called Christkindlmarkts) started in Münster, Germany, in 2014, our first Christmas season abroad. They’ve since become an annual tradition, but the pandemic and three years in South America forced a hiatus. But we’re back, baby! Which is fitting, given that 2024 is our 10th Christmas season abroad!

This year, I really made the most of the Christmas market season, made even better by our special guest – my mom!

My goal was to send her home utterly sick of Christmas markets, and I think I did a pretty good job, given that we went to markets in four cities in two countries. Let’s start with the obvious.

München

I always daydreamed about how glorious it would be to live in a city with Christkindlmarkts, and this year I got to live that dream!

More than 20 markets are scattered throughout the city, but the main one is in the Marienplatz, the main square. If this is the only market you visit, that’s OK because it has quite a spread, spanning from the Karlsplatz-Stachus, with an ice skating rink, to the Marienplatz in the shadow of the New Town Hall. The whole area is walkable, with plenty of food and gift stalls.

My favorite discovery this year, however, was the Rindermarkt, which is the old square for agricultural trading. The Rindermarkt is only a block behind the Marienplatz, yet it feels like a local secret since it is always less crowded. There’s only food and drinks here, but you can have cherry glühwein, a feuerzangenbowle, and smoked fish all in the same area. Plus, there’s a weihnachtspyramide (Christmas pyramid), and those are my favorite.

My second favorite Munich market was the Kaiserhof der Residenz, tucked away in the courtyard of the Residence, the city palace. They, too, have a Christmas pyramid but have the added bonus of some unique animatronics that make this market worth visiting (you’ll just have to see it for yourself 😆). It’s also a bit warmer than the others since it’s a courtyard and protected from the wind.

Mom and I also visited the Medieval market in the Wittelsbacherplatz (nice if you want something a bit different), the Sendlinger Tor market (don’t make a special trip for it), and tried to visit the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower) market in the English Garden (but it was closed that day). We also swung through the Pasinger Christkindlmarkt in our neighborhood, and Shane and I visited the Haidhauser Weihnachtsmarkt (another local market). So, while there are still plenty of markets left to patron, we got off to a great start!

Next up…

Nürnberg

Nürnberg (Nuremberg, in English) is an easy two-hour train ride from Munich. So, we hopped an early train for a day of Christmas market cheer in one of the oldest markets in Germany; it started in 1628!

Two things we didn’t realize before starting this adventure. 1. We happened to go on opening weekend. 2. The market in Nuremberg’s old town is one of the most popular in Germany. Needless to say, things got a bit crowded by the evening. 😳

Nonetheless, the markets were beautiful, and there were some unique vendors. So, it was worth the visit!

Berlin

Shane and I visited Berlin for the markets in 2017. Berlin is one of those cities where there is always something new to see, so we were excited to go back! This time, we had the added bonus of meeting up with my aunt and uncle, as well as a friend from Ecuador who’s now studying in Berlin.

If you thought Munich had a lot of markets, then you’ll be shocked to know that Berlin has them beat, with over 80 markets throughout the metro region. We made it to three. 😆

First up was the Wintermarkt am Humboldtforum, on the Museumsinsel (Museums Island). The light projections on the building were really impressive, and it was here that we met our friend, Michelle.

Next up was the Berliner Weihnachtszeit at the Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall). This market has a little bit of everything: an amazing view of the TV tower, an ice skating rink (that surrounds a statue of Neptune), a Ferris wheel (Riesenrad), and plenty of food and shops. This one is definitely worth a visit!

Riesenrad at the Berliner Weihnachtszeit

Our final market was the WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt, which we visited in 2017. It’s a 2 euro entrance fee, but it’s worth it. There are a lot more handmade goods here, as well as indoor and outdoor stalls for food and shopping. We also ate dinner here (indoors!) at Lutter & Wegner, which I’d highly recommend.

Whitney & Ann, WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt

And last but certainly not least.

Salzburg, Austria

Surprisingly enough, Salzburg is also only a two-hour train ride from Munich. So, Mom and I spent a few days there learning about Mozart and living our Sound of Music dreams (more on that later!). There’s also a fantastic Christmas market in the old town!

We also accidentally stumbled on the Krampus run, which was the ultimate surprise! In case you’re unfamiliar with Krampus, he’s part of the Christmas folklore in the alpine regions of Central and Eastern Europe. Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas. If you’ve been good, Saint Nicholas will give you a gift. If not, Krampus will throw you in his basket and leave you in the woods. European traditions for “bad” children are much more intense than in the United States. 😆

So, we ran into Salzburg’s Krampus parade, where the Krampuses wander the street with Saint Nicholas, harassing (in a fun way) bystanders as they wander through town. It was a real treat!

I’d say the 2024 Christmas market season was a success! But there’s always more to explore next year. 😜

Happy New Year, and best wishes for 2025! 🍾

Tschüss,

Whitney

Breitenstein: A Day Trip from Munich

Maybe this is a consequence of our first winter after two and a half years in Ecuador, but it seems like the weather went from pleasant to cold overnight. We’re officially in the dark season; the grey skies and 4:30 p.m. sunsets have set in. Readjusting to seasons after so much time with stable temperatures and daylight hours hasn’t been terrible, but I do miss the consistency.

Before the big switch, we went to the mountains for one final day of fall hiking. Our goal this time was Breitenstein, a ~1600 m (~5300 ft) peak in the Bavarian pre-Alps.

For us, the hike started at the Fischbachau Bahnhof, about 1 hour 15 minutes south of Munich. The nice part about train-accessible hikes is that they are (obviously) train-accessible. The downfall is that it took about 45 minutes to get from the train station to the real start of the trail. Although we always download offline maps, they aren’t always the easiest to follow, depending on the route. So, this time, we relied a bit more heavily on the yellow signposts (with walking times) characteristic of hiking in Bavaria.

If you’re interested in retracing our steps as a day hike from Munich, then follow these signposts: Fischbachau Bahnhof–Wolfsee–Kesselalm–Breitenstein–Breitensten Westgipfel (west summit)–Bucheralm–Fischbachau–Fischbachau Bahnhof.

Characteristic Hiking Signposts — Typical hiking signposts.

This hike started as a nice walk through the woods–nothing too strenuous. It was quite foggy in Munich and at lower elevations. However, by the time we reached the Kesselam for lunch, we were above the clouds and in the sunshine. As always, you can bring your own food, but you should buy a drink. My new favorite mid-hike beverage is Apfelschorle, a 25:75 mixture of apple juice and sparkling water. It’s very refreshing!

Apfelschorle at the Kesselalm — Apfelschorle with a view at the Kesselalm.

From the Kesselalm, it was another hour-ish uphill to the summit of Breitenstein, which had the coolest view with the clouds that day!

View from Breitenstein — Breitenstein summit views.

Breitenstein Summit Cross — Breitenstein summit cross.

Bonus: The Breitenstein west summit (westgipfel), with a nice view of the main summit. Two summits in one trip; what more could a gal ask for?!

Breitenstein from the Westgipfel — View of the Breiteinstein summit from the west summit.

Practical Info

How to get there: Easy – by train! There is a regional train from Munich to Lenggries every 30 minutes. Bonus: This route qualifies for the Bayern Ticket, so it only costs €39 euros for 2 people (if you don’t have the Deutschland ticket) and gets you all-day access to local and regional transport.

Distance from Munich: ~1 hour and 15 minutes by train.

Hike Direction: Follow the yellow signs for the Wolfsee from the train station. From there, you’ll start seeing signs for waypoints further into the route.

Difficulty: Moderate. The path required more sure-footedness, and the elevation gains to the summit (and then back down) were moderately challenging at times. The total elevation gain was 930 m (~2650 ft), and what goes up must come down…

Time: We walked about 16.5 km (10 miles) in a little over 5 hours, not including the stop for lunch.

Tip: Bring cash for any purchases at the huts.

Rating: ✅ Highly Recommended!

This was our last hike for the season, but thats ok. Why, you ask? Because it’s glühwein season, folks! For the next 6 weeks, you can find me at die Weihnachtsmärkte!

Tschüss,

Whitney

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

One of the great things about living in Munich is its proximity to the mountains. Within an hour, you can easily be in the foothills; in two hours, you can be at the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak.

So, after spending several days with our friends at Oktoberfest, we hopped an hour-long regional train south for a few days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the closest town to the Zugspitze.

While the Zugspitze may be the most well-known attraction in the area, the town (small city?) itself is very scenic and worth visiting. Moreover, there are a ton of outdoor activities. We had two full days in the Garmisch area, so we decided to explore the three main attractions: Mt. Wank (*giggle*), the Partnach gorge, and, of course, the Zugspitze.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen 2024 — Part of the pedestrian area in Garmish-Partenkirschen.

Mt. Wank

Slightly north of the town of Garmish-Partenkirchen is Mount Wank, also known as the “Panorama Mountain” for its views over the town and of the Zugspitze. You can hike from Garmish to the summit at 1780 m (~5800 ft), or you can take the cable car, which makes it a family-friendly mountain or a great idea if you’re looking for views without the (inevitably strenuous) hike up. The views from the cable car itself are worth it.

You’ll find plenty of hiking trails at the top. Well, assuming the weather is clear. We could barely see any of the trails when we first arrived. The view was, uh, less than spectacular. 😆

Things started clearing out around lunch, though, and our view was completely different after some food and the obligatory beer (you know, because did you even hike if you didn’t stop for a drink?). So, we took advantage of the sun, watched the paragliders, and discovered “Brian’s Rock.”

Brian on Brian's Rock — Brian atop Brian’s Rock.

The Partnach Gorge

On the opposite side of town is the Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm), which is (you guessed it) GORGE-ous!

Several hikes in the area start through the gorge, so you can visit it as part of your day hike. Or, you can just visit the gorge and head back to town, which we did.

As you can imagine, it can get quite crowded in there, so I’d recommend going during off-peak hours. The gorge is open year-round from 8 a.m. (to either 6 or 8 p.m., depending on the season). So, if it’s possible, I’d recommend avoiding that 10 am to 4 p.m. window. Regardless, it’s one of those places where pictures can never do it justice; it’s worth the visit!

The Zugspitze

Last but not least, the Zugspitze!

At 2962 m (~9700 feet), the Zugspitze straddles Germany and Austria, making it Germany’s highest peak (!!!) and one of Austria’s lowest. (For the record, the elevation in Quito [2850 m] is nearly the same.) 😆 However, you get to visit two countries in one trip, and who doesn’t love that?!

Getting to the Zugspitze is an adventure in itself. From Garmish, you have to catch the cogwheel train (located at a separate train station behind the Garmish bahnhof) to the Eibsee (a lake). From there, you take the massive and literally world-record-holding gondola to the station at the summit.

Alternatively, you can stay on the train until you reach the glacier area, approximately 300 m below the summit, and catch a smaller gondola to the top. The train and both gondolas are included in your ticket price, so you can make your own adventure. We chose to get off at the Eibsee, take the gondola to the summit, have lunch, go down to the glacier, and then take the train back to Garmisch.

The gondola ride to the summit really is impressive, and you’ll get a great view over the Eibsee on your way up. That is, assuming you don’t go straight into a cloud. The summit was entirely covered by the time we arrived. The luck of the draw, I suppose!

The Zugspitze summit. (Yes, they have a free selfie cam!)

After lunch, we took the gondola down to the glacier, and the difference 300 m in elevation makes is incredible. The whole world opened up! Given our luck on the summit, we debated even going to the glacier, but I’m glad we did!

Practical Info

How to get there: Easy – by train! There is a regional train from Munich to Garmisch every hour. Bonus: This route qualifies for the Bayern Ticket, so it only costs €39 euros for 2 people (if you don’t have the Deutschland ticket) and gets you all-day access to local and regional transport.

However, be aware! The bus system in Garmisch is terrible; each line only runs once per hour. So, plan your departure time carefully and be prepared to walk if you miss your bus.

Distance from Munich: ~1 hour by train.

Mount Wank: The journey up starts at the Wankbahn (the cable car), reachable by bus. Tickets can be purchased online (~28€), but you’ll need to go to the ticket counter anyway, where they will transfer your online voucher into a physical card to get through the lift gates. There are two restaurants at the top, one of which for sure accepts cards (we didn’t go to the other). Regardless, it’s always good to have some cash handy.

Partnachklamm: The closest bus stop is at the old Olympic ski jump stadium, which is a bonus stop on your visit to the gorge! Navigate here, and you won’t be able to miss the signs to Partnachklamm. From there, it’s a ~45 minute easy walk to the gorge. Tickets (10€) can be purchased at the automated ticket machines at the entrance (cards accepted).

Zugspitze: Start your journey at the Zugspitzebahnhof, and don’t make the same mistake we did. We thought we could walk up 10 minutes before the train departed and get right on. Nope. It’s a relatively small train on a popular route. So, arrive early! I recommend getting there at least 30 minutes before the train departs. Tickets for the Zugspitze can be purchased online (~72€) and include a return trip on the train, a return trip on the Sielbahn (Zugspitze summit gondola), and unlimited trips on the gondola between the summit and glacier.

Tip: If you plan to visit Mt. Wank and the Zugspitze, they offer a “Two Peak Pass” for ~85€, which is cheaper than buying the tickets separately.

I also recommend eating lunch or having a drink at the summit. Both countries have self-serve restaurants, and the prices were quite normal given you’re at nearly 3,000 m. Plus, if you have a clear(-ish) day, the views through the massive windows would be incredible!

If you have more time in Garmisch, I recommend checking out some of the other hiking trails in the area, or head to the cute cute town of Mittenwald for the day. We will certainly be back!

Tshüss,

Whitney

Oktoberfest 2024!

Ah, Oktoberfest! Or, die Wiesn, as the locals say.

Oktoberfest was canceled in 2020 when we first moved to Munich. Then, we left for Ecuador literally days before it started in 2021. So, finally, after years of anticipation, we made it to Oktoberfest!

For me, it was one of those events that lived up to the hype, so much so that we went four times. 🤷‍♀️ (A perk of living in the same city.) I’m not going to go into the history of Oktoberfest, the largest Volksfest (folk festival; that’s right, it’s NOT simply a beer festival) in Germany. I’d suggest this article if you’re curious about the full history. Otherwise, you only need to know three things.

Oktoberfest starts in September (the weather is better).
When I refer to a beer tent, what I really mean is a structure. They take weeks to assemble; if you didn’t know better, you would think they were permanent fixtures. The 17 “big” tents hold ~3–7,000 people inside, and the 21 “small” tents hold ~500–1,000 people.
Trachten, the traditional Bavarian dress (Dirndl for women and Lederhosen for men), is optional, but it’s way more fun with it!

I think there is a big misconception from outsiders, particularly Americans, that Oktoberfest is all about das Bier. And yes, don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of beer, but that’s not all there is. This might come as a surprise, but it’s a family-friendly event. So, as I see it, there are several ways to experience the Wiesn.

1. Sober

Yes! It’s possible, we did it!

Like I said, Oktoberfest doesn’t have to be all about beer. I’d compare the carnival atmosphere to that at a state fair in the US, but maybe better. (However, it’s been a long time since I went to a state fair, so take my opinion for what it’s worth.)

As you can see, the grounds have two distinct areas. The beer tents are to the right, and the carnival to the left. Food stands and smaller Biergartens are mixed in on both sides. But, you could easily avoid the “heavy drinking” area (so to speak) if you wanted.

We spent our no-drinking night souvenir shopping, which I would recommend. You won’t want to keep up with souvenirs inside the tents. It’s too crowded and too easy to lose things.

I also highly recommend finding the Toboggan; it’s a wooden slide, but to get to the top, you have to ride a fast-moving conveyor belt part of the way up. It’s famously known for people-watching, as in watching people successively fall as they try to make it up the conveyor belt. 😆

If you need more than souvenir shopping and people-watching, then you should check out the rides, games, and food. There are definitely some rides that I would recommend sans alcohol, like those high-up spinning swings and the 5-loop rollercoaster. In fact, they have a sign at the roller coaster that says no drunk people. So, you’ve been warned! 😆

2. Carnival + Biergarten and tent hopping

If you’re willing to leave your big tent entry to fate, then a combo day is the way to go. As I said before, we went four times this year, but our first real experience was meandering through the carnival and hopping in and out of tents and beer gardens as we pleased. I wouldn’t recommend this on the weekend since the crowds are generally bigger, but this is a fun option if you can get there on a weekday!

We had lunch at the Münchner Stubn, a beer in the Paulaner Biergarten, coffee and cake at Rischart’s Café Kaiserschmarrn, and a Weißbier at Hochreiters Weißbier Karussellbar, a slowing spinning carousel bar! (Some in our group *cough, Brian* did not like the spinning bar, but I enjoyed it!)

Tip: Eat lunch at the Wiesn instead of dinner.

All tents have lunch specials for ~€12-15 euros, which is sometimes less expensive than a Maß (the liter beer, and the only size you can purchase). The Münchner Stubn goes one step further and does 2 for 1 maß with the purchase of food during the lunch hours (11:00 to 17:00).

Rischart's Café Kaiserschmarrn — *Rischart’s Café Kaiserschmarrn*, the coffee and cake tent.

Weißbier Brian! — Despite his face, Brian hated it.

In between, we bounced between rides and carnival games and discovered Feldl’s Teufelsrad, or the Devil’s Wheel. It’s €5 to get in, but it’s the best €5 you’ll spend at the Wiesn. Essentially, it’s a big spinning wheel where everyone called (for example, all women in green Dirndl) frantically runs to the center of the wheel for a chance to play. The wheel starts spinning slowly but gets progressively faster, and the objective is to stay on the wheel the longest. What do you win? The pride of winning, and people are DESPERATE to win. It’s equally if not more entertaining than the Toboggan.

If the fates are with you, you can get into some of the tents, big or small. They are always free to enter; they only close if they’ve reached max capacity. The fates were with us that Tuesday night because we managed to sneak in the back door of the Pschorr tent for the final ~30 minutes of music and dancing (and Brian’s introduction to Robbie Williams).

3. Big tent without a reservation

If you’re going to attempt this option, you need to be ready to commit since the big tents are the main attraction for many people. If you can go more than once, I recommend not committing to a big tent the first time. Go out and enjoy the atmosphere and the carnival rides! Plus, if they are still open, you can pop in and out and see which looks most fun to you.

Each big tent has its own theme inside, and all are beautifully decorated. Generally, in all tents, a brass band plays more traditional music during the day, but at some point in the afternoon, they are replaced by a cover band that plays international pop songs. At this point, people start standing on the benches, singing, and dancing! It’s also by this point that you should commit to staying in that tent (except for going to the bathroom) until you’re ready to give up your spot for good.

Pschorr Tent — The Pschorr “Tent” from the outside.

Paulaner Tent — Inside the Paulaner tent.

Food is always available inside the tents. You can order full meals or catch someone selling pretzels as they walk by. Take advantage of the food; staying in the big tents until they close at ~10:30 is a marathon, not a sprint. 🤪

Tip: Bring cash for the big tents.

Many places accept cards (even some of the smaller tents), but the big tents can be so chaotic, especially as the night goes on. So, expect cash only.

Group Night at Hacker Pschorr — Our “big tent” night was spent in Hacker Pschorr.

If you want to go this route, then I recommend going on a weekday and committing to a tent by ~2 pm. Often, the locals will come after work, so the crowds pick up on the weekdays after ~4 pm. To find a table, just walk through the crowds until you see an open, or most likely partially open, table and just take a seat! If you’re a bigger group, be prepared to split up initially and merge later.

4. Big tent with a reservation

I’ll reiterate that you do not need a reservation to enter the big tents. We didn’t have one. However, after experiencing it this year, I see the value in a reservation if you choose.

Reservations can be for lunch (~11:00–16:00) or dinner (~17:00–close), depending on the tent. Some do only lunch, some do only dinner, and some do both. All reservations must be made (online) through each individual tent. So, the hardest part of making a reservation is deciding where to go!

If you’re in any tent during that lunch-to-dinner transition, you’ll notice that they clear out everyone from the reserved sections, and the line outside to get in gets really long. No worries, though, because everyone with a reservation gets an armband and is taken to their table (with their name on it) once the reservation period starts.

Essentially, the reservation lets you avoid this “find a table and never leave” game, since a table will be waiting for you and the armband allows for more freedom to go in and out. You can still get “locked out” if you leave and they are over capacity when you get back, but those with a reservation have a separate, shorter line from the general admission, so your odds of getting back in quickly are decent.

If you want to experience the big tents on any of the weekends, I highly recommend a reservation. Alternatively, be prepared to show up before it opens and run (not joking).

5. The Oide Wiesn

Last but certainly not least, the Oide Wiesn, or the old Oktoberfest.

Oide Wiesn Big Tent — Festzelt Tradition, the big tent in the Oide Wiesn.

This is a separate area with a €4 entry fee, but I think it’s worth checking out at least once. The Oide Wiesn is meant to give patrons a glimpse into what Oktoberfest used to feel like. They have classic rides (all for €1.50 versus €6-10 in the main area), classic stalls (like a puppet theater), and, of course, beer tents. Here, the tents use the more traditional Steins (the stone liter cup instead of the glass Maß) and play traditional music all day instead of switching to pop music. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch some traditional dance groups, too!

The Oide Wiesn also has a museum tent with an exhibit on the history of Oktoberfest and all the old Oktoberfest posters (as well as a live band and beer garden). Regretfully, we didn’t go to the museum tent this year, but I guess you should always leave something for next time!

Tip: Check out the Oide Wiesn on busy days.

We went for the final time on the last Saturday of Oktoberfest. Despite the rain, or perhaps because of the rain, all the tents were completely full when we arrived at ~1:30 pm. However, the tents in the Oide Wiesn still had space, and we even managed to snag a table near the front in front of the band!

As the Germans say, die Amerikaner leiben das Oktoberfest! And it’s, true; this American loved Oktoberfest and is excited to pull out the Dirndl again next year!

Tchüss,