Day Trip to Cochem

Denise and I took a day trip to the town of Cochem. It is on the Mosel River. This area is full of vineyards, old castles, lots of history, and of course shopping. The Mosel area is known for its Reisling wine.




Cochem Castle greets your arrival from its hilltop perch. If I remember right, it is about 500 years old.


My view of a plaza in the towns interior from my outdoor table. I was enjoying a coffee while Denise did some shopping.


Denise perusing the menu at Cochem's original Rathskellar where we ate lunch.


We decided to try the cheese plate and the meat plate. Both are served with a bread basket. A great variety of cheeses, both soft and hard, and meats from mild to spicy.


The Rathskellar is located under the town hall. It really is in the "cellar."
It was a fun relaxing day.

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Location:Germany

Water Park

Some of our water park activities to celebrate Elijah's birthday.




Lunch with brother and sister and friends.


A lunch break. The lady on the left (a good friend of the family) lived in Las Cruces, went to Onate High and played sports against Deming. It is a small world.


Hazel on the turtle.


Birthday boy!


Let the festivities begin!



The cake in the foreground was designed and created by Sara. It's a cake celebrating the super heroes in The Avengers. The buildings are all cake, a black fondant street, park area and the action figures. It took several hours. I was a little nervous when she was finished and asked me to take it to the kitchen and put it in the frig.



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Location:Kaiserslautern, Germany

Rudesheim Overnight

Denise and I went on an overnight trip to Rudesheim. It is about 2 hours from Zeb's and on the Rhine river. Lots of history in the area but tonight I'll just relate the story of our famous Rudesheim coffee.
The recommended place to get your coffee is The Eis Cafe Engel. This place has only desserts, coffee, and other drinks.



This is the bar where the coffees and other drinks are prepared.



Here are the numerous gelato selections.



Here are the desserts they offer.
And then there is the coffee ...



First ingredient is the famous Asbaugh Brandy, produced in Rudesheim.



You can't tell from the picture but the brandy is flaming away. The flame is light blue and almost invisible, but very hot. Denise (hands from the left) is feeling the heat from the flaming brandy. Once most of the alcohol is burned off (the brandy is 80 proof), coffee is added.



The final touch is a topping of whipped cream and shaved chocolate. It is an interesting combo of coffee and alcohol. But - you certainly want something to eat with your exotic coffee and what could be better than a traditional German apple streudel.



Of course with gelato on one side, whipped cream on the other and the slightly off white stuff is like a sweet custard sauce. Now that's what I call a meal!:-))



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Location:Berggrube,Berschweiler bei Baumholder,Germany

Old Town

There is a geocache (maybe a series) that has to do with the history of Baumholder. There is still a part of the original town wall and some buildings from the end of the fifteenth century. This bit of history is not apparent on casual perusing of town. It is off the main shopping part of town by a few blocks and up a steep incline in town. I had read some about it by copying info from a geocache. I could interpret enough to know the cache was tied into town history and a part of the original wall. Haven't quite figured out the full instructions to follow.
But, I learned enough to go exploring in town and find the place they were talking about in the geocache instructions. I enjoy walking around and "discovering" historical places. I also stopped at one of the local bakeries a had a zimtschnecken and kaffee. (A cinnamon roll and a coffee.) Have to keep up your energy level to trek the hills, right?



Here is the historical marker for all of you who want to try out your German.


This is the building at the top of the map. The original segment of wall still winds through town between these buildings.


This is the tower at the left of the map.


This was on my way off the hill to the main part of town. I can't resist old gates, doors, etc.

Location:Baumholder

Bowling for Euros

Helping kids bowl is kinda like herding cats and training them all wrapped together. First you try to help the one whose turn is actually is to bowl. Then you have to try to keep the others off the lane while it is not their turn.


Next when I turned around - the one who bowls next has gone to the table for pizza or is off visiting a friend, or maybe left for the bathroom. So, the hunt is on


After one full game in the books, attention lags and absenteeism is running rampant near the lanes. Pizza and friends are winning out over sport. I have the solution. It's time to go home.
Once a month the church on post that they attend has bowling after church. The bowling and shoes are paid for by the church and families only pay for what food they buy. It really is a fun time for the whole family. But now I need a rest. Can someone put me in time out? :-))

Location:Baumholder, Germany

Birthday

Well, I don't know how it is quite possible for Zeb to be turning 30 today. I must have been a baby when I married. :-))
It is great to see Zeb. He got a short furlough from his deployment and is home with his family this week (and of course Denise and I).



A Welcome Home banner for their Dad.


Zeb arriving from deployment after 5 1/2 months away.


Present opening time!


Sara made a cake that is A Starry Night by Van Gogh. In the middle is Tardis. This all makes sense if you are a Dr. Who fan (better known as Whovians).

Location:Berschweiler

Germany/Texas Hunting

Well I got another walk in today from Baumholder. Walked around town, then a little grocery shopping at Edeka (The German Grocery). Walked about 6 miles, which of course here is about 9 kilometers. I thought it would be interesting to my Texas friends as well as New Mexicans to see the hunting stands here. They are everywhere (literally almost every field) you go outside of town. Most fields are bordered by woods, and at the edge of each woods is a permanent stand.



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Location:Berschweiler

Saturday Night Lights

I can't remember the last time I sat in the rain to watch a high school football game. It was a steady rain throughout the game and it was a traditional outdoor (read no cover) stadium. It was the Baumholder Bucs against the Kaiserslautern Eagles. When you're talking soccer, the US may be playing catch-up, but American style football is definitely an American sport. This game was between the American high school post team and a German high school team. The German team obviously knew the basics of American football, but obvious it was not something they grew up with. Ball handling was an issue particularly for the Eagles. Some of it may have been the wet footballs, but part of it seemed to be the lack of instinctual rhythm or timing amongst the players. It is probably the mirror image of an American high school soccer team playing a European soccer team.(Although Zeb assures me we are catching up in that regard. One piece of evidence being Clint Dempsey being willing to come to the Sounders)








So why were we sitting in the rain watching high school football? Number 46. A certain teenage granddaughter seems to have a particular interest in that player. He came over to the sidelines after the game to talk, so the interest seems to be mutual. Some things don't change. :-))
The concession stand brought back a lot of memories of being a Junior class sponsor in Deming and manning concessions. Hot chocolate, hotdogs, burgers, and football. A bit of Americana in Germany.

Location:Baumholder

Lunch

Trying to get some exercise in walking, so I combined it with a lunch I have been wanting. I had Sara drop me off in Baumholder when she went to an appointment. I went to a restaurant named Zum Stern where I had seen Sauerkraut on the menu. Last year when I was here (contrary to my American stereotypic thinking) I found out they only served it on Fridays. SO, today being Friday, today was the day - not. Now they have changed it to an evening special. BUT, I was saved by an exceptionally nice waitress (who spoke fair English). I walked in and went up to the counter and asked if they had sauerkraut today. She said, "No, I am sorry, not today." So I said thanks anyway and hit the street. A few feet up the sidewalk the waitress hailed me. She said, "We had the sauerkraut for a special last night, let me check with the kitchen and see if they have any, even if its not on the menu today." I went back in as she retreated to the kitchen, returned with a smile and said she could get me some sauerkraut. :-))
When I took a seat she brought a menu and said I could order about anything to go with the kraut since it wasn't listed. Then she suggested German bratwurst and potatoes or - and I stopped her right there and said that sounded great. She seemed pleased that I liked her first suggestion and I got coffee for the wait. Below is the fruits of our combined determination. Now that's what I call a great traditional German meal!
If your ever in Baumholder, give Zum Stern a try. I have eaten there three times now and it was good each time.




As for the exercise part - I left the Restaurant, shopped a little and with some unbelievably good bread and fresh yogurt ( it comes in a jar) in my small backpack I hiked about 8 kilometers (5 miles) back to Zeb's place over hill and dale on a designated country bike trail. It's all good.

Location:Baumholder

Fall in Germany

Well, here we are back in Germany. Left afternoon temps of 95 in Texas and arrived to morning temps of 38-40 here. Went for a walk at 10 o'clock and it was 45 degrees when I got back.
Today is a German holiday. I haven't found out what the occasion is. But, a holiday in Germany means soccer. A couple of pictures below from the local soccer field about a hundred yards from Zeb's place.








The Germans get into the matches. Things got a little loud and a little tense for awhile. As a foreigner I was thinking on retreated to a safer distance from the sidelines, but calm minds prevailed. Just a few yellow cards.
You will never guess what I ran into on my morning walk. Elderberries! I was on a mission to find elderberry pie a couple weeks ago in Ohio. Didn't see any berries growing, but did manage a couple pies. Now, here they are.






Will keep in touch tomorrow. Got ID cards to go on post, but have to get driving papers tomorrow.

Location:Berschweiler