Seefest on Lake Ohmbachsee

Saturday, the Mister and I went to Seefest at a nearby lake. It's a festival where they have dragon boat races, a biergarten, pavilions set up for music, etc.

The first problem came with finding the damn entrance to the parking lots. The festival website was less than specific. So, while it only took us twenty minutes to get to the lake, it took us another twenty minutes just to find a place to park. Not because it was crowded, but just because we were slightly...lost.

Finally, we found some parking. Didn't really realize how far it was from the entrance of the festival, but that's ok, because my leg needs the exercise. Plus, it was a lovely day (maybe 70 degrees at the most, and partly cloudy).

But then we realized that there just weren't a whole lot of people around...it was 2pm by this time, so you'd think there would be plenty of people around.

Well, not in Germany. Apparently their festivals don't start til way later than I think they should be open. (Just call me Ms. Snobby American) Josh and I are convinced we read on the website that the boat races started at 2pm. Whelp, no, they didn't start til 4pm. Actually, we were able to walk into the festival grounds without paying, because the ticket people weren't even there yet.

This would be us, waiting for the biergarten to open. One of us a little more patiently than the other.

Well, eventually things started picking up. Vendors started opening, people started trickling in. Ya know how standard fair food in the States is stuff like cotton candy and corn dogs? None of that stuff at this festival. Here in Germany, they serve things like waffles, crepes, homemade pizza (actual Italian-style pizza), and 50 different kinds of sausages. I had to fit in with the locals, so I was forced to get a waffle covered with Nutella & a cut up banana. That, and a couple of large beers...

FINALLY, the races start. Little did I know that dragon races are the most boring boat races ever. Unless you're at the finish line, you have no clue who wins. And it takes about 35 seconds for the race to start, and finish. They did several of them, but it was several minutes in between each 35 second race. WOOHOO!!

Really, I think it's just one of those things that no one cares about unless you have someone actually participating in the race.

But, there were also live music pavilions set up around the lake, and the Aycocks are nothing if not music lovers. Lucky for us, we sat next to the pavilion where the geriatric couple with matching keyboards sang Abba and Los Lobos songs. Excellent.

So, we're sitting there, listening to 70s music as interpreted by the German couple with matching haircuts, watching the most unexciting races ever, and chowing down on waffles and beer. Then all of a sudden, I see something strange out of the corner of my eye...but I'm not really paying attention to it, so I just ignore. I turn to Josh, who has the most horrified expression on his face. I have never seen this look on another person.

"Courtney, if you have ever loved me, you will NOT TURN AROUND. Trust me trust me trust me trust me, do not turn around. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT TURN AROUND!!!"

Normally, that's exactly how to make a person turn around. But his face was frightening, so I listened. I also heard a collective groan coming from other people sitting near us. Apparently the lady sitting behind me had chosen that moment to stand up and puke, right in front of my poor husband...and right behind me.

Talk about a good time.

Trace Bundy

Thursday, Josh and I went to a Trace Bundy concert with one of his friends from work. It was at a little hall in downtown Ramstein. I think a grand total of 70 people were in the audience.

Now, I had never heard of Trace Bundy before, but he is this SUPER AWESOME FANTASTIC guitar player. He does his own interpretations of old songs, and he also does his own stuff. He used some kind of looping machine to basically create a whole backup band.

Check it:


Now, just so you know, the Aycocks are the authorities on what is good music. And trust me, friends - this is good music.

Plus, the guy was really nice. He met everybody, and signed whatever, and took pictures with people. A kid and his dad had driven down from Amsterdam to come to the concert, and this kid was so freaking cute!!! He was pretty star-struck, and Trace shook his hand and talked to him from the stage. He was a cool guy.

That's Trace in the middle. The other guy (Chris) is Josh's friend from work. Who's actually pretty cool, too. And I'm not going to lie - it freaked me out a little to add him on Facebook, and see all of the people on the "people you may know" section. Apparently Chris has mutual friends with several people I grew up with. Small world, eh?