It is indeed a small world.
Sometimes its tininess can really surprise us, sometimes it’s just like fate has a mysterious way of working things out.
I was traveling across Canada in a minivan for a little short than a week.
With me, our driver Markus. A German expat currently exploring the world and making his way to Alaska. On the backseat, my friend Anny, painting her travels. We were to reach Banff, split up. Markus would go to the great white and we were to go live in the British-Columbian mud for some time.
On the road Markus had the habit of finding travel mates online. We met the same way. We had an extra spot and were running short on gas money. We made contact with a girl the needed a lift to Banff. And this is how we met Alexandra.
Picked her up, drove a bit, went swimming in a freezing lake by the Rockies, then bought some outdoor supplies and our paths separated.
I sent her a short message some time later and turns out she moved to Munich. We decided to hang out and to go to Tollwood.
Tollwood is a two-part cultural festival held in Munich every year. One part in the summer one part in the winter.
I made my way to Theresienwiese U-Bahn and waited for my Tollwood partner. Few minutes later we meet up and set off to find some Glühwein to drink. We catch up and have a great evening running around the tents of the festival.
In the winter the festival is organized in the same big meadow used for Oktoberfest. It lasts until Christmas and most of its activities are free of charge. Free concerts, exhibits and other events bring the people. And a lot, come for the food, the bazaar or the kiosks. It is like a big Christmasmarkt but with less tacky wooden things to put in your Christmas trees and more drink offerings.
One of the great things about it is everything is Bio certified. Anything you can eat or drink that is. In its biggest capacity. Which means the booze you drink, the meat you eat, the treats you buy, all is bio.
Most of the festival involves a mindset centered on efficiency, environmentalism and a certain world-consciousness reflected in multi-cultural food offerings, eco-friendly art, handmade items being sold in the bazaar etc.
A very different take on the traditional winter festival in America.
After a few cups of warm wine and chatting, we got some food, had a bit more to drink and split ways both having plans involving the early next morning. We did both find a new friend in a new city. From meeting abroad more than 10 000km away, on the way to Banff.
Funny how small of a world it is.
I did go back in the next days with the international club of my university, for more warm wine and fun. Every day there is something to do, everything is affordable and bio.
No good reason to avoid this one of a kind event in Munich.
Vanished Elsewhere 
Loved toolwood 2013 🙂 i’ve had the best time there!