The Tale of Two Cities .....

We ventured out to Berlin, Germany this past weekend, and I was amazed at this beautiful, and at one time separated, city.

First off, the drive out there, nearly 5 hours, was absolutely beautiful!  Not many "castles" to see, but beautiful, rolling hills, the tallest and straightest pine trees I have ever seen, and beautiful German villages, nestled in the countryside.   The picture I took of these tall pines didn't turn out well, so I went onto google images and found one that resembles these amazing trees, perfectly:

We arrived at our hotel around 4pm, after a late start leaving Wiesbaden (which isn't really surprising)!  :)  We quickly checked into the hotel, and got back into the car to drive to the city center. Before we could even bet to the city center, we were struck by the beauty of the drive into the city (since our hotel was 18 km from the city).  There really wasn't anything "spectacular" about it, yet for some reason the houses, the people, the streets.....there was just "something" that made it beautiful, as we drove in.  Possibly, it was just the thought of life bieng "normal" after a city was separated for 23 years?  Possibly, it was the simplicity of life?  I'm not really sure, but here are some pictures we took.

Our first stop was the Unter der Linden area, where we could "Chart Berlin's History in One Street".  Our first stop was The Brandenburg Gate, which would mark Prussia's capital city in 1791.  Also known as the "Gate of Peace", held a great celebration when the Berlin wall came down.

After the Brandenburg Gate, we decided to walk to the Reichstag, which is the German parliament building.  We were told we could go for a tour in it, and that it was free (which, when there's 6 of us, is always a PLUS).  So - we went over, and found the line to be quite long (almost an hour), but decided it woiuld be worth the wait.  Well, we were really excited when the young lady came up to us to ask the ages of the kids.  When we mentioned that Rebecca was 6, she smiled and said they had a separate entrance for families with children, under 7 - and, get this.....NO WAIT!!!  So, we were all happy, and Rebecca was tickled that her being "little" was a good thing!  :)

The Reichstag is an impressive building with a "playful glass dome at the top, in which a funnel of mirrors sheds light on the workings of democracy below".  We could walk up a spiraling staircase, to the top, and get a 360 view of Berlin.  It was absolutely beautiful from there.....

These are the spiral "walkways" going up the dome - amazing

On one of Alex's XBox games, he conquers this exact building (which is kinda cool that he actually learned history without even knowing it - I love it!).  So this is his "conquering" stance!  :)

After leaving the Reichstag, we started walking to find the actual remnants of the Berlin Wall.  Along the way, we came across a large park, filled with large concrete slaps, of varying heights, and we couldn't figure out what they were.

Well, after researching, I found out that it is the Holocaust Memorial, "cccupying about 205,000 square feet (19,000 square meters) of space near the Brandenburg Gate and just a short distance from where the ruins of Hitler’s bunker is buried.  It is made up of 2,711 gray stone slabs that bear no markings, such as names or dates.  The slabs undulate in a wave-like pattern. Each is a five-sided monolith, individually unique in shape and size. Some are only ankle high while others tower over visitors. The paths that are shaped between the slabs undulate as well. The U.S. Architecht Peter Eisenman hoped to create a feeling of groundlessness and instability; a sense of disorientation."  Well, it worked....we definitely had all of those feelings.

 As we continued our walk, we decided that it was time to eat, so we stopped at a restaurant, and had some wonderful steaks!  As we sat and ate, the end of the World Cup Quarter-final happened, and Germany beat Argentina (I believe) 4-0, so there was MUCH partying in the streets!

Alex even joined in the celbration, as he found a German flag on the ground, as we walked!  :)

(Seems strange to have it hanging from his pants, but there were MANY who wore it this way, and the girls wrapped it around them like a bathing suit cover - very strange)

As we continued, we made our way to see the remains of the Berlin Wall.  It's hard to describe in words, how we felt!  We have feelings of joy that the wall had been torn town, allowing everyone, including families that hadn't seen each other in years to see one another;  we had feelings of sadness at just thinking about what those years must have felt like for the citizens of Germany (east and west); we felt like we had a weight on our shoulders, as we thought about all the many freedoms we have as American citizens, and yet we, as citizens, find time to "grumble" about so much - and yet, in reality, it's miniscule in relation to the World!!!  We are a blessed nation, UNDER GOD, and I pray for our nation, our leaders and our citizens to step forward and make a change (not just complain).  We are a country where so many are given SO MANY opportunities, and these opportunities are simply thrown away, because it takes alot of work, or because people don't appreciate all our country has to offer!  Okay, sorry - enough of my soap box.

Since I can't quite explain the feelings, here are some pictures...

The last stop during our trip to Berlin was to "Check Point Charlie", which from 1961 to 1990, "was the only border crossing point for the Allies, foreigners, employees of the Permanent Representation and officials of the GDR. Today, the checkpoint is commemorated by a border sign and a soldier's post."

We really enjoyed this area, because the entire street, Freidrich Strasse, has turned into a street of history.  All along the sidewalks, lining the street, are large billboards showing a piece of history.  Though we loved it, there was one part that we didn't care for, and took offense to.  There were German men (boys, really) dressed in American Class-B military uniforms, carrying American flags, having people pay 2euro each to have a picture taken with them in front of Check Point Charlie.  We didn't have a problem, necessarily, with being charged for picture, but rather we were offended that they would wear OUR uniform, unshaved and in regular shoes, carrying a tattered, dirty and torn flag, that they had dragging on the ground.  This complete lack of respect for our Flag even made Samantha ask "why don't they care about our flag, and why are they wearing our uniform if they're not in our army?"  When the 10-year old asks those kind of questions, then there's a problem.

Though the wall was torn down, there is still a constant reminder of the life that once was!

(this is where the wall was removed, but they filled it in, and made it a memorial along the roads)

Reflections......

As I reflect back on our first month here in Germany, I realize that even though all of our "adventures", we have been extremely blessed!  Blessed by so many that didn't even know us, blessed by our friends, and blessed by our family. 

As I think about our first month, I realize the blessings started even before we left.  My dear friend Janet, and her husband Bill, welcome our entire family into their home, including the dog and cat (and Bill is allergic to cats), then our friends, Tim, Inga and Sue, welcomed our family into their home for FIVE days, including the cat and dog.   Not only did Tim and Inga welcome us into their home, but they instantly made us feel welcome and a part of their family.  Having 8 kids in the house never even phased them!  They also let us borrow their minivan for an entire month before we left, so we would have a car that fit our entire family (since we had shipped the van already).  When I tell people this all they can say is "WOW - those are great friends"!  The crazy part is we became friends only in February when we attended the same conference in Kansas, only to find out they lived in Virginia, and NOW they're going to be our neighbors here in Wiesbaden!  God is SOOOO good!  Tim and Inga also brought us to the airport at 10pm the night we were leaving, driving 2 vehicles, 10 suitcases, 2 pet kennels and 6 of us up to BWI, over an hour from their house.

Once we arrived in Germany, we were immediately blessed by a wonderfully warm welcome by members of Jasons unit, to include the Cardenas', Lee, Stephen, David, and several others.  Prior to our arrival, Lee and his wife, Tricia, helped answer my MANY questions about Germany, they "house hunted" for us, signed for our housing, got our temporary furniture delivered, arranged for our post office box, and so many other things that it would take too many pages to detail.  Noel and his wife, Cristi, were the first to email us and welcome us to the unit.  Cristi answered tons of email questions, helped me figure out what to send in our advance shipment, welcomed us with a wonderful dinner at their house the day after we arrived, and helped coordinate a welcome picnic for us (so we could meet the families of our unit).  Their children welcomed our children with open arms, showing them the neighborhood, introducing them to other kids in the neighborhood, teaching them "where" and "when" the ice cream truck come in the neighborhood, and showing them the walking route to the nearest bakery (bakeri).  Stephen, who is the units FRSA has been a blessing to me from the moment we arrived.  He has been a wealth of knowledge, a sounding board, great support and someone I am pleased to call "friend". 

Then there were those that drove us around our initial days on post, from in-processing, to going to the commissary for groceries, to going to buy shower curtains and towels, to showing us where to pick up our mail, and teaching us all we needed to know. 

I cannot forget Gordana, in the housing office, that took care of everything for us, so that upon our arrival, we had a fully furnished home, ready for us, so we would only have to stay in temporary quarters for one night.  This is almost unheard of, in the overseas community - most people are in the hotel for at least a week, if not several.

The person, Beirgit, in housing that worked hard to ensure that our yard was done properly, and to our satisfaction.

To the staff at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic, that on our several visits, we were taken care of promptly (always before our appointment time), and always with superb customer service

To MAJ Knapp, who helped identify our "caterpillar crisis"...without him, we would've never found the source of our rash, and could've spent several more weeks in itchy pain.

To the members of DPW that quickly responded to our need to remove the caterpillar nests.  Eventhough the machine broke, they returned first thing the next day with a new machine, and took great care of our family, and pride in their work.

To the members of the 421st MMB for welcoming our family....more like embracing our family....making us feel as if we'd been a part of the unit for a long time.

To the spouses of the 421st, for being a great group, filled with smiles, and welcoming me into their "family"

To the FRG leaders of the unit, for loving their military family so much, that they are willing to give up their own time to tend to the needs of others - what a blessing they are.

To our friends that email, facebook, and IM....without your constant support this first month, our transition overseas would have been terribly difficult.  Each time I logged onto the computer and saw an email from one of you, a smile quickly came to my face as I read your email.

To our families for understanding when we couldn't call during the first few weeks, but always emailing to let us know we were missed.  To sending the cards and packages in the mail - something we typically don't do in the states, but was such a "touch of home", when we're on foreign soil.

To our children, who has been so understanding about the time we are away from them, about the many functions they've had to attend (and always stay smiling), about learning about how to take care of our Army Family, and give of themselves!  We are truly blessed by our children, and they continue to teach me so much each day!

Forgive me to those of you that I have not mentioned, which I know are many.  It was not ill-intended...just impossible to list everyone.

We have been blessed beyond what we deserve, and for that we thank each of you for blessing us.  We also thank God for putting each of you in our lives, and for the knowledge that even through long distances we know that we will one day meet again!

We love each and every one of you and THANK YOU!!!!!

The Caterpillar Saga ......

Well, today was an interesting day (as many can assume, since it IS the Wieman house)!  :)   The Department of Publics Works came out to the house at 8am to "inspect" the nests, to determine what type of equipment they would need to get rid of them.  They ended up seeing several more nests that we hadn't seen, and determined they needed a cherry picker.  They would return at 1pm, to "vacuum" all the nests, and allow us to open up our windows - which on the hot, 90 degree day, is important.

They arrived promptly at 1pm, started dismantling our neighbors backyard fence, and our fence to get the equipment in.  They started on the Brown's nests, where I had seen 2 in their backyard.  They set the cherry picker up, got it "balanced", and one of the guys quickly got in and went up with a SHOP VAC!  Imagine my surprise when it wasn't some "super-special-oak-processionary-caterpillar" contraption....but a regular, old shop-vac!  I was also told that the person doing it would be wearing a special "haz-mat" type suit, covering his/her entire body, to protect them from the fine hairs.  Well....the guy came with nice dress shoes, dress pants, and a lab coat on...with NOTHING underneath ...his actual chest hairs were showing.  Then, he had on surgical gloves that just went to his wrist, with a large gap between wrist and the bottom of the lab coat!  He took  care of the Brown's nests, then they moved the cherry picker to our yard. 

hee hee ....looks like he's cleaning the curtains!  :)

They got it set up quickly and proceeded to take down one nest, and then move it, in order to remove the next nest.  This time I was surprised when a different guy starts putting on the "hazmat-type suit" that I expected originally.  He was covered head-to-toe, and even had a breathing apparatus on.  THEN...the craziness happened AGAIN!  He gets into the bucket of the cherry picker...this guy with the full hazmat suit, mind you - and another guy gets into the bucket....in SHORTS and a SHORT SLEEVE shirt, and goes up to the caterpillar nest!  Craziness!  I couldn't believe that these two men were working side-by-side to exterminate our "deadly caterpillars', and dressed as polar opposites.

notice the one dressed in his "hazmat" outfit, and the guy in short-sleeve shirts in the bucket

Well, as if that weren't crazy enough, the craziness continued.  They moved the cherry picker to the spot of the second nest, which took longer to set up, since it was on a hill in our yard.  They did finally get it done, and the two guys got back in the bucket.  Up they started....then stopped!  I waited, wishing I knew German, but it never moved.  I finally had to ask what had happened, not knowing if the "sleeve-less" guy had all of a sudeen been infested with a rash.  NOPE - instead the cherry picker DIED!!!   DEAD! 

KA-PUT!   I couldn't believe what they were telling me - this brand new piece of machinery had an electronic failure, and they would have to return tomorrow with another one! 

This is when the machine died....and everyone was confused, trying to figure out how to fix it.

So, with the weather being in the 90's, and not being able to open our windows because of the caterpillars, we have moved into the local post loding (hotel) for 2 nights (courtesy of our housing office) until they get rid of the pesky critters!

I lay here in the hotel bed wondering what adventures tomorrow morning will bring, but rather than thinking about it, decide that I must get some sleep, for I KNOW an adventure is right around the corner!

Good night my friends!

***** Friday, July 2nd update

I just received a call that DPW has removed all of the nests...12 of them!  YUP - TWELVE!  They have recommended we stay in the hotel one more night, because they "disturbed" the nests as they sucked them into the vacuum, and they want time to let the hairs settle.  We're thrilled that it's done, and hope by next week, we can report, clean and spot-free, itch-free bodies!  :)