As stated, there is a good chance I will be coming to the European awesomeness in the near future. Are there any local BA's to the area? I'd love to chat with you about the area, housing, cost of living....but of course, to find out about the best local places and bottle shops. I was in the city for 2 days when traveling through Germany for the WC06, but didn't really get to experience the town. Feel free to shoot me a message or post up some fun things about the area here. Thanks!
Oh man...I am indeed living in Heidelberg. There are advantages and disadvantages, and it really depends on what you hope a city has to offer. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.
No, I'll be working at the American high school before it closes down. As for as the city, I'm looking for the most inexpensive, not crappy places that I can either walk or bike to work. I'd prefer not to purchase a car for 8 months. I saw some furnished places online that were reasonable, but I don't know how close they are to the school. Just trying to budget my money as much as possible.
Two questions: (1) how good is your German? and (2) are you unable to live on the base? If you are only going to move for 8 months, it might just be easier to stay on the base, if that's possible. Otherwise, none of the neighborhoods in that area are crappy, and with many military already moved out, you might be able to find something relatively easily. I would see if the High School/Military has an office set up to either recommend places or help you find one. They probably have a good system set up for helping people relocate, although I am just guessing at that. Beer-wise, Germany can be kind of peculiar. If you're looking for anything non-German, the Army has somewhere on-campus (maybe their grocery store?) that is probably your best bet. Anyway, I know they have Chimay, which is already more Belgian beer than you are likely to find at the local Getränkemarkts (drink stores). Restaurants as well will often not have the selection that you're used to. Some are better than others, but it's not unusual for a restaurant to serve only one brand of beer. But although you won't find the selection you're used to in America, you will find some good and even great beers in the grocery stores and bottle shops that are really cheap. One recommendation I would have if you have the time and money is to travel somewhere fun. For €40, you and four other adults can go to Bamberg (if you can stomach 3.5 hours of travel there and back). A little more money and a little less time will get you to Düsseldorf or Köln. Of course Munich is Munich. You should get out at least once to somewhere with a great beer scene. In town, I'd say Kulturbraueri and Vetter are both pretty good beer places. Kulturbrauerei had a Spring Wheat that was really delicious. And - bonus - the local grocery store sells Duff! Otherwise feel free to use me as a resource and if there's anything I can help with feel free to ask. Cheers!
For us Germans it's completely normal... If he wants a "great beer scene", he should avoid Munich like the plague.
Suffice it to say we disagree on this point. I've been twice and have yet to have a bad beer there. And I haven't even hit the Schneider or Ayinger spots yet. I'm looking forward to going back.
Get on the S-Bahn and go to Aying, drink at Leibhards across from the Ayinger hotel. Munich is a fun town, much to see and do as a tourist. I agree the beer scene leaves much to be desired. It is also expensive if you were just in Bamberg the day before.
I don't live too far from Heidelberg, my best idea would be to search for a place in areas where students live, those usually search for affordable space to live... I wonder, is there still a PX around Heidelberg? Do they have interesting beer there? Maybe Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, or other interesting stuff?
PX = Army store, Mr. McWaffles? If so, yes and no. Yes, there is one, but since 2001 no one is allowed on the base without a reason, and "shopping" apparently does not qualify as a reason. Even as an American, I would not be allowed on the base unless I had an appointment there.
Yeah, talking about the PX Store, or as Wikipedia tells me the "Army & Air Force Exchange Service"... (Always thought its real name is "PX" ) I didn't know they have so strict restrictions for the base, the PX that was around here was not really "on the base", it closed pretty early, must have been 10 to 15 years ago, and for some time I think it was open for everyone... And I thought PX was open to any US-Citizen and also Nato people. Now the "local PX" is a russian supermarket, not much beer, but Vodka in glass-AKs
When I lived in Wiesbaden you could go to the shopping center, and buy consumables (fast food, see a movie). We could not go to the base exchange as it had items that would have been taxed if bought off base, and was for US Service people and their families only. Agreement between the 2 countries. After the African empabies were bombed, we had to show a US passport. After 9/11, you had to had a military ID to get in the shopping area complex.
I will have access to the base and all that jazz. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to get to work. Currently, I am in Japan, so, the beer scene there has to be better than here. I figured with people leaving the area, there had to be plenty of cheaper places nearby to live. Do you have any recommendations on places to look online? I have 2 weeks when I arrive to find a place, and I'm sure that the army has something set up to help out, but I thought I would get a head start by looking now. I don't think living on base is an option for me, since I'm not active military. I wasn't allowed to here in Japan...though, I don't really want to live on base unless I have to. My German is better than my Japanese, which isn't saying much. Like I said, I traveled Germany for 3 weeks in '06, so I've been to Berlin, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Nurenberg, Dusseldorf, Munster, and Hamberg. I have some friends that live in Duisburg. I also have access to USPS, and even though not legal, I have people ship stuff to me from stateside all the time here. I'm from Chicago, so getting FFF's, Half Acre, Founders, New Glarus, etc., usually isn't difficult for me.
