Beerfest,Backpacking and Hostels

[Strike For The South]

Well after seeing Beerfest. Me and some friends have decided for a senoir trip to back pack through the old continent. Granted well do this in 20months but one cant plan ahead to much. We were planning to make use of the Hostels. I want to see places like London Berlin Amsterdam and PAris and this is probably the only time Ill get to do this and defintly the only time I can do it in a drunken haze 90 % of the time

[GoreBag]

Beerfest convinced you to do this?

[Strike For The South]

yes Im pretty simple

[GoreBag]

Well, it's a solid plan, but there's one thing that I doubt Beerfest touched on - once you get back from Euroland, you won't ever want to drink your Yank beer again.

[DemonArchangel]

Mmmmmm.... Bavarian microbrew....

[edyzmedieval]

Carlsberg or Heineken, but a Duval or a Leffe beats them all.

[InsaneApache]

Leffe .... what a beer!!! It's just as well they come in small bottles.

[Andres]

In case you didn't know: Duvel and Leffe are Belgian beers.

So you should definitely visit Belgium.

Don't forget to also try: Westmalle, Rochefort, Grimbergen, Maredsous, Affligem, Kriek Boon and Kriek Lindemans, Westfleteren, Orval ...

Maybe you should only visit Belgium

[doc_bean]

If you want to go to the big cities I'd advice looking into making reservation. A lot of the hostels are fully booked way in advance these days

Also, if it's about beer, come to Belgium. Do train your drinking however, our favourite thing to with Americans is to start 'em off with something like Duvel. This is not your regular beer. Good drinkers can get wasted after about 6. The downside is that it can cause real bad hangovers, also part of the reason we give it to foreigners i guess, nothing cures that headache like more beer

Leffe .... what a beer!!! It's just as well they come in small bottles.

We have them in big bottles, 75cl I believe.

[edyzmedieval]

Also, if it's about beer, come to Belgium. Do train your drinking however, our favourite thing to with Americans is to start 'em off with something like Duvel. This is not your regular beer. Good drinkers can get wasted after about 6. The downside is that it can cause real bad hangovers, also part of the reason we give it to foreigners i guess, nothing cures that headache like more beer
We have them in big bottles, 75cl I believe.

My dad goes to sleep after 2 bottles. Instantly.

[_Martyr_]

Munich is a must stop place! I did the whole interrailing thing two summers ago. Its a fantastic way to spend a month or so but be prepared to spend a lot of money. It may seem reasonable on the onset but there are so many hidden charges and costs that u really should plan for it. Try stay away from the easiest to get to hostels that are right beside the train stations. Do your research beforehand and at least have a number for a nice hostel in each place you plan to stay. I found the Lonely Planet books to be very helpful. Also, train journeys are made MUCH more enjoyable when drunk... but im sure you would have figures that out yourselves! ;)

[The_Doctor]

Granted well do this in 20months but one cant plan ahead to much.

So early 2008. In that case you should come to Liverpool, because it will be celebrating the European Capital of Culture. So loads of things will be happening, probably involving alcohol.

http://www.visitliverpool.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool

[edyzmedieval]

In 2007, Sibiu(in Romania) will be the European Capital of Culture. So, plan to visit Sibiu. Wonderful city.

http://www.sibiu.ro/
http://www.sibiu.ro/index-en.htm

[doc_bean]

Munich is a must stop place! I did the whole interrailing thing two summers ago. Its a fantastic way to spend a month or so but be prepared to spend a lot of money. It may seem reasonable on the onset but there are so many hidden charges and costs that u really should plan for it. Try stay away from the easiest to get to hostels that are right beside the train stations. Do your research beforehand and at least have a number for a nice hostel in each place you plan to stay. I found the Lonely Planet books to be very helpful. Also, train journeys are made MUCH more enjoyable when drunk... but im sure you would have figures that out yourselves! ;)

I considered doing the interrail thing this summer, but the prices for the tickets seemed excessive, considering night trains weren't covered and half the trains in Germany charged extra

On a side note, anyone been to the Oktoberfesten ? I considered going last year but then I saw the beer prices I 'm considering it again this summer, since I've had a pretty crappy holiday already and my bank account actually has money on it

[Andres]

On a side note, anyone been to the Oktoberfesten ?

I once went to the "Bierfesten" in Lohr-am-Main. I think you can't compare it to the Münich Oktoberfesten, but it was great fun.

5 € for 1 liter of German (bwah, but after a liter of 3 it starts tasting well) beer.

Guess the Oktoberfesten are even better.

[lars573]

Well after seeing Beerfest. Me and some friends have decided for a senoir trip to back pack through the old continent. Granted well do this in 20months but one cant plan ahead to much. We were planning to make use of the Hostels. I want to see places like London Berlin Amsterdam and PAris and this is probably the only time Ill get to do this and defintly the only time I can do it in a drunken haze 90 % of the time

According to my brother (who's done the whole backpaking europe thing) as long as your not Drunk'n'Disorderly you can sleep anywhere. Well in France you can. But this is the same nation where you still have torture chamber bathrooms. Accordin to him some place bathrooms are a hole in the floor with a light hanging from a wire. With toilet paper that is the same consistency as our paper towels. If there is any.

1.Anyway hostels are dirty fleebag places. My bro and his German buddy (an exchange student he met at high school) decided that sleeping outside in parks and rail stations was much cleaner than using the hostels. Which he likened to a toilet that hasn't been cleaned since WW2.

2.If you go to France, learn some French. The French are only snotty arse-faces to people who don't know French. If you know some French even if you have a horrible english accent or speak the Acadian dialect (like my brother) they are actually very nice. In a French sort of way. No offense Louis.

3.Always be on the lookout for roving bands of Australians. They always have copious amounts of alcohol, and are very generaous with it. When my bro went to Spain to run with the bulls, which he pussied out of. Why? Because a roving band of Auzzies told him that the locals will rob you blind while your running. So they went into the hills and had a beerfest. So my bro and an Auzzie had a drink off. Little borther won, after downing 16 beers.

4.Language won't always be a problem, in western europe. Most school systems require you to learn another language. According another of my bor's German friends in Germany you have a choice of english, french, russian, or polish. In the low countries most people know english. Italy too.

[Pannonian]

Also, if it's about beer, come to Belgium.

Why, are the import duties lower or something?

[Pannonian]

2.If you go to France, learn some French. The French are only snotty arse-faces to people who don't know French. If you know some French even if you have a horrible english accent or speak the Acadian dialect (like my brother) they are actually very nice. In a French sort of way. No offense Louis.

Americans have this strange misconception that the French hate Americans and everything American. They don't. They hate the English and everything English.

[Reenk Roink]

Well after seeing Beerfest. Me and some friends have decided for a senoir trip to back pack through the old continent. Granted well do this in 20months but one cant plan ahead to much. We were planning to make use of the Hostels. I want to see places like London Berlin Amsterdam and PAris and this is probably the only time Ill get to do this and defintly the only time I can do it in a drunken haze 90 % of the time

Are you going during Spring Break?

You really hate Mexico don't you...

[Louis VI the Fat]

According to my brother as long as your not Drunk'n'Disorderly you can sleep anywhere. Well in France you can. But this is the same nation where you still have torture chamber bathrooms. Accordin to him some place bathrooms are a hole in the floor

2.If you go to France, learn some French. The French are only snotty arse-faces to people who don't know French. If you know some French even if you have a horrible english accent or speak the Acadian dialect (like my brother) they are actually very nice. In a French sort of way. No offense Louis.

No offense taken.

You see, we're not evil, we are...different. But that doesn't mean we don't like you six billion.

It's just, well, you Canucks and Yanks, you are so, so...strange. Like, you show up in the middle of the night, utterly wasted from three weeks of Beerfests, and then crash in somebody's backyard while loudly proclaiming in a foreign language that in France you're allowed to sleep anywhere cuz' that's what you read one some games site.
So, well, erm...okay. You know, you're Americans and mean no harm otherwise and stuff, so we'll just put up with that.

But it does mean you've got to crap out in the back, eh? No way we're letting you get anywhere near the neat marble toilet up front.

[Ice]

Well after seeing Beerfest. Me and some friends have decided for a senoir trip to back pack through the old continent. Granted well do this in 20months but one cant plan ahead to much. We were planning to make use of the Hostels. I want to see places like London Berlin Amsterdam and PAris and this is probably the only time Ill get to do this and defintly the only time I can do it in a drunken haze 90 % of the time

Go for it. I've stayed in a Hostel in Amsterdam and London. Both were fine experiences. I'd have to say, spend the most time in Amsterdam. The hostel I stayed at was a blast. Everyone got wasted on the back porch while taking bong hits. Fun stuff.

[GoreBag]

Hmm..spring break, eh? When will that be?

[Geezer57]

Well, it's a solid plan, but there's one thing that I doubt Beerfest touched on - once you get back from Euroland, you won't ever want to drink your Yank beer again.

This can happen even outside Euroland - I grew up in Brazil, spending a decade there. My first and all subsequent beers (until leaving country) were Brahma Chopp, a local brew based on German recipes, or Caracu (a wierd little dark sweet beer). My first American beer upon returning was put down unfinished, and after a different second brand was worse, I switched to wine and /or mixed drinks. Years later, when the "microbrew" phenomenon swept the country, I tried a few - they still didn't compare. The last beer I've had was a Brahma Chopp my sister brought me from Brazil (she's a flight attendant).
So SFTS, prepare to be spoiled forever - once you get the real deal, your beer habit will probably become much more (imported only) expensive!

[Al Khalifah]

I did the whole interrail thing a few years ago. It was awesome. Its pretty easy to get around the "some trains are not excluded thing" - just act confused and scared and normally they let you off. Or you can pretend to be asleep whenever the conductor comes.

That holiday produced my favorite ever phone conversation...
"Hello, Harry... where are you?"
"I'm at Frankfurt station"
"Oh.... Harry... I've woken up in France and I don't know why."

True story.

[Strike For The South]

This is going to be druing summer, I plan to spend like 5 6 weeks in Europe

[lars573]

No offense taken.

You see, we're not evil, we are...different. But that doesn't mean we don't like you six billion.

It's just, well, you Canucks and Yanks, you are so, so...strange. Like, you show up in the middle of the night, utterly wasted from three weeks of Beerfests, and then crash in somebody's backyard while loudly proclaiming in a foreign language that in France you're allowed to sleep anywhere cuz' that's what you read one some games site.
So, well, erm...okay. You know, you're Americans and mean no harm otherwise and stuff, so we'll just put up with that.

But it does mean you've got to crap out in the back, eh? No way we're letting you get anywhere near the neat marble toilet up front.

Ah ah ah. I said in parks, specifically under a statue. And on the platform of railway stations. That is where little bro and his German side kick did most of their sleeping. Or on the trains. Those are both public areas, someones backyard wouldn't fall into those parameters. They weren't run out of either by police/security. He also said that most places had what could be recognized by us as a crapper (except for French McDonalds which no 0 toilets in the restaurant ). Just with toilet paper with the consistency of card board. Here in north america toilet paper is more like nose tissues. But other places have a dark dank room with a hole in the floor to crap in.

[doc_bean]

This is going to be druing summer, I plan to spend like 5 6 weeks in Europe

Save up a lot of money then, (Western) Europe ain't cheap. For most things the US price in $ is about equal to the Euro price in €, so expect to pay about 30% more for everything. Trains ain't that cheap either, even at discount prices you're looking at 300-400€ (estimate, based on a 1 month interrail pass).

[lars573]

A euro rail pass is the best way to go. Again according to my brother. He said it was a couple hundred euros. But you could go anywhere on the euro rail system.


Another thing he said is that the red light district in Prague is called Prague.

[GoreBag]

This can happen even outside Euroland - I grew up in Brazil, spending a decade there. My first and all subsequent beers (until leaving country) were Brahma Chopp, a local brew based on German recipes, or Caracu (a wierd little dark sweet beer). My first American beer upon returning was put down unfinished, and after a different second brand was worse, I switched to wine and /or mixed drinks. Years later, when the "microbrew" phenomenon swept the country, I tried a few - they still didn't compare. The last beer I've had was a Brahma Chopp my sister brought me from Brazil (she's a flight attendant).
So SFTS, prepare to be spoiled forever - once you get the real deal, your beer habit will probably become much more (imported only) expensive!

South American beer is something I've only recently discovered. To be fair, though, my experience is limited to only a few brands, Brahma being one of them. Do you have any recommendations? Feel free to give me a rundown country-to-country, since I haven't tried anything from anywhere outside of Brazil or Argentina.

[IrishArmenian]

My only beer is Guiness. My family has a long tradition of importing it. If I happen to go to a bar, I normally have vodka. While you are on the topic of drinks that will knock your arses, try a boyler-maker with Guiness and any good quality Vodka. That thing is potent.