We’re moving again…

There may not be any new blog posts until the new year, because we will soon be packing up all our belongings. We knew when we arrived in 2015 that we would need to move in early 2018 and/or 2020. We are thrilled to be able to stay in Germany, but in a new city.

We have loved life near Ramstein Air Base/Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, and will miss many aspects of peaceful times in the countryside.  Our home internet has been pretty reliable, which cannot be said for every town here (really, I thought of that first?). Our landlord and landlady are the nicest people- they gave us the decorative pillows on the couch as a Christmas present, and always included cat treats, even in the Easter basket when we moved in! As you can see, Pork Chop, aka “the 4^th cat”, has been spending time in the house with us. He still prefers the out of doors as the weather is not too cold yet.

The meadow behind the house (first photo) lent an air of calm to the neighborhood, which was already calm to begin with. We will miss the wonderful people we have gotten to know, but will thankfully still be able to meet up in person, since we won’t be too far away…well, until it's their turn to move away! It has already been sad to say farewell to a few friends here who are back in the States now, but we have more “homes away from home” with them in several places!

I will miss the choir I sing with very much, but plan to look for a new choir right away. It will take time and energy to get to know the new grocery stores, hair salon, dry cleaner, etc. but we are thankful to be able to extend our time in Europe. There are also opportunities for more travel, as we will be closer to Austria. We might have a small garden in the new place, and hopefully a garage, since there will be more snow.

Here’s to good friends and wonderful experiences in our corner of Germany that will always be home. And here’s to the new place/neighborhood/peeps we will soon be getting to know. The cats are pleased to be driving to their new home, rather than flying in an airplane. We will share updates as soon as the many urgent “to-dos” are gradually checked off, photos uploaded, and a good nights’ sleep had.

An ordinary week in our corner of Germany

When there is a gap between blog posts, I’m usually busy with everyday life, and don’t think it’s so exciting to share. But then the posts I do write are skewed to travel adventures, and life seems glamorous. In some ways it may be, but please rest assured, I do laundry every week and go to the grocery store, too!

Work: I used to get up at 6am for my first job here, which was better than 5:30am in Massachusetts, but still not great. I’m fortunate to not have to get up quite that early for my current job. Here is a photo of the sunrise at my office parking lot in 2015. My office day typically wraps up at 4:30pm, unless I have a meeting with the US team on the east coast (morning there, evening here). They don’t mind when my cats hog the camera during our video conference meetings, which I participate in from home.

After work: I try to go to the gym at least once per week, preferably twice (not because I like to, but because I like chocolate!). The military gyms are fine, but I miss the women’s fitness centers in the US, especially the air conditioning. I benefit in many ways from attending a yoga class once per week all year. My teacher lives in the village next to ours, and during the summer, we have class in her back yard. I lead a Bible study once per week, where we have learned so much together. I sing in a choir, and look forward to rehearsal one evening per week.

Saturdays: around here, you gotta get things done on Saturday because everything is closed on Sundays. I like the German grocery stores, and usually go to one on Saturdays. The fresh bread is great, and they carry lactose-free yogurt and ice cream. I also found frozen pretzels, which were popular at a party we went to after I baked them. The florist, pharmacy, and shops all close relatively early on Saturday afternoons, so if you want flowers or clothes, get your act together sooner than later. Restaurants are open Saturday evenings, although there are no vegetarian places around here. We have a favorite pool (therme) just under an hour away, and a regular outdoor neighborhood pool in the next village. We sometimes go to the movies, either on base or off base, where they are shown in the original language (English for us). On base, the national anthem is played before the previews, and everyone stands and removes their hats.

Sundays: we have several choices of church services in English, both on base and off base. Times range from 9:30am to starting at 11am. Sometimes I go to the grocery store on base after church, which is open on Sundays. I don’t need a lot of American food items, but it is nice to get regular peanut butter, blue corn nacho chips, and familiar cat food (although they do eat German cat food, too). The neighborhood is quiet, as all shops are closed, except restaurants. I do laundry on Sundays, because our German washer takes over an hour for a load. The cats go out in the yard on their leashes, and we go for walks in the woods a few blocks behind our house. At my previous job, we had a staff meeting every Monday morning, and the boss always asked what we did over the weekend. I felt relieved to find out I was not alone in doing several hours of cooking and food prep on Sundays. In addition to fixing Sunday dinner, I often start Monday’s dinner as well, along with salads for lunch, homemade granola, etc.

Konstanz, Germany (not at all off the beaten path)

Why is Lake Constance also called the “Bodensee”? I don’t know, but highly recommend this region south of Stuttgart for as long as you can stay. We had a three day weekend, and stayed for two nights, which is not enough…but if that’s all you have, go!

 

250 varieties of Dahlia in bloom, early October

From Kaiserslautern, it is a 5 hour drive, realistically. Online maps will say 4, but that is most likely not going to happen. The hotel tax in Konstanz gives each tourist a free bus pass, which we used to travel from old town to the island of Mainau (15 minutes). I was pleasantly surprised that we walked around Mainau for 4 hours, and could have stayed longer. The flowers and trees are beautiful, and the butterfly greenhouse was fun. Of course there are snacks to be had everywhere, from a nice café in the palm tree greenhouse next to the palace, to a modern restaurant near the harbor. 

My new favorite: the glass winged butterfly!

We departed Mainau from the harbor, taking a boat across the lake to Meersburg, then back to Konstanz. We’d like to return and take day trips by boat to towns around the lake. Most shops in Germany are closed on Sunday, but we lucked out with a special shopping Sunday in Konstanz. We snagged some superb Swiss chocolate, and perused unique clothing and book stores. There were also temporary tents with hand crafted items around the harbor area in Konstanz.

The food was very good, if pricey. We ended up at only one vegetarian restaurant, Sol, which was terrific, but were pleased with the vegetarian choices at regular places (including Mainau). The border to Switzerland is at the end of the harbor area of Konstanz. You can walk through to the other side and save the 50 Euro sticker for your car. We didn’t spend much time on the Swiss side this trip, but would like to return and stay much longer all around the lake.

Metz, France (again)

This post is really just an excuse to share more photos, and hopefully contribute a few tips. Someone at my office suggested that the parking garage next to the Metz train station would have larger spots than the downtown underground one, and that was definitely the case! The spots were luxuriously large by European standards! There is a museum of contemporary art across from the garage, and the train station architecture is beautiful. It’s a pleasant walk into Metz, just don’t go on July 14^th, because every store will be closed in honor of Bastille Day.

Good thing cafes and restaurants were open, as we enjoyed yummy quiche and salad. Later on, we stumbled across “Paul”, where I had previously had a spectacular pastry (individual blueberry pie), and another stupendous pastry was consumed this time (“Millefeulle”, custard pastry with raspberries).

With perfect timing, we approached the cathedral in time to see a parade of antique cars! The weather outside was sunnier this time, which brightened the inside of the cathedral. Truly stunning!

FYI, the Cora grocery store between Metz and Kaiserslautern is closed on July 14^th, too. But it was worth the trip despite holiday closures, and I’d recommend Metz again.

Prague, Czech Republic (again)

New photos in this post, due to 2 day trips outside of Prague, though at least one view of old town is a repeat from last time. Please note that Prague is really hot in the summer, and no place except the hotel room had air conditioning. We are talking 97 degrees (F) and high humidity. The food was delicious, but fairly heavy, with limited healthy options, so I’d recommend a spring or fall visit if you can (in hopes that the heavy food doesn’t impact you as much during cooler weather). After two substantial Czech meals of dumplings, cabbage, duck, and beef, I had a wonderful salad at a Mexican restaurant, and we also enjoyed 2 vegetarian restaurants.

The first day trip was to Karlstejn Castle. It was worth the hour commute from Prague. If you go, wear shoes that will support the 20 minute uphill walk on uneven cobblestones and rocks. The views were terrific, and it was interesting to learn of the history and culture of the area.

The second day trip was to Kutna Hora. I would recommend that a train trip might be the best way to go, as the 6 hour tour from Prague was too short (over 1 hour drive time each way). The Cathedral of Saint Barbara (Barbora) was lovely, and the town has a silver mining museum that we did not have time to see. I did not go into the church that is decorated with human bones and skulls, but it was part of the tour.

Back in Prague, we used the efficient metro and tram system each day, after purchasing and validating a 3 day pass. The Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul was very nice, and Petrin Hill (mini Eiffel Tower) was fun but hotter than hot. Please note there is no air conditioning on the trams or the Funiculaire up the hill. Or in shops, including large department stores. Fruit shakes are made without ice. I don’t mean to sound like I am whining, this is just a head’s up if you plan to go during the summer. However, the ice cream place at the bottom of Petrin Hill is outstanding.

The Apple Museum was interesting (you know you are old - no offense-  when you say, “oh, I had that ancient mac computer in college”…or, “wow, I forgot how clunky my first laptop was during grad school- about the size of Webster’s Dictionary”). I am unsure of the connection between Apple computers and Prague, but it is worth the stop.

We flew from Frankfurt to Prague, as we've done enough long road trips to last a lifetime (Switzerland, Austria, Poland, East Germany). That is, until the next road trip!

Way off the beaten path in Spain: Santiago de Compostela

Tucked “over” Portugal in the north-western corner of Spain is the historic town known for its Cathedral, which is the end of the “Camino” (a pilgrimage walk across Spain). We did not walk to Santiago, but did take an extra day off work before the Labor Day weekend to fly to Spain and check out the region. Apparently, plenty of people do walk to Spain from Germany and France, or even further away!

The old town area is a maze of narrow streets, complete with interesting architecture and souvenir vendors. Our walking tour included a number of churches, historical buildings, and interesting anecdotes. The market has live fish and freshly plucked chickens (with heads and feet), along with outstanding cheeses and of course fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

We noticed that in this area of Spain, restaurants understand “vegetarian” to exclude only red meat, not fish. One restaurant provided the vegetable sandwich listed on the menu with tuna mixed between the lettuce and tomato, and another place answered the question “what can we order without meat” to list all the fish dishes. This is not a vegetarian-friendly place, unless you like salad for every meal. Two vegetarian restaurants were closed entirely, another two started serving lunch at 1pm, and the last one we went to twice! That said, the salads with fish on them were outstanding!

The superb shoe stores were a joy. Beach destinations are available by train, to the south, north, and probably in other locations as well. 20 minutes south of town includes a beach made up of naturally crushed seashells, so not very comfortable to walk on barefoot (for city dwellers). It was nice to hear the small wavelets lapping at the shore and discover a plethora of tiny sea shells. A dolphin swam in the cove, along with some hearty locals.

We’d recommend Santiago de Compostela for a few nights, or at the end of your camino pilgrimage.

Off the beaten path in northern Finland!

I didn’t write a post about our day in Helsinki during the cruise in 2015 because it rained so much that I didn’t take a lot of photos in that port. We enjoyed the day 2 years ago despite the rain, and this year, we decided to venture beyond Helsinki. We are so glad we did, because we weren’t as crazy about Helsinki this time, due in part to less positive food experiences, although we had terrific meals elsewhere in Finland.

That said, we wouldn’t discourage anyone from going to Helsinki, but we would strongly urge that you add other destinations in Finland, if possible. We continued our tradition from Sweden and Norway by taking a day trip by train, in this case, to Turku. A fantastic vegetarian restaurant (one of several there), filled us well in Turku, and the museum of modern art included an amazing basement excavation of the ancient town. It is worth the price of admission just for the lower level! Excellent tea and cake in their café.

We stepped into the simple cathedral in Turku, and were thrilled to have entered moments before a rehearsal for an upcoming organ concert. What could improve a visit to a church but thundering Bach, well played? Nothing! The ice cream in Finland is tasty, and we strolled along the riverbank in Turku in the sunshine. Dinner before the train ride back to Helsinki was also great (Italian).

We were ready to fly north the following day, to Oulu! We didn’t quite make it into the arctic circle, but we really liked Oulu. We rode bikes around the interconnected islands, learned a few things at the interactive science museum on a rainy day, and breathed the fragrant air in the nearby forest. You can shop if you want to, and you can relax in the park along the river with many other picnickers. The farmers market yielded giant raspberries and superb strawberries, along with other fruits, veggies, fish, cheese, etc. 

Leipzig and Wittenberg, Germany

From the Kaiserslautern area, it’s a 5+ hour drive to Leipzig, depending on highway rest stops for meals, gas, and traffic. There are vegetarian restaurants in Leipzig, along with plenty of traditional places, and a nice cafeteria at the top of the Kaufhof department store.

There are a variety of hotels to select from, and many pedestrian areas in old town, featuring beautiful architecture, shops, and churches. The Bach museum is small, but a treasure trove of information and music.

Bach played the organ here!!!

We elected to stay 2 nights in Leipzig, with a day trip to Wittenberg in between. Since it was only a bit over an hour drive to Wittenberg, we drove, but would encourage others to consider taking the train. Public parking in Wittenberg is not great, although we lucked out by finding an on-street spot very close to the Lutherhaus.

We spent 2 hours in the museum and attached café, learning about Luther’s work and family life. Next, we strolled through the streets to churches and parks. How nice it was to find a small meditation room, to sit in quietly for a few minutes. More lovely architecture, and shops galore. Also of note is a small history museum about life in East Germany. Felt like a step back in time to see older furniture, crowded conditions, and food rationing. Wittenberg got very quiet after 6pm on a weeknight, and we were ready to head back to Leipzig. There may well be many more evening events in the fall. We did not go to every museum in Wittenberg- if you would like to, then an overnight may be needed.

We could have stayed in Leipzig longer, and would recommend more than 2 nights if you have time to relax and enjoy the area.

The famous church where Luther's 95 Theses were posted on the door!

Luxembourg City

From the Kaiserslautern area, Luxembourg City is an easy day trip, though I wouldn’t mind staying overnight for a weekend/long weekend. We left late morning, and arrived in time for a nice lunch in one of the market squares filled with outdoor restaurant tables. There are a few parking garages, and there are also trains from K-town. As you approach the old town, there are well marked signs along the road indicating parking garages and how many spots are still available. We paid 12 Euro for nearly 6 hours.

We walked up and down the pedestrian shopping streets, complete with many familiar brands, and some unique finds. A stupendous chocolate shop on the “Market of Herbs” Square yielded many spoons to make hot chocolate at home (there is a chunk of chocolate like a popsicle, but not frozen, on a wooden stick that you stir around in hot water or milk). This place had many flavors! A British book shop was filled with English novels and non-fiction, then a unique ice cream store made flowers out of ice cream on a cone.

Speaking of flowers, amazing florists had gorgeous bouquets ready to go, and on my next trip to Luxembourg City, I will bring a bucket with some water in the car so I can bring some home. Another chocolate shop had Neuhaus, a fantastic brand indeed. Finally, a French book shop had the most adorable notebooks which came back with me, along with many other stationery and literary items that were not purchased this time.

We walked along the city walls, viewing preserved ruins, viaducts, and the lower city. Churches were lovely, and the weather was perfect. We saw some Segway riders going by on a tour, so we’ll do that next time! 

There is much more to see in the City and surrounding countryside. I’d like to check out some museums, parks, and historical sites next time. 

Mykonos, Greece!

After another tender to shore, many day tours were available through local vendors and the cruise company. On other cruises, we’ve taken “hop on hop off” bus tours in ports, but we didn’t see too many of those (none) on this trip.

Many religious icons are packed into churches and monasteries. Along with their faith life, we were told that the mascot of Mykonos is a pelican, so some tourists set about to search for the pelican. After wandering around for a long time looking for a good lunch place, then finding one, who is hanging out in the doorway to the restaurant after the meal is ordered, but the pelican? Waiters walked around the pelican as they entered and exited the restaurant kitchen. In order to get to the customer restroom, you have to pass near the kitchen, and exactly past the pelican, who is apparently supervising the cooks!

I could have spent several days on Mykonos, finding it beautiful and more relaxing than Santorini. Maybe if I had traveled beyond the capital city of Fira on Santorini, I might feel differently (it could be more relaxing there, too). Gee whiz, maybe I’ll have to go back to both places for a few days each, to re-test which island I like better!

Santorini, Greece!

Arriving by cruise ship, you take a small “shuttle” boat, known as a “tender” from your floating hotel to the shore. If you look closely at the photo below, you can see a zig zag line up the cliff, just about in the middle of the picture. That is the walking path/staircase! There was such a long line for the cable car to the top, that it was not worth standing in line in the hot sun. So, grab a water bottle, hat, and sunscreen for the hike up!

The views were gorgeous, and the donkeys I didn't ride sure looked tired. No water in sight for them.

I know a tourist rip-off when I see one, but sometimes you pay too much for the best “tzaziki” on the planet (cucumber yogurt dip) with fresh pita bread, in exchange for a rooftop terrace table with free wifi and a rest room! I’m sure that outside of town, snacks would have been less than half the price, but it sure was a nice break in the heat of the day.

While other cruise passengers may have booked excursions or even taken the public bus to other places on the island, walking through narrow passages of Fira and admiring local arts, crafts, and cats, was an enjoyable way to spend the day (did go on excursions on 2 other islands).

My observation about this cruise was that the time in port seemed to short. Maybe I’m becoming more European after living here for 2+ years, but 6 hours on Santorini was not enough. The woman who sits next to me in my German choir went to Crete for a week! Now, I’m not sure about spending an entire week on the same small island, but I could probably figure something out if I had to (down time, day trips, etc.). We actually had less than 6 hours per port, once you figure out the time it takes to get from your ship to the destination, such as tenders, hiking up a cliff, or taking a 20 minute bus ride to old town (Dubrovnik, Croatia), plus getting back in time before sailing!

I’m still grateful for the opportunity to enjoy the sun, food, and local culture! Stay tuned for photos from Mykonos next.

Venice: only somewhat off the beaten path

The best part of planning a vacation (for me) is researching the destination, and hoping that the decisions you make ahead of time are the right ones, leaving enough undecided for spontaneity. Maybe some of you can arrive in a city without hotel reservations, but I like reading reviews and looking at maps to find a good place to stay. It feels great knowing where to go when we arrive, and having some idea of what to expect.

Because the weekend before our cruise was a festival weekend in Venice, we elected to stay on the nearby island of Murano in a larger, quieter room, at a better rate, compared with Venetian hotel rooms. I would highly recommend staying on a nearby island unless you become seasick on water. We had clear directions on which water transportation to take from the airport to the island of Murano, and we wheeled our luggage to the B&B without climbing over canal bridges. Even if you don’t stay on Murano, go see it if you have time. The first evening, we just walked around Murano and had a terrific dinner of asparagus soup, pasta, and of course gelato!

The next morning, we took another ferry boat over to Venice, just a short distance. We walked 5 miles that day, through clean, narrow alleys, along the grand canal, and cut across lovely, sunny squares with restaurants and cafes. The prices of most meals and snacks were high, since we wanted to sit down for a few minutes and use the establishment’s restrooms, rather than grabbing a snack on the run. Portable sandwiches and ice cream cones are not too pricey.

Although I don’t mind bargaining, the gondola rides were a fixed price, and gave us a good view of every building’s back door. There were plenty of touristy shops with souvenirs made in China, but we were thrilled to discover some gems of truly local wares, such as a tiny place selling ONLY items with BLACK CATS on them. HELLO!!!! The artist who painted some of the items had a black cats in Venice calendar, which I will turn into framed prints after each month in 2018.

I wish we had longer in Venice, but it was a wonderful chance to add a few days to our cruise vacation. We didn’t mind at all that the boat from Murano to the cruise terminal took over an hour, stopping at many points of interest all around Venice. I wouldn’t consider staying anywhere else other than Murano in the future.

London, not at all off the beaten path

I had such a wonderful weekend in London, and didn’t have the chance to write a post because I had a business trip the week afterwards. Then I hesitated to share because I felt badly about the incident in London, which took place long after I had left. But I refuse to stay put and not travel at all, so I’d like to share some photos and tips.

We stayed at a hotel in Trafalgar Square, which is a busy part of town. The benefits are that you can really walk to most of what you’d like to see in a weekend, and the trains run extensively (but we didn’t use them). The disadvantage of staying there is that there is quite a bit of city noise (no surprise there!), and it is more challenging with luggage from the airports late at night or very early in the morning.

The food in London was much better than I thought it would be, and I now regret my negative recollection of British food, from a trip there 19 years ago! We didn’t have any meal that was bad, but we did try some perhaps “non-traditional” places, such as an Italian restaurant, the Jaimee Oliver place in Covent Garden, outstanding salads at “Pret a Manger” and a great snack at “All Bar One” at Leicester Square.

We went up in the eye, and I marveled at the engineering (can’t help it, daughter of an engineer!). We walked all over the first day, and took the hop-on-hop-off bus the second day. We enjoyed a beautiful choir concert at St. Martin in the Fields church, and admired the carriages at the royal stables.

We saw a couple having their wedding photos taken outside Westminster Abbey, and were curious about the building we saw behind the couple. While we were disappointed that churches, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, charged admission to view the interior, we were pleased that the building behind the couple being photographed was a high court with lovely architecture, and they allowed us to take a self-guided tour for free! 

There are many other areas of the UK to explore, but London is especially worth a weekend trip on a discount European carrier from  within Europe. Having lived in Germany for more than 2 years now, I just loved walking into a book store where everything was in English!!