After Sossusvlei, Alex and I spent a week in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. That is much longer than most tourists stay, and for a good reason. Windhoek doesn’t have much in terms of tourist attractions. We were at a loss until a kind local gay guy took pity on us and showed us the hottest clubs in town. Well, I guess that is technically true. The karaoke club we went to had a distinct high school feel to it.
The reason we stayed so long was that we had a highlight to look forward to: the Windhoek Octoberfest. Namibia used to be a German colony, and that has left a distinct German taste to the country, and the tastiest leftover is the Windhoek Octoberfest. There is something quite deliciously surreal to be surrounded be men in lederhosen performing their Bavarian little dances, then walk a few steps and find a dirndle-wearing Mädchen competing with other women in who can lift the most mugs of beer, all the while being in Africa. And believe me; they took their beer and their Bavarian traditions seriously. For example, they had flown in the band from Munich. It was all properly authentic.
Alex and I did not take it that seriously. We strode in with our jeans and t-shirts, and although we got into the beer drinking on the first day, the second day we parked ourselves at a table and brought out our 2-player board games. Then again, gaming is big in Germany these days, so maybe we brought a new German tradition to the mix.