A great swimming pool in Munich for families

The other day it was bitter cold outside and snowing and we decided that it would be great time to head to the swimming pool for the first swim with our 7 month old.

We do love our neighborhood pool, südbad, but we decided it would be interesting to try something new this time.
A quick S-Bahn ride and cold walk later we were standing at the entryway of the Pullacher Freizeitbad.

The pool area was lovely and heated to a very warm temperature which was great with a baby. There a waist deep pool, a lap pool and an outdoor heated pool that was open even in the frigid cold. There was also a lovely whirlpool which many babies were using because it wasn't too hot.

We spent the afternoon getting acquainted with the water and we had a wonderful time. After the exciting swimming experience Luke fell sound asleep on a chaise and I could eat a delicious Currywurst at the neighboring restaurant.

So if you're looking for a new place to go swimming with or without your kids I can highly recommend the Pullacher Freizeitbad.

Happy swimming!

The Easiest Vacation Ever

Last night, we stayed at a hotel. We took a bus with our suitcase, checked in, and flopped onto the bed. Our entire trip took 25 minutes - we live 7 bus stations away!

As a little valentine's day surprise I booked a night at the Holiday Inn Munich South. It was fantastic! We swam in the pool, gorged at the breakfast buffet, and slept like sardines all in one bed. What a fun easy way to "get away" without really having to go much of anywhere! We rode the bus back home in our PJs.

I can highly recommend this hotel for a fun night "away" in Munich - the staff was wonderful, the breakfast was delicious, the pool was warm and newly renovated - and the bar staff made us some excellent cocktails to take up to the room. Check hotel.com for good deals!

To to zoo!

Last weekend, we took Charlie to the zoo. We've done this a couple of times already. The first time, he was 6 months old and he slept through the entire thing in his stroller. The last time, we were with the in-laws and we had fun but Charlie was not really into the animals, he really just wanted to pick up rocks and splash in puddles (and at the petting zoo he wanted to pick up and eat the goat poo. Because yes. We prevented this, thankfully).

But this time, THIS TIME, he was so into it. It helped that we took the "correct" route which means not the one that goes by the gazillion intresting animal habitats but the one that leads DIRECTLY to the petting zoo with goats (because, you know, we can't see GOATS anywhere else for 12 Euros a person) and then passes a couple of cool animals before a fantastic PLAYGROUND that also sells coffee and pizza (see: happy parents equal happy child) and then continues on to the FARM ANIMALS area with rabbits and horses and even a guinea pig habitat with a little maypole and other fake tiny bavarian village accoutrements.

This area also has rides, which are cheap and awesome. We took Charlie on the vintage car ride (we rode with him, each of us once, a particularly harrowing experience at Oktoberfest this year taught us to never let him ride a ride alone again. Ever.) We then continued past a few more animals (Charlie could have watched the alpacas and the pigs for ages. He was most impressed that the pigs had a ball. Whenever we talk about those zoo pigs, he makes his snorting pig sound and says "dall!" (charlish for ball).

What comes next at the zoo is the things about Germany that I will always always love and will never understand why more countries don't do things this way. Because, there is, of course, a Biergarten. And not some overly priced hokey zoo Biergarten but a real, authentic, sprawling Bavarian Biergarten where you are, as tradition dictates, allowed to bring your own food as long as you purchase beverages. And the best part, past the delicious beer, is the beautiful and sprawling playground right next to said Biergarten. Happiness for all involved.

After going down the slide of happiness  (as I think Charlie would have named this metal tunnel slide that had him shrieking with joy time after time) we proceeded out past the penguins and the sea otters, and headed home. PERFECT.

So if you are in Munich, and even if you don't have kids. GO. TO. THE. ZOO. (and follow that sign to the Biergarten).

Kung fu fighting the Märzwinter

I recently read the following advertisement for the "Ninja Umbrella" (pictured below)


Everybody Was Kung Fu Lightning
NINJA UMBRELLA

Rain: Ninja. You are but a mere mortal and no match for my powerful torrent. Do you surrender?

Ninja: Ah, Rain. You are a most worthy opponent and teacher. But I will never surrender.

This is what I need for Munich's March weather. There is apparently a weather phenomenon called Märzwinter bringing the ridiculously cold temperatures and miserable cloudy melty slushy snow blizzardness that has been the last two weeks.

We are currently suffering under the reign of the low pressure system named "Herbert". That's right, they name them here. Maybe it's just Germany's way of dealing with the bad weather. At any rate, it turns out that they've been naming their high and low pressure systems since 1954. At first, all the high pressure systems got male names and the low pressure systems got female names. But then the feminist groups got (rightly) riled up because the bad weather systems were all female, and now the naming procedure alternates yearly.

Also, you can adopt weather systems for your special someone here complete with name and information packet. Too bad valentines day is over.

At any rate, bad weather like this is an excuse for EVERYTHING. Especially not blogging. Or tweeting. Or not making Sauerbraten (guilt!!). I will, however, be venturing to Südbad today to try our their aquafitness course. I have developed a liking for water aerobics.. I'll let you know if that amps up my life motivation, but until then, I will still grumble about the weather.

long live the blog

So, it's 2009, and I'm currently studying for exams (why?? why work and study at the same time?!?!) so I need a distraction. MY BLOG! So I'm doing a big push, and I need your help. Because, well, I admit it. I'm a total novice. I am looking for connections with other expat Munich bloggers. So far, I have discovered Lucid in Deutschland, American Expat in Deutschland and Coffee from a Cardboard Cup. Who else can help me discover?

Thanks, Lucid, for your great link list... I am working my way through the Bayern section.

Until then, a few photos that have been collecting digital dust in the hallows of my computer.
I have posted this before, but it's worth a replay. This restaurant in Munich has, as its logo, a lovely graphic of the "dönertier", the "döneranimal". I guess if there really was an animal made out of slices of various meats stacked on a metal stick, topped with tomatoes, onions and garlic and roasted to perfection, it would look like this. ICK.


SHINY CAT IN SAUCE. Sold in Munich Stachus, at the pet store. Delicious.

Artur armed to fight the Ikea gods to the death.

Change and Chili

As part of my new "blog structure update" I will now be posting, as part of my "finger-licking tuesdays" a recipe or delicious food experience weekly.

Today, I present, (drum roll)… patriotic Obama Chili to accompany the inauguration day ceremony. Obama posted his "family" Chili recipe and I'm going to try it out.

We expats sure don't have it easy when it comes to watching events live on TV. I still have a headache when I think of my day of work after the election, having stayed up until 6am to watch the acceptance speech. The Steelers big win at home against the Ravens on Sunday night kept me up until 3:30, and I fell asleep before the end (shame on me). The Superbowl will be a long one as well (HERE WE GO STEELERS!). But this time, we lucked out. I'll be heading home from work today at 4pm just in time to whip up a batch of Chili and settle onto the couch for an evening of patriotic pride (finally).

Obama Family Chili Recipe

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans

We'll start with the shopping, something we expats all know isn't an easy task for American recipes. The veggies should be no problem, the kidney beans either. I'll have to fudge the spices a bit (I could probably find everything, but I'm not sure I want to buy it all…), ground meat, tomatoes… looks like we're in the clear. The cheddar cheese might break the bank, but I'm sure a nice emmentaler would taste great too. Now it's time to go shopping!




Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.

Add ground meat and brown.

Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat.

Add red wine vinegar.

Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.

Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.


All the cooking went on during the ceremony. I seeded peppers during the vice presidential oath, and during the presidential oath, I, appropriately, cut onions. My tears were plentiful, to say the least. During the speech I quickly browned the meat and threw in the tomatoes, spices and vinegar and then I ran to the sofa to let myself be swept up in the tone and cheers of history.

The Chili was a hit, served with Fresh Whiskey Sours, and I am so happy that the Bush years are over and a new time has begun. Cheers!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I started out the day by singing christmas tunes loudly in the shower: Silver Bells, It's Beginning to Look alot like Christmas, White Christmas, Chestnuts Roasting... the classics. Artur and I watched "Jack Frost--der Coolste Dad der Welt" yesterday, and it put me in happy christmas spirit. So today I was more than happy to see the dark wooden stands of the Marienplatz Christmas Market already set up and ready to roll.

The giant tree was already standing in front of the Rathaus and the Maroni--roasted chestnut--stands were already crackling away. The wooden stands built up like a labyrinth across the usually wide open cobblestoned plaza set me dreaming about Glühwein, Bratwürstl and Lebkuchen.

The Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz in Munich has a long history itself. Founded in 1642, it holds the title of the oldest and biggest market in the city, and has been selling the gingerbread-like Lebkuchen and Oberammergauer wood cutouts since at least 1805. With over 3 million visitors a year, it may seem like a tourist trap, but every Münchner loves to stop by Marienplatz on the way home from work to stroll through the christmas-scented bustling stands, or to meet friends over a glass of Glühwein or a steaming Feuerzangenbowle-- literally "Fire Pliers Punch", prepared by heating a giant bowl filled with mulled wine, suspending a Feuerzange, a metal holder for the Zuckerhut (sugar hat), a large conical mass of sugar , which is placed above the bowl. The sugar is soaked in rum and burns a caramalizes with delight into the wine, resulting in a more dramatic and more alcoholic version of Glühwein.

The markets don't open until December 1st, but until then I'm going to sing myself into Christmas oblivion. In Germany, my fairytale christmas comes alive...

the most beautiful bike path in the world

Well, the sun is finally out, Floyd is finally free, and I am out on my bike exploring. My poor floyd, my pink bike, hes been stolen twice, both times to be rescued by the police. I am convinced he has a girlfriend, although what female wants a man who always wears bright pink. Maybe he has a boyfriend...

So I have been out and about, riding through Munich, rediscovering the city in many new ways. My plan has been all along to ride to work when it gets warm, so I set out yesterday on a trial run. Even equipped with a bicycle map, i got completely lost and rode aimlessly around the north of munich for more than an hour and a half until i found the kindergarten, at which point i was too tired to ride back, so i left my bike sitting at the subway station. At least it would save me my bus ride the next day, and I could attempt the route home.

So I found myself this morning on my bike, running 20 minutes late, freezing without gloves or a hat in the morning fog, and trying to resolve a small fight with artur about waking him up every morning (torture..) on the cell phone, ,while attempting not to get run over. The day had started out well.

But as I managed to find the perfect route home on another sunny day, I discovered that my route would take me past munich's most beautiful sites: The English Garden, the Isar river, the bavarian government building, the state art museum, the freedom angel monument, the deutsches museum, rows and rows of turn of the century houses, forest, water, sunbathers, cafes...i was so happy. Every day I will see these things on my ride to and from work... not bad.

now I am baking a cake for my half birthday, which is tomorrow. Germans celebrate half birthdays even less than americans, but i am trying to right an embarassing moment at work, where i brought only cookies but everybody after me brought a feast. So tomorrow i am bringing a feast!! to make up for it.

Now, back to Anna and the King dubbed in german...