Brat, Beer, and Fish? All part of a great weekend adventure...

This weekend we went to Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.  The first thing we did upon arrival was to grab a beer and a brat. 

Then we headed over to the event tent to watch the defending champion, Joey Chestnut, attempt to eat as many brats as possible in 10 minutes.  Last year he was able to take down 42 brats (without buns).  

George Wendt who played Norm on Cheers joined the eating festivities.  

Check out the video of the 1st and second place finishers in this year's brat eating competition!

Of course Joey successfully took the title again this year with 35 brats.  

Oktoberfest is always a fun weekend here in Cincy, and we were able to meet up with friends and enjoy lots and lots of food (roasted almonds, pretzels, more brats, and beer).

How do you follow-up Oktoberfest Zinzinnati?  Well, spending the day at the Newport Aquarium and at the levee definitely nearly as fun.  

We were able to experience penguin palooza.....lots of new penguins and a cute show.  Highlights of the aquarium: Otters!!!  They were out playing, a tortoise that was trying to climb over rocks and fell and wash stuck on it's back...I know a bit sad, but still pretty funny.  All these adventures and I was still able to teach middle school students a bit about embryology and do a little experimenting in the lab.

Oktoberfest recap!

Last weekend Jonah and I attended the largest Oktoberfest in the US!  (That's right....it's here in Cincinnati, OH!)  Early on Saturday afternoon we headed downtown for lunch (brats) and a sampling of german beer. Of course, you can't forget the best part of the whole festival.....cream puffs with bavarian cream.  After eating lunch we wondered around the whole festival and enjoyed a smattering of polka music.  This year Cincinnati Oktoberfest unveiled a new event.....a brat eating contest.  Around 3pm most of us attending ventured to the tent where the contest was to be held to watch about 9 people take on this task.  The brats were sans buns.  There were several famous eaters there that I recognized from watching the Nathan's hot dog eating contest on July 4 including the famous champ Joey Chestnut!

This is the field of eaters for the brat eating contest

Joey and the 2nd place eater  

Mr. Chestnut claimed the crown as 

 the best brat eater in 10 minutes....

           He shattered the record by eating 42 brats!

                                                      

Jonah's toe was demolished by a large man stepping on him :( 

Unfortunately, we had a small situation while
waiting in line for some famous german beer...

Overall, Oktoberfest was fun and exciting.....it got super crowded in the evening so I'm very glad we went early!  Maybe next year we'll enter philip in the wiener dog race on Friday before the festival.