Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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PCSing from Germany Back to the States

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We longed to stay in Germany longer, but the Air Force sent us home anyway.

PCSing to Germany was so exciting.

PCSing back to the States is stressful and seems to take a lot longer.

PCSing from Germany back to the States

An OCONUS (Outside Continental US) move is a little more complicated than a CONUS move.

What you need to do and know:

Paperwork

Organize your important papers and put them in a safe place to travel on your person as you PCS. Keep your PCS binder handy and organized with dividers, tabs, pockets. We have a nice huge one that zips closed.

The military member has lots of paperwork to complete. Be patient and helpful.

Get clear with all German accounts, businesses, taxes, banks. You don’t want an international incident. There are checklists for outprocessing for the military member to complete to help ensure this is taken care of well.

Exchange or deposit Euro (for easy transfer) at the KMCC BX community bank.

Get copies of everything.

Canceling Accounts

Most contracts – cellular, Internet, and TV accounts must be given 90 days notice! Make sure you take care of this in time for no penalty!

We went through the Comm Shop for cell service and he is super helpful.

Ramstein KMCC (BX mall) also has two shops that can assist.

You have to show up in person to cancel your utilities if you live off base.

Packing Out

Do all the same things you do for all pack outs.

Purging, colored tape, setting aside HHG (household goods) and unaccompanied baggage and professional goods from what you’re taking with you to TLF and on the plane ride.

We chose to pack out as early as possible. This way, we will have our goods ready and waiting to be delivered to our new house, whenever we find one.

It took two days for our packout. It was amazing. At least 3-4 of our 8-9 packers spoke perfect English and had a great sense of humor. It eased my mind. They loved the sub sandwiches, chips, and Gatorade we bought from the commissary for them for lunch.

What’s up with you, America? It typically took four days to pack out during our CONUS moves!

We requested temporary furniture from FMO for the month we’re still in our rental house. We each got a bed frame, mattress, and nightstand. We got a dining table with six chairs, sofa and two chairs for the living room.

We borrowed a dish pack from the Airman’s Attic with rather nice Wearever ceramic pots.

We borrowed some bedding items from a co-worker.

We kept some towels, pillows, and sleeping bags. I kept some kitchen items that I love and use every day. We’ll either throw out, donate, or mail the items to ourselves in the States when we go to TLF.

Pets

Take pets to vet to get all necessary vaccinations up to date and travel forms completed, usually within 30 days of travel.

Contact Patriot Express or commercial airline to ensure weather and temperatures will be predicted safe to travel.

We sent our pets ahead to my parents in Atlanta via Lufthansa in Frankfurt so it was easier on everyone the day we PCSed. We had a huge delay so I do recommend this if you have a friend or family member willing to pick up pets and pay the customs fee.

Otherwise, pets travel Patriot Express from Ramstein to BWI (Baltimore-Washington International Airport), then to wherever you go next.

It’s stressful on many animals.

Shipping a Vehicle

We sold my husband’s German car early.

I recommend getting your POV (privately owned vehicle) professionally cleaned and detailed. They’re very picky about condition and cleanliness and will inspect your vehicle top to bottom, inside and out, with flashlights for about 2 hours, noting every single flaw.

Rentals are very expensive in the Ramstein area, so we kept our minivan until the last possible moment, until we moved into base TLF (temporary housing facility).

My husband then had to rely on coworkers to get around to do his outprocessing.

The kids and I walked around base.

House Deposit

The Housing Office provides a letter to give to the landlord to terminate the housing contract.

The landlord has six months to return your security deposit! That’s really tough and they really don’t want to return any money. We had to fight for every penny and didn’t get it all back for petty reasons.

TLF

You’re entitled to only 10 days in Temporary Lodging Facilities (TLF) OCONUS. It wasn’t too difficult without a vehicle. Everything is pretty walkable on base.

Travel

It was a long journey from Germany to Baltimore. It was a really long time before we could even board our Patriot Express. They were waiting on a deployed group to board the plane and there were other holdups. We didn’t arrive to BWI until what felt like 2 AM.

Getting through customs was another long wait, with the whole plane lining up and snaking through cordons to have orders, IDs, passports checked.

We had booked a hotel room, expecting to arrive mid-afternoon. We had time to shower and get some of the complimentary breakfast, then it was back to BWI for our connecting flight.

Reverse Culture Shock

It’s always stressful PCSing.

It’s really hard to move back to the States when you love Europe and long to stay to travel more, experience more culture, and eat wonderful food.

It’s really loud and bright in the USA.

I really miss good bakeries.

It took me a couple years to feel used to being an American in the USA again. Sometimes, it’s still hard and I get surprised or shocked by something I see or hear.

We try so hard not to appear or sound braggy about our travels. This is just our life. We made hard choices and some sacrifices. We were very fortunate and we used our time and resources wisely. It’s also difficult to explain how it is to travel in Europe so frugally and widely compared to how vast and expensive the USA is.

We really loved our 3 years in Germany and have so many wonderful memories.

Resources:

Super excited to find this online shop for all our German favorites!

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Day Trip to Cologne

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We had long wanted to visit Köln or Cologne, the fourth largest city in Germany.

We were counting down to our move back to the States and had to make it a day trip. We had to get a special emissions test and sticker to travel into the city.

Day Trip to Cologne

We parked and walked around the Cathedral.

Our first stop was Früh.

Even though 90% of the city was destroyed during WWII, the brewery was spared.

While we didn’t partake in traditional Halve Hahn, we did have a lovely meal of fish, cold beef, potatoes, veggies, and salad.

After lunch, we toured the Cathedral.

One of my favorite carols is I Saw Three Ships.

The lyrics mention the ships sailing into Bethlehem, but the nearest body of water is the Dead Sea about 20 miles (32 km) away. The reference to three ships is thought to originate in the three ships that bore the purported relics of the Biblical magi to Cologne Cathedral in the 12th century. Another possible reference is to Wenceslaus II, King of Bohemia, who bore a coat of arms “Azure three galleys argent”. Another suggestion is that the ships are actually the camels used by the Magi, as camels are frequently referred to as “ships of the desert”.

St. Agilulfus altar and shrine:

The Shrine of the Three Kings is the largest reliquary in the world.

We watched a chalk artist and some musicians in the courtyard.

It was a very warm day and we dipped our toes in a fountain!

We had some lovely ice cream before heading home.

More Things to Do and See in Cologne:

  • Fragrance Museum
  • Chocolate Museum
  • Cologne Zoo
  • Boat Trip on the Rhine
  • Hänneschen Theatre
  • Köln Triangle Panorama
  • Olympic Museum
  • Kolner Seilbahn Cable Car
  • Groß St. Martin
  • St. Maria Im Kapitol
  • Ludwig Museum
  • Romano-Germanic Museum
  • Wallraf-Richartz Museum
  • Museum Für Angewandte Kunst Köln
  • Kolumba Museum
  • Schnütgen Museum
  • Belgian Quarter
  • Cologne’s Old Town
  • St Gereon’s Basilica
  • Botanical Garden
  • Hohenzollern Bridge with Love Locks
  • National Socialism Documentation Center
  • Rheinauhafen District
  • FC Köln
  • Gamescom 
  • Christmas Market Cologne

We had a great time in Cologne!

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Sunshine Pumpkin Farm

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We took a homeschool field trip to Sunshine Pumpkin Farm.

We travel a lot in fall, so this was exciting for us to do something a little more normal.

The kids liked visiting the animals.

Katie loves cows.

We took a wagon tractor ride to pick our own pumpkins.

Yummy cider and cake for sale in the farm shop!

You can also visit their English and German website. They’re about 10 minutes away from Landstuhl.

There’s a milk and egg dispensary.

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The Best and Worst of KMC, Germany

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The Best and Worst of Kaiserslautern Military Community, Germany

Every base has its pros and cons. While most jump at the chance to live in Germany, here’s what great and what’s not so great about the KMC.

The Best of KMC, Germany

Travel Opps

Churches, castles, wineries, and breweries – OH MY!

We loved exploring Europe for the culture, art, and food! See some of our trips here.

Cheap Flights

RyanAir often has $10 sales on flights in Europe. There are a few other discount airlines too. Take advantage and see everything you can!

Beer and Wine

Even if you don’t drink, the grapes on the hillsides are lovely to see. The festivals are fun. If you do drink, it’s cheaper and better than anywhere.

The Worst of KMC, Germany

Language Barrier

I learned German in college. Textbook German. No one could understand me in the KMC, so I pretty much gave up. Most people know at least some English. Some are really nice and try to work with you. Do try to learn some helpful phrases. There are classes on and off base if you really want to immerse yourself.

Shopping

  • Sundays. Most European stores are closed on Sundays, except for special Sunday Shopping Days, about once a quarter.
  • Commissary. This is the only store you can shop at for American food.
  • KMCC. This is kinda the equivalent of a mall, with the BX and lots of little shops and food court. I think prices are high and quality is low. Selection is also limited.

Housing

  • Screens. There are no screens on windows. So, bugs. you can buy and install screens, but it’s a hassle.
  • Storage. Most European houses have little in the way of storage. FMO provides shranks, but we miss basements, real closets, cellars, and attics to put away items we don’t use very often, like holiday decorations.
  • No Air Conditioning or Central Heating. It can get pretty hot in summer. You need lots of fans and shut all the Rolladens during the day. Stone and brick houses stay cool, and it was hard to stay warm in winter. Buy lots of rugs and wear house slippers.
  • Dust. Everywhere. I can sweep, mop, and dust every day and it still accumulates because the windows are always open.
  • Should you live on or off base? We’ve heard horror stories about German landlords and there are lots of issues to think about if you want to live off-base. For sure, it’s easier and more familiar on base. Do your research and make an informed decision. Be proactive and communicate with your landlord, take lots of pictures, record everything, and refer to the housing office for advocacy.

Do you have anything to add to the list?

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Kaiserslautern Wildpark

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A great hike on a pretty day is the FREE Kaiserslautern Wildpark, across from the Quack restaurant, near the Volkspark.

There’s a little parking lot. It’s good to get there early, before the crowds.

Hiking trails meander all through the forest, under the train tunnel. We easily did a 3-mi hike in under 2 hours, stopping to see the animals and pet the deer.

There’s a little water fountain that is perfect to wash hands afterwards.

The first enclosure has deer and goats.

The goats were curious, but didn’t come close to the fence.

This one deer trotted right over to check us out and get petted.

Our favorites were the baby pigs!

There are also cows.

This fluffy Highland cow kept rubbing his face on the fence to be petted.

And there are several horses.

The two lynxes were sleeping, but we could see them in the bushes.

There’s a great viewing platform to view the bison.

There are benches and picnic tables all along the paths. It’s a great place for a picnic. We saw lots of families and couples enjoying the warm sunny weather. Some even had mountain bikes on the trails.

We enjoyed walking and listening to the birds and seeing the animals. I can’t believe it’s FREE and there’s not even a donation box that I saw.

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Naturwildpark Freisen

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Naturwildpark Freisen is a great day trip.

It’s probably our favorite Wildpark.

The bags of food actually last a good while if you’re careful and keep them away from the greedy goats!

This one followed us for a loooong time.

My son was thrilled to see his favorite animal: FOXES.

There are lots of goats and deer and pigs wandering around.

Liz met an emu. She came running from the far side of her enclosure to meet Liz. They were both thrilled with each other.

There’s a bird of prey area with vultures, owls, hawks, and African sea eagle.

There were lots of peacocks around, screaming and displaying their plumage.

We got see the otter get fed.

We were thrilled to see the kangaroo mom and joey!

There’s a monkey habitat.

It’s a nice walk around the park, seeing and feeding the animals.

Hours and Admission

Summer from 01.03. – 14.11.
Parking: 10.00 am until nightfall.
Closing time: 18:00

Summer Entrance fees:
Adults: € 8,00
Children (3-12 years) : € 5,00

Winter from 15.11. – 28.02.
Parking: 10.00 am until nightfall.
Closing time: 16:00

Winter Entrance fees:
Adults: € 5,00
Children (3-12 years) : € 3,00

There is no bird show in the winter months. Park is closed in December and January. Dogs are permitted, except in the falconry, on a leash. A visit in bad weather conditions (snow, ice, & wetness) is not possible due to accident risks. When the ticket office is closed, the park entrance fee is collected by employees in the park.

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13 Best KMC Restaurants

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Wondering where to dine out in the Kaiserslautern area?

Our 13 favorite restaurants in the KMC:

  1. Zimtblüte

    This is probably our favorite place. We love to stop in for a quick bite when shopping at Globus or planning for a bigger meal at their larger location. The curry rice and stir fries are to die for. Their menu is extensive, with specialties from Vietnam and Thailand, and also sushi. Delicious iced teas. The hot tea is bland. Located right over the A6 bridge from Ramstein, towards Einsiedlerhof.

  2. Alom Dee

    Very fresh and delicious. The best Thai in KMC. The wait can be long, but it’s worth it. Located in Ramstein-Miesenbach, near the Kino.

  3. Café Konditorei Goldinger

    A super fun breakfast, brunch, or light lunch. It’s gorgeous in the conservatory and garden. We like to pretend we’re in Victorian times. Located in Landstuhl.

  4. Spinnrädl

    Everyone must go here once. It’s the oldest restaurant in Kaiserslautern. Local Rhineland-Pfalz specialties. It impresses. Located near the Stiftskirche in downtown Kaiserslautern.

  5. Hofbräuhaus

    I just cannot get enough of their chicken and salmon salads. We love eating here and it’s the best place on base, for sure. Located in the KMCC mall.

  6. Holzofen Pizzeria am Seewoog

    The best pizza in the KMC. Reservations needed. Takeout and eat by the lake is fun too! Located in Ramstein-Miesenbach.

  7. Metaxa

    Delicious Greek food. A few dishes have a German flair, but overall, it’s pretty authentic. Order a few days ahead for moussaka! They even have Retsina wine! Located in Ramstein.

  8. Sam Kullman’s Diner

    A fun American-style diner with their own beer brand. The prices are bit high, but the food and service are great. Located on MainzerSt in Kaiserslautern.

  9. Mr. Lian

    The best sushi in the KMC. Reservations recommended. Located on WeilerbacherSt in Kaiserslautern, behind Zimtblute.

  10. Safari Restaurant

    Gorgeous African and vegetarian food. A fun and unique dining experience. Located on HumboldtSt in Kaiserslautern.

  11. Brit Café

    Great for breakfast and lunch. The English breakfast platters are enough for two! Thursdays are curry and Fridays are fish and chips! Located across from Ramstein Library.

  12. Nick’s Fried Chicken

    The best coleslaw I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. A great fried chicken place for dine in or takeout. Located on Kaiserstraße, near Vogelweh/Pulaski.

  13. Bombay

    It’s like being welcomed into their home. The food is amazing. Best chai I’ve ever had! Located on WeilerbacherSt, behind Zimtblute.

Honorable Mention:

Belgian Bistro – Unique burgers with spicy sauces, but an amazing beer selection. Located in Weilerbach.

You might notice a few restaurants not on my list.

There are no good Mexican restaurants in Europe. There just aren’t. They’re ok, but they’re not right. There’s curry in everything. The tortillas are wrong. If you want Mexican or Tex-Mex or South American food, find a friend and beg her to make you something authentic. I know people sell tamales and pastries in the Facebook groups.

To us, most German food is very similar. I hesitate to say: all the same, but it’s almost true. Enough with the Schnitzel and roast beef! There’s better sauerkraut in Prague. I want something unique, that I can’t or don’t want to make at home.

And some places that others rave about have very poor service or hit or miss with quality.

We can cook amazing food at home. We’re picky and we want to dine out with good quality food and service.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

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Burg Eltz

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We loved our little end of summer field trip to Burg Eltz.

The family and castle are named after the stream Elzbach, or Alder Creek. Eltz Castle has been in possession of the Eltz family for more than 800 years. The present owner of the castle, Dr. Karl Graf von und zu Eltz-Kempenich, alias Faust von Stromberg, lives in Frankfurt.

We paid €0,50 to park and walked the lovely forest path to the castle. It’s about a 1.3 k one way. There’s also a shuttle you can pay to ride.

Around a bend in the forest, you suddenly see the castle!

There’s a stone bridge to the castle.

There are two restaurants on the grounds.

The kids enjoyed climbing up the wall near the free restrooms.

We really enjoyed the treasury museum!

It was a lovely tour of the castle. No photos allowed inside.

And the river is great fun to splash and play!

Visit Burg Eltz!

Daily from 09:30 to 17.30 until 5 November 2017. Usually reopens in March or whenever weather allows. They update the website with info.

Tours available in German, English, French, and Dutch. Audioguides and pamphlets also available in other languages. Treasury self-guided tour included in ticket price.

Adults: €10
Children: €6,50
Family ticket: €28

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Städel Museum

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We love art museums! Most of our travels center around visiting art.

The Städel Museum in Frankfurt offers 700 years of art under a single roof.

Städel Museum

What to see:

Old Masters

van Eyck, Vermeer, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Rembrandt, Botticelli

Modern

Monet, Degas, Kirchner, Picasso

Contemporary

Francis Bacon, Warhol

Prints and Drawings

Durer, Pollack, Ernst, Cezanne, Delacroix, Raphael, Rembrandt

We were excited to see the Impressionist art after studying them!

Impressionists

This statue of Esmeralda and the Goat by Antonio Rosetti is lovely.

Esmeralda and the Goat

We saw some fun contemporary art:

Contemporary Art

We still don’t know what to think of this one:
Black
Don’t miss the fun outdoors exhibit with mirrors and let the kids run around.
Boy as Art
Middle Sister
Little Sister

BigSister

This was a fun exhibit on the Städel Museum lawn – a round beaded curtain.

Beaded Curtain

A rare image of the mama:

Mama as Art

Admission

14 € for adults

24 € for families

Admission is free for children under the age of 12.

Free wifi!

Hours

Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun 10 am – 6 pm
Thu, Fri 10 am – 9 pm
closed Mondays

Prints and Drawings

Wed 2 – 5 pm
Thu 2 – 7 pm
Fri 2 – 5 pm

The Städel Museum is about 1.5 hours from Ramstein and 2 hours from Spangdahlem.

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Heidelberg Castle

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We took the train to Heidelberg.

Heidelberg offers a pretty town, castle, a large wine vat, and apothecary museum.

You can only view the inside on a guided tour.

It sucked.

I couldn’t hear or understand the tour guide. I was unable to speak or ask questions due to the acoustics since I was told to be quiet by the guide and another family (and my husband) because they couldn’t hear. We were rushed through the castle and I could hardly take any pictures of anything interesting.

The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.

The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 metres (260 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg’s Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.

The earliest castle structure was built before 1214 and later expanded into two castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt caused a fire which destroyed some rebuilt sections.

There are four ways to get to the castle – car, bike, funicular, or walking.

We walked. It was hot.

Walking to Heidelberg Castle

We gathered for the next English tour, then they divided us in half with two different tour guides.

We entered into a room with lots of fun statues, old books, and things I wanted to look at. The guide explained none of it and gave no time to view it.

Fun with Statues

 Old Books

Then we went inside the castle and upstairs. There were these fun trunks with a gazillion locks.

Heidelberg Trunk

Lots of little rooms with decorations and paintings.

We loved the fireplace!

Big Fireplace

Then we were in the chapel that is no longer used except for pretty.

Heidelberg Chapel Altar

The tour was over.

We made our way over to the BIG VAT.

Heidelberg Tun

The Heidelberg Tun or Great Heidelberg Tun, is an extremely large wine vat contained within the cellars of Heidelberg Castle. There have been four such barrels in the history of Heidelberg. In 1751, the year of its construction, the present one had a capacity of 221,726 litres (58,573.8125 U.S. gallons). Due to the drying of the wood its current capacity is 219,000 litres (57,853.6795 U.S. gallons). One hundred and thirty oak trees were reputedly used in its construction. It has only rarely been used as a wine barrel, and in fact presently enjoys more use as a tourist attraction, and also as a dance floor since one was constructed on top of the tun.

Heidelberg Castle has a history of enormous barrels; today’s barrel (Fass) is the fourth in the history of the Neckar town.

  1. Johann-Casimir-Fass (1591)
  2. Karl-Ludwig-Fass (1664)
  3. Karl-Philipp-Fass (1728)
  4. Karl-Theodor-Fass (1751)

When the French army captured the castle, the soldiers believed the empty wine barrel to be full of wine; their hatchet marks left on the barrel were later visible to tourists. According to tradition and local legend, the eternal keeper of the enormous Tun remains Perkeo of Heidelberg, once a court jester and master of the castle’s spirit production (and a famously Herculean wine drinker).

Perkeo of Heidelberg

We looked at the view from the terrace.

Old Bridge over the Neckar River

Then we toured the Apothecary Museum. This was our favorite part!

Old Pharmacy

Laboratory
Old Distillery
We won’t take the train again. We couldn’t pack enough snacks and drinks in the backpack for all six of us on a hot day. It’s just so much easier to drive and pack up a picnic and be comfortable.

Hours

Courtyard: 8:00am – 6:00pm (last entry 5:30pm)

Big Vat: 8:00am – 6:00pm (last entry 5:50pm)

Pharmacy Museum: 10:00am – 5:30pm (last entry 5:10pm)

Rates

Courtyard, Great Cask, and Apotheken-Museum: Adults €3.00

Tours of interior are an additional €4.00 for adults. Tours are in English daily, when demand is sufficient.

Heidelberg is about 1.25 hours from Ramstein and 2.25 from Spangdahlem.

Studying Castles and the Middle Ages

Resources:

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