Kaiserfest

The flags are flying all over the place, so the Germans must be full of national pride because of the World Cup, right? Oh, not so fast. Sore subject.

Here in our sleepy village, the jubilation abounds for the three-day Kaiserfest, during which our residents usher in a new reign of a new King. This King, selected at the last festival in May as a result of keen rifle skills, is, for the first time ever (I am gathering)...a WOMAN. She is still called a King, though.

We decided to celebrate some of Chris' first-ever Father's Day by attending Day Two of Kaiserfest. There was a parade with all the surrounding villages participating with their marching bands, local dignitaries, and princesses of some sort. All these princesses wore their finest ball gowns. Completing their lovely ensembles were very ill-suited back tattoos, which appear to be a big trend among young German ladies. As the parade marched by, and spectators got a glimpse of these examples of back art (apparently, Chinese symbols are popular no matter what your nationality), you could see the elderly men and women silently wondering what on Earth can save this generation from itself.

Once the parade wound through the village, it was time to take your station in the fest tent with traditional afternoon cake and coffee or beer, or outside the fest tent with beer. There were your typical fest candy and toy vendors, and we enjoyed a good amount of people watching.

All in all, it was a good fest. And, they already started advertising for our village Oktoberfest!

Below is a picture of our new "King". You can't completely tell from this picture, but there were lots of people wearing coats. And, it's June! And, cold!

Ich Bin Ein Berliner

NATO had a four-day holiday this past weekend in honor of Corpus Christi, so we knew we had to take advantage of it. It's the last holiday weekend until the fall, and this American excitedly decided to travel along with every European on the continent, it seemed.

Before I tell you all about our lovely time in Berlin, I need to air some grievances to you about traveling, in general. I realize that what I am about to say will make me sound as curmudgeonly as the people with whom I used to share Metro space in D.C. You know, the ones who used to tap their feet impatiently at unsuspecting individuals who dared to stand on the lefthand side of the escalator instead of the right?

Anyways, here's a tip for travelers out there: If you do not have a stroller, suitcases, bicycles (clearly I'm in Europe on this one), or are in no way handicapped, the elevators are not for you. I know, you're really tired, or your child thinks it would be really fun. But, the escalators are just right over there, and they do the same thing!

Our other travel-related complaint is a result of complete confusion on my part. Apparently, sometimes when you buy tickets online (even first class tickets), you might not get a seat assignment. This is because they oversell the train at times (like holiday weekends when every European on the continent is traveling). If you realize this too late, and go to the ticket counter to clear up the issue, they actually don't care (even for first class tickets), and might actually say to you, "Gee, I hope that it all works out for you." This, even after you say that even one actual seat assignment might be helpful, as you are traveling with an infant. "I recommend that you try to get to the dining car really fast so that you can get a seat." Helpful.

Thankfully, we did get a seat in the dining car for the return trip home. Otherwise, I would have planted myself on the floor in the aisle, and I would have had to sit there the entire trip - even though I paid for first class tickets!

But, we had a wonderful time in Berlin! We saw the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the KaDeWe department store, the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, parts of the Berlin Wall, the Pergamon Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Zoo, and much more. We should have tried to go when we had longer than two or so days to see the city, but it was great to see all that we did.

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, ravaged by World War II bombs, and left destroyed as a reminder:



We had an enjoyable meal at an Eastern Berlin beer garden, the oldest in Berlin. We also really enjoyed going to the new Sony Center and having some excellent Berliner Weisse beer (in my case with cherry flavoring, like the locals do).

The Reichstag visit was really interesting. First of all, we had a stroller so we got to skip the super long line! Once you get to the dome, you get an audio guide tour as you walk up the ramp, so you can get an overview of the entire city. It is a really fantastic starting point for your trip.

As we were taking this tour, I started contemplating just how fascinating Berlin really is. Everyone flocks there because of the World War II and Cold War histories, but the fallout from those conflicts and the resulting makeup of the city is absolutely fascinating to see. When you're taking the Reichstag tour, and looking out over the Chancellory and various embassies, you realize that they have only been there in their present forms for a few years. Previously, they had fled to Bonn, after having initially been in Berlin before that. So, if you had come to Berlin in, say, 1995, you would not even be taking this same tour.

When we passed the Brandenburg Gate, and saw the new American Embassy building, it was interesting to think about all the earth-shattering events that had taken place in Pariser Platz (JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech for one), and the fact that our embassy had been relocated so many times because of so many critical moments in history. And, it had all taken place right before us (including, might I add, the Michael Jackson baby-dangling incident at the Adlon Hotel in the same square).

Brandenburg Gate:



It's an interesting thing to stand in a location and try to remember whether you're standing on what used to be one side of the Wall or the other - and how that distinction at one time could have meant life or death, but no longer meant a thing.

Checkpoint Charlie sign:



Memorial crosses for those who died trying to cross the Wall:



Berlin has always been an elusive city for me, so I was happy to finally get there. My family lived in Germany when the Wall came down, and I will always remember the bells tolling and the fireworks going off. But, we never went to Berlin!

My favorite book of all time is Vienna Prelude by Bodie Theone. It's a book that is an emotional attachment at this point, as I started reading it when I was 12, and for years read it at least once a year. It takes place during pre-World War II years, and the book's main character is from Berlin. So, I felt like I was visiting with a friend seeing a lot of the same places Elisa frequents in the book. Finally, I got to see those places in person!

There was an incredible amount to see and do, and I'm impressed by the amount we accomplished. But, I know there's more to get to, so we'll have to go again.

Margraten: Where 8,301 American Heroes Lie

I am incredibly blessed to live in this region of Europe this year. We have seen the 65th anniversaries of major World War II events commemorated, and we live right in the midst of it all.

Recently, the liberation of the Netherlands was celebrated. And, for this Memorial Day weekend, we decided to go to Margraten, where the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial is located, to plant flags and visit the graves of American warriors who sacrificed all for freedom.

It gives me chills to see a place like this. First of all, I still can't wrap my mind around the heritage Margraten represents for us. It is because of the battles represented there that we are even stationed in this area. Geilenkirchen, which hosts the NATO base at which we are stationed, was the site of a major 1944 battle. And, some of the men who lost their lives in that battle were buried right in front of me.



Margraten is tranquil and beautiful, just as it should be. The grounds are flawless, flowers blooming everwhere, monuments tasteful and simple, and the rows of crosses and stars are powerful and moving. Walking through to take note of when these men died and where they came from, I saw several pairs of brothers buried side by side.



An American family approached us and started talking to us. We told them that we were stationed in the area and asked if they were visiting. The man told us that they were there because his father is buried in the cemetery. He died in battle, and his son grew up without a father. Powerful. This man was at Margraten for the ceremonies this weekend - the Dutch Queen Beatrix will preside over them at the cemetery tomorrow.

There was a whole group of families walking around this morning wearing badges with their loved ones' pictures on them. Our new friends had been to visit his father's grave four times, and he felt like it was important to be here this year. He loves that his mother chose to keep his father buried here with his buddies.

He told us about the great relationship he has with the Dutch family that adopted his father's grave. It is really admirable to see what the Dutch people do for those buried at Margraten. All graves are adopted by the Dutch - there is a waiting list. However, families tend to solemnly pass down the responsibility of caring for the graves to their own family members.

A Dutch man also started talking to me later on about the grave he adopted. He excitedly told me the soldier's name, and how much it means to him to be able to care for his plot. His eyes misted, and he looked up and over the cemetery. He said, "These people did much for us." The Dutch really appreciate the sacrifices, and generations of them were out today placing flowers on the markers. I'm thankful for these people and the way they passionately care for our fallen.



It was a fitting way to mark Memorial Day. I will absolutely return, hopefully in the near future.

Monschau

We went to the most charming little German town today while we have some gorgeous weather. I'm so glad that the sun is out, finally. Chris has a three-day weekend in honor of the Pentecost, so we decided to take a day of leisure and be tourists.

Monschau is located in the Eifel region, near Aachen, close to the borders of Belgium and the Netherlands. It's about an hour from us. To get there, you drive through some somewhat hilly farmland, and then all of a sudden you realize you are at the top of a steep, winding, mountainous road!

The town has your quintessential castle at the top of the mountain/hill (your view of what this is depends on where you're from), a babbling river, and so many fun restaurants and shops, making this a town to which I will bring visitors for the duration of our living in this region.



This is definitely a great place to go hiking, and we will do that soon. But, today I wanted to explore the town and we spent lots of time wandering.

We chose to sit outside at a wonderful restaurant right on the river and outside a lovely church with bells that tolled for what seemed ages at noon. The sound of bells tolling is one of my favorite things about Europe, and something I will desperately miss when we move home.

For lunch I had the best schnitzel that I have had since we moved here. It did not seem greasy and was accompanied by a sauce made from the honey-mustard that this town makes well. We also tried some white asparagus, as that is in season now. I had another seasonal favorite - fresh strawberries. Incredible food today.

The shopping was great today, too. There were all kinds of wine stores, antique shops, and - wait for it - a Christmas store!! Of course, I went in. This store was perfect, and the prices were even good! I bought a few things. For those of you rolling your eyes at me right now, yes, I realize I have a problem involving shopping and Christmas.

I also bought some of the town mustard, and Chris, naturally, bought some wine. There was an intriguing store that sold a lot of Czech crystal. I'm not entirely sure why. But, I will keep that in mind in case I ever need something, and can't get to Prague.

We had such a fantastic day in Monschau and can't wait to return.

Feature - Beware of mischief on German Labor Day

When we returned from our trip to the United States, we got serious about getting our flower pots in order. We went to the garden shop, picked out all our plants, and then noticed that our beautiful printed tin window boxes from Italy were missing. Chris swears that he left them on our front porch. And, we had a mysterious baseball sitting on the back porch. Coincidence? Read the following:Feature - Beware of mischief on German Labor Day

I think we know what happened now.

Alles Gute zum Muttertag

This is my first Mother's Day since having Jackson, and it has been a delightful one. I am very grateful for my little boy (although, as I write this he just crawled over and broke a Delftware tray that I have).

After church today we opted to stay in our village to enjoy a local parade and celebration for Muttertag. We walked up to the church, and started talking to a man decked out in his finest German outfit for the occasion. He told us that everything was in honor of Mother's Day - but, that the event was being held to decide the new "king" (mayor) of our village.




After the parade made its way around the village, everyone headed to a field where there was a shooting contest - to decide who the new mayor would be. Seriously.

I am one of those people who becomes very involved in different organizations wherever I live. And, many of these organizations arrive at the same crossroads year in and year out - who the heck is going to take over the various leadership positions because nobody wants to take them? I now have a solution. Everyone takes a turn at the gun to shoot at the target. Whoever gets the best score assumes the presidency! Incredible.



As is typical at any German fest, the drink tent was right near the entrance. To be a good sport, I decided that Chris and I should both drink a beer, as neither of us had to drive. I walked up to the bar, and ordered from the list. I totally ruined it, though, and accidentally ordered us some very unmanly wine coolers instead of the beer I promised. Chris wanted to die from embarrassment, as it appeared that drinking a wine cooler in Germany is just as uncool as drinking one in the United States.



We had a really wonderful time meeting some of the village neighbors, including an American and a Canadian couple who were lots of fun. And, I learned that our village has been around since 1583. Pretty amazing!

Overwhelmed

It has taken a few days, but we are starting to get back into our routine in Germany. We spent a blissful couple of weeks touring our old stomping grounds in the USA.

I think the one word I continue to use each and every time I return to the States is "overwhelmed". I believe that I become more so with every visit. It's the endless number of TV channels from which to choose; the ridiculous stream of stores to shop in (and the number of items they have to buy); the countless number of restaurants we wanted to visit; the enormous cars whizzing by us on the freeway (in the right lane talking on cellphones); the limitless times to visit Starbucks and Barnes & Noble; the ability to do anything, buy anything, see anything you want at any time you want to do so. It's just too much.

When I'm overseas I miss all the choices, but I have to say it gives me anxiety to be able to have anything I want when I want it. I mean, there are definitely things I regret not having here in Germany. Just today, I went to the Commissary to buy food, and I was in a state of melancholy when I arrived in the baby aisle. When I went to Babies R Us in Texas, I had tears welling in my eyes to see that they had an entire row for pacifiers; more baby food flavors than I had any clue existed (they have green vegetables in Stage 3??); so many baby clothes and odds and ends right at my fingertips, and I had never had the pleasure of walking into a store like this since I had Jackson.

But, here I was back at the Commissary. After dining on fun-flavored organic baby food for weeks, and discovering graham crackers without honey (babies can't eat anything with honey) and other great new snacks, we were relegated to buying the Gerber sweet potatoes and squash once again. Sorry, Jackson. Back to the boring options. Bye-bye Mum-Mums. Auf wiedersehn baby yogurt.

At the end of the day, though, I desperately miss my family and friends, but surprisingly enough, can do without the "so much"ness of America. We don't need all of it, and my simplified life is much happier without all of the stuff.

We had a wonderful time visiting Oklahoma City, OK; Fort Worth, TX; Washington D.C.; and Yorktown, VA. Chris and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with a night out to Reata in Forth Worth; introduced Jack to new family members, including his cousins, Luke and George; and watched Jackson enjoy so many new experiences. I miss my country, but am enjoying the time we have here in Europe.