Welcome back to Munich Unlocked, your ultimate guide to navigating life as an expat in the Bavarian capital! This week, Alex and Sam dive headfirst into Munich's chaotic and colorful summer festival season.

We start the episode with a local news roundup, discussing the tragic freight train collision in Milbertshofen, the massive street parties for Munich's 868th birthday, and the recent drone disruptions that brought flights at Munich Airport to a standstill.

Ever watched the river surfers in the Englischer Garten and wondered how it all started? Sam gives Alex a Bavarian history lesson on the famous Eisbachwelle and reveals the wild true story of how surfing the wave was actually strictly illegal for decades before a grassroots campaign changed the rules in 2010.

Plus, we hype up the absolute must-attend events happening around the city in late June. Whether you want to stroll the car-free Corso Leopold street festival, catch The Weeknd’s massive stadium run at the Allianz Arena, or eat your way through the organic food stalls at the Tollwood Summer Festival, we've got you covered.

Finally, Sam shares a crucial public transit survival tip: how to decode those dreaded Umleitung (detour) and Schienenersatzverkehr (rail replacement service) signs so you never get stranded on your way to the beer garden.

In this episode:

• 00:00 - Intro & Munich's summer festival chaos
• 02:15 - News Roundup: Milbertshofen train crash, Munich's 868th birthday, and airport drone sightings
• 06:30 - Bavarian Fact of the Week: The illegal history of the Eisbach surfers
• 09:45 - Upcoming Events: Corso Leopold, The Weeknd, and the Tollwood Festival
• 13:20 - Expat Survival Tip: Navigating transit detours with the MVGO app