Isarinsel

Despite getting off to a slow start, due to the rain, the Isarinselfest appears to have been a success. There were many family activities for those with young children, including an art contest for children's rights, a circus school, stone carving, journal making, and like all festivals in Munich, plenty of beer, fest foods, and music for the adults.

Work and play collide

A group of firefighters gather near the Isar River for a meal between trading off shifts. One of the big attractions of the first Isarinselfest was a slag line across the river. Fortunately no one fell in though a rescue boat was waiting in the midst as a safety precaution.

Sommerfest

Munich loves it's annual celebrations. Sommerfest has been happening since 1982. What was supposed to be a one-time event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the olympics is now an annual celebration held at Coubertinplatz.

Nearly 250,000 visitors attend the events, which range from the typical festival rides and foods to events for people with dogs and evenings filled with fireworks. There is also the 'Boatmans' tournament', where people try to tip each others boats.

It's a fun event in a beautiful setting.

Crockery

As the largest crockery market in all of Europe the Dult has plenty of dishes in various forms, colors, and makes. Some stalls cater towards brand name pieces, while others are handmade and make for perfect souvenirs. Don't expect to find any Nymphenburg Porcelain, but still there are beautiful things amidst the chaos.

Treasure Hunters

There is a large array of strange, unique, and interesting things to be found at the Dult. It's a great place to find antiques, although it requires a lot of patience. Sometimes prices are affordable and inexpensive, while other times finding that perfect one-off item means parting with some serious money, because chances are good it won't ever be found again.

Best of luck in finding the perfect thing you never knew you needed!

Steckerlfisch

One of the traditional foods at the festivals here are Steckerlfisch. 'Steckerl' comes from the Bavarian dialect for little stick. The fish - in their entirety - are cooking on sticks that are tilted above charcoals, so be prepared to dig around the bones. Typically Mackerl or a 'Lachsforelle' Sea Troute are used.

Occasionally they can also be found at biergartens in the area as well. Usually the tables surrounding the fish stands are cleared out for the obvious reasons. You have to feel for the guy that cooks them day in and day out.

Socks & Sandals

Being a traditional festival means people must have previously purchased clothing and home goods along side food and entertainment. Now days it is slightly strange to see an array of clothing for sale at the Dult festival. It always makes me wonder if the sales travel Germany and the surrounds to exclusively sell socks and other items at the various festivals.

None the less we all know Germans can easily be spotted the world over with their love of pairing socks with sandals, so there is definitely a market for them - even in the summer.

Soap Box derby

One of many great things about Munich is how the community really gathers for celebrations and innocent fun. Even though one would typically think of the soap box race as child's play there were some very sophisticated cars, unique designs from various political parties, and also the local police who can also have a bit of fun from time to time.

Jakobidult

This week will be dedicated to the Jakobidult, which is a traditional festival that is held at the foot of the Mariahilf church. Being the 700th year that Munich's residents and visitors gather for food, fun, and a bit of hit or miss shopping has something to offer for nearly everyone.

Last Friday the festivities began under torrential rains with a spot on local television. Celebrations continued through the weekend with a soap box car race on Sunday and will continue until August 1st. It's a great place to wear tracht (lederhosen and dirndls) or to see the locals dressed up in their traditional wears.

Japanfest

This past weekend was the Japanfest at the Japanese Tea House in the English Garden. It is interesting to see how different cultures celebrate and how their culture gets reinterpreted.

Ikebana, Japanese foods, traditional clothing, and the manga subculture were out in full force. There were plenty people partaking in 'cosplay' complete with circle contact lenses in an array of colors, including pink and white. I prefer to see the beautiful kimonos and appreciate the more traditional aspects of the festival.

St Patricks Celebrations Continue (at least in our house)

One more day of celebrations for the Patron Saint of Ireland. The pipers were fantastic!