Deutschland is what the Germans call their land, which many of them believe, extend beyond their current borders. We spent the last week of our European vacation in Deutschland and based ourselves in Spangdahlem, where Tess’s brother, Tony, and his family are stationed. We took a train from Avignon to Paris to Bettenburg where we were picked up by Tony and his family.
On the drive on the Autobahn to Spangdahlem, we immediately noticed the stark difference in the landscape: miles and miles of forests interspersed with miles and miles of fields. The towns are far in between. What a beautiful countryside! This time of year, early summer, is when the vegetation is at its greenest, the days are their warmest and longest.
Spangdahlem is a US Air Base in Germany and home to the 49th Tactical
Fighter Wing and the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. We got there at 9pm and the sun was still up. Tony, his wife Sheena, and daughters Sophia and Ahndrea have called this home for 7 years but are now ready to move to their next duty station back in the USA in Florida. As a matter of fact, all their household goods and both their cars have already been shipped and they are now staying in the base’s TLF (aka the base hotel) where we joined them. They took us around the iconic German towns, castles, sites, and beyond:
Trier is about 20 miles south of Spangdahlem and the oldest town in Germany. Built in 15BC by the Roman Empire, it still has edifices standing from that era, including the Porta Nigra, the north gate. Trier, to my wife’s delight, also has brand-name shops that cater to every woman’s shopping desire. Augustus Caesar would have been proud.
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| Porta Nigra, Trier, Germany. |
Germany has hundreds of castles but in these parts, the must-see ones are Bernkastel-Kues (BK) and the Eltz Castle. BK is on top of a big hill overlooking rows and rows of vineyards along the hill slopes, the town, and the Mosel River. The castle has a fine dining restaurant and while up there, one can imagine during medieval times the Count and Countess and their guests overlooking their fief as far as the eyes can see. The Eltz Castle, on the other hand, is hidden away from the towns and is in the bottom
of a ravine, with its own bridge across a stream, no doubt doubling as a barrier. The castle blends with the topography and foliage which is one reason it has survived centuries of invasions; the main reason, Sheena explained, is that the families that owned the castle, passed down over the years, have been known to be adept in establishing good relationships with whoever was in power.
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| A Tesla Model S taxi, Luxembourg. |
Amsterdam is the capital city of Netherlands. What else is there to know about Amsterdam besides its liberal laws on drugs and prostitution? Amazingly, it has some of the most beautiful architecture and most diverse population in Europe. But the best thing about Amsterdam for me and Tess is that it is home to the Van Gogh Museum. We are huge fans of Vincent - his life and his paintings. Visiting his museum is a dream come true. This museum has most of his work, including "Sunflowers." However, his most popular one, "Starry Night," is not here. It's in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
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| Amsterdam, Netherlands. |
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| Red Light District, Amsterdam, Netherlands. |
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Tess poses with her favorite Van Gogh, "Sunflowers."
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. |
The same thing can be said about Brussels, the capital of Belgium. What makes it stand out for me is that it has the best beers in the world, including the ones made by the Trappist monks - the most sought-after of them all. These beers, made in limited quantities, don’t have labels on the bottles. The labels are on the caps which are color-coded based on the alcohol content and rarity. Trappist beers consistently win the annual contest of beers. (I didn’t know they had one until now.) Tony and I had the yellow-capped, Westvleteren 12, the rarest of them all.
I am not a beer connoisseur by any means, but it is the best bottle of beer I’ve ever had.
Prost to Deutschland!
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| Trappist beer, the best of them all. |
