Germany Day 53 - Saturday, Feb 28

Drove to Chodovar Brewery in Chodova Plana, Czech Republic. Based on Carl's "suggestion", I'm coming to spend night and have the famous beer bath.

On the drive over, I took the back route. It was extremely foggy with white-out out the side windows. It was so cool, I pulled over at a rest stop and had a cigar. Apparently, it was the last rest stop before the Czech border (about 1km away) because a couple of friendly German border patrol agents pulled up and asked for my passport and asked several questions. Weird part is, as near as I can tell, its an open border... Certainly I saw no guards at the boarder crossing into Czech.

Inside Czech, the roads are smaller, more worn, and things are generally more run down than in Germany. However, it looks like they are making things better with signs of progress all over. Blame the Soviets.

Radio here has less English than Germany, but still plenty. "Hot and Cold" seems to be #1 song.

The Hotel is part of the brewery in "Beer Wellness Land". Checked in around noon, left the bags in the room and ate in the cave. Yes a real cave. Real adventure because I don't speak Czech and their German isn't any better than mine (well, it is). So I took a wild guess on the meal and got a plate with ham, chicken, a rib, and a bratwurst on it. Very nice.

The crowd was gathering in the cave reception area for the brewery tour so I took that. Lots of German tourist - so I blended. The tour guide lectured in both Czech and German, meaning I could not understand twice as much!! Oh, well, there was a beer at the end so all is good.

Had a partial message directly afterwords, then off to upload pictures and post day so far.

Pictures here

They are really trying to save power here in Europe. Many hallways (especially at hotels) have motion detectors in them and only light up when you start to walk in them. Spooky at first for those of us afraid of the dark. And the room here does not power anything until you put your room key in the power switch by the door - so you can't leave anything on when your away (like charging the laptop).

Beer bath was interesting. Mainly water but nice beer foam on top. Water all poured when you get in it. You get a beer to drink in the tub. Very nice. After a few minutes I was dozing off. Then you go to a dimly lit room where they wrap you in a blanket and give you another beer. Very relaxing.

Tubs are all in a row with curtains for modesty (and atmosphere). You have a sheet you where from the changing room - but the attendant (all females here) helps you in and out of the tub. Attendants remind me of Slavic mom's - but they have nice yellow uniforms and look very official.

Anyway, a very pleasent beer bath. Inf fact, the best I've had!

Next adventure: Dinner! Actually, Czech is the first place since I've been here where I've had to rely on my (really really bad) German - not too many folks speak English - especially the SPA attendants.

I'm sitting here minding my own business, and at 7:30, boom! I hope that fireworks and not cannons (it didn't sound like cannons). Jump to the window and a big fireworks display in the beer yard just beyond the parking lot. And with my slanty window faced that way, I get a perfect view! Too cool!!

Dinner was interesting. The new restaurant is basically a beer hall (as was the cave). So I finally find out how to eat in a beer hall not in Germany but in Czech. No real English spoken in beer hall, but on menu so I did OK. Only cost 10 Euro - cheep!! Bill had both Czech currency and Euro making it easy.

There was some kind of reception going on (like a wedding) with those folks doing a buffet. They had a 2 man Czech band playing, so I heard lots of old (mainly 50s) American tunes with mostly Czech lyrics. Interesting. Way foggy at night. I'm sure there's vampires on the lose somewhere around here.

Germany Day 47-52

Nothing much to report, really...

Germany Day 46 - Saturday, Feb 21

Drove to Weiden for the week. It's a three hour drive from Mannheim. At the Klassik Hotel again. On the walk platz they had a drive in market with bakery goods, vegetables, cheese, meats, fish, pork, etc. At a gyro on pita at a Greek place for lunch.

Ate dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant in Germany - Gino's on the walk platz in Weiden. Had a salad and spaghetti with olive oil and garlic. Yum!

Germany Day 45 - Friday, Feb 20

Carolin's last day!! She does not want any more doner so we have hot dogs at the shopette on post.

Finished checking out main increment of work and distribute disks at noon.

Then we tour Mannheim completely lost trying to return here "NeverLost" GPS map system. Problem was, the Hertz we had to return it too was not programmed in. Went to main Manngheim. Nope that's not it, go to next on list. Get there, store closed. Put in new address and wind up at first place. Go in there and have someone program in the right address. Generally, how to take two hours to do 15 minutes of work...

Ate at restraurant across street from Central Hotel for more "Z" Schnitzel. Yum. I had a fabulous cherry based desert with lots of really good tart cherries. Great!!

Germany Day 44 - Thrusday, Feb 19

Ann's Birthday!! And she's not here. ;-(

Left work early so Carolin and I could go to Weisbaden to by some chocolate for her to take home. Care, Carolin, and Rhonda all swear Xoxoatl has chocolate to die for. So we drive 45 minutes there for two tiny boxes of candy. Here is Carolin in front of store.



Wandered on the central walking area where they were setting up for Carnival. I bought some honey crusted peanuts from one of the many stands. Saw a group of guys decked out in funny old time hats, but the picture did not come out well. Those guys sing terrible so we left while it was still daylight.

Got tired of eating at the Central Hotel every night. So Carolin and I went to the nice brewery restaurant just next to the Schloss behind the spargle lady statue. No seats on account of Fasching aka Karneval. Folks showing up in all kinds of costumes for reservation only costume dance party. So we booked over to Patrick Henry Village and had American - I had a nice plate of ribs and a baked potato.

Stayed up late enough to wish Ann a happy birthday.

Germany Day 43 - Wednesday, Feb 18

Still fighting cold I've had for a couple of days. Carolin had same thing, so I borrowed some of the decongestant I went out and bought for here.

Germany Day 42 - Tuesday, Feb 17

All booked to see Justin and Martha in Paris March 24-27th. Hotel Acacias I booked two rooms for whole time assuming Ann will make it over the big pond.

Germany Day 41 - Monday, Feb 16

Only 46 days to go!!

Woke up to beautiful snow fall. Above freezing so the inch or so won't last long. President's Day, which is a Government but not SAIC holiday, so I worked from the hotel room. Started planning to see Justin & Martha when they come to Paris in March.

Germany Day 40 - Sunday, Feb 15

Visited the local brewery for an excellent 1 hour tour.
Welde
Well is 172 meters deep!! At the end a pretzel and 4 beers on tap, and you have one hour. Great!!

Next we are off to the local castle.
Schloss Schwetzingen
We had planned on the 2pm English tour, but its only in the season. So we go eat at the brewery next door (a different one - a real micro brewery) and I have the same pizza thing I had with Carl.

Finally we make it to the castle grounds - which are huge - and walk for about an hour and a half. Place must be sensational in summer - all kinds of square and arched trees, etc. Very nice even in winter.

After all that activity, back to the room and a nap for me.

Germany Day 39 - Saturday, Feb 14

Snowed last night about an inch or two. Beautiful all around. Scrapped my car and then Carolin's. We trundled off and did laundry at PHV and ate at Wingers again. Boy do we know how to live!

Germany Day 38 - Friday, Feb 13

Rhonda went to the Irish pub with the gang last night so it's her turn to feel worse for the wear. Her 90 days are up so she is flying back tomorrow after staying tonight in Frankfurt.

Germany Day 37 - Thrusday, Feb 12

Carl invites me out to an Irish pub for music starting at 9pm. Still recovering from Tuesday, I decline. A bit of snow, nothing to accumulate.

Germany Day 36 - Wednesday, Feb 11

Bit worse for the wear. Not used to drinking so much on an empty stomach. Otherwise uneventful. Back to tent city and lunch at PHV Wingers.

Germany Day 35 - Tuesday, Feb 10

Carl is staying at the Adler which is right next to the local. Ok, went in had a nice pizza like appetizer with halepeno peppers and two beers. Then next door to try a different bar. One more beer, but we don't like the menu. Across the street. Forth beer and we get dinner. Enough for me, back to the hotel and off to bed. But waited up for Ann to come on line till 11:30.

Went to tent city to see exercise. Very interesting.

Germany Day 34 - Monday, Feb 9

SSDD

Germany Day 33 - Sunday, Feb 8

Slept till 7:30 - 10 hours. Feel much better. At breakfast good news - I can move into a new room. Room is more than twice as large and very nice. I feel like a king in a palace!! Pictures of new room

Germany Day 32 - Saturday, Feb 7

Went to gym at Patton Barracks at ll to find out it does not open to 12. Left there went over to the PX, looked in book shop and had lunch a Popeyes. Went back to gym at Patton. At each of these little bases, you have to stop at a checkpoint with armed guards and present your government ID (not your driver's license) to get on. So base hoping is a bit more inconvenient than you may think.

After the workout went to yet a third base, PHV, to get my laundry done. Duntz that I am, I forgot to bring anything to read. OK, I has a cigar to pass the time - under a shelter because of the constant drizzle.

Back at the hotel, I felt a little sickish - I guess all the cold and I went out last night to the local gas station for one final beer without a hat. I see why everyone wears one in the winter here. Talked to Ann on Skype for an hour and dad dinner in the hotel with Carolin again and collapsed in bed at 9:30.

Germany Day 31 - Friday, Feb 6

A whole month already!! Already I can't wait to go home!!

Preparations for the exercise are not nearly as far along as they should be - no our fault - the boys setting everything up in the tents had a few problems. Like putting water into the generator gas tank (the cans look identical in the camo.) I had to leave at 2pm to drive back to Schwetzingen and the Central Hotel. Drive back was reasonably relaxing for the Autobahn - no problems at all. And I found my way all the way back without a map.

At the hotel, I wound up back in my old room #8. Just like being home. Bringing in my bags, I ran into Carolin and her daughter Mary. This being Mary's last day in Germany before flying back home, I took Carolin and Mary to dinner at the restaurant across the street. It was an enjoyable evening.

Germany Day 30 - Thrusday, Feb 5

SSDD. Lunch at Chinese place. Dinner at pizza place. Third time in a week I've eaten the same pizza with the same beer for dinner. I'm a really exciting kinda guy.

Today when we went for coffee, I parked near a curb so I told Rob and Carl to watch out when they got out. Watta mistake. I caught shit for that the rest of the day (good natured ribbing).

Germany Day 29 - Wednesday, Feb 4

SSDD. Someone brought in pizza for lunch so we could work straight through. Dinner was garlic and olive oil spaghetti at my favorite pizza restraint.

On base you could here the artillery and tanks practice firing.

Germany Day 28 - Tuesday, Feb 3

SSDD. We went out for lunch in the town just off base. Nice little Greek place. For dinner I wanted spaghetti. The pizza place was closed so I ate at another Italian place just off the square. The spaghetti was OK, but not great...

Germany Day 27 - Monday, Feb 2

Pick Carl up at his house at 7am and headed out to the Grafenwöhr training facility. It's about a 20 minute drive through the country side. Once we get there picked up Rob and headed out for coffee at the PX. The training facility is NATO while he base is US, so we have to go through a security checkpoint again to get coffee.

Work here is much more active than in Seckenheim on account of more folks and getting ready for the exercise next week. Also, the servers we actually use from Seckenheim are located here.

We went out for lunch in the town just off base. Nice little Chinese place.

In the evening, the good news is that the hotel is directly on the town square, so there are lots of places to eat to choose from. The bad news is there are lots of places to choose from. It was too much for me, so I just got pizza at the same place as Friday.

Germany Day 26 - Sunday, Feb 1

Slept in - that felt good. Walked to Carl's house for dinner with his wife Shannon and three daughters. Carl cooked a chicken with delicious potatoes accompanying the meal. Before hand were scrumptious appetizers including a baked feta in olive spread that was great. Because of the moving allowance, Carl doesn't have a dining room table so we ate on the couches and watched the first Austin Powers movie. Turn's out Shannon went to law school so we had a nice chat about that.

During the evening Carl introduced me to several fine German beers.