52 Things Challenge: How to Act Like a Local While Living in Munich

The other day my dearest Jessica posted a link on my Facebook wall to this amazing website called 52 Ways to Act Like a Local. It’s basically a bucket list of things posted by Munich’s local newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, that should be accomplished by tourists and expats alike while they’re living in or visiting Munich. Being the opportunist blogger that I am, I’ve decided to turn this into a challenge – a challenge that I hope to complete before I leave Munich.

Some of these things I’ve already done and some of them I know I won’t get to do. But it’s possible that I know someone who has done it and I’ll have some guest blogs for that. For all of the rest, I’ll gather up my friends and we’ll try to tackle the ones that we can manage. But until then, here’s the list in it’s entirety. The challenge itself will commence shortly.

1. Get naked in the Englisher Garten
2. Climb the Bavaria Statue
3. Order a “Schnitt”
4. Prepare a real “Brotzeit”
5. Spend a night in the Englischer Garten
6. Daydream in the Asamkirche.
7. Cruise the Isar River in a rubber dinghy
8. Go to the Wiesn before the Oktoberfest
9. Watch the sunset from the Hakerbrücke bridge
10. Set up a Maypole
11. Wash out your own Maßkrug
12. Be stymied by Munich’s public transport pricing system
13. Break a bench at the Oktoberfest
14. Enjoy a big-name concert for nix from the Olympiaberg
15. Buy something at Kustermann
16. Buy a monthly public transport ticket
17. Wash your wallet/purse in the Fish Fountain at Marienplatz
18. Drink an espresso at Café Tambosi
19. Stroll through the Viktualienmarkt in the early morning
20. Take a dip in the Müllerisches Volksbad
21. Lick back an ice-cream from Sarcletti
22. Have someone think you’re “Schickimicki”
23. Skate on Munich’s frozen ice
24. Make friends with Charles Schumann
25. Watch the TV series Kir Royal
26. Host visitors during Oktoberfest
27. Cavort in a fountain
28. Tell someone off for standing on the wrong side on the escalator (also, here!)
29. Take a dachshund for a walk in the Englischer Garten
30. Get a headache and blame the “Föhn”
31. Bop with the locals at the Fraunhofer Schoppenstüberl
32. Swim in the Eisbach stream and take the tram home
33. Shoot some pool in the Schelling Salon
34. Watch all 10 episodes of Monaco Franz
35. Watch a game of football at the Grünwalder Stadion
36. Dance at the Kockerlball
37. Have a barbecue at Flaucher
38. Cycle with the Lord Mayor on his way to work
39. Count the steps of the “Alte Peter”
40. Drink a Maß of beer at 11am in a beer garden
41. Surf in the Eisbach stream
42. Go jogging in the Alten Nördlichen Friedhof (Old North Cemetery)
43. Down a glass of champagne in the P1 nightclub
44. Listen to the Glockenspiel from start to finish
45. Cycle to the Waldwirtschaft beer garden
46. Learn one of Karl Vanentin’s sketches by heart
47. Dial the number 32-16-8
48. Visit the Deutsches Museum
49. Catch a film at the world’s oldest cinema
50. Drink a beer with “Manila”
51. Go to the opera
52. Stroke the Residenz lions

… and a few of my own!

53. Take a picture of my friend, Brenna, in every church in Munich. (She told me that she’s never been in a church before! She’s new to Munich and I’m so making her a part of my challenge. Game on, Brenna!)