Basket Factory ~ Dahn

If you're looking for some home decor or maybe some seasonal items, the Basket Factory is a great place to look. It's located about 45 minutes away from Ramstein AB towards Pirmesans in Dahn. The prices are reasonable...especially on the basement level where they house their clearance items but get there early before it's picked over.

GPS: Longitude: 007º46'08"E Latitude: 49º09'32"N
I have put in just "Dahn" before and found it but knew what to look for.

Look for these flags (coming from Ramstein they'll be on your left)

Please forgive me...the quality of the next few photos are not great. I took them with my cell phone but I wanted to post some pictures of what it looks like on the inside.

They take credit cards and accept VAT forms when your purchases are over €50.

The back area of the second level is filled with seasonal decor. Much of which you'll find at the Christmas Markets but half the price :-)

After we shopped we drove down the road a short distance to this Backerei

It's very close to the Devil's Table so you can visit both places in the same day. I can't believe it took me so long to get here. I will be making another trip soon to shop for some Christmas items. 

Hours: M-F 8-12 am, 1-5:30 pm; Sat 8am-1pm.
Industriestr. 16, 66994 Dahn
Basket Factory Website

:D

Fall Hike in Potzberg

It's fall in Germany and this week the trees are at peak foliage. The weather was perfect for a family hike. We live just a few minutes drive from Potzberg where there are some great trails.

On our way we met a friend from the park.

Look out!

Dad messin' around with the huge mushroom

Gabe takes the camera

It wasn't the clearest day but I love the windmills

Trying a serious pose...HA!

I was playing with my camera settings and got this effect.

This couple spoke English. They showed us which mushroom you can eat.

He had a bag full of them. Just cook them in olive oil and garlic they said.

Perfect trails fro running, hiking, walking, biking.

Entry to the Wild Animal Park

View from the road

Wish it had been a little clearer.

Don't eat these! Very poisonous....but they look so cool.

20 Things I'll Miss (and Won't Miss)

When you get stationed over here in Europe, it's only temporary. Most people are here for an average of 3 years. We happen to be on a 2-3 year tour. Gabe took a "career-broadening" position so by the 2 year mark he is supposed to start looking for a new job back in The States. As we approach the month of our 2nd year here I find myself thinking about the things I'm going to miss about Germany. Of course there is the travel. That is #1. Germany is in the perfect location in terms of accessibility. We can potentially drive to most every country in Europe if we had the time (and money) to do so. It's amazing to think how many places we've seen already.
But with travel aside, there are many other things I will miss and NOT miss about living here. I've decided to write a list naming those things as a reminder of everyday life over here.
1. Travel.
2. Christmas.
Christmas in Germany is like nowhere else. The Christmas Markets are amazing. They truly get you into the spirit of the holiday. With gluwein and hot cider, the smell of cinnamon and lit candles.
3. Roundabouts.
Is there really ever a need for a stop sign? I don't think so and neither do Germans. There is not a single stop sign from my house to Gabe's office...that's 10 miles of yield signs and roundabouts. Traffic moves smoothly and people are happy.
4. Safety of our village.
My boys have the freedom to play outside whenever they want to without the fear of "stranger-danger". I'm not saying it couldn't happen but will it happen? No. I can't imagine a safer neighborhood. Now granted, most days I have my window cracked so I can occasionally listen for them and ensure they're around but I don't feel the need to hover over them. They get to be kids.
5. Toilets.
I will miss the design of the German toilet in terms of cleaning UNDER them. They come out from the wall so there isn't that gross area around the bottom to clean. You can just simply mop it up along with the rest of the floor. BUT I will NOT miss the inside of the toilet. They are probably the worst design in terms of cleaning the ring around the inside.
6. Heated tile floors.
I will miss warm tile floors in the winter. I will NOT miss cleaning 3 levels of tile flooring. I miss carpet.
7. Small.
I will NOT miss small parking spaces, small refrigerators, small grocery carts, small roads, small sinks, small ovens, small coffee-to-go,
8. Movie Theaters.
I will not miss having only 2 movie theaters to chose from. I will miss AAFES movie ticket prices.
9. AFN.
I will not miss AFN or their ridiculously annoying "commercials" or choice in programming. I will miss my boys not giving a crap about television.
10. Castles and Cathedrals.
I will miss visiting old castles and cathedrals. They still amaze me. I love being able to sit and have a coffee or beer or glass of wine and take in the history of it all...they each have a story to tell. My boys, however, may be "over" the castle thing. They may have seen enough of them to last 20 years.
11. Bike trails.
I will miss Europe's "bike friendly" cities and countryside. Although I haven't taken advantage of them as much as I could or should, I will miss them. Gabe has taken so many bike rides with his buddies to nearby Gasthauses, the Bike-In, and The Blockhouse. Seeing the countryside by bike is an incredible experience. If the kids were a bit older we would have taken more family time on these trails.
12. Sports. (this one is mostly for Gabe)
I will NOT miss delayed programming for sports or having to watch them in the middle of the night. It's quite the commitment for sports fans over here to watch their favorite teams. It requires late nights, early (like 3am early) mornings or avoiding the internet until the game airs. 
13. Belgian Beer runs. (Another one for Gabe)
I will miss beer runs to Belgium because the beer in Belgium is superior to all other beers...period.
14. Döners.
I will miss döners. They might possibly be a perfect food.
15. German bakeries and bread.
I will miss German bread. It is crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle...the way bread should be. 
16. Rolladens.
I will miss rolladens. They are the best invention for windows. They keep rooms dark which I love for the bedroom. I can sleep in :-)
17. ATMs.
I will miss the ATMs in Germany. They dispense cash in incriments of 5s...I love that. 
18. Day trips.
I will miss all of the day trips. There are so many things to see, places to go within a short distance of where we leave.
19. Flea Markets.
I will miss flea markets. European flea markets are different than those in the States. The things you find here are so unique...you'll never find them anywhere else.
20. Last but certainly not least. Our friends and neighbors.
This will be by far the most difficult part about leaving Germany. I tear up just thinking about it.We have made some the greatest friends here in Germany. Being overseas has a way of bringing people together...forging quick but long lasting friendships. You learn to lean on each other, be there for one another, plan holidays together and become like a family. We will share memories and forever have a bond because we shared this experience together.

Devil's Table ~ Erlebnispark Teufelstisch

Erlebnispark Teufelstisch

The kids didn't have school today so a few girlfriends and I decided to take our kids to The Devil's Table. It's a good 45 minutes from the base in Pirmasens. I knew there was a huge slide at the park but had no idea it was going to have so many other things for the kids to do.

 Here's Ryan holding up the bridge.

I thought I'd check out the slide myself. It was pretty fun! Towards the bottom it slows you down a little bit but for the kids that wore athletic pants, theywent flying down it straight into the sand.

After we ate lunch we all hiked up to the top. It's a quick little hike, perfect for the little guys. When we got there, we saw a group of rock climbers. They were fun to watch...they were pretty high up there with an inverted climb at the top.

Dylan and his buddy, Carter.

All the kiddos at the top

The ladies get their picture taken...thank you, Moe :-)

Devils Table

Teufelstisch

Hiking, Playground, minigolf, large slide

Im Handschuhteich 31
D-66999 Hinterweidenthal

Only cost is for parking and minigolf

Ireland ~ Part 2 ~ Blarney Stone

For breakfast, I ordered the kids and I a crepe-like pancake that had a hint of lemon in the syrup. None of us could finish it but it was so good! I would recommend ordering one and and then getting the eggs over toast and sharing the two because the pancakes were like dessert but you have to try them.

We had a big day planned and thought it was best to start off at the Ladies View, which is a scenic point along the N71 portion of the Ring of Kerry. The name apparently stems from the admiration of the view given by Queen Victoria's ladies in waiting during their 1861 visit. I think Tony told us she had over 30 ladies in waiting...quite an entourage, I'd say.

This area of the National Park has a load of hiking trails. We could have spent a week checking them all out but unfortunately we only had a few hours.

Gabe explaining how to navigate the rocks

The boys checking out the trail options

Ladies View

We did not see any Leprechauns on this trip...

Or did we??

Of course the boys want to get close to the edge...

Here's one of my favorite family pics from this trip. Taken by a couple from Switzerland.

 

Let's warm up a little...

Inside the Ladies View Cafe they sold Irish coffee. Yep, it's 11 am and I'm having a shot of whiskey!

On to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone!

It's a 40 mile drive to Blarney from Killarney and well worth the drive. There seemed to be plenty of parking outside the estate but they may be because we were there on a Sunday. We paid €24 for our family to enter. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be as impressive as it was.  I would plan on spending at least 4 hours there. There is so much to see.

At the top of the Blarney Tower where the stone is.

My little guy and I.

I brief overview of the stone's history.

Dylan had no reservations about hanging upside down over the stone

Gabe was next...I captured the kiss :)

Little RyRy was a little hesitant. He has a fear of heights.

Gabe didn't quite capture my kiss so we bought the €10 photo from the gift shop.

Dylan was fascinated by the poisonous garden.

This is Dylan "pre-fall"...he landed in a heap on the ground shortly after this photo.

Me and my boys by a 1000 year old tree.

It is said, to make a wish at the "Wishing Steps" one has to walk to the bottom, and return walking backwards with eyes closed and a wish would be granted by the Fairy's or Druid's

Gabe wishes our friend John's deployment would get cancelled...a wish John himself made last month.

When we were done exploring the castle we called Gabe's friend, Maria who lives 5 miles away in Cork. She met us out for a quick drink where she told us stories about her experiences in Portugal and her impression of Americans ;-) She's a super cool chic and hopefully we can plan another get together when we have more time.

It was time to head back...it was raining, dark and I knew it wasn't going to be an easy drive back. I had white knuckles the whole way but we made it back and I had a large glass of wine before settling into bed.

Here is just one of the many challenges we have living in Europe. I wasn't thinking when I packed. I threw in this U.S. charger for the iPhone/iPad with a German 220V adapter (what I use at home) forgetting that, although Ireland uses the same currency, they do not use the same plugs. I had to get creative and attach yet another 3 prong adapter to make it work. Thankfully, it did not blow up :-)

We had an hour to burn before we boarded our flight home. Gabe is enjoying his last "Proper Guinness" in Ireland.

Gabe was "adopted" by an elderly couple at the airport. They told us we could come and stay with them anytime. He said to just look up "Paddy Welscher" in the phonebook next time we are in Ireland.

I love the Irish, I wish I were Irish. We will be back! Until then I guess I'll have to settle for St. Patrick's Day.