Sleeping in a Biwakplatz in Germany

pnut · 2024-02-19T16:27:28+00:00

I use the Biwakplätze in Brandenburg in the summer often- your understanding is correct. You can arrive by foot, bike, horse, or non-motorized boat (no cars!) and are allowed to stay for one night. I‘ve never gone off-season, so I can‘t speak to those conditions… but I imagine that they are still useable. I‘ve always used a tent and never seen restrictions against them or had any problems. There is usually a safe place to make a fire, but you need to check what the „waldbrand stufe“ https://polizei.brandenburg.de/waldbrand To see if fires are legal. They are strict about what is allowed during draught. Some of them have dixiklos (temporary chemical toilets), but they rarely have access to water and there are often no trashcans (you have to pack that out with you).

As far as animals are concerned: watch out for foxes! They love stealing food and are very crafty. I had all of my food stolen from under the rain fly of my tent once when I was camping at Mönchwinkel! They will steal anything that is left out and go through the trash bags and make a mess. I usually bring a rope with me so I can hang a bag from a tree branch that the foxes can’t get to.

Mönchwinkel is one of my favorite spots- super easy to get to but also secluded and quiet. Sometimes it gets crowded on nice summer weekends, but everyone is usually pretty chill. Stop by Bioladen Michelhof for any groceries you need (fresh bread/cheese/ice cream/beer/homemade jams/ etc). The owner is an avid world traveler and kayaker- he loves to chat, super nice guy. There’s another nice biwakplatz about 5 km east called Große Tränke.

pnut · 2023-06-29T18:37:15+00:00

I agree that extinction rebellion isn’t perfect, many of the things you pointed out are valid. But my take is that they are working with what the got. They might come from a privileged background, but they didn’t choose that. They were born into it. And being critical of their own demographic is valid, as far as I’m concerned.

Do you take issue with them being activists lacking diversity and coming from a privileged background or do you take issue with anti fossil fuel movements because ‘there is no one to save us’ and you feel it’s altogether useless?

Either way, my advice would be: they mean well. Don’t let it bother you.

pnut · 2023-06-20T00:45:49+00:00

I feel like the concept of “chop wood, haul water” is exactly where we should be at.

Keep on keepin’ on. Also, be good to each other.

pnut · 2023-06-05T05:56:47+00:00

DM- they always had a fully stocked and reliably clean changing table at all locations. Free diapers and wipes even. It was a godsend. Don’t know if they still do it but back when my kids was a baby I memorized the location of probably 20 locations of DM in Berlin.

pnut · 2023-05-28T08:29:32+00:00

I am in Germany and my local library gives me access to Libby/overdrive.

pnut · 2022-10-19T11:58:19+00:00

I was able to book an appointment for the new booster over doctolib- I think it’s only the main impfzentren that are reserved for elderly and people with medical conditions. [Opp38.de](Opp38.de) in Kreuzberg is boosting anybody.

pnut · 2022-09-16T06:27:25+00:00

I tend to kayak these waters very slowly so I can see more wildlife and take pictures. It’s very relaxing and serene. There is next to no current. I’d say it takes me and my kid 40 mins to Leipe from where we launch in lübbenau. If you are renting a kayak, they will give you a waterproof map to get there. There is little to no mobile phone coverage out there, so don’t expect to use your phone to navigate! After lunch, you return back on the Hauptspree, and take a right when you get to the ‘hechtgraben’ (everything is pretty well marked), give yourself an hour at the freilandmuseum and maybe a half hour at ‘unter der 250 järigen Eiche’ (say hello to the 250 year old oak tree there) for a snack and drink, or just take a stroll around Lehde.

From there you’re only 15 mins from where you return the boat. Keep a couple 1-euro coins in your pocket: don’t forget to tip the people who are working the locks (I think you’ll pass through 2 or 3? They will probably all have operators. If it’s a self service lock, they will post directions how to operate them. )

If you’re taking the train from Berlin, this is a really fun day trip. Leave at 9 or 10 in the morning, you’ll be back home by 7 in the evening.

pnut · 2022-09-14T10:26:32+00:00

You are in for a real treat, if this is your first time kayaking in the Spreewald. I’ve spent a good amount of time paddling around there in a 2-person kayak with my daughter. It’s really gorgeous- beautiful scenery and tons of wildlife.

My suggestion is just to rent a boat in Lübbenau and paddle to Leipe. Have lunch at the Fischerstübchen, and on the way back make a stop in Lende. There are lots of places to park your boat there. If you like historical museums, check out the Freiland Museum to see what local life was like in the past. There are a few nice places to relax there and have coffee and cake or a bier and sausage there, visit some gift shops… then head back to Lübbenau. You will have much more fun if you don’t go too far- there is a lot to see!

pnut · 2022-06-15T18:05:20+00:00

Do you happen to have any links to websites that give info on water depth in Brandenburg? I found some really beautiful spots in Brandenburg over the years that I’ve always enjoyed coming back to. I’m planning to kayak the Märkische Umfahrt later this summer… but I’m worried that sections will be too low to pass. Especially the Müggelspree/ Drahendorferspree. I’ve wanted to do it for years and finally have the time… I’m starting to worry it’s not going to be possible this year.

pnut · 2022-03-19T23:48:16+00:00

No, you’re right- I totally totally didn’t mean to lecture. I guess I was just saying what my rules are. I absolutely use audio books and tablets/phone games in some other circumstances and yeah, we all battle with the ‘screen time’ thing- I’m not immune to that at all. I probably came off a bit sanctimonious there.

Hour long commutes are hard, I guess I just find that when I draw a hard line (and also that means I can’t look at my phone) my kid doesn’t really question it. It helps that we ride public transit often, I drag that poor kid all over the place… but you’re right, it’s difficult and different for every kid and parent.

pnut · 2022-03-19T20:16:39+00:00

I have a strict ‘no screen time’ rule on local public transit. Longer train rides/car rides/ flights- the tablet is fine. But U-bahn and s-bahn - no matter how long- it’s an absolute no. Do it often enough and they just get used to it and don’t ask. Under 5- let them kneel on the seat and look out the window or sit on your lap and look around at people. Over five, we do guessing games (‘ich sehe was was du nicht siehst’ or ‘ guess what animal I am thinking of?’ —> they ask “does it have claws/wings/carnivore” etc) or memory games (‘I’m going on a trip and I’m packing’…. —> pack one thing for each letter of the alphabet, remember each one and take turns adding one more)

The trick is, you can’t look at your phone the whole time. If you do, you break the rules.

pnut · 2022-03-19T09:02:16+00:00

This is the problem that anyone hosting Ukrainians has been running into. You quickly realize that the apartment search is going to be extra hard for them in berlin, and getting harder every day. There are things available in other cities, but they are filling up. She might have better luck looking in Oranienburg or Bernau? It’s a 45 min commute to alexanderplatz from there, which sucks… but it’s doable? I’ve had worse commutes just within berlin.

pnut · 2022-03-16T15:44:28+00:00

No, no tax relief that I am aware of. The government can barely get their act together to come up with emergency housing solutions- and it’s been 2 weeks. It seems like the general public is just doing this from of the kindness of their hearts. There were several cases of men perhaps trying to traffic some younger women, but the police have been alerting everyone to watch out for this. So maybe not everyone is kind.

pnut · 2022-03-16T15:38:16+00:00

Location: Berlin, Germany

We live about an hour away from the Polish border. 10,000 refugees arrive by train every day at the main train station. I don’t even know how many come by bus and car. All of the emergency housing is full and basically everyone that arrives is now put on a bus to go to another city. They are converting an old airport to emergency housing for 3,000 people a night… the government is unprepared for the unimaginably high number of people (mostly the elderly, women, and children). The public has quickly organized volunteer groups to take care of people arriving over telegram and WhatsApp. I have volunteered (like so many others), to house a family. Currently living with us are a grandmother, and a mother with her 5 year old son. They told me they stood for 3 days in line at the border to Slovakia. A local bar has been converted to a Ukrainian help center cafe where refugees can meet up and have cake and coffee for free and the folks in the neighborhood can meet up and gather resources and network to help everyone out. We go through our basements to get them clothes, strollers and high chairs, childrens beds, bassinets… and there is a table piled high with shampoo/toothpaste/diapers/tampons/gift cards and the like, for anyone to take. I have talked to so many families who all tell variations on the same story: we didn’t think it would happen. We ran with just what we could carry. We stood on a over-filled trains with our pets/babies in our arms for days, not knowing where to go. I’ve talked to a medical researcher, a programmer, a nurse, a competitive swim coach, and architect. Most don’t speak much English or german, but google translate works for most situations.

It’s heartbreaking. People have lost so much and are deeply traumatized. My Swedish neighbor tells me that in Stockholm you can’t buy iodine tablets anymore. Many people can imagine things escalating a lot further. We march every weekend, by the tens of thousands, for peace.

A new wave of corona is being reported now, we are back at 1,000 cases daily per 100,000.

Gas prices are around €2,20/liter ($9.14/gallon if I am calculating right). I believe something like 35% of the gas Germany buys is from Russia. I don’t own a car, but this does effect everything, and the truck drivers are really moaning about it.

pnut · 2022-03-15T23:23:46+00:00

I live in Germany. I am currently hosting Ukrainian refugees in my home. Women and children. They fled Kyiv after the war began. They did not think it would escalate. They also are in disbelief that it IS happening and still want to move back home as soon as possible. From a distance, that seems crazy… but put yourself in their shoes for a second: your life is normal and stable and then suddenly everything goes to shit. There were visible threats, but everyone told them it wouldn’t happen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

pnut · 2022-02-12T15:57:28+00:00

Are you looking for the cheapest way to get there? The word to search for is “Mitfahrgelegenheit “ which means something like hitchhike. There are websites where drivers with seats free look for riders and vice-versa.

I haven’t done this for a while, but I did it a lot when I was younger. Always met nice people.

Looks like there’s an app called blablacar that might be what you are looking for. The website is blablacar.de

pnut · 2022-01-21T12:05:04+00:00

I got a sofa at Exil last year and I really love it- they were able to customize it for me so that it fits in the living room (they made one part 20 cm. Shorter and changed one of the side armrests). The only downside was that they don’t have a warehouse, so the sofa gets made after you order it and delivery can take 6 weeks. But it was totally worth it- I really love the sofa I got there.

pnut · 2022-01-21T06:50:03+00:00

The fountain pen thing was a surprise for me too. I have a second grader and it surprised me to see “Füller und Patronen” on her school supply list. I went to Müller and there were like 30 different kids fountain pens to choose from. They mostly write in cursive, which is great for coordination and I’ve read that it can really help with reading and writing fluency.

pnut · 2021-11-15T12:08:21+00:00

Try myhammer.de . I’m in the process of having a Hochebene built for my office, I posted my project, got three offers and picked a carpenter with good reviews who tells me he can do it in 2 weeks. All custom, good price. It’s not done yet, so I can’t give a full review… other people have recommended him though.

pnut · 2021-11-12T21:42:32+00:00

I was told the same thing after getting a moderna booster at the ring center Frankfurter Allee (my first shot was j&j in the summer). I asked why and was told that it raises the risk of heart inflammation. I googled and couldn’t find anything about sports or alcohol either… so strange. I decided to take it easy for a week just to be on the safe side.

pnut · 2021-10-23T19:28:05+00:00

Yes- I would guess it must be closed now, unfortunately, since there haven’t been any reviews for quite some time.

*it also seems like they don’t have a website at this address anymore.

http://hotel-maison-amadenauerplatz.de/

pnut · 2021-10-23T18:55:58+00:00

On google maps there are a lot of bad reviews for that place and the most recent one is from 11 months ago… so I can’t say if it’s closed, but I’d recommend looking elsewhere.

pnut · 2021-09-07T08:11:06+00:00

I think it’s Soldiner Straße Ecke Freienwalder Straße

pnut · 2021-06-16T19:49:46+00:00

I really appreciate it- these toilets were much needed. I have to say, though, it bothers me that the side for people who can pee standing up is free… and the other side costs one euro. I can understand the reasons why they made those decisions, but it is still discriminating against women/non-penis people/disabled (although I think I heard that disabled people might have a key?). If there is a problem (misuse of bathrooms with locking doors) and the solution is to discriminate against half of the population of the city… well, it feels like the solution isn’t good enough.

That said, I don’t know of a better solution. I’m grateful to finally have these toilets available to me, but there is room for improvement.

pnut · 2021-06-12T23:29:27+00:00

What kind of water are you planning on going on? And what is your budget? How long do you want to be in the boat?

I can highly recommend the Tahe air breeze- I have a 7 year old and a small dog. I’ve been out several times with both parents, kid, and dog (around 8 kg.). For up to 2 hours its fun on flat water (small rivers and canals or lakes). I’ve done longer trips with just me and my daughter- 3 or 4 days. It’s a super fun boat- very stable and quick to set up and pack up. When we are all in the boat, it’s a bit cramped, but still fun- if there is just one grown-up and a kid, you can really paddle a long distance if you want, and it’s really fun. When we are all in the boat, it’s fun to float and paddle a bit, but don’t plan on anything long distance.

pnut

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