New Ulm Oktoberfest

I went to Oktoberfest in New Ulm, Minnesota, today. I arrived at Ft. Ridgely first, wanting to tour it since I hadn't on my previous visits thinking it was too far away. I had read about it in a book about military forts. It is now part of the state park system, and I had to buy a permit before going into it. Plenty of signs up describing the fort and the Sioux Uprising of 1862, liked the big monument there, an obelisk. Then it was into New Ulm, from a different direction than typical, through Sleepy Eye, so from the west. I made it to the state park near town, Flandrau, but the park employee said the former WWII prison camp was rented out to people and wasn't a museum-type place. I decided to just get pictures of the welcome signs and didn't go any farther into the park. I do change things up on each visit, wanting to do a few different things each time, and seeing the state parks qualifies. I made it to the final Schell's Brewery tour, getting my advance ticket shortly after reaching town. Saw the Glockenspiel show before the brewery tour. Went to see German Park near the middle of town after the tour. I saw a penny on the pavement near the brewery and decided it would be the one I would pitch into the fountain at the park. I like to meditate a little as it is a calm, serene place where it's easier to reflect on things. Usually I am alone at the park, but this time there was a teenage couple there, no big deal to me. Hardly paid attention to them. After that was Turner Hall and their Rathskeller to have a beer. I became a friend of it on Facebook recently.
   The night was capped as usual at the Holiday Inn, I stayed until they had a dance with the costumed Narren people again and I joined in on it. Some probably wondered who the guy was up front having such a good time dancing to and fro, it was me. I enjoy going to this town each year for the festival, as it is good to have fun and feel good. I notice how going to New Orleans made me feel the same way, being able to let loose. Both share a word in their name, and it's like I felt like a new person when I go to these 'new' towns. I had two 'deja vu' experiences, one was meeting a Narren not in full costume who had remembered helping me with some information earlier in the day. The other was somebody from a souvenir ship downtown that moved to the hotel in the evening, he said 'keep on trucking'. seems like a good sentiment to go with. He had asked if I made it to all that I wanted to see, and I had. I enjoy meeting the people there each year, including who was at my table while eating. It was an older couple, and the wife said 'I looked like a writer'. I asked her to explain it, she said 'just the way I seemed to view the world was different from others'. And she wished me well, saying I would do just fine in life, since I was an intelligent person. She spoke of a son-in-law that struggled with some of the same family issues as I had, so I find I am once again not alone. Another saw my ballcap and called out to me, and we spoke for a while about various subjects including baseball. These would be called 'single-serving friends' like in the movie 'Fight Club', but I still enjoy meeting them and telling their story. Liked the polka music there, including the 'Beer Barrel Polka', reminding me of attending some Milwaukee Brewers baseball games over the years. I brought my portable CD player with me and played it right before starting my journey back home, playing 'Alejandro' by Lady Gaga. On the drive there I noticed the water levels in many areas were still high from the recent flooding.
   The main thing I don't enjoy is the drive back, since it is at night. There was a construction detour, normally it means a clear shot on a divided highway but the detour led to 2-lane highways I don't like, since there's less margin for error. But thankfully I made it through fine, it helps to stay focused. Had to stop for gas near the end since I was getting low, didn't want to risk running out when the next station might be a while. I knew I was able to get some Chicago AM radio stations before when driving back, and I was right again. It was WGN and WBBM. On the former, there was a feature about a documentary movie on a diner in an Indiana town. Since I like things Midwestern- and documentaries- I would want to see it sometime. It was also a nice reminder of my time living there. I do my best to recall the positive things about living there, and there were some even if the cost of living is higher than where I am now.