11/25/11 Internet dreams dashed

So I woke up this morning...early, awakened by anticipation of having internet at home, finally. I would be able to use skype to call and video chat with those I love; I would be able to check on my facebook zoo which is probably way behind now...poor little virtual animals; I would be able to get online on tubeplus and watch some tv (not in german); I could go home at a reasonable hour and still be able to email or chat or whatever with my kids....but no, that was not meant to be.

The guy got to the house a little late this morning, then proceeds to tell me he is going to have to do all this stuff to get the internet to work; ok, fine, I am up anyway, expecting its going to take a while, so go for it; make my house internet capable. So then he figures out he wouldnt have to do that much, maybe an hours worth of work...still fine and dandy. Then I hear him on the phone downstairs (of course I have no clue what is being said since it was in German...and somehow I just have not been blessed with the ability to pick up German overnight). Next thing I know I am hearing the dreaded, "Miss Martinez." That is never a good sign here when they call to you from some part of the house. I proceed to go downstairs and the nice Deusche Kabel guy proceeds to tell me that there is not enough power going into the house for the internet (you got me, there is enough power for everything else...I am thinking maybe he meant something other than power) and that they would have to have someone come out tomorrow and do some switching at some point on the street so that it would have the right input, but (yeah there is always a but) he would have to reschedule to come out and do the rest of the install. I proceeded to tell him could that happen on a weekend as I can't take another day off of work for the installation. Guess what? He can do it on a Saturday, but not until the 10th GRRRRRRRRR

So, here I am at my classroom, yet again, just so I can do something close to using the internet. Sure I can't skype as it is blocked on the school network. I can't get on facebook, that is blocked as well. But I can at least check email, send email, and for some reason get on blogspot (go figure).

Now heaven forbid I leave this entry without some bright moment...last evening, I got home from volunteering and of course a little trip to Globus (Love that store, it has so much in it and got some really good cheese...went in there actually to get some spiesbratten for dinner but instead ended up with tea, cheese, and some candies to send home) put on my tinkerbell flannel pants, tshirt and sweater and set up to watch a movie or two all cuddled up in a blanket. Next thing I know my door bell is ringing...who in the world could it be? Doesn't it just figure, me in my fashion fiasco and it's the landlord. You have to understand Georg, my landlord, seems a genuinely nice guy willing to do anything to help out, including moving furniture, but I don't ask for much as I dont want to take advantage. Anyway, he is someone I know, not like he is a stranger, so doesn't it just figure it would be him at the door to talk about a few things while I am ready to die of embarrassment at my attire. I am sure he must have thought some strange thoughts, but always the gentleman, not like he said anything or reacted oddly. Note to self, don't go home and get comfy, you never know who might show up unannounced.

On another cute note, I was busy tieing back curtains, putting up some Christmas kind of decorations and such when I looked out the window this morning and Georg's father as strolling by taking the dog for a walk. I had my hands full so couldn't wave as he looked in, so I felt kind of bad about that, but then as he got to the end of my fence he turned back so I waved and he had the cutest smile on his face. He is probably in his 80s (I would think at least) and he is just the cutest little old man. Before I moved in he was helping Georg do painting etc and I came over one day and we were trying to communicate (he in German and me in English) and he tells me that he is allowed to flirt because he is an old man (I got the translation from Georg)...that was it, I knew I liked him even if we had no idea what the other was saying.

11/24/11 Happy Thanksgiving

Here it is my first Thanksgiving in Germany...no family, no turkey, but still a good day anyway. Today I started volunteering at the USO. I was supposed to work both at the airport and the CASF, but thankfully (good day for that) I only spent time at the airport. The reason that it is thankful is that the only way I was going to do any time at CASF today is if they had patients who were waiting for their flight back to the states, and when I called they said they didnt need volunteers for the evening...so that means there were none (or few) soldiers/airmen waiting to leave. So it was a rather uneventful day. I went and spent my 4 hours at the airport; that was kind of nice as there was a lady waiting with her three daughters for their flight and her littlest decided that I needed to hold her (she was maybe a year old)...so needless to say, after they twisted my arm (not) I held her for a bit. Man I miss my little men so much. Oh well, Happy Thanksgiving!

Now on just a little sidenote, you know, I have figured out how you can tell when you are getting used to being somewhere...when your dreams include people with the local names. You know like in the US Georg would be George, but here it is pronounced "Gayorg." Well anyway, when I woke up yesterday morning I had to kind of giggle to myself. You see, before my alarm so rudely interupted my sleep I was in a conversation with some man (funny thing, I think it was in German, but I understood it in English...anyway) about the Christmas markets and I remember his name was Ernst (not Ernest, but Ernst)...Guess I am getting used to the place!

I also had stopped yesterday on the way to work at the Backerei and they had the cutest little bread guy...the bakeries have some really wonderful items here, and he was so cute...

With any luck I will have internet in the morning (at this point I am almost praying that they do come and get it installed, since they dont rush into it here and then they were trying to change the day on me to Monday).

11/22/11 Just a short one

Ok, so I really don't have much to say today...except that my first ever DODEA observation went well, despite the fact that now my projector in my classroom is possessed (I think it has something to do with the area...so much history of death etc with the wars and all). But, it showed my ability to improvise, as the many times that the technology failed me, I proceeded like a champ.

On a good note, my car went in to see the mechanic this past Saturday. The guy couldnt find why the car would honk on its own so we figured maybe he fixed it by taking it apart and putting it back together (it wouldnt honk for him like it did for me)...so I went on my merry way, with a car that wasnt honking and the heater was actually finally working (YIPPEE!!)...but wait, as I drove onto Ramstein Airbase what did I hear? Oh yes, it was Christine (aptly named after the famous Stephen King story) honking her hello to cars on the way. UGGGGG So after I was done on Ramstein, I drove back to Pulaski in frustration...Christine should have been hanging her head, if she had one. So I talked to another guy and asked can we just disconnect the stupid thing (it is against the law to just honk for no reason in this country and I am tired of bothering my neighbors at 0 dark thirty when Christine honks good morning to them). So the guy says sure we can undo the fuse...seems that the cables for the horn were kind of corroded, and low and behold they were on the left side of the car...usually the honking accured with left turns. Needless to say, she has not been honking since that discovery :) It feels so good to be able to drive without worry of that accidental honk...it was so embarrasing :)

Some have asked, "so what are your big plans for Thanksgiving?" Hmmm well I dont think I will be having turkey (unless its a turkey sandwich) but I am starting to do some volunteer time for the USO so I am doing that on Thursday...then attempting to find some wifi somewhere that will allow me to call home and say Happy Thanksgiving (since I dont get internet until Friday...hopefully), probably stop by Globus (an amazing store) and get some spiesbratton and see if there is anything I need to send home...and other than that, I am thinking its looking like a movie night or reading time. I did get a pumpkin pie (cant go without any of the traditional stuff).

11/11/11 Oui Oui Paris

How interesting, for Veteran's Day weekend I went to Paris...the interesting thing; it was also their Veteran's Day. I thought it was a cool coincidence.

At any rate, bright and early (really it wasn't bright at all) I got up; I woke up at about 4 am because I was afraid I would somehow be late and miss the train. I drove my half hour in the fog to get to the trainstation in Landstuhl (thankfully Christine, my psychotic possessed car) didnt feel the need to honk at anyone along the way. So I get to the trainstation and got lucky enough to find a parking place not too far away (doesn't hurt that I was an hour early) and proceeded to stroll to the train area (in the cold, in the dark, in a foreign land). Now I admit, I was worried that somehow Rosemary (the teacher I was going to Paris with) would somehow not show up, then what would I do? This was afterall my first experience with the train in Europe. But she did show up (she wasnt as lucky on the parking as I was). As we waited on our little train ride to Saarsbrucken enroute to Paris this is what the train station looked like at that time in the morning. Notice that it's all outside (no heat and a cold morning...brrrrrr)

So our train arrives and we climb on...not an easy feet when the train is about a foot and a half away from the standing area and there are really narrow steps to climb up into the train, but we did it. So we were off to Saarsbrucken where we would switch trains and take the ICE train into Paris. Thank goodness we not only got on an early train than scheduled (and didnt have to pay for taking the wrong train) but also got into Saarsbrucken with about an hour before the other train (would have been a more difficult morning if we only had a few minutes between). Since we had some time we went into the station and had a little breakfast. I would say we went in to warm up too but its kind of open air so very drafty. The pigeons didnt seem to mind it though.

Unfortunately, Friday turned out to be an overcast day from the start and stayed that way, so my first views of Paris werent bright and beautiful, but still wonderful none the less. This was the inside of the train station. This is a very old trainstation so it has the pretty architecture and windows rather than just being a sterile building. This trainstation also has a metro station.

Our hotel happened to be at the trainstation which may not sound great at first but so convenient and it really wasnt bad at all. You hardly noticed the trains or the metro and its location was perfect for getting other places since it was kind of in the middle. So this was our room and the view from our room (not a high priced Paris view but it was still nice).

We wasted no time. Yes, Pat and Nancy (a couple of other teachers) would also be arriving, but they wouldnt be in until 1 pm and it was still only around 10 am, so we set off on our adventure. Now it may not have been an adventure for Rosemary as she goes to Paris often, but it was all new to me.



We took the metro (not as nice as that in DC, but nicer than some) to a shopping area that has everything you could think of or so it seemed. I loved the chalk drawing a guy was doing on the street.

This guy is selling actual Chestnuts roasted kind of on an open fire.

This is the Opera House, but no Gerard Butler around, darn it!

We went into Galleries LaFayette which was amazing. You walk into this store and ok, it is an oldfashioned department store...7 stories worth of store. At first when we walked in I noticed this long line...it was all people trying to get into the Chanel section of the store...the Louis Viton area was the same way. So we kind of passed through those areas and went to the center of the store.

This shows part of the dome and some of the different levels of the store

This is the dome

I had to take this picture for Alex...its all legos!

This shows how overcast it was...so not such a great view of the city, so sad :(

This is one of the views (although limited that day) from the restaraunt in the department store.

So after doing a little shopping, looking for baby things because Rosemary wanted to find something in Paris for a friends new baby we headed back to the hotel/trainstation to meet up with Pat and Nancy (since their train came in around then). Then we headed off to try to find this store that Julia Child had shopped in when she was in Paris and in cooking school. According to the Le Cordon Bleu (my spelling is probably wrong) chefs this is also where they prefer to shop...dont ask me, it's what Rosemary was told when she took some courses, mainly we were going because Pat just wanted to shop in the store. so these are mainly pictures of our stroll to find the store (which of course was not open because it was a holiday in France so we went across the street and got sushi instead).

This is the stock exchange building.

this is a side of the Louvre

The Seine River

This is the building where Marie Antoinnette was held before her fateful day.

Rosemary and me on a bridge over the Seine. I am so happy that she invited me along on this adventure...I loved it, loved it, loved it! By the way, in case I wasnt clear enough, I loved it!

This is a gate on one of the ministeries of something or other...within these fences is also a really pretty church, but more on that later.



Can you Quasimoto up at the top? He is said to be there and blessing people as they pass by...works for me. The next four pictures are also Notre Dame. I didnt go in, it wasnt on the plan, but will on another visit.



How could it be Paris without the accordian music?

Along the Seine behind Notre Dame is a memorial that you may not realize is there but its really quite interesting. It is a memorial and somewhat an apology from the French for deporting so many Jews during WWII...basically sending them to their death. It is in this park and it looks like just a concrete wall, so if you didnt know it was there you wouldnt guess it was a memorial. You walk up and there is a guard to guarantee that you understand that once you enter you are to be silent in honor of the people that this memorial is dedicated to.

these are the names of some of the concentration camps that the Jews were deported to...even if you know little about the concentration camps, I am sure you will recognize some.

This was a very moving memorial, perhaps because the French guard insists that any that enter be silent, but moreover at the thought that these people may not have realized what they were doing by deporting so many (I believe 200,000); maybe they didnt realize that the people would be exterminated, but they do appear to want to make up for it in some way.

I guess there is some story about lovers putting a lock on a bridge, so of course Paris has a bridge that is covered in locks...silly if you ask me.





One of the nicer metro stations. I tell you what, those subway stations give you a work out...few have escalators and fewer have elevators, so that leaves lots of stairs.

I loved this old guy. He was on his way to the Arc de Triomphe for some ceremony honoring the veterans. Even at his age he was so sweet to get up to let a woman sit on the metro. Personally, I think the lady should have stayed standing...she doesnt look to old or frail to me, but he was a gentleman. Look at all those medals.



Part of the Grand Palais. This is where we went to see the Stein Collection. Its a showing of some of the art that the Stein family (i.e. Gertrude Stein) collected. It includes art from many famous artists to include Picaso, Manet, etc.

Rosemary and Pat waiting for us to be able to go into the exhibit.

Nancy, Pat and Rosemary on the metro after the art show

Arc de Triomphe viewed from the Champs-Élysées

I just thought this was cool looking.

Good thing they werent open yet...I would have had to buy out the store...yeah, right!

Walkway on the Champs-Élysées

These doors were so pretty...the picture does them no justice.



This is part of a lightpole.



This was supposed to be our breakfast spot. We had reservations but they neglected to inform us that they would be closed for renovations...so we had to stroll to the other location to get breakfast. This is a famous shop that sells all sorts of macaroons. The restaraunt actually started as a tea house but now has all kinds of items.

The American Embassy

The American Embassy...taken right before the French guard ran towards me shaking his finger telling me that you cant take pictures...oh well, at least he could tell I was harmless...or he would have run toward me with a gun aimed at me. I feel for those guys, they have a rough job. Tough to be responsible for something that doesnt belong to your country.

Such a pretty window display

The Hermes guy (above the Hermes store)



Teacher attire? Perhaps Pat is thinking about what to wear for retirement???



This was a light in of all things a jewelry store..I thought it was a hoot!

Finally, we made it to the Laduree that we could actually eat at. This was part of the ceiling

The reason I have this picture...well I ordered the hot chocolate...it is amazing, well it would be if it was all milk chocolate, but in its own right it is amazing. This hot chocolate is served in the little pitcher and it is so thick and warm that its like drinking a melted candy bar. I had that and french toast made with brioche. Good thing we had more walking to look forward to.

World famous Maxim's

Wonder what that is? Never did get closer to it, this trip, but there will be more trips I am sure.

This is the window of a hat shop (like you couldnt figure that one out on your own). I loved all the different hats and they had signs telling you what the proper name was for each.

another door that I liked

The Louvre

(I didnt go in this trip...it would take too long, but perhaps next time)

I loved this guy with his pigeons

The loo at the Louvre

Funny as it was, this towel was so helpful...no that isnt a paper, it is a towel showing the metro lines. Everytime we had to go somewhere, Rosemary pulled out here towel. Needless to say, I bought a metro towel so I will know how to get around in the future.

still the louvre

strange little shop we came upon while trying to find our way back to the cooking store

the window display in the strange shop....they are rats, ewwww

Thought of my son-in-law, Dale, when I saw this store...it had nothing to do with the football team.

When we were sitting having a drink I thought this was a building of some sort, as I could only see part of it, but when we got up and walked near it, we found that it was a fountain.

This is the cooking store that Julia Child frequented, a lot of the pictures prior to this one were on our stroll trying to find this store again.

A mural on the metro wall at the Bastille station

This guy was singing away in the metro (singing but not well)

This was in the roundabout when we excited the metro in an attempt to find the Promenade Plantee

The Promenade Plantee is basically an old train line and station that was no longer used so rather than destroy it, parts were turned into park area and part of the aquaduct and trainstation are now used by various artisans/shops. We seemed to walk for forever (probably at least a few miles worth) before we realized we were already walking above the artisan area. The following are some views of and from the upper level of the Promenade Plantee

This is an apartment building that had been built so that the train passed in the middle of the building...now it is a walkway on the Promenade Plantee 

This is part of a sundial on the Promenade Plantee

This is actually the police station, believe it or not!

One of the shops is an art restoration place...so this lady was restoring this painting.

This is a craft shop (mainly needlework types of things) that is now housed in the old archway of the train area.

This dog was so cool, carrying his own bag.

View out our hotel room in the early morning light.

Kind of speaks for itself...Moulin Rouge

Cabaret dancer in the early morning???

I dont think I would necessarily want to have the corner room!

These were just lights in the restaurant that we had breakfast in but I liked them...the food was good too.

One of the train stations often painted by Monet

Our train to La Roche-Guyon...it wasnt this empty on the return ride.

After our taxi ride from La Jolie we arrived at La Roche-Guyon (said to be one of the prettiest towns in France)

First stop in La Roche-Guyon was the castle. This was no ordinary castle (like any are) but this was Rommel's headquarters in France during the war. This was where he was located while trying to orchestrate a surrender and of course the planned assassination of Hitler.

A time machine...The castle of La Roche-Guyon was used as the setting for the medieval segment of one of the Blake and Mortimer's graphic novels, "The Diabolical Trap". Picture is the "chronoscaphe", a time machine figure in the story.

This is a marketplace in the town square...although they werent using it the day we went.

Yummy salmon!

Cheese and salad

This is nothing special, just seeing if you are paying attention :)

This is part of the castles orchard

inside the train station on the return to Paris

odd little statue with none of the clocks working

Entrance to La Sainte-Chapelle

This picture turned out terribly, first this lady wouldnt get out of the way, so I just hurried to click...look at the size of these doors. That lady was not a short lady (probably about 5'7")

I think this was the prettiest metro station we saw all weekend.



And so, that is what I saw in Paris (well at least what I could get pictures of). Definitely, Paris is a place to spend lots of time in...I loved it there. I have no idea how people say it is such a rude place. Almost everyone we came across was helpful and friendly. Sure there is a ton of graffitti in the city and its the first time I saw so many homeless people since coming to Europe, but its still a beautiful city with so much to see and do...so needless to say, I am sure I will return to Paris!