Black Forest [CAKE]

A Saturday drive to the Black Forest (home of the cake) with friends...

Frozen waterfalls = EXTREMELY COLD.

Readers of earlier blogs might recall Chad's lack of a jacket... he's learned his lesson.

Highest waterfall in Germany.

Oh yes.


Delicious chocolates from a German candy maker.

Triberg, Germany.
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And might I introduce you to the Kinder egg...

They're irresistibly delicious but illegal in the states (too small of parts: see below)

Yay! A deer.

There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. - Logan Pearsall Smith

Danke for visiting!

Home is where the Army sends us...

~Welcome to our (temporary) Home~

Please don't judge us for our "mass-produced-cheap-motel lobby" furniture. It belongs to the Army.

Now let's begin the grand tour...

Above: Meatloaf's room.

Our bathroom... yes, there are TWO showers. One is perfect for dog bathing.

Our living room... please notice our shower curtains as window coverings. I refused to do the typical 'temp housing window routine' which consists of a bed sheet. I have standards ya know!

Our kitchen and dining room. That's not all garbage there... we're recycling like the Germans.

Close up of our kitchen.

They are storage geniuses here in Europe.

When in the Black Forest.... buy a cuckoo clock.

In all it's glory.

Master bedroom. (Look at that BT... so handsome! And again with the shower curtain window coverings.)

Another living room shot... but only so I can go on with a new story.... entitled...

The T.V. War

As many of you know, there has been an ongoing bone of contention in our relationship regarding a (dun dun dun dunnnn) television. Like most men (sorry for the generalization, but it has been my experience that this is true), Chad has been talking about a large television for... oh... the last three years and seven months (we've been together for a little over 4 years... you do the math). I have somehow managed to win the battle with simple facts, which include... 1) we had two perfectly good tv's (one was less than a year old!). Both in working condition and wonderful. 2) We were moving to Germany... "wouldn't you rather spend money on traveling than a new tv, which we risk getting broken in the move?" and 3) Buy one now and it will be obsolete in a few years anyways. To my continuous surprise... Chad agreed and settled for perusing the electronics department in wishful thinking at his local PX.

Now, you might be thinking, that was easy Amy, you've managed to put off buying a new tv for over 3 years... keep up the good work. Yeah, well, before we get too excited, you must know my defense began weakening when Chad sold one of our tv's in Louisiana. It crumbled a little more when Chad's friends (with enormous plasmas and what not) began shipping TV's to Japan, Kentucky, etc. And my last thread of hope was sliced when upon arrival of our "unaccompanied baggage," we saw this:

SAY IT ISN'T SO!

IT GETS WORSE...

You have to be kidding me [insert whines and quiet sobs].

Well people, if I didn't know any better I would think Chad payed those dumb Vernon Parish movers to kick in that TV screen and leave us with no VIABLE options but to purchase a new television. Not to mention, Chad said a few magic words that had me grabbing my coat and scarf and RUNNING to the truck... "well, Amy, I guess you won't be watching Sex & the City today,huh?"

"Excuse me? Get your MasterCard, honey, you're getting that 50 in. LCD."

So, yes, I may have won many battles... but Chad won the [TV] war.

Notice in above picture... Sex and the City IS on the screen.

I felt like a girl of sixteen again...

Guten Tag everyone! I'd like to begin this blog with a sincere apology for the lack of bloggage, which was a result of having no (eek) internet in our home for the past week. It's been rough and I have suffered from diarrhea of the mouth as I've cursed our internet provider for not getting here in a timely manner. But hey, it's Europe, and these Germans just don't understand this American's addiction to her internet. We're all on the same page now and I can move on with my life (which includes hourly inbox checks and myspace cruising).




So here's an update...




January 16: I took my German driving test... 100 questions, missed 4. I still refuse to get behind the wheel, but I will soon, if only to blog about it. I've included a few sample questions for your enjoyment. Good luck.


1)Emergency warning equipment should be stored where?


a. In the trunk of the car.
b. In the passenger compartment under the front seat.
c. In the garage or storage area until needed.


2)Kilometers may be converted to miles by multiplying the kilometers by 6 and then dropping the last digit.


a. True.
b. False.


3)In the city where no priority signs are posted, the driver on the widest street has the right-of-way.


a. True.
b. False.


4)When a streetcar comes up behind a driver’s vehicle while the driver is waiting to make a left turn, the driver must do which of the following?


a. Move to the next block or to some point where a left turn can be made without holding up the streetcar.
b. Maintain his or her position, because the streetcar does not have the right-of-way.
c. Wait until oncoming traffic is clear and then make the turn.


5)A vehicle is considered to be parked when the driver leaves the vehicle or the vehicle has been stopped for longer than which of the following?
a. 2 minutes.
b. 3 minutes.
c. 5 minutes.


Answer Key: 1) B. 2) A. 3) B. 4) A. 5) B. [If you got a 100%... I'm proud of you... but ask me about the round abouts and signs here in Germany and it may be another story.]


Anyways, moral to the driving test story... get the hell out of the way of streetcars, don't run out of gas on the autobahn (fines), and always, ALWAYS go the speed limit to avoid being *flashed* (cameras). Oh and knowing some of the 1000 different road signs may give you an advantage as well. {test questions courtesy of Army in Europe pamphlet 190-34)


Next...


Last week, Chad and I took a German head start course. The course was an orientation course welcoming us to Germany, but also included information on German culture and language. My favorite words include unique characters, so I am unable to use them now, so we'll stick with the German culture portion of head start. Germany, like the US, consists of different states. Our state, Baden-Wurttemberg (note: The German 'W' is pronounced like our 'V'), is the third wealthiest city in Germany. It is also considered a Swabian area, which means many speak a unique dialect of German. Customs are different too, when compared with Bavaria. Come visit for a more in depth lesson.


With this course, we also took a trip to downtown Stuttgart, which can only be summed up in photos (that's what everyone wants to see anyways... right?)

This pictures was taken on the 'Zack' train going uphill.



Blumenladen (flower shop in Stuttgart).

Chad and me in downtown Stuttgart. The street behind us is for pedestrian traffic only... lots of restaurants.

Must take a minute to show you my new 'Euro' shoes. Hideous but comfortable.

A plaza.... again, pedestrians only, restaurants and shopping.

Markthall (indoor market)... think Ferry Building in San Francisco.

Bakerei on the left... otherwise known as 'Amy's favorite German excursion.' (Bakery)



The indoor market is more pricey... however, across the street in the central plaza is an outdoor market with better prices...



And you can buy wine on the street. I'm sold.

Rosa Maria and me (she's from Italy... Amalfi Coast area) having a Swabian lunch and beer.


All the comforts of home.

The following pictures are all taken on top of the Hauptbahnhof (main train station)

Look how cute my husband looks with his (new) scarf.

Here at the Hauptbahnhof you can board a train and be in Paris in 3 1/2 hours. Hopefully that will be one of our future trips.

I hope you enjoy the photos... and don't think I'm done. I'm going to blog at least 2 more times today in order to catch up.

Bis dann!

Until then!

beats the kabobs...

May I introduce the German Donut hole..........I don't know their name, but I know they're tasty.

(In Germany, they are seasonal and only made from November through mid-February)

yummmm.

And of course, Meatloaf enjoyed as well!

In addition to my exciting German pastry experience... we also did a German Hospital tour and received our official mailing address. If you are interested in the address... please inquire via email.

until tomorrow...

Outside the gates...

A brief summary (with photos) of our Sunday outings...

A Morning Jog with Meatloaf...

Please notice Chad's warm(est) clothing.

Since Amy doesn't run, she'll just pose next to the dog and look her best.

And play in the snow...

After we're done with our morning jog/snow fun/posing, we drop Meatloaf off at our hotel and head out for a three mile trek to find.... Doner Kebabs! I'd like to take this opportunity to explain a little bit about a Doner Kebab with the help of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. =)

By definition: Döner kebab (Turkish döner kebap, literally "rotating roast"), is a Turkish national dish made of meat cooked on a vertical spit and sliced off to order. The meat may be lamb, mutton, beef, goat, or chicken. Alternative names include kebab, donair, döner, ντονερ, doner or donner. Döner Kebab is the origin of other similar Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes such as shawarma and gyros.

Great! Now let me share with you a little about what I know... a large slab or rotating meat (we can't say for sure what type since we don't know any Germany but I KNOW it wasn't chicken), sliced thinly and in long strips (reminiscent of crunchy turkey skin), stuffed into a large roll (think New Orleans Muffaletta) with onions, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and a t angy sauce (sorta like a peppery mayo). The first bite was different, the second bite, which included little to no meat was pretty damn good, but the third bite did me in with a mouthful of mystery meat that I couldn't handle. The meat tasted like... something I can't put into words... and the texture... well, back to that turkey skin thing... felt like thin pieces of what I would imagine shaved skin to feel like (ew). Although Chad loves them, I won't be ordering any doner kebobs in the near future.

First German/Turkish ( can't really blame the Germans too much) experience outside the protective gates... not so delectable.

It gets better....

Chad thought it would be "fun" to take a short cut across a snow covered hill to our hotel...
That building in front of me is the hotel.... where the dead grass ends.... a steep slope begins... yeah, I think you can use your imaginations from here.

Anyways, the day ended with a trip to the Dog Park, which left Meatloaf with his best Dumb & Dumber impression (i.e. the frozen snot scene... I know my mom won't know what I'm talking about but it's okay Mom.)
.
Yes... that's dog snot at its best.

Anyways, besides SUNDAY'S events... Chad picked up his truck yesterday (his DL was still valid) and we were mobile. Our first trip.... THE CX! Stuttgart has the only CX in Europe and for you civilians out there, it's the military's grocery store/ furniture outlet. Weird combo right?

We also checked out our temporary housing situation... which we will move into within the next few days... give Meatloaf a little more room.

I'll keep everyone posted.

Bye!