Well, here we are then, the end. After 250 episodes and almost 5 years of podcasts, the curtains close on the old Decades from Home stage. Before we wistfully turn to an empty podcast studio before turning off the lights, we take a look back at the show, discuss our favourite guests, and who came up with the best episode title.
Kicking off our penultimate episode we have a listener email to pore over, discuss curiously creepy phrasing in German. We also outline strategies to maximise a hotel buffet, and just in time for Simon to go on holiday. Nic tells us about a dream pub lunch, along with some questions about who sends out the worst tourists, Britain or Germany?
It’s never too early to start the festive cheer, and with Christmas biscuits hitting the shelves, Simon’s pleased for early Plätzchen. We take a tour the slightly odd world of the local Freibad with Nic, and we discuss the retirement of a one man bottle capping factory, and we finish by looking at water theft as a neighbours call police to settle whether rain water can really belong to anyone.
Despite decades of living in Germany between us, there is always a cultural error to be made, as Producer Simon discovers this week. We discuss how to manage when you find yourself in an intercultural communications disaster, why language is sometimes only half the battle, and why we overestimate our own ability to understand subtle social cues across cultures.
We’ve discussed the topic of integration on the podcast a few times, but how integrated do your hosts feel now that we’re bringing things to a close? Simon asks the important questions to find out how German we’ve all become: do we have any cash to hand, do we know how to recycle a pizza box, and can we handle the shops being closed on Sunday?
Simon enjoys the corporate seats at the Allianz Arena and tells us all what makes a Bayern Munich buffet, how to meet celebrity footballers, and how to definitely not to be a fan. We also look at what some have termed Clubsterben (the death of clubs) in Berlin and discuss similar issues across hospitality. Should local government step in to protect important community spaces?
It’s time once again for Germany to go full crazy for Jugendwort des Jahres 2025!!! We discuss the pernicious influence of English, and learn far more about the word “Goonen” than anyone ever needed to know. From words to actions, we discuss the world of tattooing, ask Simon about his changing views on tattoos, and a ruling by the Bundesgerichtshof on forced tattooing of a swear word.
What’s the definition of bravery? Surely living in Germany and answering the phone to unknown numbers. Panic inducing, but as Simon argues, a good chance to practice German. Simon shares his list of best/worst German shop names, we discuss the fear of straight razors, and we finish on the world’s largest Knödel.
We talk tourist sites this week, and three in particular: Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof. Why these 3? They’re the three newest German UNESCO World Heritage sites of course! We question Bavarian belligerence over school holidays, and we finish on the age old debate that has baffled the world’s greatest minds: Tanks vs Castles!!!
Nic’s landed on his perfect recipe for summer; All he needs is a beer tent, some schlager, and the cleanest public toilets he’s ever seen. An England win would also help. From ball kicking to treaty signing, we discuss the exciting new friendship treaty between Germany and the UK, and we finish on a chaotic TV interview with the leader of the Far-right AfD.
This week, Nic has an unexpected, although probably should have expected, encounter with David Hasselhoff, and Simon buys some slate out the back of a van. We find out how to effectively flirt at a supermarket, and we finish on a German backpacker who survived the Australian outback.
Germany has a reputation for seriousness, but how serious can they be if escaping prison is totally legal? Simon explains why jailbreaks are only human. Weeks ago we learned of the €3.99 kebap in Bochum, now we learn of the 24 carat gold “Dubai Döner”. We discuss why gold in food is a terrible idea. We close by finding out Germany’s safest cities.
It’s been fairly warm this week in Germany, which means a little more of the weird and wonderful than usual. In this case, the wonderful came in the form of a Dorffest, and the weird was large amounts of Greek condiments on offer, much to Simon’s annoyance. We finish with on bad tattoos, England’s Georgia Stanway, and the start of Euro 2025.
Usually a podcast about Germany, after a trip to Strasbourg, Nic’s a hare’s breadth from turning this podcast French. While Nic was away, Simon enjoyed some German TV in the form of Rosins Restaurants, which looks at the terrible places to eat across the country. We finish with a story about moose hiding in the forests of New Zealand and wonder whether Germany has any hidden beasts out there.
Producer Simon is something of a travel expert, or at least he’s gone on holiday a lot. It does mean he has interesting stories, especially travelling through Europe in an electric car. Last week it was “Mahlzeit” this week it’s “Feierabend” as we try to explain one of the best German words, and we finish things off by discussing why berets and the Bundestag don’t mix.
So our Producer could finally go on holiday, we recorded back to back pods, but forgot when they needed to be released…that’s why we begin this week by celebrating Simon’s beloved Spurs winning the Europa League a month ago...Simon is bloody happy though, and isn’t that worth a segment? Don’t worry, we also have a listener question to tackle concerning the curious German word “Mahlzeit!”.
All the Germanic organisation in the world can’t prevent confusion over Producer Simons recording schedule, but uncertainty isn’t the worst way to start the podcast. Anyway, there’s a new Dönerladen to discuss. Why? Döner for €3.99, that’s why, but what is the real cost? We finish by questioning the honesty of ourselves, Germans, and anyone who’s ever decided to buy some ancient marble while on holiday in Greece.
Having missed Eurovision last week, Simon brings in a special guest reporter to remedy that situation as we discuss politics, Pride flags, and Celine Dion. Freshly minted (sort of) Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz reckons he knows how to fix the German economy, and weirdly it seems to involve everyone else working harder, and we finish in the 10th Anniversary of the Frauenquote.
Producer Simon has wrangled himself a holiday, but is it a week in Fürth visiting the Rundfunkmuseum that he’s always wanted? While he considers his options, Nic & Simon wonder why a mysterious wooden phallus has appeared in a Munich street, and they try to explain a recent survey suggesting Germans have fallen out of love with Spargel.
This week, Simon sees a terrifying omen of impending doom on his way to the Bäckerei, England’s rose Harry Kane wins the Bundesliga, we find out if Munich is really the most unfriendly city…for expats, and finish with the anniversary of the Deutschlandticket.
