Germany Week 10 ( wow double digits)- Danube, Halloween cruise, sheep

Week 10 ( wow double digits) Germany- Danube, Halloween cruise, sheep

Hello All,

First of all coming home last Friday, I had to stop for a sheep herder to pass with his sheep.  There were about 200 sheep and they passed by me and baby car and I was rocking as they knocked and pushed their way around.  Only in Germany. 

We have already fallen back our hour here so for one week I will be only 5 hours ahead of Tallahassee. This week we finally made up our mind what to do with the Explorer.  We had shipped it over but unfortunately the Germans did not pass it for the road.  There is an obscure part that has nothing to do with safety –but it makes our ride a little rough- we had never gotten it fixed because the only reason to would be to make the ride smoother which we figured we could do without.  Anyway to make a long story short, the Germans saw it and asked Gregg what it was and he told them, they seemed confused and said we had to fix it or they would not pass the truck.  We of course can’t find anyone over here who knows what it is or how to fix it.  Over here you can’t sell for parts or sell a car that hasn’t passed inspection.  On top of that there is a fine for abandoning the vehicle.   That left us two choices—pay 70 dollars and give a perfectly good car to the junk yard or ship it home.  We chose the latter-  It was a drag.  Baby car gonna to have to take up the slack!!

On a lighter side, we are SUPPOSED to get our unaccompanied baggage this week.  I got up with them and they wrote a really seething letter that they had already written me about the delivery and copied the letter to me and –you guessed it –it was sent to needanemail@yahoo.com.  I wrote back and said I would have gladly answered but needanemail@yahoo.com means that “YOU NEED AN EMAIL”.  Lol

This weekend we went to Riedenberg to cruise down the Danube.  We visited the city before hand and went to the crystal museum and a castle in ruins. See pictures.  Then we went on the 4 1/2 hour long cruise with elementary school teachers from the other school.  They were fantastic.  Loads of fun.  We danced and partied with the teachers and a bunch of locals.  It was great the way that the music selections went from the American songs to German songs.  I loved it.  So much fun.  See pictures below. 

This weekend might have been a little much as I am trying to catch a cold.  Spent most of today in bed.  That’s all for this week.  Will blog next week.  Until then take care and have a good week.

Hugs from Germany

Susan

Week 9 Germany–Golden ticket, cold, birthday and castles

Week 9  Germany–Golden ticket, cold, birthday and castles

Hello all

Week 9 and I'm still kicking it in Bavaria, Germany.  The week started out with the elusive “golden ticket.”  Mail and birthday presents from home. It was full of lots of surprises including warm sweaters and leg coverings. Thanks family.  And since my kids are not real planners I am promised another “golden ticket” this week, but they wouldn’t tell me what they got so I’ll just be surprised.

People-- it got cold this week.  My back yard is full of frosty grass.  Brrr!!!!  Gregg is up scraping ice every morning.  Maybe time for those snow tires.  That ought to be a real experience for us Floridians. Lol

Saturday was my birthday.  I always love it when my birthday is on a weekend and being on a Saturday made it even sweeter.  Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone.  J I felt the wishes all the way over here on the other side of the world.  Gregg gave me new scarves for the cold, too.  I think everyone is worried I’ll freeze to death. Lol

Gregg took me to Ludwig’s castle complete with a horse drawn carriage.  It is located on the romantic road.  I had a very good day.  We toured Linderhof Castle first.  See the picture below.  It was one of Ludwig’s castles.  It was extremely ornate.  Inside he had made a pseudo Versailles room of mirrors by placing mirrors across from each other so it looked like the hall of mirrors.  Very cool! We then went to a few cities including the Brothers Grimm’s hometown and Oberarnagau which is home of the Passion play performed every ten years.  Our last stop was the Cinderella Castle.  It is called the Royal Castle Neuschwanstein.  See below.  It was great and Ludwig was pretty technologically advanced since he had a phone- granted he could only call his other castle and the post office but in his defense there were probably not many people interested in talking trash to Ludwig back then. Lol He also made a battery that ran his bell system and had a fireplace that centrally heated his castle.  Pretty progressive for the 1800s.

Loved the Austrian Alps. See picture.  It is beautiful here.  Sheep and cattle sprinkled the hillside.  I will remember the countryside here with it green pastures forever. With that, I will close.  Have a great week.

Hugs from Germany,

Susan

week 8

Week 8

Unaccompanied baggage, K-Town and Explorer

Hello All:

Week 8 in Germany was like all the rest, full of mishaps and fun.  WE started out great getting our AFN receiver.  It seems in Germany Military that you only need to pay one price for a receiver and then you get the TV.  I like that no monthly big costs.  So we got to watch some new NCIS although I had really enjoyed watching the DVD’s. 

We also got word that our car was here.  We went to Granfenwohr to pick it up.  There is a whole process to go through.  We have to get it inspected next week.  But seeing it sitting by the baby car it looks like the baby car’s daddy or maybe granddaddy.  It really dwarfs poor ole baby car.  Gregg climbed in the Explorer and said –“yes a full size car.”  At Granfenworh we hit the thrift store there since we happened to be there when they were open and got a few more things like a 220 vacuum cleaner, some crystal wine glasses, and some kitchen pots and pans.  Slowly we will fill up our kitchen.  We need this until our unaccompanied baggage comes.  Now that is another story.

I got word that our furniture- the long shipment- would be here this week and go through customs for 8-10 days.  So I’m thinking-- where is my unaccompanied baggage that was supposed to be here quick.  I called and finally got up with someone who said yes it was on the way and they would e mail us.  So I said maybe I should check the email address they had on file.  She proceeded to spell out –n***e***e***d***a***n***at email.com. She asked is that your email and I said- doesn’t that spell ”need an email.” LOL   She got all flustered.  She called and started tracing our baggage saying the records showed it arriving in Germany on 9/23.  Then I got a request to give them my zip code.  So no telling where that baggage is, but I did get word that they would let me know when the delivery date would be.  So hopefully it will get here quickly.  I’m getting tired of wearing the same few outfits and it’s getting cold here. 

We went to Ramstein Air Base this weekend for an in-service.  It is the biggest base and it was great.  We went to Kaiserslautern which is nicknamed K-town and they had their version of Oktoberfest.  It was a hoot. See pictures below. Also a picture of the 'Rhine River.  Gregg and I had commented that we were going to miss the North Florida Fair but we got this fest instead so all is good.

Ramstein has a huge mall and we finally found the hummels.  So I got some of them. 

We traveled from our part of German--Bavaria—to another part of Germany –the Rhineland.  We rode over the Rhine River and the bridge over it was painted in blue and orange—‘what’s that about?” Gators colors?  Really?? Where is the love for my garnet and gold? Lol

We had a little dinner party here for the people who picked us up at the airports.  Because we are living like college kids—our theme was “remember when”—we served on paper plates and had to bring in the plastic outdoor chairs to have enough seats.  But it was nice.  Then we went to a dinner party at one of their houses.  So this is just a dinner party happening place.  Guess I might need to infuse a bit of elegance into my repertoire and unlearn some of my country ways.  Nah—you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country outta the girl.

With that, I will leave you til next time.

Hugs from Germany.

Susan

Blog addition to week 7- Dachau and my Dad's connection

Blog addition to week 7 Dachau and my Dad's connection

Meant to add in that my Dad was stationed in Dachau during World War II and was there when they liberated the concentration camp prisoners. So us going meant a lot to him as well. I am hoping to get him over here at some point so he can see how it looks now and compare it to how it looked then.
See the prisoner uniform from the camp .

Week 7 Germany Dachau, Munich, European dryers

Week 7 Germany Dachau, Munich, European dryers

Hi from Germany,

This week we had a bit of a change in weather.  It had been mild but this week we had to break out the jackets. It even hailed. Notice the pictures.

Gregg and I had moved into our house before our stuff, furniture, pots and pans, etc made it here.  So basically we are living like a couple of college kids.  We have 4 forks, 4 plates, 4 cups and a couple of pots.  Our bed is made up with two dollar pillows from the PX and a blanket from the PX with an afghan thrown on it.  I told Gregg to bring a blanket and he found a Godby High School afghan.  Go figure. 

Fortunately, we have furniture on loan from the government, but it leaves a little to be desired. We just need a piece of wood sitting on two blocks, a lava lamp and maybe a crate full of vinyl albums and our college life would be complete..  LOL To be honest we are kind of enjoying the minimalistic living arrangement. We heard that our household furniture is supposed to come in a couple of weeks but no word yet on the “quick” Baggage ( clothes, linens, kitchen stuff).  That means our long term stuff is making it here before the short term.  Weird huh?  And the car is supposed to be here this week but we’ve heard nothing about it.

We tried to use our washer and dryer for the first time this week and it was a total disaster. This washer and dryer do not have the American specs; they are the European and they have some really strange appliances.  The dryer didn’t work and the washer took forever.  We tried putting the models in Google search and came up with an eleven minute video that someone had done to show us how to use the washer.  It was step by step so we found out that its cycle does take 90 minutes. Success on the washer!  We had to call a repairman for the dryer. They dryer does not use a vent; it sucks the water out of the clothes and deposits the water in a jug located in the dryer.  The dryer had shorted out because the last person to use it had not known that and let the water fill up and it had shorted out the dryer.  The dryer also had four filters.  Anyway we did get all of that straightened out.

I was happy this week because I got my nails done and my hair cut. I know I’m so prissy.

We finally drove the autobahn.  Gregg drove through hail and rain.  But during my turn to drive it was perfect weather.  Some people go about 120-150 mph.  There are some crazy drivers out there.  But I was glad we finally drove on it.  We had kind of talked ourselves into thinking we couldn’t do it.  Now that is not the case.  Autobahn here we come!

We went to Dachau on Saturday and it was sobering to say the least.  It was horrific what happened there and being there was eerie.  The fence with the barbed wire and a moat-like ditch still stood.  One of the barracks and the area in which they were tortured was still there.  They had torn down the rest of the buildings and rocks just covered the ground where the other buildings were. You could tell just how big that place was. The train tracks and platform were in ruins with just remnants of where they had stood.  The pictures and video that they showed us were taken by the Germans SS during Hitler’s regime.  It was disturbing to say the least.  I think it was important to go.  It was a part of history and something that must be kept alive so that nothing like that can ever happen again. I attached a picture of the gate and a sculpture that stood outside the compound.

We rushed back to see the FSU game which we were able to see of the Internet live.  UGH!! Nuff said. Hope we have a better rest of the season for sure.

Gregg and I went to Munich on Sunday and had a good time.  See picture below of us in front of the fountain. We walked around and did the sightseeing bus.  It was different than before because Oktoberfest is over.  It was nice to see the town without all the people.  There was a big runner's marathon going on so a lot of the streets were detoured.  That was kind of cool to see.  We went by train with one connection.  We are trying to baby step our traveling here so we can understand how to do it.;  We did get lost coming back, but I had brought the Garmin from the car and it switched to walking directions and told us how to get back.  Then we missed on connection because they changed the tracks.  I’m sure they announced it but we didn’t understand it.

We are home safe and sound now.  I have off Monday for Columbus Day.  We plan to take it easy.  I thing Gregg might play golf and I might walk around with him.

That’s all for this week.

Take care and until next time.

Hugs from Germany.

Susan

Germany week 6 Nuremberg, cart paths, and crepes

Week 6

Nuremberg, cart paths and crepes

Hello all,

Week 6 in Germany has been a blast. As last I wrote, we had moved into our house- fun with one drawback. We had no Internet. So Gregg and I traipsed up to a hot spot on base and skyped family for a few minutes after school every day. I was unable to get on facebook for a week. That took some getting used to. I had a facebook withdrawal. LOL- But as of Friday I am happy to report we are up and running Internet connected. yea!!!

We bought a TV at the thrift store for 7 dollars that has a great picture while we wait on ours to come in from the states. But alas we have no connection. We have a satellite but it seems they are switching to HD and all of the boxes are out. But we are watching DVD's. We can get them from the post library. Besides we are in Germany who wants to watch TV anyway. LOL

So last Sunday Gregg decided that he wants to visit the golf course that is close to our house. Of course we have the Garmin but because he had been out there the day before he thought he could find it. He --of course-- got lost so we put the golf course in the Garmin and followed instructions. After many twists and turns we came upon a dirt path and as we drove on it--it became apparent that we were not only at the golf course we were in the golf course- riding down the cart path to be exact. Now this a a fancy golf course so Gregg was so embarrassed that he sat in the car for a few. But I said the car was so small they probably thought it was a golf cart. Anyway all's well that ends well because he went back and talked to the CEO guy of the golf course--he runs three in this area- and Gregg got a great deal to play on any of the three courses so he is happy. He had a little trouble getting the hang of the meters but once he figured it out he is playing well.,

We went out to eat with a few of the teachers this week at one of their houses. Some of the teachers buy their house and this one had. It was lovely. She has been here over 20 years. In fact a lot of the teachers have been here a long time. The next day we went to see our town and surrounding towns. We found the place to order snow tires and ordered them for winter. We have to wait for the Explorer to get here to order those snow tires. Hey I'm from Florida-  I cant' drive in snow!!

When leaving the teacher's house we mistakenly did not follow the Garmin's directions and we got out on the autobahn where the people drive like maniacs. So now we can say we drove on the autobahn for 6 miles one way and turned around and drove six miles back. But we survived.

 Gregg is studying for his driver's test and taking it this week. Hope he passes first time- or at least passes it sometime. HaHa

Saturday we went on the train which was really easy. We went to Nuremberg. It's a lovely town with beautiful churches and we went to the city museum. They had a big market and I will post pictures on facebook. It is one of the few walled cities with some of the wall left intact  from medievial times. ( see picture below)We ate at a little cafe outside and instead of asking for the English menu they had a picture of what we thought was gyros- that said for 2. So I said let's just be surprised. I thought it was a meal for 2. After a bit they brought out the largest platter I'd ever seen of crepes. Chocolate crepes, Apple crepes, strawberry crepes, cherry crepes--well you get the picture so to say the least we were surprised. We might better ask for the English menu from now on.

I attached a couple of pictures of our trip along with the countryside. It is so beautiful here in Bavaria.  ( see picture)

Today we went to Grafenwohr where Elvis was stationed. We were looking for the TV receivers.. It is a bigger PX. It was really nice--like a mall. We had a great time and the drive was gorgeous. Of course Gregg finds casinos everywhere we go..LOL While eating at the food court in Grafenwohr, I mentioned that I wanted to find some Hummel’s to which Gregg said he'd seen a lot. I asked where and said I wanted to buy some and he said "You want to buy a Hummer?”  Men- they never listen.

We can also make phone calls to cell and land lines for free. But the time difference makes it difficult to catch up with people.  We are six hours ahead.  Anyway that's enough for this week.  More to come next week.

Hope you have a great week.

Till next time.

Hugs from Germany,

Susan