PLEASE help yourselves with everything you find in the kitchen, especially everything that will spoil soon.

You can also use the washing detergent and soap.

If you have suggestions how to improve this manual, please let us know.

See also Our Neighborhood and vicinity

How to enter the yard

Twist the doorknob on the inside of either yard doors.
If not locked with a key, the front door can be opened from the outside.

The Cats

Vinzi and and Mila can leave the house through the cat gate into the basement and out the window to the front yard.

The doors is in a mode that they can get out but not in. This is because especially Mila likes to bring mice – dead or, even worse, alive.

Usually they spend the day indoors sleeping somewhere. They have a favorite spot on every floor. When you are at home, you can leave the door open and they can enter or leave as they like. They will usually settle down somewhere near you.

In the morning, they are already at the terrace door when you wake up. Mila has the habit of calling us to open the door. You can ignore it if 5 a.m. is too early for you to get up.

Feeding

We usually have wet food around throughout the day. However, if the doors are open during the day, nasty flies are attracted to the food. So I usually put leftovers in the fridge, or I give them only a little, as leftovers aren’t their favorite food anyway. The dry food is available all the time. If it is empty for a half day, don’t worry: They will not starve.

We keep the big supplies in the basement. You can also put some cans and the dry food in the kitchen in the big drawer opposite the door.

Dishwasher

The tabs for the dishwasher are under the sink. We ususally run the Eco program which takes 4+ hours.

Coffeemachine

You can use the coffee machine with beans or with ground coffee. Currently, it is set to strong (three) beans. Press the Cups button to select the number of cups. Fill the respective amount of water.

Garbage

Munich has a system of extensive waste separation. We separate plastic, paper, glass, organic waste, metal, and the rest.

Here is a list of what goes where:

What	Where
Organic waste from kitchen and garden like fruit and vegetables, potato peel, eggshell, coffee filter paper, tea bags, withered flowers. But no meat, bones, fish, cooked or liquid leftovers, salads with dressing, bakery products, ash from the barbeque. That goes in the à Black bin	Brown waste bin Pre-collected in the grey triangle pot on the kitchen window sill.
Clean paper, newspaper, magazines, carton	Blue waste bin   Pre-collect them in the right bin under the sink.
Plastic packings like yoghurt cups Glass packings, if not returnable bottles or yoghurt glasses Metal packings, tins, foil from yoghurt cups, screw or crown caps	Clean them in the dishwasher and pre-collect them in the grey metal dust bin in the kitchen.
Everything else	Black waste bin Pre-collect in right side basket under the sink.

Waste bins

The waste bins are emptied every other week, each bin on a different day. The collectors take the bin out and return them. You do not have to worry about it. The collectors asked us to keep the handles to the front. Makes it easier for them.

Public containers

If the grey metal bin in the kitchen should be full (we think you will not achive this ;-)), you carry its content to our nearest “Wertstoffinsel” (Isle for Recyclable Goods).

There are containers for white glass („Weißglas“), brown glass (“Braunglas”) and green glass (“Grünglas”), plastic (“Kunststoff”), and metal.

Our nearest Wertstoffinsel is at Truderinger Straße / Ursberger at bus stop.

Washing Machine

The Washing Machine is in the basement. For the majority of our laundry, we use the programme ECO at 40 °C. The programme runs about 4 hours.

Don’t forget to turn on the water-tap before starting the machine and to turn it off afterwards! 

Tumble-dryer

The tumble-dryer is also in the basement. Use the Schranktrocken program, if you do not want to use the laundry rack. After each cycle, you must empty the fluff filter and the water tank. Please tilt the window and close the door when the dryer is running to keep the basement dry.

Stove and Oven

The stove top also includes a fan. To clean it, put the lid and the container of fan into the dishwasher once in a while.

Microwave

Press the Jet key for 30 sec, press again for another 30 sec.

Printer & Internet

Our WiFi is called no9wlan1 (1^st floor) or no9wlan2 (ground floor), the passkey is 3187 5512 8965 2905.

The printer is called Epson Stylus Office BX635FWD and is located in the little stair room on the 1^st floor.

In the Garden

Feel free to use the grill/barbecue and help yourselves with the charcoal briquettes.

We don’t think that you need to mow the lawn, but if you want to: The lawn mower and the orange cable are in the shed.

We would appreciate it if you could water the plants if they look too thirsty. Especially, the potted plants need a lot to drink. The Hydrangea in the front garden is always thirsty, too.

Eating out

Biergärten – Beer gardens

Don’t leave Munich without a day or an evening at an original Biergarten. Wikipedia says: Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany (especially Bavaria). It is usually attached to a drinking establishment such as a public house or a beer hall, which in places such as Munich may serve large numbers of customers (up to 8,000 in the Hirschgarten).

In real Beer gardens, you can bring your own food, along with tablecloth and cutlery, but you must buy your drinks there. Beer gardens also provide food (self-service) like huge brezels, Obatzda (squished Camembert cheese with paprika), sometimes fish or ribs. Most of the beergardens also have tables that are being served. Those look nicer with tablecloth etc.

Gardens or outdoor spaces of restaurants are called Biergarten, too. Of course, here you can’t bring your own food. If you are unsure, look around what others do.

Here is a list of some nice beer gardens in the city:

• Weißes Bräuhaus Berg am Laim, Baumkirchner Straße http://weisses-brauhaus.de/bergamlaim/
• Michaeligarten:  close to us, next to Michaelibad, http://www.michaeligarten.de/ 
• Franziskanergarten: big garten, also nice restaurant, 4 km bike ride
  http://www.franziskanergarten.de/

In the city. Huge and famous, a “must see” on a hot summer night (avoid if you are afraid of crowds)

• Hofbräukeller: Wiener Platz, Haidhausen; often very crowded, little playground.
• Löwenbräukeller: (U1 Stiglmaierplatz or U2 Königsplatz) http://www.loewenbraeukeller.com/en/ 
• Hirschgarten: S-Bahn Laim (not Berg am Laim!), very large with lots of space for kids to run around.  And deer (Hirsche) to watch.
• Zum Flaucher: (U3 Brudermühlstraße). Near the Isar, nice after a day at the zoo. http://www.zumflaucher.de/hauptnavigation/anfahrt/
• Nockherberg: (Tram 25 Ostfriedhof). http://www.nockherberg.com/anfahrtsplan.html
• Chinesischer Turm in the Englischer Garten: Famous, expensive but sometimes with nice music.

For a list of Biergärten with more than 1000 places, see http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_Münchner_Biergärten

Combined with a 10 km-bike ride, the huge and famous Biergarten at Gut Keferloh. http://www.gut-keferloh.de/

Restaurants around here

Weißes Bräuhaus Berg am Laim

Baumkirchner Straße Closest to us. Traditional Bavarian food, with nice Biergarten.
http://weisses-brauhaus.de/bergamlaim/

Obermaier

Truderinger Straße 306. Traditional Bavarian food and ambiente, with garden.

http://www.gasthof-obermaier.de/wirtsgarten/wirt_frame.htm

Pepe Rosa

Best Italian: Kreillerstraße 63, 81673 München. Also To go. https://www.peperosaristorante.de/speisekarte

Il Pastello

Baumkirchner Straße 29. Italian restaurant and ice cream parlour. Reasonable prices, not fancy.

Mr. Hai

Baumkirchner Straße 27

Thai, sushi, Vietnamese, everything that you can eat with chopsticks. Very small, outdoor seating available but noisy.

Restaurants in the city centre

Herrmannsdorfer ÖQ Bistro

Frauenstraße 6, at Viktualienmarkt

Little lunchtime bistro, which serves organic food and meat from formerly happy animals. Not fancy but extremely delicious. Our friend Christian is the chef. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. Very crowded between noon and 1 p.m.

Spöckmeier, Ratskeller, Donisl, Hofbräuhaus

Around Marienplatz

Those are some of the famous Munich restaurants with all the traditional dishes like Schweinsbraten mit Knödel (Pork with dumplings) or Saure Lüngerl (Lung in vinegar sauce). If you decide to go to the Hofbräuhaus, try to find a seat in the restaurant part of it and not to the “Schwemme”, the beer hall.

Prinz Myshkin

Hackenstraße 2, near Marienplatz

Interesting vegetarian cuisine.

Swimming and bathing

Public pools

Michaelibad

Indoor and outdoor pool, closest to us. U5 Michaelibad.

http://www.swm.de/privatkunden/m-baeder/schwimmen/hallenbaeder/michaeli-hallenbad.html

Cosima Wellenbad

Indoor pool with artificial wave every 30 minutes. Quite cold water, though. U4 Arabellapark.

http://www.swm.de/privatkunden/m-baeder/schwimmen/hallenbaeder/cosima-wellenbad.html

Müllersches Volksbad

Indoor pool in beautiful Art Nouveau building. Rosenheimer Str. 1 between Isar and Gasteig. Have a nice meal in the Cafe Stöhr afterwards.

http://www.swm.de/privatkunden/m-baeder/schwimmen/hallenbaeder/volksbad.html

Maria Einsiedel

Outdoor pool in really nice surrounding with many ecological ideas such as a biological cleaning system. The Isar channel also runs through it. Not so easy to reach. Zentralländstraße 28, U3 „Thalkirchen, Tierpark“, then Bus 135 to „Solln“ exit at „Bad Maria Einsiedel“.  Or by bike, 10 km ca. 40 min.

Therme Erding

Outside Munich in Erding with car or with S-Bahn (with one Partner Ticket „Außenraum“ (Outer area) for two adults and two kids).

Large spa and water park with different pools and a water slide „paradise”.  http://www.therme-erding.de/de/100683/100771/espanol.html

Lakes and the Isar

Isar

Isar is the river that runs through Munich. Usually quite wild and full of ice cold water from the mountains. Recently, with the dry winters and summers it runs rather shallow water. North of the Tierpark (Zoo), nice area at the Isar, safe for kids to play in the water, lots of people grill there. Nice beergarden on the other side of the Isar, Flauchersteg pedestrian bridge to cross the Isar. Bathing is also possible in the city center south of Deutsches Museum.

Riemer See

Built for the 2005 Federal Garden Exhibition (BUGA) on the area of the former airport. Definitely nice for an evening swim. 5 km bike ride from home. With a huge and exciting playground nearby. Little kiosk with icecream and chips. No real beergarden, though.

Heimstettener See

East of Munich. Little lake. Nice place to stay for a few hours. 12 km  bike ride. Kiosk sells beer, pommes frittes, ice cream.

Feringasee and Unterföhringer See (aka Poschinger Weiher)

North of Munich. Nice bike ride along the Isar north. 15 km

Maisinger See

Nice mose sø. Always very warm. Don’t worry about the brown water, it is all natural.

Starnberger See

Big lake south of München. Take the S-Bahn to Starnberg. There is a public „lido“ in the city. On the North shore, the beach is called Percha. You can also go on a boat tour on that lake and others. http://www.seenschifffahrt.de/en/

Staffelsee

About one hour drive. Extremely scenic with the Alps in the background. Go to the East Shore to the “Gemeindebad Uffing”.

In the mountains: Tegernsee, Schliersee, Kochelsee, Walchensee etc.

There is always some opportunity to take swim in these mountain lakes. But beware, they are cooold.

Museums

Museum Mensch und Natur

Museum about Earth, nature and us. Good for children. In the right wing of the Nymphenburger Schloss. http://www.musmn.de/starteng.htm

Kinder- und Jugendmuseum

Hand-on museum. Current show is about air (Luft). In the Main train station, Arnulfstr.3 80335 München. http://www.kindermuseum-muenchen.de

Deutsches Museum

Displays about everything technical. Visit the “Kid’s kingdom” (Kinderreich) in the basement. Bring towels and dry clothes! http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/exhibitions/kids-kingdom/

Towers to climb and look down

Olympiaturm (Olympic tower)

A must for those who love heights. With rotating restaurant. In the Olympiapark. Can’t miss it.

Alter Peter (Church St. Peter)

Only 306 steps to the top and 306 steps down again! Visit the nice inside of the church to catch breath again. St. Peter on Petersbergl between Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt.  If this is too exhausting, you can get almost the same view from the tower of the city hall a few meters across Marienplatz – with lifts!

Bavaria (monumental lady on Theresienwiese)

Climb into the head of the Bavaria statue on the Theresienwiese. You should not be claustrophobic.

Sky lounge in the Ten Towers

Café in the Telekom Ten Towers complex in Berg am Laim. With the right weather, you can see Italy (if there weren’t the Alps in the way). 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays Monday – Thursday. Dingolfingerstraße 7. Tram 19 to “Ampfingstraße”. http://www.events-over-munich.de/index.php/skycafe.html

Animals

Tierpark Hellabrunn (Zoo)

Tierpark Hellabrunn is a really nice zoo and they have done a lot to improve the situation for the animals. U3 Thalkirchen. http://www.tierpark-hellabrunn.de/?L=1

Wildpark Poing

Huge area with indigenous animals. Bears, donkeys, birds, deer, etc. and a bird of prey show. Fantastic playground. S2 “Erding” exit in “Poing”. Walk along the main road and follow the signs. About 20 minutes walk. Or by bike (16 km) http://www.wildpark-poing.de/ 

Sealife

Indoor exhibition of, well, sea life. Built in some catacombs of the olympic park. (I think these were changing rooms for the athletes). See voucher. You can also buy a combi ticket at the U- or S-Bahn ticket machines. http://www.visitsealife.com/Munchen/en/

Where to go in the Alps

We have found a few places that are good to visit with children.

Schliersbergalm

http://www.schliersbergalm.de/anfahrt.html

Near Schliersee. Easy walk on broad path, or take the cable car. Restaurant and playground on the mountain. Nice view over the Schliersee.

Take the summer slide downhill.

Blomberg

http://www.blombergbahn.de/index.php/sommer/sommer

Near Bad Tölz, Chairlift up, nice walk to the summit. Summer slide down.

Brauneck

http://www.brauneck-bergbahn.de/english/how_to_reach_us/

Mountain near Lenggries. Cable car that takes you almost to the top. Easy walk of 20 Minutes to the mountain restaurant. Also with summer slide (http://www.jaudenhangflitzer.de/).

Kolbensattel

http://www.kolbensattel.de/en/summer/hours-of-operation

Near Oberammergau, family hiking area, Chairlift up and down. Also with summer slide.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Zugspitze

http://www.zugspitze.de/en/summer/

You can reach Germany’s highest peak without much physical effort (you only need 100 € for two adults). The Partnachklamm, a scenic gorge is fun, but wet and slippery.

Biking

The Munich area is almost flat without any mountains. That’s how it looks. However, there is a permanent change in altitude. South is higher, North is lower. The decline is invisible, but measurable and you definitely feel it in your legs. For example, our house is on 535 m, 10 km South East you are on 620 m.

Munich is a fairly good area for biking. Of course, there are some streets that are definitely hazardous, but we have a lot of streets with bike lanes. However, the inner city is not fun to bike around for leisure.

Signs for bikers in the city are white with green letters, outside they are yellow.

Helmets are not obligatory, but we recommend them, especially for the kids.

Munich is not famous for theft in general, but we ask you to lock the bikes when you leave them unattended.

The “Isar Highway”, a bike trail on the right side of the river Isar is very scenic. You can go North to Freising (45 km) and take the S-Bahn back. To the South may be a bit more exhausting due to more ups and downs.

Public transportation

http://www.mvv-muenchen.de/

Public transportation is manifold:

Busses, trams and U-Bahn serve the city. S-Bahn goes beyond the city to other cities in the vicinity.

Our transportation options

Bus 185 (bus stop Ursberger Straße) goes to Berg am Laim Bahnhof or East to Trudering. In the morning and evening, every ten minutes, else every twenty minutes.

Tram 21 from Kreillerstraße or Mutschellestraße (direction to Pasing, back to St.-Veit-Straße). This line passes Ostbahnhof, Haidhausen and Hauptbahnhof. This is a scenic ride to the city center. Every twenty minutes. Tram 19 from Berg am Laim Bahnhof goes into the city center as well.

U2 from Kreillerstraße goes to Hauptbahnhof in about 20 minutes. Every three to ten minutes. To the city direction Feldmoching, home direction Messestadt Ost.

S2, S4 and S6 from Berg am Laim. Two stops to Ostbahnhof. In the other directions to Erding or Ebersberg, both little scenic cities with Bavarian flair. Can also be used to return from a bike trip or vice versa.

Other scenic rides

Bus 100 from Ostbahnhof, passes most of the important museums and the surfer’s wave near Haus der Kunst.

Tram 17 from Hauptbahnhof takes you to Schloss Nymphenburg and the Hirschgarten Biergarten.

Tickets

http://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/homepage/index.html (Attention, very complex!)

Ticket vending machines are in every U-Bahn and S-Bahn station, or on buses and trams. Machines in stations accept bills and maestro cards. On buses and trams only coins or prepaid cash cards (haevkort) are accepted.

Isar-Card Wochenkarte (week card). Valid from Day X to next Day X 12:00, for example Monday to Monday 12:00. You need “three rings” for 16,50 per adult. Own kids from 6-14 ride free, Monday-Friday from 9:00. Only valid within these three rings, which is pretty much the whole city (see above link for more detaills). Buy at machines in the station or at a kiosk in the station. You do not get this ticket in buses or trams! This is definitely the best option if you plan to go a lot on public transportation: Buy two Isar-Cards at 33,00 and ride for a week within the city for the price of three day tickets.

Tageskarte (day ticket) for as many rides back and forth and across for as long as a day. For a family, use a Partner-Tageskarte for a single day (€11,20) or three days (€25,90). A single day Tageskarte pays off when you take three rides and more (A trip being a ride in one direction). Do not forget to stamp this ticket unless you buy it on the bus or on the tram.

Buy a day ticket for the inner district (Innenraum) unless you leave the city area. If you want to travel to outer areas then buy a more expensive day ticket for Munich XXL or the entire network (see above link)

Streifenkarte (blue card with strips) for occasional trips. For a ride within the Innenraum (inner area), in one direction, stamp two strips per adult person per trip (=€ 2,50), one per child.