Dezember Updates

Where to begin............how about the phone call from Jen who wanted to know what I had planned for the day, "lets ride the train to the market in Aachen!" She picked me up and off we went, neither of us heard the conductor call out the Aachen West station, I saw the sign just as the train was pulling away. We got off at the next stop then picked up the next train headed back........thank goodness Jen has a wonderful sense of direction, a quality I so appreciate in a friend! She guided us right to the heart of town thru the giant gingerbread men and into the market. I wish I could bottle the smells sights, and sounds. The food stands are everywhere.........fish, potatoes, apple fritters, brats, candied apples, chocolates, roasting nuts, waffles, you name it they cook it, dip it, and eat it! Also the hot spicy sweet gluhwien, red or white, a personal favorite of both Jen and mine, is delicious. At this market they serve it in little boot shaped mugs you can keep or get refilled at the next stand. Way too much fun to walk around the market and take in all the sights, all the items for sale in such a festive environment. Let us also not forget, it was daytime and Starbucks was open, the best latte I have had yet! It was a great spur of the moment kind of day you can look back on and smile. Thanks Jen!

Christmas markets are happening in most every town large and small, it is funny to hear people boast this market is better then that market. Terry and I ventured out to Gangelt not far from our house to a smaller market. It was a miserable day rainy and cold, the wind was blowing sideways........that did not stop the festivities, just made them a little soggy.....because of the weather the Gluhwien stand was the most popular. Go figure!

Jen her husband Tom , Terry and I have made plans to go to the "biggest and best" market around, back to Köln we go on 21 Dezember, where we have booked a night at the Marriott right in the town square, it will kick off the guys Christmas break and promises to be a fabulous weekend!

Let's see I had planned on updates and got sidetracked on markets.......I now own a sensible pair of walking boots, just in time because we have signed up to walk the Bastogne trail next weekend. We will follow in the footsteps of the WWII vets after the battle of Bastonge. This is an annual walk organized thru the base, and from what we hear a must do, I will tell all after next weekend.

A few more updates:

Operation Shoebox was a huge success, thank you everyone who helped out. We delivered a total of 40 beautifully wrapped shoe boxes, it felt ever so good, next year we'll get started earlier and set a goal of 100 boxes. I would like to ask you all now to pick up school supply items and toiletries as they go on sale.....that kind of stuff is hard for us to buy here on the economy-on sale anyway!

Terry did not run his December marathon, we could not find a hotel anywhere within 2 hours of the race, he was not nearly as upset as I was.........after all that training! He has started a maintain running program and plans to run the Athens marathon next November in Greece.

Do you remember the story of the fritos at Cafe Madrid? Well we saw them again on a menu over the weekend, turns out they are sardines, battered and deep fried.......no wonder I didn't like them!

Also one last item, I was at the family support center and saw the base Chaplain picking up the Gelber sacks that are used for recycling . Terry and I got a good chuckle out of that.

love and miss you all

Walkin in Aachen

Once again the third Friday of the month arrived and we arranged to have dinner with the Village Connection. This month's dinner was in Aachen, a large city located about and hour south of Geilenkirchen. We visited Aachen in July and were impressed with the cities Dom, not nearly the size of the Köln Dom, but still a very beautiful church. The city originally attracted the attention of the Romans because of its hot springs and baths. Many kings were coronated here and I believe that Charlemagne is responsible for the actual construction.

Terry decided since we are now seasoned banhof (train) commuters, we would ride the train and walk to the restaurant, as an added bonus-Starbucks was not far out of the way. We were both looking forward to an evening out..............Terry googled all the information, maps, train times , distance to and from etc. etc.... We were sitting on the train when Terry looked at me and calmy said, "I forgot the maps"............... It almost goes without saying we wandered around the city. I would say aimlessly but Terry assured me he and an idea of where we were going. Thankfully we had allowed plenty of time so it was no problem other than the fact that I had worn high heeled boots, which by the way, I would not recommend as the best footwear for cobblestone streets, let alone walking aimlessly.........in the cold...........uphill!

We did have a very nice walk thru the city center where there was a Christmas Market set up. Thousands of lights decorated the city, people were everywhere, kids laughing, it seemed as if we stepped into a Norman Rockwell painting. Germany is a magical place around Christmastime and there are markets in many cities from now until Christmas, obviously the bigger the city....... The sounds, sights and smells of the market are incredible. Chestnuts roasting, people singing, chocolates being dipped, open air tents everywhere. After about 45 minutes of walking around we arrived at our destination, Terry said, see I knew right where we'd find it.

Dinner is never hurried in Germany so we enjoyed a relaxing time with three other couples who we met up with at Cafe Madrid. The menu was all tapas or appetizers, we all kept ordering and sharing food. We learned that frito is a small fish, whole/fried/skin and all-not my favorite by the way! All in all it was another good time and after two and a half hours we said goodbye and bee-lined for Starbucks. Can you believe, we missed getting a latte by 3 minutes!.........we had been so so sure they would still be open.............so back through the market towards the train station we went. As we rounded the last corner Terry noticed a brick wall/horse gate across the street, part of the original wall around the city, he said that looks just like the one outside Cafe Madrid, why I do believe it IS the same one and course it was.........basically what we had done was walked well over a mile in a big circle. Sore feet and no latte....we boarded the train for home.

There are several planned group trips as well as a schedule of all the Christmas Markets in the region. My friend Jen has marked all that are within two hours of GK and we'll plan an outing with a Christmas Market as our actual destination.

love and miss you all

And a sausage too!

It is not a German tradition to eat a sausage at a wine tasting, but we have the Alaska Air National Guard to thank for the now traditional eating of the sausage during sampling of the finer wines at the Mayschoss-Altehahr Winery. You may remember that Terry and I had signed up for this tour when we first arrived. The tour was arranged by Tom, a retired German Air Force Colonel now working in the housing office on base, he is quite a dapper gentleman and has been setting up guided tours for over 20 years.



We met at the winery at 1500 on Saturday afternoon. Our guide, Otto was running late, no problem, Tom was able walk us thru the wine cellars and kept us facinated with wine history and facts until Otto arrived a half an hour later. Once we completed touring the wine making facilities we were guided to another winery in the co-op. A private area in the cellar with a huge wooden table was set for 16 complete with candles, baskets of bread and steaming sausages. When it was all said and done we counted 20 bottles of wine on the table, 10 different wines, 2 bottles opened at a time, 1 for each end of the table, we sipped, swirled, discussed and either dumped into the urns or consumed. We started out with the whites which surprised us because the region is noted for the red grapes. We did switch to reds, there was only one that Terry and I enjoyed, a 2004 spicier red, different from the usual sweeter wine the Germans favor.

One of the more interesting facts of the day, this particular winery sells 60 percent of the wine right out of the cellars. That is huge! No worries about distributing this wine, bottle it and they will come.


As I said, this is a a cooperatively owned winery and is listed in the top 100 wineries of Germany, also the only co-op in the top 100. Something else I learned, there is a patron saint for wine, St. Rokus, who knew!


















The harvest was completed at the beginning of November, the grape vines are terraced throughout the hillside canyons . The river Ahr runs thru the town it is really a beautiful area. You might also like to know that the butcher that provides the sausage for the NATO personnel that tour, is a National award winning butcher nothing but the best!

Oh, I can hear the questions............. of course we bought some wine, 6 bottles of a gold medal award winning Spätburgunder with a special label provided by a local artist that lived in the area in the 1800's, a picture from his collection is featured on the label each year.

love and miss you all

What's Different?

When we first arrived in Germany I was overwhelmed with how different everything seemed to be. Life was, as Jessica likes to say .........up-a-side-down! Gradually the pace of life has settled down and things that surprised me when we first arrived, seem everyday to me now. I realize they are still different, I have just gotten used to them. Here are a few things that are "different".......................

If you were to get married in Germany, your wedding announcement might look like this:















If you are in need of a pack of cigarettes,
no need to go to the store, here you do not
have to go far in any village to find this:








Most houses in Germany and in the surrounding Netherland area, come equipped with Rouladins on the windows. These are shades that when "drawn" closed will pitch your house into total darkness. This feature is VERY handy on those long summer nights when at 10:00 pm, the sunset is still a long way off. The shades can be partially closed to let in a little bit of light, or closed all the way for black as night. I have heard many people say how easy it is to get much needed sleep if working off shifts or a quick and easy solution to jet lag! Here are two pictures, one with the rouladins closed and one with them partially opened:










Of course the bike paths, which I talked about in a previous blog, are amazing, I don't think I need to say much more, just a picture to remind you...........



And a few items of interest:

• It is a law that all cars carry a first aid kit, failure to comply will result in a fine.



• It is a law you must stop and provide first aid if you see an accident, failure to stop could result in fines and possibly jail time! See rule above.



• Everyone takes their shopping carts back to where they belong. In order to get a shopping cart first you must pay, when you return the cart, your money is refunded.



• On average a drivers licence costs about $4,000.00 Euro, which today translates to $5,600 American dollars. Lots of people ride bikes!



• You can pretty much park your car anywhere-if you are driving down a street and there is a parked car in the street, you must yield to oncoming traffic before proceeding.



• Europe is on a 24 hour clock, funny to see your digital clocks read 1630 etc..



• You bring your own basket, boxes or bags for shopping, if your really good, your own egg cartons for eggs.



• Stores are not open on Sunday.



• Mon thru Saturday, most stores close by 1800, a few grocery stores stay open til 2000 .

And last but not least............... average prices in Euro

• a gallon of gasoline 5.00


• a bottle of water 2.00


• a glass of coke 1.50


• a glass of beer 1.00

love and miss you all

Cologne Germany

It took less than an hour and a half by train to reach the city centrum in Cologne Germany. We set out with another couple bright and early Friday to see what we could see. When we stepped out of the train station the view of the skyline was dominated with the image of this incredible church, known as Kölner Dom .

There are so many stories and superstitions that surround this Roman Catholic Cathedral, I encourage you to check out the Internet and research the history that surrounds this Dom.

When we entered the church I wondered out loud if stones could talk what stories could they tell.....and it just so happened to be All Souls Day, how appropriate.

Construction began in 1248, you can just imagine the history surrounding the 750 plus years of the churches existence. One of my favorite images is of the church standing strong after the town was bombed by allied forces during WWII. All around was destruction but none of the 14 bombs that were dropped on the church detonated.

Today the church is home to numerous artifacts including a gold shrine that is believed to hold the skulls of the of the Three Magi. So much to see everywhere you look something amazing; a crucifix that was carved in 976, colorful stained glass telling stories of both the old and new testament, numerous oil paintings, images of patron saints as well as pagan figures, knights entombed, mosaic tiles depicting historical epics, gargoyles, Gothic spirals and on and on......truly incredible.

We climbed the south tower up a very narrow staircase, higher and higher we went up past the bells which at one point during our climb rang out once, sudden, loud and unexpected, we about jumped out of our skin. I would not recommend this trip for anyone remotely claustrophobic or weak of heart! Up and up we continued to the very top just below the spiral for an incredible view of the Rhine river and surrounding area.

So enjoyable walking thru "old town" Cologne, we stopped by a cafe along the Rhine river and sampled a beer named after the Dom, after that it was a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe. By the time we headed towards home, it was dark and a light rain began to fall. As we neared the train station, the Church bells started to ring loud and strong and I could feel them vibrating through me, I thought it was a very fitting farewell.

love and miss you all

Tick Tick Tick.........

AS THE SIGN SAYS WATCH OUT FOR THOSE KIDS!

Where does the time go? I had the best intentions of posting a blog a week, unfortunately things don't always go as planned. Last week I got a nasty (German) flu/cold. Just prior to getting sick I agreed to head up a project here called "Operation Shoebox." I picked up the information and tucked it away, I was adamant I would wait until after Halloween- To me it just doesn't seem right to put anything "Christmas" out until the end of October..........I would make flyers, set up collection boxes, use some catchy phrases. In my head I had it all planned out.

I decided to get started by reading up on the project. I just about fell out of my chair.........the deadline for shoebox pick up is November 15th! HOLY COW! Someone tell me how am I supposed to pull this off!

I fussed and fumed, how unfair of them to dump this project on me. I should have known earlier, I just moved here, I don't have the resources to reach out to the community, not enough time, I don't have my own car, and several other unmentionable thoughts went thru my head. I still didn't feel well and this was icing on the cake.

I calmed down and said to myself.....Liz just do the best you can, whatever you do is something the bottom line....... it is not about me it is about the children. I was just making excuses. And really it is a wonderful project, basically fill a shoebox with much needed items such as school supplies, toiletries, a toy, a book, hair barrettes, stickers, or perhaps a book. Once the shoebox is full wrap it with Christmas paper and have them ready for pick up and delivery to various churches who then mail them out worldwide.

Armed with these thoughts I decided that the bank at the Army base was a high traffic area and a good place to start. Last Saturday Terry and I wrapped a cardboard box with Christmas paper and asked if it was okay to set up a collection location. Not only did they say YES! but what can we do to help. It just so happens a customer in the bank overheard us, she works at the NATEX warehouse and would be happy to donate shoe box sized boxes with lids. From this point on the project has taken off with a life of its own. Several drop off locations throughout the area are set up and hopefully they are collecting items to fill the 50 empty boxes that are waiting in my living room.

Can you help?

If you would like to help what I need are monetary donations to cover postage and wrapping paper. It costs approximately 5 Euro or 7 dollars for every box that I put together. Or perhaps you would like me to put a box together especially from you! Just let me know. If you can help with a donation there are are two ways this can be accomplished.

1. You can email me with and amount and I can cover it until I receive the check.
2. You can make a deposit into a Bank of America I have set up.

• My email address: terryandliz@gmail.com
• My mailing address is PSC7 box 491 APO AE 09104
• My Bank of America Account number is 7591530468

If you would like more information visit their website at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and follow the links to Project Christmas Child

love and miss you all

A Little Trash Talkin...

Generally speaking of course, most Americans could learn from the Germans about recycling. Here, there at least sixteen ways to sort your trash. When we "in processed" we had several briefings and one was dedicated to the finer art of sorting ones trash.

There was a gentleman in the orientation who could not, or would not grasp the concept, he thought it was to much trouble. Someone needed to just tell him how much it would cost if he put everything in one bin. Ever so patiently the briefer tried to explain the process again. If he followed the guidelines for sorting trash then what was left would be placed in a gray bin, when that bin is collected, it is lifted up on a truck, a computer weighs the garbage and stores the information. The actual fee is based on a per household calculation already being charged in his "nebenkosten" that is paid to his landlord along with rent. At the end of the year a reconciliation is done you either pay the difference or you are reimbursed.

Well, that did not sit well with him and he voiced his displeasure. How much per pound or kilo am I going to be charged is all he wanted to know, not how to sort the trash. The briefer was ever so patient trying to explain it to him. I felt sorry for her, he was not making her job any easier. I decided to put my two cents in so I chimed in with "sir, really it is not that hard, I am from the Pacific Northwest where recycling is very similar and if you just sort according to the chart, what is left is your actual trash trash, I promise you it is not that difficult!" He then glared at me, and just then the nice Major sitting to my right said to him, it's okay Chaplain Smith lets just say we move on to the next item and come back to this later. I rolled my eyes and elbowed Terry, Chaplain indeed!

It looks a little complicated but really its not scary! Here is what the trash schedule for our village looks like.

love and miss you all

329 Cannondale Miles

As of yesterday I have ridden 329 miles on my bicycle. I say "I have ridden" because lately it has been me following Terry as he trains for the December 1st marathon, or me riding my bike to the local market for fresh produce and groceries. Sundays are his long runs and yesterday was an 18 mile run that had blog material swirling in my head.

Here in Germany a big deal is made of your birthday. On your birthday your friends will decorate your house with all kinds of crazy things





Also, it is expected that the person having the birthday treat all of his or her friends to cake as well as any other celebratory festivities. When a baby is born, again your friends will stop by and decorate your home, the decorations stay up for at least a week. I tried to get a good picture can you see the baby clothes strung up across the house in the lower picture? I am going take pictures of every age and see how many I can collect!

















We pass by a nursing home on our run/ride. It is called St. Josef's and if the weather cooperates, the residents are outside visiting with their families enjoying the sunshine and scenery in the BEER GARDEN. Yes indeed ladies and gentlemen, this particular adult care facility is complete with outdoor seating and a Bitburger beer garden. Yesterday there were a few residents out and about but the weather was a little on the cool side and it was still early. I stopped take a picture and this is the best I could do.






Below is picture of one of my favorite views while bike riding. It is my job to carry the water, cell phone, snacks, energy drinks, camera and anything else we think we need for these Sunday excursions. I do think about how important my "job" is and I am happy that I am riding and not running!



Also

I did not realize that this blog had a setting for limiting comments, I changed it so anyone can leave a comment......... and of course, all comments are welcome!


love and miss you all

Always bring your camera

Case in point last Friday evening.........there we were, having dinner with the Village Connection, an organization that Terry and I joined when we arrived. A fun group that meets for dinner at a different restaurant the third Friday of each month. They are made up of military members that help people connect and share information about surrounding villages and living in Europe. I can't believe anyone wouldn't join it is a fabulous resource, plus it is such fun to try new places to eat as well as share laughter and stories.

So....... there we were Friday having a great time at El Greco's with a party of about 25, when the evenings live entertainment started up. I didn't realize a two man band could put out so much music. When the music started flowing my feet started tapping. Then came Greek dancers two men arm in arm dancing back and forth.......one of the girls at our table got up to have a a better look, I walked up behind her and said, "I'll join if you will"........off we went to the welcoming arms of our new best friends. What fun twirling around the floor. I gotta tell you, I can dance a Greek jig! Soon we were joined by 6 other girls from our group. Round and round we went the music picking up tempo then slowing down and we never lost step.


There was a table in the corner that starting throwing bread at us, not sure if that was part of the entertainment or what it meant but I swooped down picked up a piece of bread and at our next go round threw it back at them. After we sat down Terry said all he could see was my bright green shirt going around and around. I know shame on me for not having the camera! I will, however enclose a picture for gee whiz...........Here is a picture of Starbucks in Aachen, I haven't had a "real latte" since July 10, 2007 !








love and miss you all

The Air Force Ball

The venue was unbelievable, Hoensbroek Kasteel is absolutely beautiful. When we crossed the wooden walkway over the moat it was like stepping back in time. The weather cooperated with bright sunshine and the temperature about 70 degrees at the start of social hour which began at 6:00 pm. The wait staff seemed to be everywhere with with trays of excellent champagne and delicious hourdourvs. The air was filled with excitement. Several times I just stopped and listened to the laughter and chatter that filled the air.

It's such fun to see everyone dressed so elegantly. Military personnel in their formal attire and spouses dressed as if the the paparazzi was in attendance. Some of the more interesting outfits included one young lady with 4" heels that light up when she walked across the room. Another whose dress would rival Scarlett O'Hara, you couldn't get within two feet of her and I know she couldn't have fit in the ladies toilette! I am truly sorry I didn't have my camera around my bejeweled neck because I would love to share that photograph with everyone. The festivities ran behind schedule all night, our program indicated the guest speaker would begin at 8:45 , the General didn't take center stage until close to 10:00 his opening line promised a brief speech. Considering the theme was the history of the 60 years of the Air Force, I was surprised he was true to his word. His speech was both interesting and brief. Afterwards a Navy dignitary got up on stage to brag that the Navy was over 200 years old and considering the Air Force was like a younger sibling, the Navy would pick up the tab at the bar until further notice. And that Ladies and Gentleman concluded the program. The ballroom is now open for dancing..............

Terry and I unfortunately had a very busy day, up before the chickens because our landlord and several workers (including Terry) worked all day putting pavers in our driveway. By the time that job was all said and done, we barely had time to shower and get ready for the big event. We did not join the throng of people headed for the open bar, instead we walked back across the now fog filled moat and headed home.

The castle is open for touring and we definitely plan on going back to explore this wonderful Dutch landmark.

love and miss you all

33-35-14-13-23-24-28-21 to Castle!

The title of this blog represents the bike routes we took to Wassenberg where we visited our first castle. There is a hotel/resort at the site of this 900 year old burg located on the Castle Hill in the town centre. We got a key to the original watch tower and made the climb up a narrow staircase about ten flights to the top for a grand view of the surrounding countryside.

A view of St. Georg Church from atop the tower

Much of the original wall that once surrounded the city still stands, here you can see me riding my trusty steed through the horse gate which dates from 1365.

We treated ourselves to lunch at the Graf Gerhard Restaurant located inside the hotel. We were the only guests in the dining room so we were seated at a table with a wonderful view of the hotels vineyard. We are still struggling a little with our German so it is any ones guess what we order. Terry ordered carpaccio which it turns out is thinly sliced beef (did I mention it was raw) topped with cheese, tomato and a dill pickle compote. I fared better with a delicious blend of scallops cooked in a white wine sauce topped with fruit and vegetables. Now I ask you ........who got the better meal?


The trip to and from Wassenburg took us along the river Rur we saw many churches and historical markers. We take pictures of the markers then come home and translate them on the Internet - this is how we are learning about German history in the surrounding region.

Break time on the river Rur............

Our next adventure a trip to a Dutch Castle where the Air Force's 60th Anniversary Ball takes place Saturday 15 September........ love and miss you all

The Hood

Here we are another quiet night in the thriving village of Bruggelchen. As I look out from my 3rd floor "perch" I see our neighbor 3 doors down walking her little poodle. She is a sweet lady, I would say in her late 60's perhaps early 70's, it is hard to tell becuase Germans are such a hardy people. Every day she can be seen walking her dog up and down the street. She'll stop and visit anyone who happens to be outside. I suspect it is a good chance for her to take a needed break. It is painful to watch her walk, she is obviously in need of a hip replacement. It doesn't seem to slow her down one bit, every day up and down she walks, not too far just to the end of the street and back. Her gait is slow and deliberate and she is always smiling and so friendly. Earlier today we walked past her house she and her granddaughter were outside with muffie, I noticed the dog has a mind of his own, doing what he wants and not paying attention to anything. I made the gesture of the dog not paying attention..........she laughed and said in German, but I certainly understood.....HE'S BLIND! How funny is that! Puts a whole new spin on things. I swear I thought of the poem there was a crooked man.............

Terry is on holiday all next week, we plan on visiting Wassenberg a city with a castle that is over 900 years old. Also, next weekend is the Air Force Ball which will be held in a castle in the Netherlands. Pictures and story to follow.....

love and miss you all

Liz

Goodbye August

So many interesting things are happening it is hard to decide what to write about......you all know me, I can find amusement in any situation and Terry and I find ourselves in some interesting scenarios. Do remind me to tell you about our neighbors with the very secluded, very beautiful backyard that just happens to have a lap pool as well as grounds that would make the cover of a magazine. Somehow they didn't look like the kind of people who would appreciate it if we snapped a few pictures! They do speak perfect English they recommended that we go to market in a city about 10 miles down the road.


Terry had the next Thursday off so..... off we go to our first "Market" destination Sittard in the Netherlands. Most towns of any size have a market every Thursday that usually last until early afternoon. It was close to noon when we arrived and the market was in full swing. Vendors were set up under tents all around the city center. People were everywhere the more popular places, and I suspect the best quality vendors, were packed with people 4 and 5 deep shouting what they wanted. Everything looked fresh and we saw two fish vendors which was really what we had intended to buy in the first place. We circled the whole area and found there were more textiles than anything else. Bolts and bolts of materials in every color and material imaginable. It didn't seem expensive to me, but what do I know! We saw stands with vegetables, fruits, flowers, eggs and vendors with huge wheels of cheese. We eyed the fish again, Terry thought the tuna steaks looked good but I couldn't get close enough to get a good look and much of the fish was unrecognizable to me and because it was close to closing, the fish seemed too be floating in melted ice. We settled for a huge bouquet of gladiolas and one dozen eggs. It was amazing to see how fast they close up shop. One moment your elbow deep in people then they all seem to disappear, the vendors pack up and everybody leaves. We walked around the town and below are a few pictures from our grand day out.

Life is good

Sunday Traffic Jam

Terry and I took a 30 mile round trip bike ride thru the German/Dutch countryside. At one point along the way we encountered a traffic jam..........after a bit of hesitation, we decided it was okay to carefully tread our way thru our bovine friends. An older couple next to us opted to go around but we were following a specific trail and weren't sure what would happen if we deviated! We ended up seeing them about 1/2 mile down the road, we both laughed and waved.






















We continued on towards our destination and lo and behold two traffic jams in one Sunday, who knew!

Of course as you can imagine, we had to clean our bicycle tires when we got home! All in all a wonderful day riding thru the countryside.

Tchuss!

Tuesday 21 Aug

Terry is working swings for the rest of the week. Thought I'd talk about how much fun it is to ride our bikes. The bike trail system is unbelievable. There is a trail/path system set up that allows you to follow a designated number to anywhere you wish to go. Information maps are set up at a number station. From there it tells you the next number path to follow. For instance to go to Heinsburg, we would follow 33 to 39 to 41.......the numbers are posted on signs at intersections. You go in and out of cornfields, roads that are paths only or perhaps right thru the heart of town, just follow your number. Terry figured it out on our second trip out, such a smart man, course once he showed me I GOT IT TOO!

When we drove to the Schinnen commissary a few days ago , a 35 min car ride, we counted 100 bikes on the road. Everyone it seems has a bike. Old and young alike, you see whole families out enjoying time together, it is a beautiful thing to see. We have put over 50 miles on our bikes, mostly I play ride faster to keep up with Terry. Lovin it.

Have a marvelous day

Bitburg Trip

We got up Sunday and decided a little road trip was in order. A full tank of gas a few snacks and off we went headed south about two hours for a visit to Air Force Bases . We were told that Bitburg and Spangdalam has good shopping. Bigger commissary's and a bigger BX with lots of choices...............well I could live the rest of my life without going back. The Bitburg base has the distinction of existing just to support the Spangdalam base. It has housing, movie theatre, bowling, school, daycare and a "concession mall". We walked thru all the shopping and although we did pick up an iron we decided there was nothing there that we couldn't find at GK or Schinnen the Army post that we shop at, or any German store closer to home. Really so much more adventurous to shop "on the economy" we try and get in and out of a store without alerting anyone that we are American. It can be done!

Was nice to get out and see some of the rolling countryside. We drove in and out of rainstorms and sunshine all the way home, chasing and being chased by lovely rainbows. Our next trip will be the North Sea....................love and miss you all

Dinner with the Hahn's

We invited Josef and Hanni (new best friends /Landlord) over to the house for dinner . Lots of laughter they are better at English that we are at German, which isn't saying much. We all try and the results are humorous. The menu: chicken Parmesan, fettuchini Alfredo, salad and bread from the Natex FABULOUS bread. On Thursday Terry can pick up fresh olive bread, can I just say delicious! It has olives baked into it. Me, not a big fan of olives but I mean to tell you this bread is heavenly. Josef told Terry "do tell your wife the food was PERFECTO!" We got the cheese for the Alfredo from a local cheese shop Organic they say BIO. What a difference it made in the sauce. We had a bottle of white wine that J&H had given us last week. They go to this Vineyard annually and buy for friends and family......... They go and stay in the hills sample wine and ride their bikes. When I say ride, I mean RIDE 40+ km's a day. Would be too much fun, no? It just so happens that we're going on a wine tour thru in the same area about a 2 hour drive from here, we signed up to go in November with a group of no more than 14. Should be fun.

On a side note it was a celebration for our town yesterday. Everyone in town put out their flags, washed the windows, trimmed the flowers, washed the steps. Looks ever so sparkly.....the "hall" in town hosted the festivities. The locals marched all thru the town playing music and showing off their,.........not really sure what is was all about but it was fun to watch, like a township in a parade up and down all the streets (all 5) then to the town hall for I am quite sure a rip roaring time. Every town has this celebration at different times......Hanni said the queen is picked by if she is a good shot...............perhaps next year she will be crowned!

Love you all